Main purpose
The Chief Operating Officer is a senior executive leadership role responsible for ensuring that the organisation has the people, systems, governance, infrastructure and operational capability needed to deliver its mission effectively across multiple jurisdictions. Working with the CEO, Executive Team and Trustees, the COO helps devise and set organisational strategy, then translates that strategy into robust operational delivery, enabling sustainable growth, strong governance, effective risk management and high-quality support to frontline and enabling functions.
The COO will provide international oversight across core corporate and operational functions, while supporting future growth through geographic expansion, strategic partnerships and, where appropriate, mergers or acquisitions.
The COO also acts as a trusted partner to the CEO, deputising where required and stepping up as a key organisational leader to provide continuity, judgement and visible leadership across the organisation.
Main duties
Executive lead on the People & Culture Committee
Executive lead on the Risk & Compliance Committee
Executive lead on Artificial Intelligence Strategy & Implementation
Executive lead on Crisis Management
Strategic and Organisational Leadership
Partner with the CEO and senior leadership team to shape, implement and monitor organisational strategy, ensuring operational plans, resources and governance arrangements support mission delivery.
Lead cross-organisational planning, performance monitoring and accountability processes, ensuring priorities are clear, measurable and aligned across countries and functions.
Provide executive leadership on organisational design, operating model development, change management and continuous improvement.
Support responsible growth by assessing operational readiness, legal and governance implications, resource requirements and risk exposure for new geographies, partnerships, mergers or acquisitions.
Serve as an ambassador, including public speaking, communicating effectively and with credibility to various audiences.
Functional Leadership and Operational Oversight
Provide strategic oversight of Human Resources, IT & Solutions, Risk, Operations, Board Governance, operational governance and AI strategy.
Ensure enabling functions are well led, appropriately resourced and aligned to the needs of a global anti-trafficking and modern slavery organisation.
Drive efficient, compliant and scalable systems, processes and policies that support consistent delivery across the UK, US, Ethiopia, Uganda, Republic of Ireland and Australia.
Strengthen organisational infrastructure, including technology platforms, data governance, supplier management, internal controls and operational reporting.
Lead budget planning, development and management across the department, ensuring resources are aligned to strategic priorities, financial controls and sustainable operational delivery.
People, Culture and Human Resources
Provide executive oversight of HR strategy, workforce planning, leadership development, organisational culture, safeguarding-aware employment practice and employee engagement.
Ensure employment practices are legally compliant and culturally appropriate across all operating jurisdictions.
Oversee approaches to wellbeing, resilience and crisis support for staff working in complex and sensitive environments.
Ensure mechanisms are in place to support staff wellbeing, resilience and psychological safety, particularly for teams working in complex, sensitive or high-pressure environments.
Champion a values-led, inclusive and diverse organisational culture, ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion are reflected in recruitment, progression, leadership, learning and day-to-day management practice.
Oversee effective performance management, talent development, succession planning and learning pathways so staff have clear objectives, feedback, support and opportunities to grow.
Ensure staff voice is heard through appropriate engagement mechanisms such as surveys, listening sessions, consultation forums or feedback channels, with clear follow-up on themes and actions.
Support managers and leaders to handle people issues fairly, consistently and compassionately, with appropriate advice, escalation routes and documentation.
Ensure HR data, workforce reporting and people-related risks are used to inform decision-making, resource planning and organisational development.
Risk, Compliance and Crisis Management
Oversee the organisation's enterprise risk management framework, ensuring risks are identified, assessed, mitigated and reported effectively to the CEO, senior leadership team and Board.
Oversee operational compliance across jurisdictions, including organisational policies, legal and regulatory obligations, data protection, procurement, safeguarding interfaces and duty of care considerations.
Provide calm, decisive leadership in periods of crisis, ensuring effective incident response, business continuity, escalation, communication and post-incident learning.
Strengthen organisational resilience through scenario planning, controls testing and continuous improvement of risk and assurance processes.
Board, Trustee and Operational Governance
Provide high-quality governance support to the Board of Trustees and relevant committees, ensuring timely reporting, clear decision-making and strong follow-through on actions.
Engage constructively with trustees, offering clear operational insight, assurance and challenge while supporting effective trustee oversight.
Ensure operational governance arrangements remain proportionate, transparent and fit for a growing international organisation.
Technology, Digital Solutions and AI Strategy
Provide executive oversight of IT & Solutions, ensuring secure, reliable and user-centred systems that support global collaboration, data quality and operational efficiency.
