Culture and Operations Director
FrontlineContract: Full time, fixed term
Salary: £87,632.09 (incl London Office
Allowance) plus competitive pension
Location: Hybrid- 2 days per week in London Office
The Culture and Operations Director (COD) ensures Frontline is a high-performing, well-governed charity with a strong culture of freedom and responsibility - a place people can do their best work to achieve Frontline’s mission.
They have strategic responsibility for charity-wide planning to ensure Frontline’s operational functions, effectively support teams to navigate challenges whilst maximising new opportunities. The successful candidate will join Frontline at a pivotal moment and play a key role in driving the next exciting step of our growth.
The COD will ensure high-quality operational support is available to all teams. Working closely with Frontline’s Leadership Group (Heads and Directors), to make sure that the appropriate and timely information, tools and guidance (e.g. HR, IT and finance) are available to managers and teams as needed. This includes working alongside other members of SLT, to:
Salary: £87,632.09 (incl London Office
Allowance) plus competitive pension
Location: Hybrid- 2 days per week in London Office
The Culture and Operations Director (COD) ensures Frontline is a high-performing, well-governed charity with a strong culture of freedom and responsibility - a place people can do their best work to achieve Frontline’s mission.
They have strategic responsibility for charity-wide planning to ensure Frontline’s operational functions, effectively support teams to navigate challenges whilst maximising new opportunities. The successful candidate will join Frontline at a pivotal moment and play a key role in driving the next exciting step of our growth.
The COD will ensure high-quality operational support is available to all teams. Working closely with Frontline’s Leadership Group (Heads and Directors), to make sure that the appropriate and timely information, tools and guidance (e.g. HR, IT and finance) are available to managers and teams as needed. This includes working alongside other members of SLT, to:
- Confidently support Frontline through a period of growth and structural change
- Embody the culture of freedom and responsibility, leading by example, and implementing strategies which improve efficiency and quality
- Maintain Executive oversight of Frontline’s finances, working with Head of Finance and Finance Audit and Risk Committee (FARC) Chair to ensure budgeting and financial decision-making is robust and strategic, to support the ongoing stability of the charity
- Maintain clear communication across teams, ensuring a connected and informed workforce who collaborate effectively. Oversee the success of key events such as annual all-staff away days, monthly gatherings and leadership stocktakes
- Develop strong relationships with key stakeholders including Frontline trustees, partner organisations and the Department for Education (DfE)
- Effectively lead teams to maintain Frontline's strong track-record of meeting legal/regulatory requirements, to minimise risk to the charity
Key Responsibilities
The COD will lead teams delivering on operational priorities in line with freedom and responsibility, to ensure we remain high performing:
Change management:
Change management:
- Lead the coordination and project-management of an organisation-wide restructure, ensuing the charity is well-positioned to deliver on contractual obligations whilst diversifying to further amplify our impact and that teams are kept well-informed and feed into structural changes
- Support Frontline teams to work collaboratively and deliver plans to broaden the scope of Frontline's work, extending activity beyond current areas of focus whilst maintaining a strong, shard commitment to Freedom and Responsibility.
- Develop and adhere to tracking and monitoring systems ensuring annual priorities remain on track to achieve Frontline's mission and long-term strategy.
People and Culture:
- Manage the Head of People to identify new and creative ways to further strengthen and embed our culture and grow personal accountability
- Support the Head of People to ensure excellent HR administration, support and use of data (e.g. staff turnover, sickness levels and performance reporting) to inform future planning and decision-making
- Ensure the team design and deliver high-quality staff induction and training which support staff to thrive (e.g. personal leadership, managing effectively and radical candour)
- Maintain awareness of trends and developing technologies to support efficiencies, e.g approaches to recruitment and support to managers.
Finance and Governance:
- Manage Head of Finance and Compliance to ensure sound budget management (£25m annually), financial controls and clear reporting mechanisms are in place
- Work with the Finance team to ensure FARC and the board have the necessary information and confidence in the financial leadership of Frontline.
Charity Quality and Efficiency:
- Manage and support IT and System leads across Frontline, ensuring they have the resources and compliance mechanisms to ensure robust systems are in place.
- Support Contract Governance teams to negotiate and implement significant government contracts, ensuring outcomes are achievable and effective governance and commercially sound contracts are in place.
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
Experience and Knowledge
- Commitment to children and young people (particularly those with care experience) and the ambition to improve services that support them, including social work
- Senior leadership experience of effectively leading high-performing teams through structural change, in large or complex organisations, whilst maintaining quality
- Experience of effectively leading HR and finance teams at a senior level and consistently achieving high levels of performance
- Highly experienced in communicating effectively via a range of channels to ensure staff are informed and remain engaged through periods of uncertainty and ambiguity
- Experience of delivering strategic plans while managing operational demands
Characteristics and Skills
- A strong leader with the confidence, judgement and drive to motivate teams/peers
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to engage and inspire
positive behaviours in others, including partners, trustees and teams - Comfortable and confident having honest conversations and being radically candid
- An innovative thinker with critical problem-solving ability
- A personable, logical thinker with excellent judgement, who can make
decisive and informed decisions based on the available information - An ability to see potential and support teams and individuals to find ways to improve
- A flexible and pragmatic leader who can respond to changing priorities while maintaining focus on key outcomes
Values and Alignment
- Willing to champion the voices of young people in all work and act on guidance and challenge from our brilliant young people's advisory board
- Belief in, and willingness to, champion and model Frontline's culture of freedom and responsibility
- Have a personal commitment to developing an equitable, diverse and inclusive workforce to better support children at risk of harm
- Committed to working to deliver Frontline’s mission and vision
Benefits
- Flexible working hours
- Competitive pension employer contribution
- 25 days annual leave + bank holidays + office closes from 25 Dec to 1 Jan
- Buy up to five days annual leave a year
- Interest free loan for season ticket
- Personal coaching and mentoring
- Cycle loan scheme
- Deposit loan scheme
- Volunteering days
- Employee assistance programme
- Life Assurance Scheme (x3 salary)