Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, an international non-profit organisation putting human rights at the heart of business and tackling abuse, is seeking a Chief Operating Officer to join our growing team.

• Location: London/SE England (attend London office 1-2 days per week)
• Salary: £55,000 - £70,000 pa, depending on experience; 5% pension contribution; 35-hour week; 24 days paid holiday
• Contract type: Open-ended
• Closing date: 5 May 2021
• Interview dates: 13-14 May with the possibility of second-round interviews
• Candidates must have the right to work in the UK at the time of the appointment.

The successful candidate will have a commitment to human rights, strong COO experience, expertise in organisational systems and be a team player. They will be a member of the senior management team and will report to the Executive Director.

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre is a diverse, global organisation. We are committed to providing equal opportunities and particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian, Latinx and other minorities, people with disabilities, and people who identify as LGBTQ+.

About the organisation

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre works with partners to put human rights at the core of companies’ business models; to empower communities and workers to secure their rights and gain accountability for abuse; and to encourage governments to create the right regulation and incentives to facilitate these outcomes. We are a global organisation committed to cooperation with diverse actors in our movement. We have more than 60 members of our global team based around the world who work with a wide network of human rights advocates.

With our global network of allies, our primary global approaches to deliver this vision are:

• Strengthen organisations and communities to achieve greater equality of power in negotiations, with business and government, to advance their human rights. Use the evidence and data we generate to advocate and influence decision-makers including business, investors and governments
• Strengthen corporate accountability, due diligence and effective remedy for abuse;
• Build transparency of the advances, challenges and abuse of human rights in business.

Purpose of the role

The role of the COO is to ensure the Resource Centre has strong and well-functioning organisational systems and infrastructure to make change happen and deliver high-impact programmes; and be responsible for the effectiveness of our day-to-day operations. The COO will work with the Executive Director and Management Team colleagues to lead the organisation.

Staff reporting to this role

• Finance Team: two Accountants and a Book-keeper
• Human Resources Officer
• US Administrative Coordinator
• UK Office Coordinator & PA to Executive Director

The COO will be responsible for

1.Organisational leadership, as a member of the management team:

• Work with MT to sustain our high-impact, learning, and collaborative organisational culture across the Global Team.
• Motivate, manage and develop teams and individuals to create high-quality work to deliver our goals.
• Help build our cooperation with our diverse network of allies and partners to deliver change.

2. Operational Systems Leadership:

• Ensure the operational systems and structure in the organisation are fit for purpose, aligned to the strategy, meet users’ needs.
• Lead on the Resource Centre’s business management: finance, human resources, administration, and associated technology
• Lead the organisation of our strategic annual planning processes, and our business calendar.
• Monitor organisational performance, and work with MT on KPIs to ensure organisational work plans are delivered.
• Manage the Resource Centre’s operational presence in the five locations where we are registered (UK, Germany, USA, Australia, and Colombia), and the 21 locations where we have Global Team members.

3. Financial leadership:

• Oversee the financial health of the organisation from short-term cash flow, to long term planning, linked to our strategic and annual plans.
• Ensure our organisational financial systems are effective: delivering timely day-to-day functions alongside accurate and well-communicated management information for operational, programmatic, and strategic decision-making.
• Ensure legal and regulatory compliance regarding financial functions of accounting, financial control, foreign exchange, and statutory accounts, as necessary in the five countries where we are registered.
• Produce timely financial information including annual report, budgets, quarterly reports.
• Lead on our annual and programme audits, managing the audit process and effective liaison with auditors.
• Manage and support the three-person Finance Team to deliver:
  • Support to Programme Managers (regional and thematic) by providing accurate grant budgeting, tracking and financial reporting to maximise our grants’ impact, and satisfy funders’ requirements.
  • Payroll, cashflow planning, journals, management of banking relationships and foreign exchange, monthly consolidations, investment, and asset management.
  • Clear reporting

4. Human Resources (HR):

Ensure best practise HR systems, policies and processes are developed, implemented and monitored across the organisation.

• Lead on Human Resource policy evolution, including performance management.
• Lead on global pay, remuneration, immigration, taxation, and social security and benefit issues.
• Lead in the creation of a strategy to attract and retain high-impact, innovative people and the advance of global team’s skills through professional development.
• Oversee our Global Team well-being strategy, and lead on safeguarding.
• Lead on offices, facilities, and equipment in the organisation.

5. Legal and risk management:

Monitor legal risks in the organisation and liaise on legal issues.

• Management of risk register
• Oversee our Security Policy, its implementation and periodic update – people, technology, and assets.
• Oversee libel risk and insurance

6. Management and Board support:

Work with the ED to support the board, its committees, and management:

• With the ED, oversee the organisation of Board meetings and high-quality board papers.
• Lead on liaison with Treasurer and support to the Board’s Finance & Admin Committee.
• Co-lead the production of the annual strategic steer with MT colleagues.
• Advise management team and board on the long-term financial strategy for the organisation.
• Attend Board meetings and develop positive relationships with trustees.

Person Specification

Qualities:

• Strong team player
• Effective leader, with the ability to motivate others, and provide a strong service function to the organisation
• Commitment to our values and mission
• Energetic, innovative systems-thinker able to make change happen
• Strategic and analytical mind regarding finance and other resources
• Ability to perform under pressure

Competencies and Experience:

• Proven experience as Chief Operating Officer or equivalent role
• Relevant accounting qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) is highly desirable, or equivalent experience. Strong knowledge of charity accounting, grant management, donor reporting, preferably in more than one country
• Strong understanding of other business functions and compliance issues: HR, administration and associated technology
• Experienced leader and people manager of diverse and remote teams across cultures and geographies
• Strong experience in delivering strategic change, business development, and risk management
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent large-scale planning, co-ordination and prioritisation skills, capable of rapid and quality turn-around on a high workload
• Knowledge of IT/business infrastructure
• Knowledge of another language, especially Spanish or German, would be an asset

To Apply: Please follow the link to our jobs portal where you will download, complete, and submit the application form. Any questions on this appointment should be sent to janjic@business-humanrights.org with the subject line: “COO Job Query”