Chief Operating Officer

Contact
Hybrid, with regular attendance at Contact’s London office
c£85,000 per annum
Hackney

Contact is the UK charity for parent carers of disabled children. We provide trusted information and advice to parents, helping them navigate complex health, social care, education and welfare systems. We campaign for changes to policy and practice that will end the constant battle that parents face to get the right support. We do all this so that families with disabled children can live fulfilling and joyful lives together.

We have built strong foundations for our new strategy and are now entering a phase of strategic change in how we work, to support future sustainability and growth. The Chief Operating Officer will play a central role in this transformation. You will lead a programme to embed new financial systems, strengthen internal policies and processes, and ensure our excellent people are equipped to increase our impact for families across the UK.

THE ROLE

The COO will be a key member of Contact’s Executive Leadership Team, maintaining our collective focus on future sustainability and growing our impact for families. Working closely with the CEO, Board of Trustees and senior colleagues, the postholder will lead our programme of operational, financial and cultural change. The role will provide strategic oversight of key enabling functions, including outsourced finance operations and IT support, as well as our in-house finance, people, governance and digital teams.

We are looking for a leader with experience of complex organisational change, likely to include cultural and structural change and financial turnaround. This is a role for a strategic, commercially astute and values-led leader who combines a recognised professional accountancy qualification and significant financial leadership experience with the ability to lead people through change. The postholder will bring clarity, pace and grip while championing Contact’s values, protecting our positive working culture and recognising that our people are our most precious resource.

The role is envisaged as full-time, although Contact is open to exploring flexible arrangements, including a four-day week, to attract the strongest candidate.

INFORMATION

Download the candidate brief to find out about the role.

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Timeline

Closing date: Friday 27 November 2026
First stage meetings: w/c 14 December 2026
Contact Stakeholder meeting: w/c Monday 4 January 2027
Contact Final Panel meeting: w/c Monday 11 January 2027

How to apply

To make an application, please click on the apply now button below, with the following prepared:

  • Your CV (no more than three sides).
  • A supporting statement (no more than two sides) that sets out why you think this role is the right move for you and how you meet the knowledge and experience criteria.

We would also be grateful if you would complete the Equality and Diversity monitoring form on the online application process. This form is for monitoring purposes only and is not treated as part of your application.

Apply