Lead the development and implementation of an ethical, practical AI strategy that improves productivity, strengthens decision-making and supports responsible innovation.
Ensure digital transformation initiatives are aligned with organisational priorities, staff capability, risk appetite, data protection requirements and safeguarding considerations.
Champion the responsible use of technology to improve workflows, reporting, learning, knowledge management and service effectiveness.
Partnerships, Growth and Organisational Development
Assess and support strategic growth opportunities, including entry into new jurisdictions, operational partnerships, joint ventures, mergers or acquisitions.
Lead due diligence from an operational, people, governance, risk and systems perspective.
Build trusted relationships with partners, professional advisers and peer organisations to support sustainable growth and shared impact.
Ensure growth decisions are mission-aligned, financially sustainable, legally compliant and operationally deliverable.
For all roles:
Understand and uphold the standards outlined in the Hope for Justice Safeguarding policies, acting with due care and attention to safeguard the wellbeing of anyone that comes into contact with our work and reporting concerns if they do arise.
Key result areas:
Operational plans are clearly aligned to strategy and delivered with measurable progress.
Core functions are well led, appropriately resourced and working effectively together.
Trustees and senior leaders receive clear, timely and decision-ready governance and assurance information.
Risks are actively managed, escalated appropriately and reflected in strategic and operational decision-making.
Technology, data and AI initiatives improve efficiency, collaboration and organisational insight while remaining ethical and secure.
Growth opportunities are assessed rigorously and implemented only where they are mission-aligned, sustainable and operationally deliverable.
Staff experience, culture and organisational resilience are strengthened across global teams.
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Executive Officer
4 direct reports / c.15 in the wider team, plus matrix management
Operations
£90,000 depending on experience
Full-time/Permanent
UK-based / home-based with regular travel to Manchester office, and some international travel
28 days of annual leave, increasing to a maximum of 30 days with service (plus bank holidays).
Additional special leave (such as 1 day of Marriage Leave and a Birthday Day).
Enhanced employer pension contributions.
Company sick pay and enhanced maternity and paternity pay.
Access to an Employee Rewards Platform with retailer discounts and offers.
Free, confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for staff and family members.
Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
Paid professional memberships and development/training opportunities.
Job title:
Reports to:
Direct reports:
Department:
Salary:
Hours/Contract:
Location:
Benefits:
Main purpose
The Chief Operating Officer is a senior executive leadership role responsible for ensuring that the organisation has the people, systems, governance, infrastructure and operational capability needed to deliver its mission effectively across multiple jurisdictions. Working with the CEO, Executive Team and Trustees, the COO helps devise and set organisational strategy, then translates that strategy into robust operational delivery, enabling sustainable growth, strong governance, effective risk management and high-quality support to frontline and enabling functions.
The COO will provide international oversight across core corporate and operational functions, while supporting future growth through geographic expansion, strategic partnerships and, where appropriate, mergers or acquisitions.
The COO also acts as a trusted partner to the CEO, deputising where required and stepping up as a key organisational leader to provide continuity, judgement and visible leadership across the organisation.
Main duties
Executive lead on the People & Culture Committee
Executive lead on the Risk & Compliance Committee
Executive lead on Artificial Intelligence Strategy & Implementation
Executive lead on Crisis Management
Strategic and Organisational Leadership
Partner with the CEO and senior leadership team to shape, implement and monitor organisational strategy, ensuring operational plans, resources and governance arrangements support mission delivery.
Lead cross-organisational planning, performance monitoring and accountability processes, ensuring priorities are clear, measurable and aligned across countries and functions.
Provide executive leadership on organisational design, operating model development, change management and continuous improvement.
Support responsible growth by assessing operational readiness, legal and governance implications, resource requirements and risk exposure for new geographies, partnerships, mergers or acquisitions.
Serve as an ambassador, including public speaking, communicating effectively and with credibility to various audiences.
Functional Leadership and Operational Oversight
Provide strategic oversight of Human Resources, IT & Solutions, Risk, Operations, Board Governance, operational governance and AI strategy.
Ensure enabling functions are well led, appropriately resourced and aligned to the needs of a global anti-trafficking and modern slavery organisation.
Drive efficient, compliant and scalable systems, processes and policies that support consistent delivery across the UK, US, Ethiopia, Uganda, Republic of Ireland and Australia.
Strengthen organisational infrastructure, including technology platforms, data governance, supplier management, internal controls and operational reporting.
Lead budget planning, development and management across the department, ensuring resources are aligned to strategic priorities, financial controls and sustainable operational delivery.
