Head of Operations

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the legal charity ATLEU (Anti Trafficking and Labour Exploitation Unit), in a vital operational leadership role. This is a role for someone with extensive operational management experience, ideally within the charity, non-profit sector and in human rights work. You will be a strategic thinker with excellent organisational skills and able to manage multiple priorities effectively. You will bring your skills and experience to a dedicated team that punches well above its weight and is passionate about transforming individual lives and bringing about long term change.

The Head of Operations will provide leadership in all operational matters, supporting the organisation's mission and long-term objectives, supporting ATLEU s growth, resilience, and sustainability as well as building a flexible and supportive environment that enables the ATLEU team to do the challenging work that they do.

This role is line managed by and works closely with the Chief Executive. You will be a member of ATLEU s Senior Management team and work closely with and supervise the work of the People & Inclusion Manager (recently started in post), the Operations & Projects Coordinator and the Billing Coordinator. The Operations team is a small team that works collaboratively to ensure all areas are covered at all times. As such, you will be willing to chip in and take on tasks of other team members if urgent matters arise or when providing holiday cover.

We are looking for a positive, detail-oriented, creative thinker and problem solver who will build on our reputation for innovation and excellence. You will have a track record of achievement in this field and have excellent interpersonal and communication skills with strong financial and business acumen. You will have experience of and confidence in overseeing a wide remit of cross cutting functions including finance, human resources, office management, information technology and governance and compliance. This role will suit someone who enjoys working with people, is comfortable with autonomy and who thrives in a role where no two days are the same.

About ATLEU

Our vision is a just world where no one is enslaved or exploited.

Our mission is to secure safety, rights and justice for survivors of human trafficking by using and challenging the law.

Our strategic priorities are:

1. To provide a model of high quality holistic legal support to survivors of human trafficking and exploitation
2. To tackle systemic injustice through strategic litigation and pursuing policy change
3. To build survivor leadership and influence within ATLEU and across the sector
4. To strengthen the capacity of advice, frontline and community organisations to meet the needs of survivors
5. To invest in and support our people to ensure we are effective and sustainable

Our values are integral to who we are, what we do and how we do it.

• There is always another way

We are persistent, resourceful and creative in our approach. We do the hard work to make justice accessible. We don t give up in the fight for fairness and freedom.

• We make the time. We listen. We hear

We take the time to really listen to our clients and colleagues. We want to restore autonomy and agency from where it was stolen. We give advice, not tell you what to do. If you fight, we fight. Our clients needs come first.

• Knowledge is for sharing.

We lead the way in our knowledge and expertise of reforming the law. The strength of our team comes from our willingness to collaborate and share. We put our work before pride and always ask for help. Power of our knowledge comes through sharing it with others to secure justice and reform the law.

Employment Information

Job Title: Head of Operations

Job Term: Permanent

Hours: Full time / part-time (minimum of 28 hours up to 35 hours per week). Flexible working options available

Salary: £47,000 to £52,000 p.a. pro rata (depending on experience)

Pension: 7% employer pension contribution

Leave: 33 days pro rata (including public holidays) pro rata with an additional 1 day per year up to a maximum of 38 days (including public holidays) pro rata

Reports to: CEO

Line Management: Up to 5 staff members

Probation: 6 month probation period

Location: Central London, near London Bridge and with occasional travel to Sheffield

Objectives of the post

To lead and ensure the smooth operational running of ATLEU, with particular focus on finance, people, information technology and governance and compliance.

To manage ATLEU s team of operations staff including human resources, operations and projects, finance and external bookkeepers.

To work closely with the Chief Executive to develop systems for implementing and monitoring ATLEU s strategic plan.

Main Responsibilities

1. Leadership and Strategy

• Participate in strategic and business planning processes and play a leading role, working with the CEO and trustees to develop the strategic plan, ensuring all team members understand it and their role in it.
• Serve as a key member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) contributing to the strategic direction and day to day management of the organisation.
• Develop and lead monitoring and evaluation processes for all activities associated with our strategy, including setting and reviewing annual business plan priorities and targets, communicating progress and highlighting potential areas for development and increased focus. Be a champion for embedding learning into the culture of the organisation and collaborate with consultants and staff to ensure there are effective monitoring learning and evaluation frameworks in place across ATLEU s projects and services.
• Lead and manage ATLEU s operations staff, including ATLEU s Operations and Projects Coordinator, People and Inclusion Manager and Billing Coordinator.
• Lead the development and maintenance of organisational policies, procedures, and systems to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• To work closely with the Director of Saltworks to support the operational running of ATLEU s trading subsidiary Saltworks, through developing the financial and operational infrastructure and management of the organisation.

2. Finance

• Lead ATLEU s financial planning, management and reporting processes.
• Direct, manage and document ATLEU s financial policies, systems and controls, ensuring that financial systems are effective and up to date.
• Scrutinise monthly financial data and produce financial reports for the CEO and trustees, including quarterly cashflows
• Prepare ATLEU s annual operating budgets and financial reports for funders and oversee project budgets.
• Ensure the year-end financial accounts and audit process is completed satisfactorily and delivered on time, ensuring all financial data and other data needed is provided.
• Ensure that accurate records and accounts of monies claimed are held on all cases and liaise with the Head of Legal Practice to ensure compliance with the Solicitors Accounts Rules.
• Oversee ATLEU s bookkeeping and legal aid billing and reporting and ensure all monies, including grant monies and training invoices are claimed and paid promptly.
• Maintain oversight of bookkeepers and auditors, taking responsibility for managing relationships with them
• Manage ATLEU s banking arrangements, ensuring that they are effective, secure and fit for purpose.

3. Office and Operations

• Work with the Senior Management and Operations teams to ensure that all colleagues have the operational support needed to do their jobs effectively;
• Liaise with building management for both offices, manage any rent negotiations and any future office moves

• Lead on the annual insurance renewal process, provide the required data and lead discussions with brokers to ensure good value for money on all policies;
• Support the Operations and Projects Coordinator to ensure that both ATLEU offices provide a safe and welcoming environment for ATLEU staff, clients and other visitors and that they comply with all appropriate legislation and regulations;
• Work with the Operations & Project Coordinator to maintain the Office Manual and associated policies and ensure that they are up to date and reviewed as appropriate and monitor compliance with those policies.
• Oversee day-to-day operations including premises, equipment, IT systems, ordering supplies, procurement and workflow and archive management and ensure that processes are in place to restore functionality as required.
• To ensure the most effective use of resources and identify areas for cost reduction or cost avoidance along with process and functional improvement, including developing ATLEU s IT infrastructure to reduce reliance on paper files.

4. Human Resources

• The Head of Operations plays a pivotal role in mentoring and supporting the People and Inclusion Manager across all HR-related matters, including staff wellbeing and EDI activities.
• In the absence of the People & Inclusion Manager or when facing conflicting deadlines, the Head of Operations is expected to actively participate in all HR tasks.
• Support the People & Inclusion Manager with day-to-day HR tasks, processes and systems . click apply for full job details