Company Description
ABOUT LUMOS
The Lumos Foundation works to realise every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world. Our vision is a world in which all children grow-up in safe and loving families within supported communities. Founded in 2005 by author J.K. Rowling, Lumos partners with governments, civil society and young people with lived experience to transform care systems globally and advocate for family-based solutions that help children thrive. We ensure that families receive the support they need to stay together or reunite, and that children grow-up in family-based settings such as foster or kinship care, not institutions. Find out more about Lumos and our work www.wearelumos.org.
Position
JOB PURPOSE
Lumos is entering an exciting period of strategic transformation to strengthen our operational foundations, refine our systems and enhance our capacity so we can deliver on our important mission to realise every child’s right to a family. The Senior Operations Manager will play a pivotal role in building the operational foundations and culture needed for success both now and as we prepare for the future.
Acting as a senior delivery partner to the Director of People & Operations, you will lead and coordinate key workstreams across People, Safeguarding, Security, and broader Operations. You will strengthen internal systems, oversee quality assurance for both consultancy and internal delivery, and help embed a risk-aware culture that supports duty of care, compliance, organisational readiness, and resilience.
This is a high-impact, hands-on role for someone with strong systems thinking, who thrives on coordinating complex projects, builds trusted relationships, and influences at all levels. The post holder will have the opportunity to work across the organisation with key focal points and leadership to embed a risk-aware, high-performing, values-led culture of operational excellence.
Requirements
KEY OBJECTIVES
Leadership & Coordination
- Lead and coordinate delivery of cross-portfolio workstreams (People, Safeguarding, Security, Operations) in line with Lumos’ strategic priorities.
- Oversee and coordinate deliverables from consultants and internal support roles (HR Administrator, outsourced HR provider, safeguarding/PSEA and security consultants), ensuring high-quality, timely outputs.
- Embed and champion risk management practices that strengthen organisational risk awareness, duty of care and accountability in line with Lumos values-led culture
- Deputise for the Director of People & Operations in internal meetings and cross-functional working groups, with delegated decision-making authority where appropriate.
Operational Infrastructure & Readiness
- Oversee information management by developing and strengthening internal systems, trackers, dashboards, and workflows to enhance consistency, compliance, quality assurance, and efficiency, and ensuring strong data protection standards are in place and followed.
- Contribute to audits, maintain accurate risk registers, and ensure operational standards are documented and embedded.
- Support maintenance and rollout of contingency planning, crisis protocols, and risk management frameworks.
- Oversee global insurance coordination and renewal cycles under the Director of People and Operations
- Maintain the people and operations policy tracker and coordinate policy updates across People and Operations, ensuring monitoring of compliance, accessibility, and effective implementation.
Safeguarding & Security
- Monitor consultant-led safeguarding/PSEA and security workplans, ensuring progress and quality against agreed targets.
- Coordinate capacity building and track completion of required safeguarding/PSEA and safety/security training.
- Support implementation and monitoring of minimum safeguarding/PSEA and safety/security standards across country offices, escalating concerns as necessary.
- Support incident response coordination, promoting confidentiality, recording information and managing safe information sharing, and overseeing the roll out of actions and wider recommendations.
- Oversee international travel safety and security processes, including coordinating pre-travel risk assessments, security briefings, insurance compliance and traveller support systems.
Project Management & Organisational Development
- Lead project management for time-bound initiatives within the People & Operations portfolio, ensuring effective sequencing, documentation, and delivery.
- Identify capacity gaps, monitor progress, and escalate risks.
- Coordinate the development of toolkits, templates, and guidance to support future scaling.
Experience & Knowledge
Essential
- Significant experience in a cross-functional People, Operations, or Organisational Development role, ideally within an international NGO, charity, or values-led organisation.
- Proven ability to coordinate complex, multi-stakeholder workstreams across multiple functions and countries.
- Strong understanding of operational risk management and compliance frameworks.
- Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, exercise sound judgment, and deliver to a high standard.
- Experience working across diverse cultural contexts and adapting approaches accordingly.
Desirable
- Knowledge of policy implementation, duty of care, risk management, safeguarding/PSEA, and safety/security frameworks, ideally in global or multi-country contexts.
- Experience managing outsourced providers and/or specialist consultants.
- Familiarity with international travel risk management and global insurance coordination.
Key Competencies:
- Exceptional organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-changing environment.
- Collaborative and relationship-driven, with the ability to influence without formal authority.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Resilience, adaptability, and the confidence to navigate ambiguity and drive projects to completion
- Ability to manage information sensitively and confidentially
- Alignment with Lumos’ values
Other information
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Alongside the opportunity to contribute to a truly life-changing mission, you’ll enjoy excellent benefits, a supportive and inclusive culture, and a genuine commitment to your personal and professional development. Some of the benefits we offer include:
- Direct impact on operational systems supporting our global mission, with exposure to senior decision-making during a transformative period
- Hybrid and flexible working with occasional international travel opportunities
- 30 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
- Enhanced family-friendly leave (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental) and enhanced sick pay
- Competitive employer pension scheme
- Learning and development opportunities
- Access to our Employee Assistance Programme for confidential wellbeing support and advice
SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT
Lumos recognises that the rights of safety and security are aligned with its core mission for children, families and communities. Effective and robust safeguarding sit at the heart of our mission and values, and accordingly, Lumos is committed to ensuring the safety and protection of children and adults at risk in all of its work. We expect all staff, associates and volunteers to share this commitment. Lumos has a zero-tolerance approach towards all forms of abuse, bullying, harassment and sexual exploitation. Lumos is a member of The Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and will carefully screen all applicants. Offers of employment are subject to checks and suitable references.
All staff and associates must:
- Carry out all duties with an awareness and understanding of Lumos safeguarding and PSEA requirements
- Ensure work complies with all safeguarding and PSEA policies and procedures
- Ensure that their behaviours and actions support the safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk as appropriate.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION STATEMENT
Lumos is wholly committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and against all forms of discrimination.
We are committed to creating and sustaining a positive working environment that encourages, supports and gives a voice to all, so that we can best support the children we serve.
We must ensure that all staff are equally valued, included, empowered and respected across the organisation and in everything we do. Lumos is fundamentally built on diverse, multi-national and multi-cultural teams.
This is something we cherish as a key strength and an integral part of our identity. Our organisation values and celebrates the diversity, culture and experience of each member of staff, provides equality of care, and support to everyone.
We pledge to listen carefully, to educate ourselves continually ,to promote open dialogue and to seek out and deal with discrimination and prejudice wherever it occurs in Lumos.
OUR VALUES
Children are at the heart of everything we do. Every child needs love and care in order to flourish – and we’re proud that this is reflected in the values we hold within our organisation. We want to see all children grow up in safe and loving families. Our core values drive us forward in our vision, underpin
every aspect of our work and strategy and are critical to helping us maintain a thriving and effective organisation. By making sure every individual feels valued and empowered, we can bring about the very best outcomes for the children we serve.
- We embrace COLLABORATION
- We strive for EXCELLENCE
- We show RESPECT
- We always CARE
- We are PASSIONATE
PRIVACY
See information here about how we manage your data: https://www.wearelumos.org/privacy-policy/
Applicants must have the right to work in the country of application. Please note that feedback will only be provided to candidates who attend an interview.
All applicants are required to apply with a CV and Cover Letter (maximum 1 page) explaining why this role excites them and how their skills and experience make them the right fit to lead our operations.
If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know so we can discuss your needs.
Please submit your application by the closing date of 31st October 2025.
This position was originally posted by Lumos Foundation and has been curated by PurposePhil Career. To apply, please visit the original listing on the "apply" link on the side. We are not affiliated with the employer organization of this job ad or consultancy, and provide this curated listing as a service to our users.
