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For over 60 years the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has been building a better childhood for all.
NCB is at the forefront of campaigning and action to ensure every child in the UK has a safe, secure, and supported childhood. This is a rare opportunity to take a central role in shaping how a high-impact national charity operates and delivers on its mission.
As COO, you will lead the organisation’s Corporate Services directorate, spanning finance, people and culture, compliance, technology, and operations, and will work closely with the Chief Executive and trustees to ensure NCB remains modern, high-performing, and aligned with its values. This role is both strategic and hands-on — requiring a calm, capable leader with strong commercial and financial acumen, and a deep commitment to inclusive and purpose-driven leadership.
This is an exceptional opportunity to help shape the systems, processes and people that support NCB’s transformative work for children, families and the professionals who support them. If you are passionate about driving operational excellence in service of social justice, this could be the perfect role for you.
We are actively seeking to broaden the diversity of its senior leadership and warmly welcomes applications from candidates underrepresented in charity leadership, including those from Black and Global Majority communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with lived experience of the issues NCB works on. We are taking a positive action approach to this key appointment, and as part of that, we would like to ensure that the shortlist reflects strong representation from Black and Global Majority candidates.
To apply for this position, please complete click the Apply Link.
Applications close at 08:00AM on Friday 6th June 2025.
Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage interested candidates to submit their applications as soon as possible
For more than 60 years the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) has been making a big difference to lives of children and young people across the country, particularly the most disadvantaged. We are proud of having been instrumental in delivering major government reforms such as the changes to special educational need provision in schools, the extension of high quality early years provision and support to allow children to remain in foster care beyond their 18th birthday.
Today NCB works across a range of important issues affecting the lives of millions of children. Our priority areas are currently focused on early years, special education needs and disability, health and social care and education and learning. We are a dynamic and multifaceted organisation at an exciting stage in our development – a review of our purpose around a virtuous cycle of evidence gathering, research, influencing and practice improvement.
Head Office, National Children’s Bureau
23 Mentmore Terrace, Hackney,
London E8 3PN
C1OO