About Us:
The Michel Roberts Charitable Trust is based in Harlow Essex and serves the local area. Now operational for 27 years, we are UK-registered Christian charity running six core projects with a staff team of around 20 and an annual turnover of c. £1M.
Our programmes work closely together – each playing a role in developing lives and enriching our local community through tackling poverty, exclusion and isolation.
Role Purpose
The Chief Operating Officer / Deputy CEO will play a pivotal role in ensuring the effective, efficient, and compliant operation of the charity. As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the COO will oversee operational delivery, internal systems, financial stewardship, risk management, volunteer management, and will line initially manage project managers across three of the more established existing projects. The postholder will work closely with the CEO and Board of Trustees to shape and execute strategic priorities, ensuring the charity remains sustainable, resilient, and impactful.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Leadership
- Act as a core member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organisational strategy, planning, and decision-making.
- Translate strategic objectives into operational plans and measurable outcomes.
- Lead cross-organisational initiatives that improve efficiency and long-term sustainability.
- Deputise for the CEO when required.
2. Operational Management
- Oversee day-to-day operations across all six projects, ensuring high-quality, consistent delivery, line managing three of the more established projects.
- Working with the Operations Manager to maintain robust operational systems, policies, and procedures across finance, HR, IT, safeguarding, project management and volunteer oversight.
- Ensuring compliance with charity law, data protection (GDPR), health & safety, safeguarding, and funder requirements.
- Leading continuous improvement initiatives to enhance productivity and organisational clarity.
3. Finance & Resource Management
- Work with the Finance Manager and CEO to develop and manage the annual £1m budget.
- Working with the Operations Manager to oversee financial processes, reporting, and controls to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Monitor organisational performance, cashflow, and resource allocation.
- Support income generation by providing operational insight for fundraising bids and grant applications.
4. People & Culture
- Working with the Operations Manager to versee HR functions including recruitment, performance maonagement, wellbeing, and staff development.
- Working with the Operations Manager and team leads to oversee and monitor our volunteer recruitment, training and retention.
- Build a positive, inclusive, and empowering organisational culture aligned with charity values.
- Ensure staff and volunteer policies are up-to-date and embedded in practice.
- Support managers to lead effective, motivated, and high-performing teams.
5. Governance & Risk
- Support the Board of Trustees by providing accurate, timely operational and financial reports.
- Working with the Operations Manager to lead organisational risk management, maintaining risk registers and implementing mitigation strategies.
- Ensure the organisation meets all statutory, regulatory, and contractual obligations.
- Oversee safeguarding systems and compliance.
6. Systems, Data & Infrastructure
- Improve and maintain internal IT, CRM, monitoring & evaluation systems, and digital processes.
- Ensure data-driven decision-making and high-quality reporting to funders and regulators.
- Manage relationships with external suppliers, contractors, and professional services.
Person Specification
Essential
- Senior leadership experience within the charity or non-profit sector.
- Demonstrable experience managing operations, people, and organisational systems.
- Strong financial literacy, including budgeting, reporting, and risk management.
- Experience overseeing multiple projects or services simultaneously.
- Excellent understanding of charity governance, compliance, and safeguarding requirements.
- Strong communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to lead change, improve systems, and embed a culture of accountability and learning.
- Solutions-focused, resilient, and able to manage competing priorities.
Desirable
- Experience in a charity with turnover between £500k–£2m.
- Experience supporting fundraising and income generation activity.
- Knowledge of digital transformation or service innovation.
- HR or Project management qualifications (CIPD, PRINCE2, etc.).
- Experience working with Boards or Trustees.
This post is one of two in the organisation that requires the holder to be a committed Christian.
The candidate pack for the role contains fuller details and is available onthe link below. This also includes a link to the application form. Applications close on 22nd January.
The Michael Roberts Charitable Trust (MRCT)
MRCT is a UK-registered Christian charity delivering six key projects that support People experiencing exclusion through learning difficulties, physical disabilities, poverty and other crises. With a dedicated team of around 20 staff and an annual turnover of approximately £1 million, we are entering an exciting period of consolidation and growth. We are now seeking an experienced Chief Operating Officer to strengthen our operational foundations and help drive the organisation’s strategic ambitions.