Head of People and Operations
Location: York (Please note that the Trust is willing to contribute towards relocation costs)
Starting salary: £72,333
Are you an experienced leader who brings a passion for both people and systems, and who is committed to creating a culture and infrastructure that enables teams and work to flourish?
We are working with BAME Recruitment to recruit a Head of People and Operations who will lead the Trust’s human resources strategy, culture and policy work, as well as ensuring the effective running of our operations, including our IT and grant administration systems and premises.
About Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT)
JRCT is a grant-making Quaker Trust that supports people who are passionate about making a positive difference; whether they are advocating for some of the most vulnerable people in our society, promoting nonviolent responses to conflict, or taking steps towards an environmentally sustainable future.
Every year JRCT makes about 100 grants for all kinds of charitable work, from grassroots community groups to well-established charities working to build a peaceful and just world. We aim to be a responsive and supportive funder, working to strengthen the hands of people who are tackling the root causes of conflict and injustice.
In 2018, the Trust decided to increase its grant-making by one third. We are currently in a process of growing both our programmes and our staff team in response to this commitment. The Trust employs 22 staff, as well as contracting a range of external service providers and consultants. Most staff work from our office in York, but a significant number work remotely.
The Trust is also in a process of grappling with the colonial origins of our endowment. We published a statement about this in April 2021, making a full apology to those communities who have been harmed, and committing to engage in a process of restorative justice to identify forms of reparation. We also undertook to embed a commitment to racial justice across all aspects of our organisation. This work is in its early stages.
About the Role
As Head of People and Operations, you will have a personal commitment to the mission and values of the Trust. You will use your experience to shape the development of JRCT’s human resources strategy, policy and practice, and lead of process of culture change that centres equity, inclusion, wellbeing and belonging. You will also lead the internal processes of the Trust, to ensure the effective running of our operations, including our grant administration systems and processes, IT and data management, and premises.
Key Responsibilities:
- Working with the Chief Executive, other members of the senior leadership team and trustees to develop and oversee implementation of the Trust’s mission and strategy.
- Develop JRCT’s human resources strategy, building a culture that centres equity, inclusion, wellbeing and belonging, and create a safe, supportive and equitable working environment.
- Lead on the development and rolling review of all internal HR contracts, policies and procedures, and ensure they are documented, maintained, implemented and amended as required to meet legal requirements and to uphold good practice.
- Oversee the development and maintenance of IT and data management, ensuring that services meet the needs of JRCT and its staff and trustees.
- Lead on the strategic development and maintenance of a high-quality grant administration and contacts database as our primary data management system.
- Manage office systems and ensure that they are developed and maintained
- Develop and oversee implementation of a programme of maintenance and improvement works for the Garden House premises so as to ensure a safe, quality working environment.
- Provide governance support to the Chief Executive, ensuring that the board functions and develops effectively and in compliance with all legislation and good practice
- Coordinate the preparation of agenda papers and minutes for the Operations and Finance Committee and act as the main point of contact with the Committee Chair
- Lead the Operations team, line-managing and supporting the work of the Grant Systems Coordinator, Operations Coordinator and Executive Assistant – operations and administration, and the office cleaners.
About you
You are likely to have:
- Experience in strategic decision making and exercising leadership at a senior management level, preferably in a charitable or voluntary organisation
- Experience of leading organisational culture change strategy and processes that centre equity, inclusion, belonging and wellbeing
- Experience of and expertise in the development and delivery of human resources policies and activities, in line with legal requirements and good practice
- IT and data system management experience and expertise, with experience of overseeing the development of complex databases an advantage
- Ability to think strategically about a range of operational systems and processes, and ensure they can be designed or amended to maximise their efficiency and effectiveness
- Excellent oral and written skills, and the ability to communicate effectively and sensitively with a variety of people and organisations
- A personable and approachable manner with strong networking and rapport building skills
- Prior experience of premises or office management in a small or medium-sized organisation would be an advantage.
- Experience of line-management of staff and management of contractors and consultants
- A capacity to motivate with strong management skills and the ability to promote collaborative engagement and contributing to decision-making based on consensus.
- Strong planning, prioritising, and project management skills, including commissioning and managing contractors or consultants
- Proficiency in the use of IT, MS Office (e.g. Outlook, Word and Excel), databases and social media.
- Lived experience of some of the social issues and injustices that the Trust is seeking to address through its programmes
- Sympathy with the values of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), which include a commitment to nonviolence, equality, truth and sustainability.
Click here to find out more and to apply for the Head of People and Operations role.