The Social Change Nest
- Role: Head of Operations, maternity cover
- Reported to: the CEO and the Director of Operations and Finance
- Team: three direct reports
The organisation
The Social Change Nest CIC provides fiscal hosting for grassroots and community groups. It holds funds, manages compliance and provides practical infrastructure, allowing more than 600 groups to focus on their work.
The brief
Provide full interim cover for the Head of Operations role during a period of rapid change. The role included a TUPE transfer, team growth and the need to keep core operations running without disruption. The aim was to leave clear systems and a structured handover for the returning postholder.
What I did
- Led the operational side of a TUPE transfer of more than 80 employees from about 15 groups into a new subsidiary, The Social Change Hive. I coordinated an employment lawyer, HR, finance and the leadership team.
- Managed three direct reports: an HR Manager, an Operations Manager and an Operations Assistant. I set a 48-hour response standard for group leads.
- Rolled out Asana across the team, so every task for the 600+ hosted groups had a record, an owner and a deadline.
- Chose and managed a new IT provider, covering Google Workspace, device management, multi-factor authentication and backups.
- Found and negotiated a new office of about 40 desks over two floors in central London, under budget.
- Supported recruitment and onboarding as the team grew from 22 to 30 people, and ran right to work checks.
- Wrote papers on people strategy, recruitment and wellbeing for the CEO and senior team. I wrote a new wellbeing strategy, brought in a staff survey twice a year and ran a wellbeing day where the team shaped it.
- Led an insurance renewal, and secured employers’ liability cover for every group in the TUPE transfer.
- Documented processes and prepared a structured handover for the returning postholder.
Outcomes
On timeThe TUPE transfer of 80+ employees completed with no disruption to services
22 to 30 peopleTeam growth supported during the cover period
Under budgetA new office for about 40 people
Better wellbeingThe second staff survey showed a significant improvement in wellbeing, motivation and morale
Hired againAsked back after the contract to redesign the website and train the team to run it
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