Chief Operating Officer; COO

Role Purpose

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) provides strategic and operational leadership across all frontline services, accommodation provision, organisational infrastructure, and compliance functions within the charity.

The COO is responsible for ensuring safe, trauma-informed, financially sustainable, and outcomes-focused delivery for individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, health exclusion, addiction, and crisis.

The role leads operations across the charity’s accommodation portfolio, including winter shelter provision, general needs accommodation, supported accommodation, and intensively supported housing. The COO also oversees the operational platform of the charity’s support programmes, including a community café, community supermarket, crisis drop-in provision, and integrated health clinics.

Working collaboratively with the CEO, Board, statutory agencies, housing provider partners, and wider stakeholders, the COO plays a key leadership role in shaping organisational strategy, strengthening operational systems, embedding trauma-informed practice, and developing innovative models of support that improve long-term outcomes for individuals experiencing multiple disadvantage.

The COO provides executive oversight of, operational risk, health and safety, HR, operational systems, and service compliance, ensuring the organisation maintains robust standards of governance, accountability, and person-centred care across all services.

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Provide executive operational leadership across services and organisational functions
• Lead the delivery, development, and continuous operational improvement of:
  • Supported and temporary accommodation services (68+ properties)
  • Crisis and drop-in provision
  • Food programme and social supermarket
  • Winter shelter provision
• Translate organisational strategy into effective operational delivery plans
• Drive organisational improvement, innovation, and sustainable service growth
• Lead operational responses to emerging community need, organisational risk, and system pressures
• Support strategic planning, organisational development, and long-term sustainability
• Lead operational capital development initiatives across the organisation

Housing, Property & Supported Accommodation Executive Oversight of:

• Operational management, legal compliance, health and safety, quality assurance across all accommodation services
• Lead strategic partnerships with housing providers
• Manage delegated housing arrangements and supported housing pathways
• Maximise occupancy, sustainment, and positive move-on outcomes
• Oversee property-related risk management, maintenance coordination, and accommodation standards
• Lead the transformation and redevelopment of The Gathering Place, including partnership working with architects, infrastructure planning, and service design
• Oversee operational development planning for the Bramwell Booth building to support future service delivery and organisational growth

Safeguarding Operational Platform

• Lead organisational safeguarding strategy and systems
• Ensure SOP’s are in place to enable staff to respond effectively to complex needs including:
  • addiction
  • mental ill-health and physical health needs
  • dual diagnosis
  • homelessness
  • domestic abuse
  • offending histories
  • health exclusion
• Oversee serious incidents, risk management, and quality assurance processes
• Promote reflective practice, professional accountability, and safe service delivery
• Lead continuous safeguarding improvement and organisational assurance processes
• Support the organisation’s progression towards recognised safeguarding quality and excellence standards

Health Inclusion & Community Services

• Support development of innovative approaches addressing homelessness, substance use, poverty, and social exclusion
• Contribute to wider system responses focused on prevention, health equity, and community resilience

Corporate Governance, Compliance & Organisational Infrastructure

• Provide executive oversight of organisational governance, operational compliance, and corporate infrastructure
• Lead organisational responsibility for:
  • Human Resources
  • Health & Safety
  • Insurance and organisational risk
  • Operational systems and…