Managing Director

Kangaroo Maths Trust (KMT) is a newly created charitable organisation dedicated to advancing maths education and enrichment. A central strand of our work is supporting participation in the annual Kangaroo-style mathematics test and related enrichment activity, but our purpose is broader than any single programme. We exist to promote engagement with mathematics, encourage problem solving and mathematical confidence, and create opportunities for pupils, schools, and educators to benefit from accessible, high-quality mathematical experiences, with a strategic priority on expanding access and participation in lower-resourced educational settings.

We are seeking the Charity's first Managing Director to serve as the Trust's central executive lead. This is a pivotal role at an important stage in KMT's development, offering the opportunity to help shape a small but ambitious organisation with a clear charitable purpose.

The Managing Director will provide overall leadership and coordination for the Trust, translating Board strategy into effective delivery. The postholder will oversee annual planning and operations, lead fundraising and external relationship development, support strong governance and committee reporting, and help build KMT's profile as an independent and credible charitable organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and day-to-day management of the Trust.
• Implement the Board's strategy and translate it into clear annual priorities, plans, and delivery objectives.
• Prepare the annual operational plan and budget for Board approval, and ensure agreed objectives and targets are delivered.
• Oversee the Trust's annual programmes, including support for the annual Kangaroo-related mathematics test as the Trust's flagship activity during the planning period.
• Shape strategic initiatives to widen access, including in developing countries and particularly Africa.
• Lead fundraising and external relationship development, including engagement with donors, sponsors, schools, funders, and strategic partners.
• Strengthen KMT's profile and credibility as an independent charitable organisation, not simply as an administrative mechanism for one programme.
• Coordinate staff, volunteers, and external partners to support effective delivery across the Trust's activities.
• Support the work of the Board and its sub-committees through high‐quality reporting, papers, updates, and follow‐up on agreed actions.
• Ensure effective operational, financial, and risk controls are in place, including where delivery involves external partners or cross‐border arrangements.
• Ensure that the Trust's work remains ethical, well governed, and aligned with its charitable purpose and strategic direction.
• Help shape initiatives that widen access to high-quality maths enrichment, including in lower‐resourced settings and, where appropriate, international contexts.

Person Specification

Essential

• Significant leadership or senior management experience across both strategy and operations.
• Experience of working with and reporting to a Board, Trustees, or equivalent governance body.
• Strong relationship‐management skills, with the ability to work effectively with trustees, staff, volunteers, external partners, and funders.
• Experience of fundraising, income generation, partnership development, or external stakeholder engagement in a charity, education, or mission‐led environment.
• Sound understanding of financial oversight, operational controls, and risk management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear papers and present information credibly.
• The ability to operate strategically while also being comfortable with hands‐on delivery in a small, lean‐resourced organisation.
• A good understanding of the regulatory context for a charity working with young people, including safeguarding, health and safety, and relevant company and charity obligations.

Desirable

• Experience in mathematics, STEM, education, or enrichment activity relevant to children and young people.
• Knowledge of school-aged education contexts.
• Experience of profile‐building, organisational development, or mission‐led growth.
• Experience relevant to widening access, international partnerships, or delivery in lower‐resourced settings.
• Familiarity with common office productivity tools and financial/bookkeeping systems.

KMT intends to operate with a small, focused executive team. The staffing model is deliberately lean, with core capacity in leadership, financial control, and mathematical coordination, and some roles potentially structured on a full‐time or part‐time basis depending on funding, operational demand, and pace of development.

Why Join KMT?

This is an opportunity to lead a purpose‐driven organisation at a formative stage of its development. The successful candidate will have the chance to help build a resilient, well‐governed, and sustainable charity that supports high‐quality maths enrichment and widens access to meaningful mathematical opportunities for young people.

Employment Particulars

• Employer: Kangaroo Maths Trust.
• Salary: Part‐time: £65 000 – £70 000 FTE, pro rata 3 days.
• Location: Hybrid working, with office location to be confirmed.

KMT is an international charity and some early morning and evening online attendance for meetings may be required. Attendance at international mathematical competitions may also be a possibility. You should be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. Kangaroo Maths Trust has limited ability to offer visa sponsorship.