Wild in the City
Operations Manager
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Operations Manager
Organisation: Wild in the City (WitC)
Location: Home-based, with occasional UK travel
Contract: Fixed-term, 20 months
Hours: 21 hours per week (0.6 FTE)
Salary: £38,000 to £45,000 FTE pro rata depending on experience
Holiday: 21 days pro rata plus bank holidays (pro rata)
Pension: 5% employer contribution via NEST
Reports to: Fractional Chief Operating Officer
Closing date / interviews: Closing date: 16th October 2026, Interviews: 22nd October 2026
About Wild in the City
Wild in the City supports wellbeing through nature. We create a welcoming community to support people of colour in finding a sense of belonging in nature, and to learn about and care for the natural world.
The role
As Operations Manager, you will lead on keeping Wild in the City running well day to day and help turn our strategy into delivery. You will lead our strategy implementation and programme management ensuring we achieve outputs and outcomes, systems, compliance and impact measurement, building strong foundations for a growing team. You will oversee finance administration and HR. You will work closely with the SLT to ensure strategic goals translate into tangible, impactful results.
This is a pivotal role for someone who sees the bigger picture, takes ownership, and is committed to our mission and values. You will also act as our Safeguarding Lead and Health & Safety Lead. There is scope for this role to grow as the organisation does.
Key responsibilities
1. Strategy and delivery
- Support the SLT to implement WitC’s strategic objectives and 5-year business plan, with progress monitored and evaluated.
- Project manage programme delivery against milestones and funder outputs.
- Work with business area leads to build deliverable annual plans.
- Provide clear, timely reporting to the SLT.
- Develop tools to track progress and impact, and analyse the results.
- Deputise for the COO as required.
2. Finance administration
- Oversee monthly management accounts, annual accounts and audits.
- Manage budgets and cash flow forecasts, and provide monthly financial reports.
- Oversee payroll and bookkeeping.
- Flag financial risks early.
3. Governance, risk and compliance
- Support the CEO with good governance, including Board meeting planning, papers and Board member recruitment, induction, training and away days.
- Keep policies and procedures up to date and make sure they are followed.
- Ensure legal compliance on data protection, health and safety and safeguarding.
- Maintain a risk register and act on emerging risks.
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4. People and culture
- Oversee HR, including recruitment, development and learning.
- Line manage staff and volunteers.
- Champion our values and foster a one-team culture that nurtures trust, collaboration and high performance
- As Safeguarding Lead, make sure everyone understands and acts on their safeguarding responsibilities.
5. Systems, administration and events
- Review internal processes and improve our systems.
- Oversee administration, including the main inbox and event bookings.
- Organise events and draft reports as needed.
- Provide management support to the CEO and liaise with external partners.
6. Fundraising and business development
- Support bid writing and partnership development.
Person specification
Essential
- Considerable experience in operational management, ideally in a charity or social enterprise.
- Proven experience leading and developing teams or direct reports.
- Experience managing budgets and supporting financial reporting.
- Working knowledge of governance, data protection, health and safety and safeguarding requirements.
- Strong analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills, with the ability to anticipate risks and find practical solutions.
- Excellent communication skills, able to influence across Board, executive, operational and partner levels.
- Experience of contract, partnership or funding agreement management.
- Understanding of how racial dynamics impact engagement with nature.
- Commitment to WitC’s mission and values.
Desirable
- Experience with funder reporting and impact evaluation.
- Experience supporting bids or income generation.
- Safeguarding Lead or Health & Safety training.
- Lived experience of the communities we serve.
- Understanding of how race shapes the environmental sector, and its impact on people of colour-led organisations and leadership.
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Personal qualities
- Calm, grounded and collaborative, including when navigating conflict.
- Ethical, accountable and open, with integrity.
- Resilient, adaptable and empowering.
- Reflective and constructive
- Clear, straightforward and accurate in communication.
- Team player, led by mission
- A passion for nature.
Safeguarding
We take safeguarding seriously. All staff must work within our safeguarding policies and help maintain a culture that prioritises safe environments.
Data protection
Personal data you provide is used for recruitment only and is stored securely in password-protected systems. Data for unsuccessful applicants is deleted after 3 months, or on appointment to this role.
Equal opportunities
Wild in the City is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We exist to support people of colour to connect with nature, and we want our team to reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, and we especially encourage applications from people of colour, who are underrepresented in the environmental sector. We will consider all applications fairly and on merit. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
Reasonable adjustments
If you need any adjustments to apply, to take part in an interview, or to do the job itself, please let us know. This might include, for example, a different application format, extra time, a change to the interview format or location, or information in advance. You don’t need to share details of your circumstances unless you want to, and asking for an adjustment will not affect how your application is assessed. To discuss your needs, contact info@wildinthecity.org.uk
How to apply
Please see our recruitment pack at https://wildinthecity.org.uk/about/vacancies/ or contact info@wildinthecity.org.uk. To make an application complete your form here: https://form.jotform.com/262803847290361 Applications close at 5pm on 23rd October 2026
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