Head of Impact and Governance

We’re Pret: proud makers of freshly made food, organic coffee, and big ideas. Across 750+ shops and 20+ countries, our teams are shaping the future of Pret through innovation, inclusion, great customer service and a shared passion for doing the right thing. Doing the right thing has always been central to Pret’s values. At the heart of this commitment is The Pret Foundation, a registered charity, established over 30 years ago with a simple but powerful mission: to alleviate hunger and help tackle homelessness. To date we have donated millions of meals to those who need it most, supported over 1,000 people into employment, and granted £7.5m+ to grassroots organisations. In 2023 we also partnered with Homewards, an initiative set up by HRH Prince William to demonstrate that homelessness in the UK is not inevitable.

With a third of the UK’s population living pay cheque to pay cheque, many are just one step away from homelessness. As we launch our new strategy, which will focus on stable routes out of homelessness through employment, skills, and entrepreneurship, the Head of Impact and Governance is a pivotal leadership role. You will be responsible for ensuring the Foundation operates effectively, efficiently and with accountability, while developing a robust approach to impact measurement and performance. The successful candidate will create our first impact and evaluation framework to better articulate the impact of our work, drive our ongoing strategy refinement through clear decision making and focus on continuous improvement. Alongside this you will lead on operational functions including data governance, compliance and financial management, enabling the team to build strong foundations. This role is ideal for someone who loves to work with others, enjoys combining strategic thinking with practical implementation and is excited by the opportunity to build systems and frameworks from the ground up.

Key responsibilities

• Impact & Evaluation (30%)
  • Develop and implement the Foundation’s impact measurement and evaluation strategy, establishing clear outcomes, performance indicators and reporting processes to measure the effectiveness of programmes and demonstrate impact.
  • Lead the collection, analysis and interpretation of data to assess programme effectiveness and organisation impact and to identify trends, opportunities and risks.
• Data & Reporting (40%)
  • Working alongside Pret’s Tech team, act as organisational lead for Foundation’s data systems to oversee system development, improve data quality, streamline processes, and ensure reliable reporting that support effective programme delivery, and informed decision-making.
  • Produce high-quality impact report for trustees and other stakeholders, embedding a culture of evidence, learning and continuous improvement.
  • Ensure accurate and consistent data capture, management and reporting across programmes.
  • Develop reporting frameworks and dashboards that provide timely performance insights.
  • Act as operational lead for data protection, ensuring compliance with GDPR and relevant legislation.
• Operations & Governance (15%)
  • Responsible for charity law and regulation compliance, supporting the Finance & Governance Manager to develop and maintain policies, procedures and controls that support day to day delivery and long-term scaling.
  • Support organisational planning, risk management and governance processes.
  • Lead planning and reporting for Board and other leadership meetings.
• Financial Management & Compliance (10%)
  • Support Finance & Governance Manager with financial forecasting, budget planning and resource allocation.
  • Support Finance & Governance Manager to monitor organisation and programme budgets.
  • From 2027 onwards as new fundraising strategy is implemented, coordinate grant reporting and ensure compliance with funder requirements where appropriate.
  • Oversee basic HR administration and people processes.
• Leadership and Relationship Management (5%)
  • Contribute as a member of the senior leadership team of the Foundation, offering opinions and solutions outside of their immediate span of control. As a small team you will also get stuck in and support with tasks outside of your immediate remit where required.
  • Hold regular 121s with Finance & Governance Manager, and conduct mid-year and end of year reviews to develop plans and ensure targets are met.
  • Build and nurture trusted relationships with internal teams, trustees, beneficiaries, and external partners to unify efforts and drive the delivery of our charitable strategy.

Experience and Skills required

• Significant experience in monitoring and evaluation: designing and launching new database systems and developing reporting frameworks that track impact and drive continuous improvement.
• Desirable experience of monitoring budgets and ensuring compliance.
• Knowledge of GDPR and data governance requirements.
• Experience managing multiple priorities in fast paced environment.
• Experience managing system implementation or transformation projects.
• Desirable experience within charity, supporting employment, skills or youth focused programmes.
• Desirable experience working cross functions in corporate environment, influencing variety of stakeholders.

About you

• Be kind, honest and generous: bring genuine warmth and your authentic self to work every day.
• Bring your passion and determination: we need a team that is dedicated to making a difference each day, and can go above and beyond to achieve amazing results.
• Spread joy every day: small acts of kindness are a big part of what makes the Pret experience special.

We offer

• Competitive salary and annual 20% bonus potential.
• Gold Card: We love making people’s day through our food and drinks. That goes for our teams too. That’s why everyone gets a Gold Card. When you’re in the office, your food and drinks are on us. And when you’re not, you can use your Gold Card to get up to 5 Barista-made drinks a day, and 50% off everything else (food, snacks, bottled drinks – the lot).
• A few more perks:
• You’ll get 33 days of annual leave (including flexible Bank Holidays).
• Free private medical cover, with the option to add family or partner at an additional cost.
• 4% of your pension contribution matched by Pret, Life assurance at 3x annual salary.
• Flexible Benefits Platform packed with lifestyle discounts.
• Season ticket loans.
• Financial wellbeing provisions.
• Free mortgage services.

Individual ways to grow

• We offer lots of opportunities for learning, whether you join us for a short stint or the long game, you’re good to grow with us. Including fully funded professional qualifications, leadership development and mentoring.
• Diversity and belonging - Everyone is welcome at Pret, we want you to feel confident and valued for who you are and to truly belong.
• Pace and variety - Our work is fast paced with lots of variety, you’ll build a diverse skill set and learn a lot!
• Community and purpose - We’re proud to make a difference through The Pret Foundation, from tackling homelessness to reducing food waste and creating positive change for people and communities.

Our values

• Happy Teams
• Happy Customers
• Amazing Standards Every day
• Doing The Right Thing

The interview journey

• Every interview process at Pret begins with the same two stages. First, you’ll have a relaxed 30-minute conversation with our recruitment team so we can get to know you and your experience. Next, you’ll be invited to a one-hour, in-person interview with the hiring manager at our Head Office in London Victoria. Depending on the role and function, there may be additional stages. These could include time spent in one of our shops, completing a task, or meeting a senior leader.

Before you apply

• This role is based at Pret’s Support Centre in London Victoria, where we work in a hybrid way - typically three days a week in the office. We’d love to get to know you, not a robot, so please do not rely on AI to complete your application.
• Deadline to apply for this role: 21st August at midnight.