Deputy Operations Manager in Birkenhead

Grow‑Wellbeing has been in high growth year‑on‑year for the past four years. We are now looking to expand our team to support increasing project delivery as a result of increased demand and successful project funding bids.

The appointment of a Deputy Operations Manager is designed to support and share the workload of the Operations Manager, deputising where appropriate. In the future, there will be opportunities in our growing organisation for the role to develop, depending on the skills, experience and capabilities of the successful candidate.

Job title: Deputy Operations Manager

Reports to: Operational Manager / Programme Director

Location: Wirral / Liverpool City Region (base plus flexible delivery sites)

Hours: 30 hours per week

Contract period: 12 months (with a possibility of extension at the end of the period)

Probationary review: 3 months

Overall purpose of the role

The Deputy Operations Manager supports the effective day‑to‑day running of Grow Wellbeing’s services and sites, helping ensure that nature‑based programmes are delivered safely, consistently, and in line with organisational values, plans, and funder requirements. Liaising with the Operations Manager and the Outdoor Learning/Training Lead, the role provides practical operational coordination across forest school, community gardening, nature art, family, and outreach activity, while also deputising for the Operational Manager where appropriate and helping maintain strong systems, communication, and team support.

Key responsibilities

1. Programme coordination and delivery support

• Support the planning, scheduling, and smooth delivery of Grow Wellbeing’s core programmes across Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region.
• Help coordinate staffing, session cover, venues, resources, and equipment so that sessions run safely and effectively.
• Work closely with delivery staff to ensure programmes meet agreed outputs, quality standards, and community needs.
• Contribute ideas for improving existing activities and adapting services in response to participant feedback, learning, and local opportunities.

2. Staff support and supervision

• Provide day‑to‑day support to staff, sessional workers, and volunteers, escalating issues to the Operational Manager where needed.
• Liaising with the Operations Manager and the Outdoor Learning/Training Lead, assist with induction, rota coordination, team communication, and the consistent implementation of policies and procedures.
• Contribute to a positive, inclusive, reflective, and trauma‑informed team culture.
• Support the Operational Manager with supervision preparation, staff wellbeing check‑ins, and follow‑up actions.

3. Monitoring, evaluation, and administration

• Help maintain practical monitoring systems for attendance, outcomes, feedback, incidents, and equalities data across programmes.
• Support timely collection, collation, and basic analysis of information for funders, internal reporting, and service improvement.
• Ensure records are accurate, up to date, and stored in line with data protection requirements.
• Assist with day‑to‑day administration including bookings, registers, communications, stock records, and site documentation.

4. Finance and resource support

• Support budget monitoring by tracking routine spending, keeping accurate records, and flagging issues or variances promptly.
• Help maintain good financial administration, including purchase records, invoices, receipts, petty cash, and value‑for‑money practices.
• Assist with ordering and organising materials, tools, and supplies needed for programme delivery.

5. Safeguarding, health and safety, and compliance

• Liaising with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) help ensure that all activities are delivered in line with safeguarding, health and safety, equality, and organisational policies.
• Liaising with the Outdoor Learning/Training Lead, support safe systems of work across community and outdoor settings, including site checks, risk assessments, tool safety, and incident reporting.
• Respond appropriately to operational concerns and pass on safeguarding or health and safety issues without delay.

6. Deputy responsibilities

• Act as a first point of contact for routine operational matters in the absence of the Operational Manager.
• Deputise at meetings, on site, or in day‑to‑day decision‑making within agreed levels of authority.
• Escalate strategic, financial, staffing, or safeguarding matters appropriately.

Working relationships

• Works closely with the Operational Manager, Programme Director, Outdoor Learning Delivery and Training Lead, other staff, volunteers, and Directors.
• Maintains constructive relationships with families, community members, schools, nurseries, partner organisations, and suppliers.
• Supports a working culture rooted in wellbeing, inclusion, community ownership, and continuous improvement.

Other duties

• Undertake other duties consistent with the level and nature of the post.
• Work flexibly across sites and activities as required.
• Participate in training, supervision, and organisational learning.

Person specification

• Experience
  • Supporting the delivery or coordination of projects, services, or programmes in a community, education, wellbeing, social enterprise, or voluntary sector setting.
  • Supervising staff, volunteers, sessional workers, or placements in a practical service environment.
  • Handling day‑to‑day administration, coordination, or operations in a busy multitasking role.
  • Working with children, families, community members, or volunteers in an inclusive and relationship‑based way.
  • Maintaining records, monitoring information, or reporting data.
• Essential knowledge
  • Understanding of safeguarding practice and professional boundaries in community‑based or outdoor settings.
  • Understanding of health and safety responsibilities, including risk awareness and incident reporting.
  • Understanding of equality, diversity, inclusion, and trauma‑informed practice.
  • Awareness of the practical requirements of running funded programmes and community services.
  • Awareness of data protection and confidentiality requirements.
• Essential skills
  • Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
  • Ability to coordinate tasks, people, and resources effectively across more than one activity or site.
  • Good verbal and written communication skills.
  • Ability to build positive working relationships with colleagues, partners, and community members.
  • Ability to stay calm, solve problems, and respond flexibly when plans change.
  • Competence in standard digital systems such as email, spreadsheets, shared documents, and basic databases.
  • Commitment to Grow Wellbeing’s values of nature‑connectedness, wellbeing, community ownership, and racial and social justice.
  • Practical, dependable, and proactive approach to work.
  • Supportive and collaborative working style.
  • Willingness to learn, reflect, and take direction.
  • Commitment to high standards of care, safety, and inclusion.
  • Experience in forest school, outdoor learning, community gardening, food growing, or nature‑based wellbeing work.
  • Experience in a small charity, CIC, grassroots organisation, or social enterprise.
  • Experience of supporting rotas, bookings, stock management, procurement, or site coordination.
  • Experience of supporting funder monitoring, impact reporting, or partnership administration.
• Desirable knowledge
  • Knowledge of local community, education, wellbeing, or environmental networks in Wirral or the Liverpool City Region.
  • Knowledge of community‑led practice, co‑design, or participatory delivery approaches.
  • Knowledge of safer working practices in outdoor or land‑based settings.

General statement

This job description is not an exhaustive list of duties and the post holder will be required to undertake any other related and relevant duties as directed by the line manager. The post holder is also expected to be flexible and adaptable in their approach to fulfilling their duties.