The Institute of Human Rights and Business (IHRB) is the leading international think tank on business and human rights. IHRB’s mission is to shape policy, advance practice, and strengthen accountability in order to make respect for human rights part of everyday business.

Job Overview

This is a senior leadership role that leads through empowerment rather than control - and, above all, it is a role about people. Its first job is to build the conditions, the systems, structures and culture, in which a small, capable, globally dispersed team can be happy, healthy and high-performing, and do their best work. That matters because when our team thrives, IHRB is far better able to advance the rights and dignity of the people and communities we exist to serve. Working alongside the Chief Executive, and the Heads of Programmes, the postholder forms IHRB's leadership team: while the Director of Programmes leads our work and its impact, the Director of Operations builds the foundations that make it possible. A particular focus is financial sustainability and full cost recovery - recovering the true cost of our work and steadily closing the gap between grant income and the real cost of delivery - because secure finances are what keep both the mission and the team on solid ground.

It's an operational partnership at heart. The CEO carries IHRB's external, fundraising and board-facing leadership; the Heads of Programmes lead our work and its impact; and the Director of Operations is the partner who turns shared ambition into how the organisation actually runs - leading and empowering the central operations team so that each of them can lead their own domain well.

Expected Impact and Outcomes:

• A happy, healthy and high-performing team: a globally dispersed group of people who feel supported, included and able to grow, in an environment that brings out their best - because that is ultimately what enables IHRB to advance the rights of the people and communities we serve. This is underpinned by an embedded performance and progression framework, with regular review cycles, clear progression pathways, and measurable improvement in engagement and progression against our 2025 baseline.

• A fully recoverable core budget by end 2027, with the Full Cost Recovery model embedded across all grant applications and reporting, and clear visibility of financial management for the CEO and trustees.

• The new organisational structure embedded and operating effectively, with clear accountability, reduced silos, and central functions that genuinely enable the programmes.

• A measurable step-change in IHRB's use of AI and intelligent tooling - with the team confidently using AI as a daily collaborator, structured guidance in place for ethical and effective use, and demonstrable productivity gains across operations.

• Effective management of compliance and risk, ensuring adherence to legal and regulatory requirements across all jurisdictions in which IHRB operates.

• Optimised internal processes and increased adoption of strategic systems, including project management, the CRM, and financial management tools.

Key Responsibilities

The approximate balance of the role is shown below; it may change with the organisation’s needs. The postholder leads a capable team rather than delivering everything personally.

Operational effectiveness and strategic enablement (40%)

• Drive organisational effectiveness across all central functions - identifying improvements, scoping high-impact projects, preempting problems, and removing blockers to ensure systems support rather than constrain the team

• Lead IHRB's approach to AI deployment and operational optimisation, identifying where intelligent tools can create leverage, embedding them into team workflows, building team capability through training and structured support, and developing IHRB's position on the responsible use of AI internally given our human rights mission, working closely with Head of Communications and the CEO

• Lead the operational management of IHRB's internal communications function in partnership with the Head of Communications

• Lead the continuous improvement of IHRB's systems and processes - including project management (Monday.com), CRM, financial management, IT security, and operations - maintaining a philosophy of innovation and agility

• Act as a strategic partner to the CEO and Heads of Programmes, contributing to organisational strategy and translating it into operational reality through structured project management

• Act as IHRB's Compliance Officer for anti-bribery, corruption, and money laundering matters, ensuring timely reporting and ongoing adherence to best practice

Finance and financial sustainability (30%)

• Lead the execution of IHRB's financial strategy, including the trajectory toward a fully recoverable core budget by end 2027

• Own and embed the Full Cost Recovery model, ensuring it is applied consistently across all grant applications and budgets, and that programme areas understand and use the FCR sliding scale approach

• Manage financial planning and budgeting processes across organisational and programme level - working closely with the CEO, Programme Heads, and Finance Manager to ensure well-considered, forecasted numbers and alignment with organisational goals

• Support fundraising processes at both organisational and programme level, including due diligence, budgeting, contracting, and donor financial management

• Maintain oversight for all IHRB subsidiary entities (IHRB Trading Ltd, IHRB Nordic), ensuring alignment with legal, financial, governance, and operational requirements in each jurisdiction

• Oversee financial reporting to funders and ensure quality and timeliness of all funder financial submissions

• Manage relationships with external advisors - accountants, auditors, legal counsel, suppliers and EOR providers - ensuring IHRB receives high-quality, cost-effective support

People leadership (30%)

• Oversee the People & Culture function - supporting the Governance and People Operations Manager to design and implement strategies across recruitment, engagement, inclusion, development, and progression that ensure IHRB attracts, retains, and grows brilliant people, and fosters a positive working environment aligned with our values

• Line manage the Finance Manager, the Executive and Organisational Support Coordinator, the Governance and People Operations Manager - coaching and developing each in their respective domains, ensuring they have the support and clarity to lead their areas effectively, and creating the conditions for the central operations function to work as a single, integrated team

• Use engagement data to develop and communicate a clear, inspiring people strategy and roadmap aligned with organisational goals

• Lead the embedding of IHRB's accountability and performance framework, ensuring quarterly cycles run consistently across all levels and that career progression is visible, fair, and structurally supported

• Identify and address organisational training and development needs - including the personal development budget, learning days, and structured AI and tooling capability building with clear guidance on responsible use

• Support the CEO on org development, ensuring structures continue to adapt to changing needs and enable the growth of everyone in the team

• Take a lead role in anticipating ways to evolve and sustain IHRB's culture through the next stages of development

Experience, Skills & Culture Add

Key skills

• Senior operational leadership experience: in a mission- or values-driven organisation (think tank, charity, NGO, or social enterprise).

