Head of Operations in Cambridge

Location: Cambridge, UK strongly preferred; open to remote (US/EU with overlap with UK hours)

Type: Full-time (part-time options will also be considered)

Reports to: CEO

Compensation: Salary commensurate with experience, typical range of $100,000 - $160,000

Overview

PRISM is entering a period of growth, and we're looking for a Head of Operations to help us scale without losing what makes us effective. You'll take ownership of the operational backbone of the organisation (HR, finance, systems, and compliance) so that the people running our core programmes can focus on the work itself. This is a senior, high-trust role for someone who can build durable systems, exercise good judgement under uncertainty, and grow an operations function as the organisation expands.

About PRISM

PRISM (Partnership for Research Into Sentient Machines) is a UK-based registered charity helping to build the field of digital minds. We support research and educational initiatives that prepare society for the challenges posed by AI consciousness, digital minds, and AI moral status. We raise awareness among non-expert audiences, develop talent to help the field grow, and convene the researchers and experts for important conversations. Field building sits at the heart of our direction. As a young field, digital minds needs infrastructure: ways for newcomers to orient themselves, and spaces that keep researchers and practitioners connected and collaborating. Our programmes span a podcast, the Beginner's Guide to Digital Minds, a quarterly newsletter, a community slack channel, fellowships, an online course, and expert workshops. A key part of the role is our partnership with Cambridge Digital Minds, with whom we run Fellowships and an Online course. You'll be central to making that collaboration run smoothly and scale well.

What you'll do

• Help us through a period of growth. Anticipate the operational challenges that come with scaling; more people, more programmes, more complexity. Lay the foundations so that growth is an opportunity rather than a bottleneck.
• Take ownership of HR and Finance. Own people operations end to end: hiring logistics, onboarding, contracts, policies, and day-to-day HR. Lead the collaboration with our accountants across budgeting, payroll, bookkeeping oversight, funder and grant reporting, Charity Commission filings, and compliance. Bring in specialists where it makes sense and manage those relationships.
• Implement systems. Design and roll out the tools and processes the organisation needs, running recurring processes, and maintaining a CRM for donors, candidates, and partners. Build systems that fit how people already work.
• Support the staff working on our core programmes. Make sure the teams delivering our programmes have the operational support they need to succeed, removing friction and handling the logistics so they can concentrate on the substance.
• Maintain policies and support governance. Keep policies current and identify gaps, prepare materials for board or governance meetings, and keep the organisation's housekeeping in order.
• Grow the operations function. Over time, bring functions in-house where appropriate and build and manage a small operations team as PRISM scales.

Who we’re looking for

You may be a good fit if you have:

• 5+ years of experience in operations, finance, HR, or a related role (e.g. chief of staff, head of operations).
• Experience scaling an operations function through a period of organisational growth: building systems and processes that held up as headcount and complexity increased.
• A proven track record of owning detailed and high-stakes work (budgets, filings, contracts, payroll).
• Reliability across a broad, busy workload. You will keep various projects moving and rarely drop the ball.
• Good judgement under uncertainty. You know when to handle something yourself, when to bring in a specialist, and when to elevate.
• A bias toward clarity and simplicity, and the ability to build systems that work with people's existing workflows.
• Strong people-management instincts and readiness to build and lead a team as we grow. Genuine care for PRISM's mission.

Strong candidates may also have:

• Familiarity with UK-charity finance and regulatory requirements
• Experience with grant management or funder reporting
• Experience running or supporting fellowships, courses, or other talent programmes
• Familiarity with the AI safety or digital minds ecosystem.

Compensation and benefits

• Salary: $100,000 to $160,000 per annum
• 8% pension / 401(k) employer contribution
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Wellbeing budget of up to $3,500 a year
• Support for setting up a productive work environment
• Personal development budget
• In-office meals, snacks and drinks (when in office)

Hiring Process

• Application Review
• Screening Interview
• Paid Work Test
• Team Interviews
• Reference + Offer