Managing DirectorHackney School of FoodContract: Full-time, permanentHours: Full-timeReports to: Chair; Board of Directors Location: HackneySalary: £50,000-60,000 depending on experience.Pension: HSoF participates in the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) pension scheme and contributes 3%.Benefits: 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, free onsite lunches .Probation period: Six months.About Hackney School of FoodHackney School of Food is an award-winning food education hub based in the grounds of Mandeville Primary School in Clapton, East London. Through our teaching kitchen and educational garden, we help children, families and communities build the skills, confidence and knowledge to grow, cook and eat good food.Each year, we welcome more than 10,000 visits to our kitchen and garden, delivering curriculum programmes for schools alongside community cooking courses, gardening projects, holiday clubs, corporate volunteering and public events. Since becoming a Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2023, we have expanded our facilities, strengthened our governance and built a strong reputation as a leader in food education.We're now looking for an exceptional Managing Director to build on these strong foundations and lead Hackney School of Food through its next phase of growth and impact.About the roleReporting to the Board of Directors, the Managing Director (MD) will provide both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the organisation delivers its mission while remaining financially resilient, well-governed and responsive to the needs of the communities it serves.The Managing Director is responsible for all aspects of the organisation, including strategy, income generation, finance, governance, partnerships, programme delivery and people leadership. Working closely with a small, committed team and an engaged Board, they will build on strong foundations to grow Hackney School of Food's impact, reach and long-term sustainability.This is a varied, hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys balancing big-picture thinking with practical delivery. One day you may be developing a new partnership, meeting a prospective funder or working with the Board on future strategy; the next you could be supporting the team, welcoming visitors to the garden or solving day-to-day operational challenges.Key prioritiesIn your first 12 months you will:Build on Hackney School of Food's strong foundations to deliver the next phase of our strategy and growth.Increase and diversify income through fundraising, partnerships and commercial opportunities to strengthen long-term sustainability.Lead, support and develop a small, ambitious team, fostering a positive and inclusive culture where people can thrive.Strengthen relationships with funders, partners and local businesses, helping Hackney School of Food deepen its impact.Work closely with the Board to embed strong governance, organisational systems and long-term planning for the future.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership Provide overall leadership and strategic direction for Hackney School of Food, ensuring delivery of its mission, vision and long-term objectives. Lead the development and implementation of Hackney School of Food's annual business plan and organisational priorities.Work with the Board to evolve organisational strategy, identify opportunities, manage risks and support sustainable growth.Monitor, report on and respond to organisational performance against agreed objectives and impact measures. Champion Hackney School of Food externally, strengthening its profile and influence. Financial sustainability and income generation Oversee organisational budgeting, financial planning, forecasting and cashflow management, working closely with the Treasurer and accountant.Lead income generation across the organisation, including trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, sponsorship and earned income.Build and maintain strong relationships with funders, sponsors and strategic partners.Ensure all funding commitments are met, including grant reporting, monitoring and evaluation requirements.Identify new opportunities to diversify income and strengthen long-term financial sustainability.Partnerships & External RelationsAct as the main point of contact for HSoF’s key partners, LEAP Federation and Chefs in Schools to ensure the partnerships are effective and positive.Build and maintain strong relationships with other key stakeholders, including local authorities, funders and sponsors.Represent Hackney School of Food at meetings, events, and public forums.Champion the value of food education and contribute to wider local and national conversations. Ensure programmes remain responsive to community needs through ongoing engagement and consultation. Governance and public benefit Ensure the organisation operates in line with its CIC objectives and delivers clear public benefit. Support the Board of Directors to fulfil its governance responsibilities through high-quality reporting, planning and decision-making.Prepare Board papers, reports and agendas, ensuring timely and accurate information is available to support effective governance.Oversee and report on organisational performance to the Board of Directors quarterly.Act as the primary link between the Board and the operational team.Maintain effective governance, delegated authority and accountability frameworks. Support the Board in meeting all statutory and regulatory obligations relating to the CIC.People, Culture and safeguardingProvide leadership to a small core team (currently c.4 employees), directly managing staff and fostering a positive, inclusive culture. Provide oversight and support for a wider network of approx. 