We are looking for an Operations Manager to become a vital part of Novara Media’s plan for sustainable growth. This is a senior role, and you will be at the heart of making sure NM achieves its goals today, tomorrow and long into the future. It takes a variety of skills to build a new media, and we’re looking for an exceptional candidate who can bring enthusiasm, experience and exceptional problem-solving skills to this strategic and managerial position within the organisation.

Operations at Novara Media refers to the general day-to-day management and forward planning to our operational activities and business functions. You will receive a substantial handover from the existing Head of Operations, who you will ultimately replace, and work closely with both the Business Strategy Team and other operational members of staff once in post. This is an office-based role and you will be working from our Bermondsey headquarters.

The successful candidate will ultimately be expected to understand Novara Media inside out, including each team’s ambitions and constraints, which will be crucial in the constructive problem-solving and project management that will define the role. You will be prepared to turn your hand to any problem, big or small, and work with (and sometimes direct) any member of the team. You will aim to be the organisation’s chief generalist and and will be confident in finding effective and workable solutions in a range of contexts.

Current operational activities include: resource management, studio management, organisational culture and governance, liaising with third parties, policy development, and ensuring the proper administration of the organisation in liaison with relevant members of the Business Strategy Team. Operational support may be needed in any corner of the organisation in any given week, and you will need to be flexible and adaptive to organisational needs. In future you could expect to be project-managing moves to new studio premises, helping content sections to work out the practicalities of their ambitions, or developing strategies for efficient co-working as the NM team continues to grow. You will also be willing to plug operational gaps across the organisation as they appear.

For the first two months of the role you work alongside the current Head of Operations to learn our processes, policies, ambitions, limitations, politics and uncodified organisational norms with a view to taking over the remit. During this time you will become integrated into our workflows and begin working on operational strategy and development, so you will be expected to possess most of the skills necessary for the role from day one. Whilst you will not yet have a working knowledge of Novara Media’s operations, you should be prepared for a steep but rewarding learning curve and have a can-do, good-natured and unflappable attitude.

You will need excellent project management skills and experience in organisational and people management. You will be an excellent communicator with the confidence and empathy to have difficult conversations when necessary. You will be able to balance day-to-day demands with both routine obligations and forward-planning, including the execution of discrete projects, some of which will be practical. Importantly, you will be genuinely comfortable organising your own workload, taking decisions and making tasks for yourself once the onboarding period has concluded.

We particularly encourage women and BAME applicants.

If you have questions about the role, please email [email protected].

Applications for this role will be reviewed on a rolling basis until we have found the right candidate to take NM to its next height. The initial deadline for applications is 19 May. After that, we will shortlist candidates for interview if we think they might fit the role. If no candidate is suitable, we will release a new deadline until we find the right person. Interested applicants are urged not to delay.

Person specification

Essential

• Experience of project management and delivery
• Experience of organisational management or governance
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Experience of people management
• Experience of developing and executing strategy
• Very organised; strong analytical skills
• Desire to develop the role over the long term
• Excellent verbal and written communicator
• Ability to liaise with third parties and be a strong company ambassador
• Flexible, resilient and switched on; constructive; able to plug gaps
• Commitment to the aims and values of Novara Media

Desirable

• Experience of working a media environment
• Experience of business administration, particularly non-profit
• Full driving licence
• Experience in activism or politics

Location: Bermondsey, London.

Hours: 32 hours per week, preferably spread over five days.

Pay: £31,616 per annum (actual).

Applicants should prepare a CV and a supporting statement (400 words) explaining why they’re the right hire for the role. This is a rolling recruitment process. The initial deadline for applications is 19 May.

Send your application in a single email to [email protected] with OPERATIONS MANAGER in the subject line.

Closing date: 19 May 2023