At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic initiatives to enhance the lives of children with neurological conditions.
- Company: Cerebra, a national charity dedicated to supporting families facing neurological challenges.
- Benefits: Flexible remote work options, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join us at an exciting time as we launch our new strategy and brand.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while driving impactful change in a growing charity.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership experience in operations, finance, and strategic growth.
Cerebra is the national charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with neurological conditions and their families. We provide vital research, support, and practical solutions that empower families facing complex challenges. With an annual income of £3 million and a headcount of 68 employees, we have ambitious plans to double our income between 2025 and 2027, ensuring we can extend our impact, reach more families, and drive real change. To achieve this, we are investing in fundraising innovation, income generating ventures, and strategic partnerships, alongside enhancing our brand to increase our national recognition. Our work is underpinned by our values ensuring that everything we do aligns with our mission to create a better world for children with neurological conditions.
This is an incredibly exciting time to join Cerebra, as we are preparing to launch our new strategy and brand. The COO is a vital leadership role that will support the drive towards even greater impact for children and families across the UK.
Our Services
- Sleep Advice Service: Cerebra understands that if you have a child that doesn’t sleep, the whole family suffers. Many children with neurological conditions suffer from disrupted sleep. Our sleep advice service provides bespoke advice and support so that everyone can get a good night’s sleep.
- Legal Rights Service: Our Legal Rights Service provides help and support to families of children with neurological conditions when they are faced with barriers and difficulties in accessing statutory support services they are entitled to. The service provides information on their legal entitlements.
- Book and Toy Library Service: Our specialist postal lending library contains a wide range of books for both adults and children, plus a selection of sensory toys specifically chosen for children with a neurological condition.
- Innovation and Product Design Service: Our Innovation Service designs and builds bespoke products that cater to the specific needs of children with neurological conditions. The aim of the service is to make products that are desirable and exciting, therefore promoting social inclusion, peer acceptance and enabling children to participate in everyday activities that are so often close to them.
- Information Products: Cerebra publishes different information products to help families with a child with a neurological condition. Our information products offer comprehensive, up-to-date support and research-driven strategies to assist families with a wide range of issues.
- Buzgi and Toy Adaptation Service: Cerebra designs and builds bespoke assistive equipment for disabled children, including creating custom mobility aids, switch‑adapted toys, and other innovative solutions to help children access play, learning, and independence. The Bugzi - a mini powered wheelchair for children offers many children their first experience of independent mobility. It uses either a joystick or switches and adaptable seating for complex needs, and helps develop spatial awareness, confidence, and early mobility skills. The Bugzi is available through a national loan scheme.
Additionally, we operate commercial services (including a web shop) to supplement our income to support children and their families. Our services are provided to families free of charge.
Purpose of the Role: The Chief Operating Officer will play a vital role in supporting the Chief Executive Officer, Board and Leadership Team to deliver Cerebra’s vision and ambitious strategic aims. The Chief Operating Officer will provide strategic leadership and operational management across key areas within Cerebra including:
- Operational Systems
- Governance
- Compliance
- Finance and Growth
This is a pivotal executive leadership role, responsible for driving organisational performance, sustainability and growth. The COO will translate Cerebra’s strategic ambitions into effective operational delivery, ensuring robust governance, financial stewardship and a high-performing, values-led culture. As a trusted advisor to the CEO and Board, the COO will lead core operational services and commercial activity, enabling the charity to maximise impact and generate sustainable income in support of its charitable objectives.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic & Executive Leadership: Partner with the CEO and Board to deliver strategic priorities, growth and long-term sustainability. Collaboration with the Director’s Group to ensure strategic alignment across the charity.
- Finance, Commercial & Sustainability: Lead financial strategy, planning and performance, ensuring long-term sustainability. Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cashflow and financial controls.
- Operations & Infrastructure: Lead and strengthen operational functions including HR, IT, governance and administration. Ensure effective systems, processes and infrastructure that enable growth, efficiency and impact.
- People & Culture: Champion a positive, inclusive and high-performing organisational culture. Oversee HR strategy, workforce planning and leadership development.
