Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer

Salary :  Competitive

Location :  London, WC2E 9AB

About Our Client

Our client is a registered charity on a mission to become the UK’s leading neurodiversity employment model. They help young adults with learning disabilities and autism gain the skills and experience they need to secure sustainable jobs through their training café in Covent Garden and specialist employment programmes. While they continue to fundraise, their goal is to be as self-sustainable as possible. They achieve this by running their café, delivering events, supplying wholesale coffee, offering DEI workshops, and constantly seeking creative ways to raise awareness of their cause and diversify revenue streams.

Summary of the Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will act as the CEO’s strategic partner and trusted deputy, leading both the charitable programmes (training, neuro-inclusion, and employment support) and the trading operations (café, events, wholesale coffee, and partnerships).

This role combines operational leadership with commercial acumen, ensuring excellent programme delivery while also driving business growth, increasing sales, and shaping a commercial strategy that supports our client’s long-term sustainability. The COO will oversee finance, compliance, people and culture, and organisational development, while also building partnerships and identifying new opportunities for business development and income diversification. By fostering a high-performing, values-led culture and strengthening their internal foundations, the COO enables the CEO to focus on external growth, partnerships, and brand leadership, ensuring the organisation continues to expand its impact while remaining financially resilient.

Ideal Candidate

They are seeking a senior leader who :

• Has experience at Director / COO / Deputy CEO level within a charity, social enterprise, or purpose-driven business.
• Is commercially minded, with proven experience in growing business, driving sales, shaping commercial strategy, securing partnerships, and spotting opportunities for business development.
• Can demonstrate a track record of managing multi-disciplinary teams and senior managers.
• Brings knowledge of charity governance, safeguarding, HR, and regulatory compliance.
• Has significant financial management experience across both charitable and trading activities.
• Can translate strategy into clear operational plans and deliver tangible results.
• Thinks laterally and creatively to diversify revenue streams and amplify impact.
• Understands fundraising models and income diversification, with an entrepreneurial mindset for sustainable growth.
• Is resilient, hard-working, emotionally intelligent, kind and empathetic, courageous, warm, purpose-driven, and a strategic leader.
• Is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, with experience embedding a values-led culture.

Benefits :

Top Responsibilities

As COO, you will :

Our Client’s Commitment

Our client is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of background.