Senior Operations Officer - Charity Jobs

As our Senior Operations Officer you will develop and provide an excellent operational and administrative support function across the charity, with primary responsibility for Executive Assistant duties and supporting key charity projects. AI interest and curiosity highly desirable to support our innovation journey.

Who are we and what do we do? We’re the UK’s leading ovarian cancer research charity, working on early detection, prevention and treatments so that no woman dies of ovarian cancer. Ovarian Cancer Action is a community of changemakers with one purpose: to give ovarian cancer the focus it needs to increase 10-year survival rates. And we know research is the solution. We live and breathe this lifesaving, world-leading research. We fund more ovarian cancer research than any other UK gynaecological cancer charity. It’s how we’ve driven some of the biggest breakthroughs of the last 19 years. We’re also the only charity at the heart of the global ovarian cancer research community and have been for four decades. By connecting the world’s leading scientists together, we’re creating a powerful hub of experience, expertise and insight. So, we confidently fund research that takes us a step closer to our goal: that by 2032 half of women will live more than 10 years after diagnosis.

Scope of the role

• EA support to Chief Executive and Leadership Team, Chair, Board of Trustees and Committees (55%)
• Administrative and project support to the Director of Finance & Operations and HR Consultant covering Finance, IT, HR, Volunteer Management and Operations (35%)
• Administrative support to wider charity teams (10%)

Key areas of responsibility:

• Executive Assistant Support to CEO and Leadership Team
  • Provide comprehensive PA support to the Chief Executive, including proactive diary management, anticipating needs, and coordinating complex schedules
  • Prepare for team meetings and other key meetings, including agenda compilation, document preparation, and follow-up actions
  • Support the preparation of high-quality presentations and key documents for internal and external stakeholders
  • Organise and coordinate team events, including summer and Christmas parties, team lunches, and ad hoc meals and events
  • Provide responsive tech support and troubleshooting to the CEO and Leadership Team, helping them make effective use of available tools
• Support to the Director of Finance & Operations and HR Consultant
  • Finance and IT – Provide administrative and project support across finance processes; troubleshoot and resolve technical issues in collaboration with the Director of Finance & Operations
  • HR – Collaborate with the HR Consultant across the employee lifecycle, including recruitment administration, new staff induction and onboarding, leaver processes, and learning & development initiatives
  • Volunteer management – Support the recruitment and ongoing engagement of volunteers, ensuring positive volunteer experiences
  • Operations & innovation – Lead the continuous review, improvement and maintenance of internal processes, policies and procedures. Identify and explore opportunities to implement AI tools and automation to enhance operational efficiency
  • Reporting – Assist the Director of Finance in preparing comprehensive quarterly performance reports
  • Supplier relations – Maintain and develop excellent supplier relationships through regular meetings and communications, continually looking for ways to work more effectively together
• Board of Trustees support
  • Schedule and coordinate Board and Committee meetings, ensuring all logistics are managed smoothly
  • Provide wider governance support, acting as a key liaison point for the Chair, Board of Trustees and Committee members
• Support to wider Charity Team
  • Act as the first point of contact for the charity, managing the Info@ inbox, responding to phone enquiries, and supporting the postal process with professionalism and warmth
  • Support the Fundraising Team with accurate and timely data entry
  • Respond to general enquiries to the charity, either directly or by coordinating with relevant team members
  • Provide flexible ad hoc administrative support across teams as needed
  • Schedule virtual and in-person meetings efficiently, including booking appropriate venues

Person specification

At Ovarian Cancer Action, we value confidence, positivity, resilience and passion. We recognise that attitude, approach to work, and how you engage with fellow team members are just as important as your technical skills and abilities.

Essential experience

• Demonstrable experience working in a role requiring high-level administrative, organisational and interpersonal skills in a professional environment
• Experience delivering excellent, detail-oriented cross-functional administrative support
• Strong track record of providing internal and external customer care and building productive relationships
• Experience communicating to a high standard, particularly via phone and email, with a variety of stakeholders at all levels
• Experience developing, embedding and following processes to deliver excellent administrative and project support
• Experience working with confidential and sensitive information, demonstrating discretion and sound judgement
• Proficiency in Outlook and Microsoft Applications, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint (experience with Microsoft Teams and SharePoint is desirable)

Our benefits and flexible working

• Flexible working: At Ovarian Cancer Action we strive to be a place where the best people do their best work. To support you in doing just that we take a pro-active approach to the conversations we have with staff and candidates around working patterns. We are therefore open to considering a variety of flexible working options, welcoming these discussions right from the application stage through to the different stages of life and career, supporting the changing needs of your work-life balance.
• Annual leave: We offer much more than the statutory amount of annual leave. In addition to 25 days annual leave and eight days of public holidays per year, three days are also given to be taken between Christmas and New year, so that in total you can receive up to 36 days paid leave.
• Employer and employee contributory pension: We offer a generous pension scheme above the statutory minimum requirement.
• Healthcare plan: To support your health and wellbeing, we have partnered with Simplyhealth to offer cash back on a range of healthcare services, as well as access to a 24-hour free GP phone line and counselling service.
• Gym discounts: As part of the Ovarian Cancer Action’s healthcare plan you will be able to claim discount on gym membership at participating gyms.
• Eye test and financial support with glasses if needed when using a VDU at work.
• Maternity and paternity pay: The early days of raising a family are so important; you need time to adjust to the physical, emotional and practical changes. To support this, we offer additional enhanced maternity and paternity pay for eligible employees.
• Training and development opportunities: We want everyone at Ovarian Cancer Action to have a growth mindset, always striving to improve and not worried about failure. We are therefore always looking for ways to support and encourage you to grow as the charity grows and will work on an individualised learning and development plan for you each year.
• Employee Assistance Programme: Your well-being is important to us and to help support this our employees and their direct family have access to a 24-hour confidential and free Employee Assistance Programme phone line to support personal and work-related issues.
• Social events for the team: We believe work should be fun and to have the opportunity to enjoy the great team we work with.

Our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion

We are committed to actively promoting equality, diversity and inclusivity and welcome enquiries and applications from underrepresented groups, including minoritised communities and applicants with disabilities. At Ovarian Cancer Action, we firmly believe that embracing diversity, promoting equality, and fostering inclusivity are not just buzzwords but essential values that drive our success. We understand that a diverse workforce brings together unique perspectives, experiences, and talents, which ultimately fuels innovation and enhances our ability to better serve the communities we serve and work with.

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the role description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles that we have.