People, Culture and Human Resources
Provide executive oversight of HR strategy, workforce planning, leadership development, organisational culture, safeguarding-aware employment practice and employee engagement.
Ensure employment practices are legally compliant and culturally appropriate across all operating jurisdictions.
Oversee approaches to wellbeing, resilience and crisis support for staff working in complex and sensitive environments.
Ensure mechanisms are in place to support staff wellbeing, resilience and psychological safety, particularly for teams working in complex, sensitive or high-pressure environments.
Champion a values-led, inclusive and diverse organisational culture, ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion are reflected in recruitment, progression, leadership, learning and day-to-day management practice.
Oversee effective performance management, talent development, succession planning and learning pathways so staff have clear objectives, feedback, support and opportunities to grow.
Ensure staff voice is heard through appropriate engagement mechanisms such as surveys, listening sessions, consultation forums or feedback channels, with clear follow-up on themes and actions.
Support managers and leaders to handle people issues fairly, consistently and compassionately, with appropriate advice, escalation routes and documentation.
Ensure HR data, workforce reporting and people-related risks are used to inform decision-making, resource planning and organisational development.
Risk, Compliance and Crisis Management
Oversee the organisation's enterprise risk management framework, ensuring risks are identified, assessed, mitigated and reported effectively to the CEO, senior leadership team and Board.
Oversee operational compliance across jurisdictions, including organisational policies, legal and regulatory obligations, data protection, procurement, safeguarding interfaces and duty of care considerations.
Provide calm, decisive leadership in periods of crisis, ensuring effective incident response, business continuity, escalation, communication and post-incident learning.
Strengthen organisational resilience through scenario planning, controls testing and continuous improvement of risk and assurance processes.
Board, Trustee and Operational Governance
Provide high-quality governance support to the Board of Trustees and relevant committees, ensuring timely reporting, clear decision-making and strong follow-through on actions.
Engage constructively with trustees, offering clear operational insight, assurance and challenge while supporting effective trustee oversight.
Ensure operational governance arrangements remain proportionate, transparent and fit for a growing international organisation.
Technology, Digital Solutions and AI Strategy
Provide executive oversight of IT & Solutions, ensuring secure, reliable and user-centred systems that support global collaboration, data quality and operational efficiency.
Lead the development and implementation of an ethical, practical AI strategy that improves productivity, strengthens decision-making and supports responsible innovation.
Ensure digital transformation initiatives are aligned with organisational priorities, staff capability, risk appetite, data protection requirements and safeguarding considerations.
Champion the responsible use of technology to improve workflows, reporting, learning, knowledge management and service effectiveness.
Partnerships, Growth and Organisational Development
Assess and support strategic growth opportunities, including entry into new jurisdictions, operational partnerships, joint ventures, mergers or acquisitions.
Lead due diligence from an operational, people, governance, risk and systems perspective.
Build trusted relationships with partners, professional advisers and peer organisations to support sustainable growth and shared impact.
Ensure growth decisions are mission-aligned, financially sustainable, legally compliant and operationally deliverable.
For all roles:
Understand and uphold the standards outlined in the Hope for Justice Safeguarding policies, acting with due care and attention to safeguard the wellbeing of anyone that comes into contact with our work and reporting concerns if they do arise.
Key result areas:
Operational plans are clearly aligned to strategy and delivered with measurable progress.
Core functions are well led, appropriately resourced and working effectively together.
Trustees and senior leaders receive clear, timely and decision-ready governance and assurance information.
Risks are actively managed, escalated appropriately and reflected in strategic and operational decision-making.
Technology, data and AI initiatives improve efficiency, collaboration and organisational insight while remaining ethical and secure.
Growth opportunities are assessed rigorously and implemented only where they are mission-aligned, sustainable and operationally deliverable.
Staff experience, culture and organisational resilience are strengthened across global teams.
28 days of annual leave, increasing to a maximum of 30 days with service (plus bank holidays).
Additional special leave (such as 1 day of Marriage Leave and a Birthday Day).
Enhanced employer pension contributions.
Company sick pay and enhanced maternity and paternity pay.
Access to an Employee Rewards Platform with retailer discounts and offers.
Free, confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for staff and family members.
Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
Paid professional memberships and development/training opportunities.
Chief Operating Officer
Chief Executive Officer
4 direct reports / c.15 in the wider team
Operations
£90,000 depending on experience
Full-time/Permanent
UK-based / home-based with regular travel to Manchester office, and some international travel
Job title:
Reports to:
Direct reports:
Department:
Salary:
Hours/Contract:
Location:
Benefits: