Operations Team Leader

Stripey Stork role vacancy: Operations Team Leader

The organisation:

Stripey Stork is a registered charity (1161613) who transform the lives of families in
need through the simple act of recycling. We collect new and pre-loved items for
babies and children - equipment, clothes, furniture, and toys - and distribute them to
families in need across Surrey, Croydon and surrounding areas. The families Stripey
Stork help are facing a range of challenges including homelessness, unemployment,
low wages/high living costs and domestic violence.

Stripey Stork believe that every child deserves the same start and that by sharing the
items our families have outgrown we can support a circular economy in a focused
and meaningful way.

Our vision is that every child in Surrey and Croydon has access to the essential
things they need to develop and meet their potential.

Our mission is to alleviate the impacts of childhood poverty by providing a practical
way for families to help each other with kindness and purpose.

Stripey Stork is one of the largest and most established baby banks in the UK. In
2025, we responded to over 16,900 requests from families in Surrey and Croydon,
and we aim to scale our operations to support 20,000 requests annually by 2026.

You can read our annual review and impact reports here.

Reports submitted to Charities Commission can be accessed here.

Who we help:

“Having a safe space for Comfort to sleep means the world to us. She sleeps so well
in her warm cot and snuggly pyjamas, with her mobile lullaby sending her to sleep
every night. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, I will never forget the help
you have given us.”

Meet Comfort, her family and the team who support them here.

The role:

We are seeking an enthusiastic, proactive, and hands-on Operations Team Leader to
drive the smooth running of our three operational sites and support our day-to-day
service delivery.

This new role reflects our growing scale and ambition. You’ll manage a small team to
ensure that every aspect of site management - including incoming donations and
checking processes, stock deliveries, site safety, maintenance, and storage - runs
efficiently and effectively. Communication will be one of your key strengths,
ensuring that colleagues and volunteers are supported to deliver the service our
partners, and the families they support, rely on.

You’ll support the Head of Service, campaign/project activity, volunteer and referral
teams to make sure our service delivery work is well-coordinated and aligned with
our organisational goals. You’ll be a visible and proactive presence on site, leading by
example and keeping our spaces welcoming, productive and safe for everyone who
visits.

The newly-formed Operations Team will sit within the Service Delivery Team and is
pivotal to the successful delivery of the Stripey Stork service.

A Typical Day In This Role…

You’ll start on the warehouse floor, moving stock and donations that have just
arrived, assessing what space is available to house them, and what is most urgent to
process. Doing this you’ll bear in mind the pallets of donated toiletries that are also
due to arrive that day, and the ongoing Christmas campaign that sees community
supporters arriving every day with donated toys, all of which need to be accurately
logged, and transported to another site.

You’ll book the company van in for its annual service, considering the impact of it
being off the road for a while, and then you might meet with the Community
Fundraiser to conduct a risk assessment for a visiting school group.

You’ll work with the other Team Leaders in Volunteering, Projects and Referrals,
looking ahead to the challenges and objectives you need to deliver, updating the
overall operational plan before the full Service Delivery team meets to check in.

You might take a call from the facilities team at our Raven House site about an
upcoming parking restriction, and then help the Head of Service complete a report on
our operational impact, using Salesforce to produce product and referrals data
reports.

Key responsibilities:

Operational Support
•  Manage day-to-day operations across all sites, ensuring a safe, efficient, and

welcoming environment for staff, volunteers, and visitors.

•  Take overall responsibility for managing incoming stock and donations - ensuring

effective sorting, storing and tracking – with the Donations Coordinator.

•  Supporting the fundraising team with accurate record-keeping of new (in-kind)

donated goods.

•  Take overall responsibility for site safety, maintenance, and compliance
(including fire safety, security and health and safety) - with the Facilities
Coordinator.

•  Make the most of, and continuously re-imagine, our workspace and storage
areas, adapting to maintain efficient work while accommodating volunteers,
donations, projects and events.

•  Manage and maintain our assets - buildings, vehicles and contents - safely.
•  Ensure systems and processes are used consistently within Service Delivery,

including data management and GDPR compliance.

•  Ensure the organisation has the necessary policies and insurances in place to

support staff, volunteers and safe working spaces.

•  Ensure that our high standards of safety and quality in items we pass on are

upheld across all our sites, making sure that every referral ‘feels like a gift, and
not a handout’.
Liaise with landlords, partners, neighbours and contractors to ensure facilities
are managed effectively.

•

Team Leadership
•  Provide leadership and guidance to the Operations Team, line managing the
Facilities Coordinator and Donations Coordinator, and fostering a positive,
inclusive, and efficient working culture.

