Head of Operations

About us

We are the Global Network of Civil Society Organisations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR), the largest global network of organisations committed to working together to improve the lives of people affected by disasters worldwide. Established in 2007, we have grown into a network of more than 2,000 member organisations across 130\+ countries, representing millions of people on the frontlines of hazards, climate change and mass displacement. Through transformative, evidence\-led programming and powerful advocacy, we are driving climate action and disaster resilience alongside our members across the globe.

Purpose of the secretariat

We are a small, globally dispersed team of diverse and dedicated professionals working collaboratively to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations and helping communities most at risk of disasters to build resilience.

The secretariat supports the development, coordination, and implementation of GNDR’s organisational strategy, and reports to the board through the Executive Director. As a convener, the secretariat brings members together, facilitates collaboration, and amplifies their voices within international and regional policy spaces. We act as a bridge between local civil society organisations and global institutions, ensuring that the perspectives of communities most at risk are heard and influence decision\-making.

Main purpose of the role

The Head of Operations is a core member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and provides comprehensive operational and financial leadership across GNDR.

The Head of Operations is responsible for maintaining long\-term financial sustainability through robust budgeting and financial control, while safeguarding the charity’s assets and regulatory compliance.

They are accountable for the full employee lifecycle and for driving GNDR’s organisational culture of inclusion, wellbeing, and continuous learning, while enabling seamless cross\-departmental alignment and collaboration.

This senior leadership position blends high\-level strategy with hands\-on operational delivery, collaborating closely with Trustees, donors, colleagues, and external providers to optimise GNDR’s operational functions and systems.

Overall scope of the role

● Strategic financial oversight.

● Strategic leadership.

● Governance and board support.

● Funding, grants and partnerships.

● People, culture and organisational development.

● Systems, logistics and IT.

● Legal, risk and compliance.

● Line management and team development.

Position in the organisation

● Member of the Secretariat and Senior Leadership Team.

● Reports to the Executive Director.

● Line manages the Finance \& Grants Manager and the Human Resources Manager.

● Collaborates with GNDR Trustees, the Global Board, and Board Working Groups.

● Works closely with GNDR members and project partners.

● Serves as Company Secretary.

● Serves as safeguarding Lead.

● Oversees the work of IT and Translation consultants.

Specific responsibilities

Strategic leadership

● Serve as a core member of the Senior Leadership Team, actively shaping and championing GNDR’s strategic direction.

● Provide operational leadership across the organisation, translating strategic goals into clear and actionable plans.

● Promote and model a culture of collaboration, inclusion, learning and continuous improvement across the organisation.

● Drive organisational excellence by fostering transparency, accountability and innovation in operational approaches and decision\-making.

● Support managers to navigate change, complexity and cross‑cultural team dynamics, enabling them to build strong, collaborative and high\-performing teams.

Strategic financial oversight

● Oversee funding pipeline and income streams, and match to expenditure projections, to ensure long\-term financial sustainability.

● Oversee the annual budgeting process, matching all expenditure to available income and submitting to trustees for approval.

● Monitor income and expenditure against budget, reviewing monthly management accounts with the Senior Leadership Team and Executive Director, sharing project financial reports with budget holders, ensuring corrective actions are taken where required.

● Oversight of cash flow, reserves, banking arrangements and foreign currency risk management.

● Develop and ensure compliance with financial and procurement\-related policies and procedures.

● Oversight of all statutory and donor related audits, ensuring all recommendations are addressed and acted upon.

● Lead the financial operations in all countries where GNDR employs staff.

Funding, grants and partnerships.

● Support the development of high quality proposals and budgets aligned with the GNDR’s fundraising and organisational strategy.

● Work closely with the Executive Director and all heads of departments to engage funders and partners.

● Assess operational, financial, HR and risk implications of new funding.

● Oversee all financial aspects of sub\-grantee management, including financial risk assessment, due diligence, tracking of expenditure, financial reporting and compliance with donor requirements.

People, culture and organisational development

● Oversee the full employee lifecycle, including staff structures, recruitment, onboarding, performance management, pay and rewards, offboarding and employee relations, ensuring compliance across all countries where GNDR operates.

● Support the HR Manager to ensure HR policies and best practice are adhered to across diverse legal frameworks, including engaging external legal advisors where necessary.

● Work closely with the HR Manager to maintain a fair pay and reward framework, including salary benchmarking and annual cost\-of\-living reviews.

● Support organisational development initiatives that strengthen culture, leadership, staff wellbeing and operational efficiency.

● Promote a culture of continuous learning, working with the HR Manager to develop annual learning and development plans.

Governance and board support

● support the Executive Director with all governance processes and meetings.

● Act as Secretary to the Finance \& Audit Working Group, including taking minutes, and coordinating with the Chair to ensure compliance.

● Report on finance and audit matters, and secure Board support for continued financial integrity and organisational sustainability.

● Ensure trustees’ legal responsibilities are met, including statutory filings, declarations of interest and compliance with Charity Commission regulations.

● Engage with the board of trustees and global board to build understanding, trust and shared responsibility for legal compliance, financial oversight and good governance.

Legal, risk and compliance

● Responsible for organisational risk management, including safeguarding, duty of care and health and safety.

● Act as Safeguarding Lead, ensuring safeguarding and ethical principles and behaviours are embedded across the organisation, and that staff and partners receive adequate training.

● Maintain the organisational risk register, ensuring risks are identified, monitored and mitigated.

● Ensure compliance with audit requirements and all other legal and regulatory obligations in the UK and countries where GNDR operates.

● Accountable for the maintenance and updating of all organisational policies, while driving staff understanding and adherence.

● Ensure strong data protection practices, including GDPR compliance and secure handling of information across all regions.

● Oversee insurance, contracts and other legal or compliance‑related matters.

Systems, logistics and IT

● Lead the development and continuous improvement of organisational systems and procedures.

● Oversee fair, transparent and value for money procurement processes for consultants, partners, and suppliers.

● Provide strategic oversight of global logistics, ensuring smooth operational delivery across all regions.

● Ensure global logistics processes comply with organisational policies, including security protocols, procurement standards and financial procedures.

● Manage key supplier relationships, including IT providers, insurance companies, and other workplace and operational suppliers.

● Manage the contract, SLA and overall performance of the IT consultant.

Line management and team development

● Lead, mentor and support the Operations team members, ensuring all plans, budgets, and activities are aligned with organisational priorities, strategy and values.

Person specification

Education \& qualifications

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) or equivalent professional experience. E

Experience \& knowledge

Proven experience in senior operational roles, managing multiple core departments (e.g. finance, HR, IT, compliance, and org‑wide systems). E

Proven track record of strategic leadership, including setting long\-term organisational direction, leading teams through change and risk management. E

Experience managing budgets, financial control, and reporting across restricted and unrestricted funding. E

Strong understanding of HR best practice and UK employment law, including performance management, learning and development, and pay and reward. E

Excellent grasp of UK charity governance requirements and Trustee responsibilities. E

Understanding of safeguarding, health and safety, and data protection in both UK and international contexts. E

Experience in the non\-profit sector. (international development, humanitarian or global civil‑society experience is highly desirable). E

Experience managing procurement processes and supplier relationships. E

Experience leading digital transformation, including the selection and rollout of IT systems (e.g. CRM, HRIS, ERP, or Payroll). D

Skills, values \& behaviours

Ability to interpret complex information (financial, operat

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