Chief Operating Officer

About the role

Action for Carers works across Surrey to support unpaid carers who are caring for a relative, partner or friend who is ill, has a disability or poor mental health and could not cope without this support.

We provide support by phone, on-line, through face-to-face meetings, support groups, in hospitals and through workshops. We help with information and advice, advocacy, practical guidance on moving and handling, and provide access to a range of free resources. We also support young carers by putting on activities to provide time out from their caring role and meet young people in a similar position as well as tailored one-to-one help.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced senior leader to fulfil this newly created role. The Chief Operating Officer will play a pivotal role in embedding our revised strategy, ensuring the effective implementation of our services, leading our front-line delivery teams, and ensuring high standards of service delivery. This role will deputise for the CEO in their absence.

We provide a Surrey wide service and whilst this role will be based at our offices in Burpham, Guildford, the postholder will work across Surrey to engage with our service users, statutory and charity partners and our people.

Key responsibilities

Full duties are included in the job outline, key responsibilities include:

• Leadership: Provide organisational leadership and direction with line management responsibility for front-line services and contract delivery. Model a coaching and developmental approach to leadership across the organisation.
• Delivering Strategy: Lead the operationalisation of our strategy, working with senior managers to develop plans and deliver change.
• Contract Management: Lead on contract management meetings with funders and commissioners, performance reporting and quality improvement.
• Performance Monitoring: Develop performance metrics to monitor the effectiveness of service delivery and work with senior managers address areas for improvement.
• Business Development: Identify opportunities to develop new services and diversify income, support the CEO and SMT on preparation of tender responses and actively contribute to fundraising strategy.
• Quality, Safeguarding and Safety: Work with senior managers to ensure that systems, processes and services are designed and implemented with quality, safeguarding and safety embedded.
• Resource Allocation: Manage resources effectively to optimise service delivery, including workforce and budget.

About you

We are looking for applicants with:

• Commitment and interest in our mission and values.
• Senior leadership experience of operational delivery ideally in the not-for-profit sector.
• Experience of leading services in the social care sector is beneficial but not essential.
• Proven track record in improving service delivery and implementing quality assurance systems.
• Proven experience of managing managers, with the ability to build, inspire and motivate teams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a track record of building effective relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and a dispersed workforce.
• Demonstrable experience in successfully managing publicly funded contracts (pref. £1m+ value) and working with commissioners, including the related budgeting, monitoring and reporting.
• Experience of designing and developing programmes to meet new and emerging needs.
• An entrepreneurial approach to developing new business, diversifying income and expanding services.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to deliver information to colleagues clearly and accurately.

About us

We are a committed, local charity determined to make a difference to young and adult carers across Surrey. Our values are Focus, Inclusion, Respect and Excellence. By keeping to our values, we are able to provide an innovative, high quality and compassionate service to carers in every community in Surrey, making a real difference to their wellbeing.

We offer our people a friendly, supportive, flexible workplace and are committed to welcoming applicants from a wide range of backgrounds as well as supporting staff who have their own caring responsibilities. To this end, we offer staff a weeks paid carers leave. We also provide a generous holiday entitlement, starting at 28 days plus bank holidays, an employee assistance programme, pension and opportunities for development and training.