Operations Coordinator

About this role

Operations Coordinator (Job Share)

Reports to: Senior Operations Manager

Hours: 25 hours per week per post between 8am-3.30pm (Job Share – 2 roles)

Contract: Permanent

Enhanced DBS Required

Driving License and Business Insurance Essential

Job Purpose

We are recruiting two Operations Coordinators to work in a job-share arrangement, leading the delivery of our Community Café, Community Supermarket, and Donations Service.

Working closely together, the postholders will ensure that services run safely, consistently, and to a high standard across a six-day operational week (Monday to Saturday). The role requires shared leadership, strong communication, and a commitment to collaborative working to maintain continuity of service.

Reporting to the Senior Operations Manager, the Operations Coordinators will take responsibility for the day-to-day running of services, supporting volunteers (in partnership with the Volunteer Manager), coordinating food provision and donations, and ensuring that all activity is delivered safely, efficiently, and in line with organisational values.

Working Pattern

The role operates on a structured job-share model across Monday to Saturday, with shared responsibility for ensuring full service coverage.

Each week includes a dedicated Friday where both Coordinators work together. This day is essential to the smooth running of services and is used to plan meals, review stock, coordinate donations, and organise the operational delivery for the following week.

Community Café

The Community Café operates Monday to Friday and provides structured meal services designed to meet the needs of the community in a welcoming and dignified environment.

Hot meals are served on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with hot breakfast provision on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The Operations Coordinators will oversee all aspects of café delivery, including planning menus, ordering supplies, and ensuring food safety standards are consistently met.

They will ensure that the café remains a safe, clean, and welcoming space, with a strong focus on dignity, consistency, and quality of service.

Community Supermarket

The Community Supermarket provides access to essential food and household items for individuals and families experiencing financial hardship.

The Operations Coordinators will oversee the smooth running of this service, ensuring stock is well managed, displays are maintained, and distribution is fair and dignified.

Donations & Logistics

A core part of the role involves developing and maintaining a structured and sustainable donations system covering food, clothing, and household essentials.

The postholders will coordinate the collection of donations from local businesses and community partners, working closely with volunteer drivers to ensure efficient collection routes and schedules. They will also support the development of a dedicated storage and sorting system within The Gathering Place, ensuring donations are safely managed and easily accessible for distribution.

Volunteer Supervision & Development

Working in close partnership with the Volunteer Manager, the Operations Coordinators will play a key role in supporting and developing volunteers across all service areas.

While they will not be responsible for recruiting volunteers, they will provide day-to-day supervision on shift, offering guidance, direction, and support. They will help ensure volunteers feel confident, valued, and well supported, and that they understand and follow safeguarding, food safety, and health and safety procedures.

Safeguarding

The Operations Coordinators will play an active role in maintaining a strong safeguarding culture across all services. They will ensure that safeguarding policies are followed in practice, that concerns are identified and escalated appropriately, and that volunteers are supported to understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

A trauma-informed and safety-led approach is essential to this role.

Health & Safety and Food Safety

The postholders will be responsible for ensuring that all services operate safely and in line with relevant health and safety and food safety legislation.

This includes maintaining high standards of hygiene, safe food handling, storage and preparation, and ensuring that regular checks and records are completed. They will also ensure that incidents and near misses are recorded and appropriately escalated.

Environment & Facilities

The operations Coordinators will take pride in maintaining a safe, welcoming, and well-presented environment across The Gathering Place and Bramwell Booth. They will ensure communal areas, kitchens, dining spaces, storage areas, and the Community Supermarket remain clean, organised, and ready for daily operation. Working alongside volunteers and the wider team, they will promote high standards of housekeeping, identify maintenance issues, and ensure the building reflects the organisation's commitment to dignity, safety, and professionalism.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting

The role will support the collection of operational data across all services, contributing to monitoring and reporting requirements for grants and funding applications.

This includes gathering basic data, outcomes, and case studies, and supporting the wider team to evidence the impact of services. The postholders will also help identify trends and areas for improvement based on service delivery data.

Person Specification

We are looking for individuals with experience in community services, hospitality, charity operations, or similar environments, particularly those involving food provision, stock management, or frontline service delivery.

The successful candidates will have experience supporting or supervising volunteers and will be confident working in a fast-paced operational environment. Strong organisational skills, the ability to prioritise effectively, and a practical understanding of safeguarding, food safety, and health and safety are essential.

Experience working in homelessness, food insecurity, or community support settings would be an advantage, as would experience of working within structured systems and processes.

Above all, we are looking for individuals who are collaborative, reliable, and committed to delivering high-quality, trauma informed services for people we support.

Due to the nature of our food services, this role involves the handling, lifting and movement of donated food, stock and supplies. The successful candidate should be able to undertake regular manual handling safely and comfortably.

Key Outcomes

Success in this role will be demonstrated through the safe and consistent delivery of the café, supermarket, and donations services across a six-day working week, strong coordination between job-share partners, and effective weekly planning on Fridays.

The role will also contribute to a well-supported volunteer team, strong community and donor relationships, robust safeguarding practice, and reliable data collection that supports funding and future development.

Important Information

This role requires

• Enhanced DBS clearance.
• Full UK Driving Licence.
• Access to a vehicle with business insurance.
• Completion of Safeguarding Adults Level 3 training within one week of appointment.
• Completion of Level 3 Food Hygiene training

A criminal record will not necessarily prevent appointments and will be considered in line with safeguarding responsibilities and organisational policy.

Pay: £13.80 per hour

Application question(s)

• Access to a vehicle

Experience

• Food service: 2 years (required)

Licence/Certification

• Driving Licence (required)

Work Location: In person

About facilities & operations roles for ex-police

Operations, facilities and site management roles. Running a shift, a custody suite or an operational unit is people-and-process management employers can use from day one.