At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead operational changes and support teams through a sensitive restructure.
- Company: Join a respected UK charity focused on empowering individuals with learning disabilities and autism.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working options and a competitive salary, open to full-time or part-time applicants.
- Why this job: Make a real impact while navigating change in a purpose-driven environment.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership experience in charity or social enterprise, with strong emotional intelligence and commercial awareness.
- Other info: This is a hands-on role requiring visible leadership during the initial transition period.
Location: London (Hybrid working, with key sites in Camden, Westminster & Romford)
Contract: 6-Month Fixed-Term Contract (Interim role)
Salary: £55,000 pro rata (Open to full-time or part-time applicants)
Lead with Purpose. Navigate Change. Empower Communities.
Are you an experienced interim operations manager or transformation leader with a passion for purpose-led work? Are you ready to take on a senior leadership role that blends organisational restructure, team development, and values-driven operational delivery?
An exciting interim opportunity has arisen for a hands-on Senior Operations Manager to support a respected UK charity and social enterprise delivering impactful employment and learning programmes for people with learning disabilities and autism.
This is a pivotal time for the organisation as it shifts from central funding to a self-sustaining, commercially minded model. They need an empathetic yet commercially savvy interim leader to:
- Steer operational managers through a sensitive restructure
- Embed commercial discipline without compromising the mission
- Stabilise day-to-day service delivery
- Bridge the gap between CEO strategy and front-line execution
What You'll Bring:
- Proven senior operational leadership experience, ideally within a charity, nonprofit, social enterprise, adult social care, or education environment
- Demonstrated success in delivering restructure, turnaround, or cultural change projects
- Experience in coaching, mentoring, and holding operational managers accountable through change
- Strong commercial and financial awareness, including cost control and value-for-money delivery
- High levels of emotional intelligence, empathy, and interpersonal sensitivity
- A calm, credible leadership style that earns trust and drives performance
- Excellent attention to detail in planning, systems, and reporting while keeping people at the heart of the process
- Hands-on, low-ego approach; you're a leader who actively supports your team on the ground
- Understanding of or experience working with neurodiverse or vulnerable communities is a distinct advantage
- Adaptability and resilience to support a fast-evolving charity through complexity
This interim senior leadership role requires someone who can be visible and present during the early weeks-working face-to-face with teams to build trust, stabilise operations, and guide them through change.
If you're ready to deliver operational change, cultural alignment, and mission-led impact in a 6-month interim capacity, we'd love to hear from you.
To apply or express interest, please send your CV quoting reference #(phone number removed)
Interim Senior Operations Manager employer: Martin Veasey Talent Solutions
Contact Detail:
Martin Veasey Talent Solutions Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Interim Senior Operations Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in the charity and social enterprise sectors. Attend relevant events or webinars to connect with individuals who may have insights into the organisation's culture and needs.
✨Tip Number 2
Research the specific challenges faced by charities transitioning to self-sustaining models. Understanding these issues will help you demonstrate your knowledge and readiness to tackle them during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with organisational restructuring and cultural change. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've successfully led teams through similar transitions.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills during any interactions with the hiring team. Highlighting your ability to empathise and build trust will resonate well with their mission-driven approach.
We think you need these skills to ace Interim Senior Operations Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in operational leadership, particularly within charity or social enterprise settings. Emphasise your achievements in restructuring and team development to align with the job description.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for purpose-led work and your understanding of the challenges faced by charities. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully navigated change and delivered impactful results in previous roles.
Highlight Emotional Intelligence: Given the importance of emotional intelligence in this role, include examples in your application that demonstrate your ability to empathise and connect with diverse teams, especially those working with neurodiverse or vulnerable communities.
Showcase Adaptability and Resilience: In your application, provide instances where you've successfully adapted to changing environments or led teams through complex transitions. This will illustrate your capability to support the charity during its shift to a self-sustaining model.
How to prepare for a job interview at Martin Veasey Talent Solutions
✨Show Your Passion for Purpose-Led Work
Make sure to express your enthusiasm for working in the charity or social enterprise sector. Share specific examples of how your values align with the mission of the organisation and how you've contributed to similar causes in the past.
✨Demonstrate Your Change Management Experience
Prepare to discuss your previous experiences in leading restructures or cultural change projects. Highlight your approach to managing sensitive transitions and how you supported teams through these changes, showcasing your emotional intelligence and leadership style.
✨Emphasise Your Commercial Awareness
Be ready to talk about your understanding of financial management and cost control. Provide examples of how you've successfully balanced commercial discipline with mission-driven work, ensuring that you can deliver value-for-money while maintaining the organisation's core values.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Anticipate questions that may require you to solve hypothetical situations related to operational challenges. Think about how you would stabilise service delivery or bridge gaps between strategy and execution, and be prepared to articulate your thought process clearly.