OverviewCircomedia - Bristol's renowned circus school - is excited to open applications for the new senior leadership role of Director of Operations / Deputy CEO!This role combines Deputy CEO responsibilities with Director of Operations duties.You will join the Strategic Team (joining the CEO, Director of Engagement & Participation, Director of Education & Training) and play a pivotal role in nurturing future generations of circus and physical theatre artists.Key areas of responsibility include:Governance and LeadershipEnsure the organisation has appropriate and effective organisational policies, processes, systems and management structures, including human resources management, health and safety, communications, customer relationship management systems, sustainability, data management and data protection.Support the CEO by writing the operational reports for the Board and attending Board meetings, preparing agendas, minutes, meeting arrangements (places and dates), onboarding and offboarding Trustees, and ensuring compliance requirements are met.Attend monthly Strategy Group and staff meetings and quarterly SMT meetings, taking the lead on sessions where appropriate.FinanceEnsure appropriate and effective systems for financial management and internal financial controls, including budgeting, business planning, forecasting, management accounting, delivering financial targets and financial compliance.Manage the outsourced finance support (bookkeeping, payroll, VAT, invoicing).Contribute to funding bids and prepare reports for successful bids.PeopleSupport an organisational culture that nurtures staff and freelancer wellbeing, implements fair and competitive pay benchmarked to the subsidised arts sector and provides professional development opportunities with clarity of progression routesManage the outsourced HR team to: use Breathe HR software effectively, deliver fair recruitment, induction, onboarding and offboarding; oversee line management, job reviews and contracts, collect equality data and run the annual staff wellbeing survey.Keep HR policies and procedures compliant and up to date.PropertyWork with the CEO and Board to ensure that Circomedia has the space needed to provide first class circus and performance training; liaise with landlords on maintenance, repairs and lease discussions; arrange purchase or repair of infrastructure and equipment as needed; manage cleaning and maintenance contracts; oversee the property maintenance checklist and ensure the correct licences and insurance are in place.Maintain robust administration and Health & Safety systems, ensuring staff are trained (IOSH/NEBOSH), follow procedures, and keep thorough records.IT and DataSupport IT functions to remain user-friendly, fit for purpose and cost effective with essential planning in place to manage risk.Audit and review evaluation and data collection systems that contribute to the draft evaluation framework and train staff in the use of these systems.Access and use data to write and contribute to information for stakeholders and to influence decision making.Personal SpecificationChampions an inclusive working culture that welcomes people from diverse backgrounds and promotes creativity, equality, accessibility, learning and enjoymentSenior leadership experience in operations, ideally within the charity, education, or cultural sectorsProven track record in financial management and HR; Strong understanding of charity governance and complianceExperience as a line manager including managing outsourced provisionExperience of leading health & safety (Desirable)Accountancy, HR, or Health & Safety qualificationExperience managing property portfolioExperience in the arts or subsidised cultural sectorStrong advocate for the artsStrong communicator, written and verbal; Confident and reliable to lead under pressureAbility to build relationships and represent the organisationCommitment to achieving environmental good practiceDetailsHours: Full time 35 hours per week or 0.8FTE. Permanent. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.Reports to: CEODirect Reports: Head of Marketing, IT Manager, Events & Venue Manager, Technical Manager, Housekeeper.Location: Working across two sites in Bristol (St Pauls and Kingswood). Hybrid and flexible working will be considered.Application deadline: 12noon on Monday 3 November 2025Please visit www.circomedia.com/jobs to see the full job pack and application details. Applications must be emailed as a CV and cover letter as detailed in our recruitment pack. #J-18808-Ljbffr