Job Title
Head of Operations
Department
Operations & Programmes
Reporting to
Director of Operations & Programmes
Managing
Partnerships Project Manager, Partnerships Delivery Officer, Behavioural Change Programme Expert
Location
This role is hybrid, with a requirement to work from the office (near Moorgate, London) a minimum of two days per week.
Travel Requirements
As this position supports work across the UK, occasional travel may be required, including to Scotland and internationally, depending on project needs.
Main relationships
Director of Operations & Programmes, Senior Leadership Team, Senior Management Team, Partnerships Team
Benefits
· Salary £61,000
· 30 days leave (plus Bank Holidays)
· Bupa Health Cover
· Matched company pension scheme
· Life assurance cover offering 4x death in service benefit.
· Company sick pay
· Training and development opportunities
· Learning and Wellbeing Grant
· Employee assistance programme
· Season Ticket Loan
· Perks and discount platform
About us
Drinkaware is a leading charity concerned with reducing harm from alcohol. We do this by providing impartial, evidence-based information and advice and practical resources; raising awareness of alcohol harms; and working in partnership with others to deliver behaviour change through our tools and interventions. The Trust is funded primarily through voluntary, unrestricted donations from alcohol producers, wholesalers, and on- and off-trade retailers, but acts entirely independently.
Our Vision: Working together to reduce alcohol harm across the UK.
Our Mission: Using our expertise to give governments, industry, communities and individuals the knowledge and support to make informed decisions about alcohol and how to reduce the harm it can cause. Delivered though:
· Public-facing campaigns and digital services, information and guidance
· Evidence-led advice to governments and industry
· Independent research, consumer insight and evaluation
Our Values: Solid Reasoning; Clarity with Empathy; Understanding and Connecting; Principled Partnership; Determination and Curiosity
Purpose of the role
We have a brilliant new opportunity for an exceptional leader to join our team, to help shape the provision of our advice, information and guidance programmes and ensuring the successful delivery of a range of priority partnerships.
Leading a dynamic team, you’ll focus on operational excellence, refining processes, and ensuring all programmes align with Drinkaware’s strategic goals and priorities. You will be a natural collaborator, building and maintaining effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, to ensure that the public can access high quality impactful support.
As an experienced leader, you will use your experience and skill to drive improvements by partnering with teams across Drinkaware. You will do this by balancing engagement with progress, while ensuring that our work is informed by lived experience and the latest evidence.
You must have demonstrable knowledge and experience of working in the health sector and have a passion for reducing alcohol harm in the UK.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
· Be collectively accountable as part of the Senior Management Team for leading and managing Drinkaware ensuring high performance in the delivery of plans and targets and maximum cross-organisational collaboration, deputising for the Director of Operations & Programmes
· Be responsible for the day-to-day leadership of operations & programmes, overseeing and directing interconnected projects ensuring consistency in programme and project work.
· For 2025/26 this will focus on the roll out of our Information, Advice & Guidance programmes and extended brief intervention programmes to the public via digital tools to a mass audience and to underserved groups.
· The post holder will be required to manage a small dedicated team ensuring that robust project plans, clear goals, timelines and resources are established and managed as well dependencies within and between projects.
· Act as a Safeguarding Officer ensuring safeguarding is embedded within all programme delivery.
· Proactively address challenges and seeks solutions while maintaining high standards of quality and integrity. Holding themselves and their team accountable for delivering results aligned with the organisation's objectives.
· The post holder will work closely with the Head of Impact ensuring partnership projects deliver impact, clear metrics and reports which demonstrate the project(s) value proposition to our funder base, stakeholders in government and the public.
· Work closely with the Marketing and Comms team to ensure highly effective marketing and communications strategies are progressed for individual projects and the wider programme of activity, and that brand and reputational risk is minimised.
· Work closely with the Digital Team to ensure full visibility and informed prioritisation of digital projects and interdependencies.
· Work closely with the Partnerships Team to ensure successful delivery of all agreed activity and KPI’s for partnerships
· Work closely with the Research, Strategy and Impact team, ensuring all programme development is evidence based
Additional Responsibilities
This role works across the UK and travel to Scotland and other devolved nations may be required on an occasional basis.
Accountable for:
Overseeing budgets and plans.
Delivery of partnership projects & programmes
Safeguarding
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualifications and/or experience
Proven leadership experience in programme/project management, with a background in the health sector. A degree in a related field is beneficial but not essential.
Experience of managing a team in a hybrid work environment (desirable).
Prince2/Scrum Master/Agile (desirable).
Essential Criteria / Key Skills
1. A proven track record with innovative proposal design and programme delivery ensuring programme quality.
2. Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a keen eye for detail and a results-oriented mindset.
3. Ability to work independently and autonomously, prioritise tasks, and adapt to changing circumstances.
4. Exceptional project management skills, including the ability to lead cross-functional teams, develop and control deadlines, budgets and activities.
5. Exceptional ability to facilitate high project-based team performance, inspire and motivate staff, and develop team skills and capabilities.
6. Strong operational management and delivery skills.
7. Able to work in close collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
8. Possesses excellent senior networking, influencing, relationship building and communication skills.
9. Strong financial management skills including budget setting, reforecasting, financial reporting.
10. Understanding of safeguarding legislation and practical application in delivery of programmes
11. Emotionally intelligent and resilient when under pressure.
12. An energetic and committed ambassador for Drinkaware, our mission and values
Special features of the role
None specified.