Managing Director

MANAGING DIRECTOR Kangaroo Maths Trust (KMT) About Kangaroo Maths Trust

Kangaroo Maths Trust is a newly created charitable organisation dedicated to advancing maths education and enrichment. A central strand of our work is supporting participation in the annual Kangaroo-style mathematics test and related enrichment activity, but our purpose is broader than any single programme. We exist to promote engagement with mathematics, encourage problem solving and mathematical confidence, and create opportunities for pupils, schools, and educators to benefit from accessible, high-quality mathematical experiences, with a strategic priority on expanding access and participation in lower-resourced educational settings.

We are seeking the Charity’s first Managing Director to serve as the Trust’s central executive lead. This is a pivotal role at an important stage in KMT’s development, offering the opportunity to help shape a small but ambitious organisation with a clear charitable purpose.

The Managing Director will provide overall leadership and coordination for the Trust, translating Board strategy into effective delivery. The postholder will oversee annual planning and operations, lead fundraising and external relationship development, support strong governance and committee reporting, and help build KMT’s profile as an independent and credible charitable organisation.

The Managing Director reports to the Chair of the Board of Trustees and works closely with the Vice Chair, Treasurer, Board members, and relevant Board sub-committees, including the Finance Committee and Maths Committee.

The Managing Director will:

• Provide overall leadership and day-to-day management of the Trust.
• Implement the Board’s strategy and translate it into clear annual priorities, plans, and delivery objectives.
• Prepare the annual operational plan and budget for Board approval, and ensure agreed objectives and targets are delivered.
• Oversee the Trust’s annual programmes, including support for the annual Kangaroo-related mathematics test as the Trust’s flagship activity during the planning period.
• Shape strategic initiatives to widen access, including in developing countries and particularly Africa.
• Lead fundraising and external relationship development, including engagement with donors, sponsors, schools, funders, and strategic partners.
• Strengthen KMT’s profile and credibility as an independent charitable organisation, not simply as an administrative mechanism for one programme.
• Coordinate staff, volunteers, and external partners to support effective delivery across the Trust’s activities.
• Support the work of the Board and its sub-committees through high‑quality reporting, papers, updates, and follow‑up on agreed actions.
• Ensure effective operational, financial, and risk controls are in place, including where delivery involves external partners or cross‑border arrangements.
• Ensure that the Trust’s work remains ethical, well governed, and aligned with its charitable purpose and strategic direction.
• Help shape initiatives that widen access to high-quality maths enrichment, including in lower‑resourced settings and, where appropriate, international contexts.

We are looking for a candidate who can demonstrate:

• Significant leadership or senior management experience across both strategy and operations.
• Experience of working with and reporting to a Board, Trustees, or equivalent governance body.
• Strong relationship‑management skills, with the ability to work effectively with trustees, staff, volunteers, external partners, and funders.
• Experience of fundraising, income generation, partnership development, or external stakeholder engagement in a charity, education, or mission‑led environment.
• Sound understanding of financial oversight, operational controls, and risk management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear papers and present information credibly.
• The ability to operate strategically while also being comfortable with hands‑on delivery in a small, lean‑resourced organisation.
• A good understanding of the regulatory…