Head of Operations

Head of Operations

Help build the operational backbone of a multi-award winning charity that’s ready to grow further, with a clear path to becoming our COO.

For seven years, one exceptional leader has held impact, organisational development and much of YUAF’s operations, building the processes, funder relationships and team support that became part of the spine of how we grew. As they move on, we’re not just replacing them. We’re rethinking and widening the role.

This post exists to hold the organisation steady and take operational responsibility off the Chief Executive’s plate, freeing her to focus on strategy, key donors and the funding pipeline.

What you’ll hold

You’ll report to the Chief Executive and sit on the Senior Management Team, owning income generation, impact and evidence, business planning, governance, performance management and the systems underneath them all. You’ll line-manage four people: the Pathways Lead, Marketing Lead, Project Manager and Futures Lead.

Where the role is going

From month seven, this role is intended to move to full time with deeper ownership of income and strategy. As YUAF grows, and subject to income generation, we want this post to develop into our Chief Operating Officer role. We’d rather appoint someone who outgrows this description than someone who fits it exactly.

How you’ll start

The first six months are a settling period at 30 hours per week. You’ll learn how the organisation actually works, get embedded in the culture, and understand the programmes by spending real time with young people and the people who deliver them.

You’ll build relationships across the team, with funders and with partners, and by month three, we want people to naturally come to you as a trusted point of contact.

We also want you to look at YUAF with fresh eyes. Where are the gaps? What’s held together by one person’s memory alone? Where does delivery quality drop, and why? What would make life easier for the staff doing the hardest work? Bring us both the diagnosis and the solutions.

The timing is on your side: November to February is our quietest season, when the Studio Bus is largely off the road. Delivery picks up again in March 2027, so the role builds in stages rather than coming to you all at once.

How to apply

In addition to providing your CV and cover letter, it is a requirement of the application process that you complete our Head of Operations Questionnaire. A link for this can be found on the attached job description.

Note

We recognise that AI is a useful tool, however, we will be assessing applications, cover letters and running through AI to ensure that it was written by yourself as part of our shortlisting process. So please take the time to write your own application, this is a serious role that requires critical and independent thinking.