Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officer

Salary: Competitive

Location: Fair Shot Café, London, WC2E 9AB

About Fair Shot

Fair Shot is a registered charity on a mission to become the UK’s leading neurodiversity employment model. We help young adults with learning disabilities and autism gain the skills and experience they need to secure sustainable jobs through our training café in Covent Garden and specialist employment programmes. While we continue to fundraise, our goal is to be as self-sustainable as possible. We achieve this by running our café, delivering events, supplying wholesale coffee, offering DEI workshops, and constantly seeking creative ways to raise awareness of our cause and diversify revenue streams.

Summary of the Position

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will act as the CEO’s strategic partner and trusted deputy, leading both the charitable programmes (training, neuro-inclusion, and employment support) and the trading operations (café, events, wholesale coffee, and partnerships).

This role combines operational leadership with commercial acumen, ensuring excellent programme delivery while also driving business growth, increasing sales, and shaping a commercial strategy that supports Fair Shot’s long-term sustainability. The COO will oversee finance, compliance, people and culture, and organisational development, while also building partnerships and identifying new opportunities for business development and income diversification. By fostering a high-performing, values-led culture and strengthening Fair Shot’s internal foundations, the COO enables the CEO to focus on external growth, partnerships, and brand leadership, ensuring the organisation continues to expand its impact while remaining financially resilient.

Ideal Candidate

We are seeking a senior leader who:

• Has experience at Director/COO/Deputy CEO level within a charity, social enterprise, or purpose-driven business.
• Is commercially minded, with proven experience in growing business, driving sales, shaping commercial strategy, securing partnerships, and spotting opportunities for business development.
• Can demonstrate a track record of managing multi-disciplinary teams and senior managers.
• Brings knowledge of charity governance, safeguarding, HR, and regulatory compliance.
• Has significant financial management experience across both charitable and trading activities.
• Can translate strategy into clear operational plans and deliver tangible results.
• Thinks laterally and creatively to diversify revenue streams and amplify impact.
• Understands fundraising models and income diversification, with an entrepreneurial mindset for sustainable growth.
• Is resilient, hard-working, emotionally intelligent, kind and empathetic, courageous, warm, purpose-driven, and a strategic leader.
• Is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, with experience embedding a values-led culture.

Benefits:

• One Friday off a month (in addition to 30 annual leave days)
• Flexible working arrangements (2 days per week working from home)
• Complimentary beverages at the Café
• Free staff lunch
• Organised social events with learners and staff
• DBS enhanced check provided
• Safeguarding vulnerable adults course provided
• Monthly work coach session for six months

Top Responsibilities

As COO, you will:

• Act as the CEO’s deputy, providing leadership continuity and ensuring the effective running of the organisation. 
• Lead and drive the day-to-day operations across both charitable programmes and commercial activities (café, events, wholesale coffee, and workshops), implementing our strategy and ensuring organisational goals are met.
• Oversee all financial management, reserves, compliance, and risk across the organisation.
• Manage senior leaders and foster a positive, inclusive, and values-driven culture.
• Drive organisational growth by strengthening infrastructure, growing the team, diversifying income, and scaling impact.
• Build strong relationships with funders, employers, and stakeholders, while also bringing in potential partners to enhance both impact and sustainability, and ensuring CRM systems support engagement and growth.

Fair Shot Commitment

Fair Shot is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of background.