- Digital & Technology: Provide strategic oversight of IT, data and digital development. Ensure systems are secure, resilient and aligned to organisational needs.
- Governance, Risk & Compliance: Ensure effective governance frameworks, risk management and regulatory compliance. Support the CEO and Board with high-quality reporting and strategic insight.
- Leadership & Management: Lead and develop a small senior team across finance, HR and IT. Build capability, strengthen performance, and embed a collaborative culture.
Key Attributes: Strategic and commercially minded leader with strong operational delivery experience. Strong financial leadership and business acumen. Proven track record of driving income growth, sustainability and organisational performance. Skilled in governance, risk and stakeholder engagement.
Remote working/work at home options are available for this role.
Chief Operating Officer employer: Cerebra
Cerebra is an exceptional employer, dedicated to making a meaningful impact on the lives of children with neurological conditions and their families. With a strong commitment to employee growth and a collaborative work culture, we offer unique opportunities for professional development while fostering innovation in our services. Join us in this pivotal role as we embark on an exciting journey to expand our reach and enhance our support for families across the UK.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Chief Operating Officer
✨Get Involved Locally
Dive into local volunteer opportunities or social initiatives. This not only beefs up your CV but also connects you with like-minded folks in nonprofits. Plus, it shows your passion for social impact, which is key for getting noticed by Cerebra.
✨Tap into Professional Networks
Join networks like the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) or local charities to meet professionals in the sector. Attend events and workshops to build relationships and learn about potential openings at organisations like Cerebra.
✨Showcase Your Commitment
When prepping for interviews, be ready to speak about your personal connection to social issues. Dive into specific examples of how you’ve contributed to community projects – this will resonate with the mission-driven vibe at Cerebra.
✨Utilise Online Platforms
We’re all about making connections, so use platforms like Idealist and CharityJob to hunt for full-time roles. And of course, you should keep an eye on our website for exciting opportunities at Cerebra. Apply directly through us to stand out!
We think you need these skills to ace Chief Operating Officer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for the Cause:In the nonprofit sector, it's super important to demonstrate genuine passion for the mission of Cerebra. Use your cover letter to showcase any personal experiences or volunteer work that connects you to their social impact initiatives. This emotional connection can really help your application stand out.
Highlight Relevant Experience:When crafting your CV, be sure to include any relevant projects or roles that showcase your skills in social impact. Whether it's community organising, fundraising, or advocacy, highlight what you've done and the difference it's made. Don’t just list tasks; quantify your achievements and the outcomes of your efforts.
Tailor Your Documents to the Role:For a full-time role like Chief Operating Officer, ensure your CV and cover letter specifically address the responsibilities outlined in the job description. Use their language to describe your skills and experience, making it easy for the hiring team to see how you fit into their vision.
Emphasise Teamwork and Collaboration:Nonprofits thrive on teamwork, so make sure to emphasise your collaborative experiences. Whether you've worked in a team setting, partnered with community organisations, or facilitated group projects, highlight these experiences in your application. Show them you understand the importance of working alongside diverse individuals to achieve shared goals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cerebra
✨Show Your Passion for Social Change
When we’re prepping for interviews in the nonprofit space, it's vital to demonstrate our genuine passion for social impact. Be ready to discuss not just your skills and experiences but also why you care about the mission of Cerebra. Sharing personal stories or insights can really make us stand out.
✨Highlight Project Experience
We should focus on specific projects we've worked on that align with the goals of social impact. Whether that’s a community initiative, volunteering, or a class project, having solid examples that showcase our role and the outcomes will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Familiarity with Relevant Tools and Practices
Let’s brush up on tools and methodologies commonly used in the nonprofit sector, like project management software or outcome measurement frameworks. Being able to speak fluently about these will show that we’re not just passionate but also knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that evaluate our problem-solving skills in real-world social issues. Think about how we’d handle challenges in the nonprofit environment and prepare stories that demonstrate our critical thinking and adaptability. Role-playing with a friend could help us feel more confident!