•  Work closely with the Team Leaders in Volunteering, Referrals, and Projects to
collaborate and problem solve, making sure all aspects of our service are
efficient, and delivered to the same consistently high standards.
•  Contribute to staff recruitment, induction, training and development.
•  Promote and support collaboration across the wider organisation, working
closely with marketing and fundraising colleagues to achieve organisational
goals.

•  Deputise for the Head of Service when required.

Planning and Improvement
•  Use data and feedback to inform planning, reporting and decision-making.
•  Review operational processes and procedures regularly to ensure efficiency and

respond to fluctuations in demand (referrals) and supply (donations).
•  Support the Head of Service with longer term operational planning and

implementing agreed priorities.

•  Support innovation by suggesting and implementing improvements to enhance

efficiency and impact.

•  Contribute to the development and delivery of Stripey Stork’s strategic and

operational plans.

Safeguarding and Compliance
•  Ensure policies are implemented and that staff and volunteers understand their

responsibilities.

•  Ensure relevant safeguarding training and DBS checks are in place for staff and

volunteers.

•  Ensure compliance with all statutory, health and safety, and GDPR requirements.

About You
We’re looking for someone who:
•  Shares our belief that every child deserves the same start in life and is motivated

by purpose-driven work.

•  Has experience managing operations, facilities, or logistics in a busy, people-

•

•

•

centred environment.
Is a calm, confident, and visible team leader who inspires and supports others to
do their best work.
Is organised, practical, and solutions-focused - comfortable juggling multiple
priorities and adapting to new challenges.
Is comfortable in a warehouse environment, and with physical lifting, carrying
and space management. This is an active, physical role involving frequent lifting
and movement of donated items, such as boxes, bags and equipment such as
cots and beds, in line with manual handling guidance and personal assessments.

•  Ensures that personal attitude and approach is consistent with promoting

positive behaviours and the values of the organisation.
•  Has excellent communication skills across all channels.
•

Is tech-savvy and understands the importance of using data to track, report and
improve performance.
Is proactive and collaborative - able to build strong relationships across teams
and with external partners.

•

•  Has some experience with CRM systems (Salesforce preferred), and Excel.
•  Has a full UK driving licence (driving of company vehicle may be required).

Our Values in Action

At Stripey Stork we:
•  Treat everyone with kindness and respect.
•  Work collaboratively and express our gratitude for the support we receive.
•  Value volunteers as an essential part of our team.
•  Strive for efficiency so that every donation goes further.
•  Keep families at the heart of everything we do.

Salary and hours of work:

27.5 hours per week on an agreed shift pattern, including two days per week 11am –
4.30pm and three days per week 9am – 2.30pm.

We are offering an FTE salary for the role of £28,438, adjusted pro-rata to reflect
actual working hours.

Some weekend and evening work may be required to support additional
donation/volunteer shifts.

The role holder will be enrolled in the pension scheme (NEST).

Role reports to:
Head of Service

Line management responsibilities:
Donations Coordinator (22 hours)
Facilities Coordinator (10 hours)

Location:
The role is based at 51a Albert Road North, Reigate, RH2 9EL and Raven House, 29
Linkfield Lane, Redhill, RH1 1SS with occasional meetings with stakeholders across
the Surrey/Croydon area.

Flexible working:
We recognise the benefits of flexibility and support a hybrid approach where
appropriate. However, this is a hands-on, visible role, and on-site presence is key to
success. The Operations Team Leader is expected to spend most of their working
hours onsite at our Reigate and Redhill sites, with flexibility for occasional home-
based tasks.

Contract:
Permanent contract with a three-month probationary period.

To apply:

Please submit your CV and a cover letter (maximum two pages) outlining:
•  Why you are interested in this role and Stripey Stork.
•  Your relevant operational/facilities management experience and key

achievements

•  How your skills  and experience would apply to the requirements of this role.

Send these to recruitment@stripeystork.org.uk by 5pm Tuesday 3rd March 2026.

To arrange a tour of our warehouse prior to making an application please email
info@stripeystork.org.uk

At Stripey Stork, we are committed to building an inclusive team culture that reflects
the diversity of the community we serve. We value different perspectives and
experiences and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including
those who are underrepresented in the charity sector or have lived experience of the
challenges facing the families we support.

We want our recruitment process to be as accessible as possible. We will make all
reasonable adjustments to support applicants throughout the process, including
ensuring that interview questions are shared in advance. If you require any
adjustments, please let us know, and we will do our best to accommodate your
needs.