Chief Operating Officer

First Step Trust (FST) is an award winning charity of over 30 years, providing work experience, on the job training and salaried employment for people excluded from working life because of mental health problems and other disadvantages. Many of the people they work with are long term unemployed (10 years +) and some have never worked. FST is developing new ways to help this group overcome some of the barriers to learning using a range of technologies and other learning tools.

Prospectus is delighted to be recruiting for a Chief Operating Officer to help our client in their next phase of development, to be based full time from their site in Woolwich SE18. As the COO, you will support the CEO in executing the strategic plans and directives, while overseeing the efficacy of the organisation’s strategy and implementing changes needed for the growth and development of the organisation. Ultimately your purpose is to support the continued success and growth of the organisation through good management, communication and relationship-building, without compromising on their commitment to working with people who use their service as colleagues and assets.

To be successful in this role you will be a senior level manager who has energy and drive as well as sound judgement. On top of a strong track record in an operational position, you will have the breadth of experience to oversee their operations strategy and systems, commercial activity, budget management, monitoring and evaluation. You will have a proven track record of success in senior-level general or commercial management. You will be a clear, analytical thinker who will strengthen the leadership of the charity. In addition, you will be an excellent manager of people, able to support team members with varying skills and abilities, including some who may come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

To apply please submit your CV and a two-page supporting statement via the application link on the Prospectus website, preferably in Microsoft Word/PDF format. The statement should outline your motivation for joining the organisation and why you feel you would be a good fit for this role. You should also demonstrate your experience and skillset with examples relating to the Person Specification in the Job Description. If you have any further questions or would like to know more about this opportunity please contact Steven Fraser from Prospectus.

Following the Prospectus shortlisting process, a select number of candidates will be invited to interview with our client. This will be a two-stage interview process, with first stage interviews w/c 21st October and final stage interviews w/c 28th October.

As a specialist Recruitment Practice Prospectus are committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations, and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Prospectus invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application