Who we are
is the county’s leading conservation charity, run by local people for the benefit of local wildlife. As part of a national network of 46 Wildlife Trusts, we work tirelessly to protect the natural world we all depend on. Our vision is simple: we want everyone to have the opportunity to live in a healthy, wildlife-rich world.
Through our ‘Wilder Nottinghamshire 2030’ strategy, we are focusing on creating wilder lives and places while ensuring our organisation remains resilient and inclusive. From our iconic nature reserves, such as the Attenborough Nature Reserve and Idle Valley, to our pioneering landscape-scale recovery projects, we are entering an ambitious new phase.
The scale and urgency of the nature and climate crisis have never been greater. As a result, we are stepping forward with renewed ambition, strengthening our role as a leading voice for nature’s recovery across Nottinghamshire.
About the role
We are a values-led organisation: ambitious in our goals, innovative in our thinking and supportive in how we work together.
We are united by a shared commitment to addressing the urgent nature and climate challenges of our time.
This is a newly created role, reflecting a deliberate investment in our organisational capability as we enter the next phase of our strategy. We are evolving our structure to better support growth, strengthen delivery and ensure we are set up to meet increasing ambition and complexity. This is not change driven by cost reduction, but by a desire to build the capacity and resilience needed for long-term impact.
As Chief Operating Officer, you will play a central role within the strategic leadership team, holding collective responsibility for our vision, culture and organisational performance. This is a broad, cross-organisational leadership role, with oversight of finance, people and culture, organisational development, impact and governance.
This is not a directive or top-down operational role. Instead, you will act as an enabler, creating the conditions for teams to take ownership, make decisions and perform at their best. You will help shift how we work, embedding clarity, accountability and confidence across the organisation.
You will ensure that our strategic ambitions are underpinned by strong financial stewardship and operational excellence. Leading our operations function, you will create the conditions for our finance, people & culture and digital teams to thrive and deliver at their best.
Working closely with the Chief Executive and senior colleagues, you will help shape and drive sustainable growth, ensuring that our systems, processes and ways of working are aligned, effective and enabling impact. You will also play a key role in strengthening how we define and measure success, using data, insight and performance frameworks to understand our impact, track progress against our strategy and inform decision-making across the organisation.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking a thoughtful and accomplished leader, with a strong track record across organisational leadership, ideally spanning areas such as finance, people, operations, or organisational development within the charity or wider purpose-driven sector.
You will bring experience of working at a senior level within a complex organisation, with responsibility for shaping strategy and delivering organisational performance.
You will be able to navigate complexity while keeping people, culture and purpose at the centre of your approach. Whether you are already operating at Director level or stepping into your first executive role, you will be motivated by the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to an ambitious, mission-led organisation.
You will bring:
1. Experience of financial leadership, including strategic planning, budgeting and oversight, alongside a broader understanding of how finance supports organisational decision-making and sustainability.
2. Experience of developing and embedding effective systems, processes and governance frameworks that support organisational resilience and growth.
3. A proven ability to lead organisational change with care, bringing others with you and fostering a positive, inclusive culture.
4. An understanding of income generation and organisational sustainability, with an appreciation for how different income streams and activities contribute to long-term impact.
5. Confidence in working with data and insight to inform decision-making, alongside a curiosity for how systems and technology can enhance organisational effectiveness.
6. Excellent leadership skills with the ability to motivate, inspire and develop a highly effective team.
7. Excellent communication skills, with the credibility and emotional intelligence to build trusted relationships across a wide range of stakeholders.
Above all, you will be a strategic and values-led leader, motivated by the opportunity to strengthen an organisation’s foundations so it can achieve greater impact.
This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of an organisation with a clear sense of purpose and ambition.
Success in the role will include strengthening organisational systems and processes, embedding a culture of empowered decision-making and ensuring the Trust is well-positioned to deliver its strategic ambitions with confidence and clarity.
The role is based in Nottingham, with an expectation of regular in-person presence, particularly in the early stages, alongside flexibility for hybrid working.