Operations Director

As Operations Director, you will deliver business-critical leadership, ensuring that our internal operations are robust, effective and support our 2025-2035 strategy. From leading on setting strategic budgets and financial reporting, organisational development, performance analysis, infrastructure systems to governance, you’ll provide best-in-class organisational assurance.

As part of our Senior Leadership Team, you’ll be an important part of our strategic planning, collaborating with our other Directors on a cross-functional basis. It’s a wide-ranging role that requires financial acumen, attention to detail, and project management skills.  You’ll use emotional intelligence to manage and inspire colleagues to achieve a high-performance and happy culture. A good grasp of how to navigate organisational and systems change is essential. Your wider professional toolkit – communications, relationship building, self-management, influencing, strategic business planning – must be excellent.

Crucially, you’ll want to be part of a supportive, inclusive and friendly team and contribute to Somerset Community Foundation (SCF) being a great place to work.

About Somerset Community Foundation

We’re a grant-making charity that provides simple, rewarding and impactful ways for donors to make a difference on their doorstep, guided by research and our unrivalled local knowledge, helping to build strong communities where everyone can thrive. We believe that real and lasting change can only be created when we put communities at the heart of that change. Hundreds of communities and thousands of people of all ages benefit from the work we fund, tackling needs and fulfilling their hopes, dreams and ambitions.

We award around £4 million of funding to local groups every year. Our turnover in 2024 was nearly £5 million, and we’re building an endowment, which is currently valued at about £11 million, to ensure we continue to support our communities for generations to come.  We are currently drafting our new, ambitious 10-year strategy that will see us increase our transformational long-term support for local communities facing the greatest challenges.

Our Values

We’re here for everyone: We embed diverse perspectives throughout everything we do and welcome and value the uniqueness in everyone.

We drive equity: We work to better understand the needs, challenges, dreams and aspirations of historically underfunded communities and take positive action to redress the balance.

We act with integrity: We’re transparent about how and why we do things and always do the best we can.

We lead with kindness: We’re supportive, compassionate and respectful to each other and everyone we serve.

We strive to be better: We seek and reflect on feedback and insight, foster collaboration, and share our learnings to get better results.

Key Relationships

·       The Operations Director will report to the Chief Executive. 

·       The Operations Director will be a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), working alongside the Philanthropy Director and the Programmes Director.

·       You will line manage the Senior Finance Manager and the Office and Marketing Administrator.

·       The Finance Manager is also part of your team.

·       You will provide secretariat support for and report to the Board of Trustees and to the Finance and Governance Committee.

Key Areas of Responsibility 

Finance

• Ensure SCF’s policies, systems and processes support robust and efficient management of our finances.
• Work with the CEO ensure SCF has the financial strategy required to thrive as an organisation, working alongside other members of the SLT on a medium to long term planning horizon for the organisation’s income and expenditure requirements.

•     Project manage the production of annual budget and cashflow forecasts and 3-year business plan forecasts.

• Ensure financial management policies and procedures are in place and that management and annual accounts (including Trustee Annual Report) are produced accurately and on time.
• Work closely with Philanthropy & Marketing and Programmes Teams to ensure the Foundation has accurate up to date financial information.
• Oversee the annual audit process and lead for the Executive on the appointment of auditors as necessary.
• Work with the Senior Finance Manger to keep under review the charity’s payroll, accounts, finance, and other systems to ensure they are fit for purpose and value for money.
• Responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of a procurement and contract management system and ensuring a regular process of review of contracts and licences across all departments.

Governance

• Ensure secretariat support is provided to the Board and Finance & Governance Committee, managing production and distribution of agendas and papers, overseeing the organisation of meeting rooms, and ensuring accurate minutes are taken and produced timely.
• Oversee production, review, and implementation of SCF policies and procedures
• Ensure the Board and subcommittees are appropriately resourced and supported and receive timely and relevant information including inductions for new trustees.
• Support the Board and CEO by coordinating governance effectiveness reviews, including assisting with commissioning and supervision of external consultants.
• Act as Company Secretary, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements and ensuring that decisions of the board of directors are implemented.
• Coordinate the production of an annual business plan and report to the Board on its delivery, including the quarterly Performance Report.

Operations, Performance & Quality

•  Manage the recruitment and induction of new staff, liaising with SLT colleagues as necessary
• Responsible for ensuring effective line management processes and practices are in place and followed, and support line managers as necessary
• Responsible for ensuring professional development is prioritised across the organisation
•  Lead on creating a healthy and psychologically safe working environment with a positive culture that promotes staff wellbeing, satisfaction and retention
• Take lead responsibility for the Foundation’s technology systems and processes, including CRM database (Salesforce), use of Artificial Intelligence, MS Office 365, online giving platforms, cyber security, liaising with UKCF and external contractors as necessary.
• Ensure that SCF’s office and other staff support systems are cost-effective and fit for purpose, liaising with and managing external suppliers.
• Act as SCF’s Data Controller and ensure organisational compliance with legislation by undertaking regular reviews of the information held, regularly updating and cleansing paper and electronic information sources accordingly.
• Act as the SCF Health and Safety Officer, including maintaining the Health and Safety register and ensure the Foundation has adequate first aid cover.

 Person Specification - Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Required

·       At least 2 years’ experience in a relevant senior management role

·       Experience of contributing to senior decision making within an organisation

·       Experience of setting and delivering strategies and operational workplans

·       Knowledge of setting and managing organisational budgets

·       Experience of using CRM systems (preferably Salesforce)

·       Experience of leading systems change initiatives

·       Excellent emotional intelligence

·       Experience of team management and development, including line managing staff

·       Knowledge of relevant statutory legislation and regulatory framework, including but not limited to data protection

·       Strong written and verbal communications skills

·       Strong digital skills and comfortable working with new systems

·       Please note that our office is in a rural location and that access to a car and a clean UK driving licence are required.

Desirable

·       Experience of Finance Systems (Sage, Xero, etc)

·       Experience of procuring services and monitoring contracts to ensure best value for money

·       Experience of working within a membership network 

More about working for us

 Diversity, equity and inclusion: Together we’re creating a culture where everyone, from any background, can do their best work and bring their whole self to work. We’re also working to ensure the voices of those we support inform everything we do. We would especially welcome applications from minority ethnic people, people with disabilities, younger people, LGBTQ+ people and people with ‘lived experience’ relevant to our work. 

Flexible working: Our work is really important to us, but so is the rest of your life. We offer flexible working that means you can choose hours that work for you and choose a blend of working in the office, at home, or out and about.

Pension: We’ll match your pension contributions up to 5% to help you save for your future.

Enhanced Family Leave policy: We offer an enhanced family leave policy for all employees, including Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, Shared Parental and Adoption Leave.

Interviews are likely to take place during the week beginning 27 January 2025 in person at our office on the Bath and West Showground.