• Strategic thinking and planning: Developing and implementing strategies that enhance organisational effectiveness and financial sustainability

• Financial management and FCR expertise: Managing budgets in non-profits, financial reporting, full cost recovery models, and strategic financial planning; ability to support the team to develop their own financial management capability

• Progressive people management: Experience in leading and developing a team in a remote-first setting, with the ability to flexibly adapt to the different personalities and working styles inherent in a globally dispersed organisation

• Efficient, organised, and strong attention to detail: Optimising internal processes and implementing best practices in order to enhance our mission and extend the impact of our work

• Proficient in governance and compliance: Knowledge of legal, statutory, and regulatory requirements, including charity governance, GDPR, and data protection across multiple jurisdictions

• Effective communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills: Ability to convey complex information in an accessible and compelling manner, and to build and manage strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders

• Ability to draw conclusions from data: Proficiency in data analysis and financial management tools (Excel, Xero, project management systems) and the ability to interpret what the data is telling us

Helpful if you have (not a dealbreaker if you don't)

• Commercial and partnership thinking: Able to identify, scope, and operationalise new business models - comfortable with commercial structures, contracts, and partnership negotiations; understands what it takes to build sustainable income streams beyond traditional grant funding; can balance commercial opportunity with mission integrity and reputational considerations

• AI literacy and operational innovation: Confident user and shaper of AI tools who knows where they create real leverage and where they don't. Aware of the responsible use considerations relevant for a human rights organisation. Leads a team through technological change without dogma - using AI to amplify human judgment, not replace it

• Experience of organisational change, restructure or scaling.

• An interest or background in human rights, sustainability or responsible business.

How you can contribute to our culture:

• Compassionate: an essential element to the way we operate at IHRB - taking a human-first, caring, and empathetic approach to each interaction and decision

• Entrepreneurial: an entrepreneurial and creative approach to owning work streams, and spotting and maximising opportunities

• Forward-looking: sees the new era IHRB is operating in as an opportunity, not a threat - actively curious about emerging tools and ways of working, and committed to making sure IHRB is on the leading edge of what a small mission-driven organisation can achieve

• Inclusive: ensuring psychological safety is inherent within our culture, and that team members feel open and comfortable to bring their needs and challenges to the operations team

• Diligent: a considerate, timely, and thoughtful approach to decision-making

• Flexible and adaptable: open to adjusting aspects of the work and timelines as needed to cater to the realities of a small and nimble organisation

• Principled: willing to push back, ask hard questions, and challenge structural problems when they show up - even when it's easier not to

• Calm and Pragmatic: under the competing demands of a lean operation.

What we can offer you

The chance to shape the operational foundations of an influential, international organisation working at the leading edge of business and human rights - with the autonomy of a senior leadership role, a capable team to lead, and the variety of a small, ambitious organisation. We work flexibly and across borders, and value trust and autonomy over hierarchy.

• Location: Flexible/remote, but must have closely aligned overlap with GMT working hours (+/- 2 hours GMT) and accessibility to travel internationally

• Travel: Some (limited) international travel required for IHRB convenings

• Compensation: 85,000 GBP FTE

Good to know: Your contract type will depend on where you are based, which we can discuss with you in more detail. We are a UK-based organisation, therefore if you are based outside of the UK you will be engaged through a consultancy agreement. You would need to be registered as self-employed in your country of residence and would be responsible for managing your own taxes, insurance, and any other legal or financial obligations.

Timeline & Process

Deadline for applications: Midnight 12th July, 2026 (GMT)

First interviews will most likely be held the week of 20th July (depending on internal availability) via video call and will be based on situational questions and discussions about your experience

Second interviews for the final candidate(s) being considered will be held mostly likely w/c 27th July, 2026 (depending on internal availability) via video call and will involve a short task as well as questions about your approach, history and what you'd bring to the role

Expected start date: As soon as possible


A few things to note...

A note on how we hire: we believe in merit-based hiring, and our process is deliberately clear, structured and inclusive, with applications reviewed anonymously so that every candidate is assessed fairly, on the same basis, against what the role genuinely needs. Please don't send LinkedIn messages or other direct approaches to IHRB team members about this role - they can't be taken into account and won't strengthen an application, and they cut across the fairness our anonymous review is there to protect.

Inclusion and adjustments: we're an equal-opportunity employer and we actively welcome applications from people whose backgrounds are under-represented in our sector. We want the process to be accessible to everyone, so if you'd benefit from any adjustment to take part fully at any stage, just let us know and we'll make it happen. And if you're excited by this role but don't tick every 'helpful if you have', please apply anyway.