15 freelance contractors to ensure consistently high-quality delivery.Lead recruitment, induction, performance management and professional development in line with safer recruitment and equality principles. Ensure effective organisational structures, clear roles, and performance accountability.Oversee HR processes including appraisals, performance management, and professional development.Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead, embedding safeguarding throughout the organisation maintaining compliance with all relevant requirements. Develop organisational systems, policies and practices that support an inclusive, high-performing workplace.Risk Management & ComplianceMaintain and regularly review the organisational Risk Register and report key risks and mitigations to the Board.Oversee organisational policies, procedures and continuous improvement, ensuring policies and legal requirements are up to date, clearly communicated and embedded across the organisation. Ensure compliance with employment law, health and safety, safeguarding, GDPR and other relevant legislation. Personal specificationEssential experience Senior leadership experience with responsibility for organisational performance and accountability. Experience securing income through fundraising, partnerships and/or commercial activity.Experience of financial leadership, including budget setting, forecasting and cashflow oversight.Experience working closely with a Board, Trustees or governing body to translate strategic vision into operational delivery. Experience building and managing successful partnerships with funders, businesses and community stakeholders. Experience in managing and motivating a team, creating a positive and inclusive workplace culture. Experience of governance, compliance and organisational risk management.Experience of safeguarding within an education, youth or community context.Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands, make sound decisions and remain resilient in a resource-constrained environment.Essential skills and attributesPassion for Hackney School of Food's mission and the role of food education in improving health, wellbeing and community connection. Strategic thinker who is equally comfortable with hands-on operational leadership. Entrepreneurial, resourceful and committed to building long-term financial sustainability and identifying growth opportunities.Ability to lead a team through change with sensitivity, clarity and kindness.Strong communicator with excellent relationship-building skills. Confident decision-maker with a high level of personal accountability. Committed to equity, inclusion and community-led practice.Desirable Experience working within a Community Interest Company (CIC), social enterprise or charity.Knowledge of Hackney, its communities and local stakeholder landscape.Experience of working in food education, community food, gardening, environmental education or a related field.Experience reviewing and managing contracts, service agreements or other legal documentation.

Spring Innovation Fund (“Spring”) is a venture studio building companies at the intersection of animal welfare and food systems innovation.We're looking for founder-ready operators, domain experts, and entrepreneurs to join us as Founders in Residence. As a Founder in Residence, you will lead the creation of a new Welfare Tech company from the ground up. The Opportunity: This is a full-time, paid position. In addition, Spring has allocated seed capital for startups that successfully launch out of its venture studio.We provide the foundational research, market validation, capital, strategic support, and ecosystem access. You bring the entrepreneurial drive, commercial leadership, and execution capability to transform a validated opportunity into a scalable, venture-backed business.This is a hands-on leadership role spanning company formation, market development, fundraising, team building, strategic partnerships, and business growth. You will be responsible for shaping the company's direction, validating market demand, building key stakeholder relationships, and ultimately leading the venture as CEO.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop deep market expertise. Immerse yourself in the relevant industry by working closely with operators, researchers, manufacturers, customers, and technical advisors to build the understanding needed to lead the company with credibility.Exercise rigorous judgement. Challenge assumptions, identify critical risks early, and recommend when opportunities should be refined, pivoted, or discontinued. Success is measured by making the right decision, not simply starting another company.Validate the opportunity and define the venture strategy. Build on Spring's research to validate customer demand, refine the business model, assess technical and commercial feasibility, prioritise product development, and produce an investment-ready roadmap for company formation.Operate with founder-level ownership. Take end-to-end responsibility for turning an ambitious concept into a viable company. Navigate ambiguity, make difficult decisions with limited information, and maintain momentum without requiring close direction.Build industry partnerships. Develop and nurture relationships with key industry partners, including farmers, processors, and other supply chain stakeholders, across both the development phase and the sales and implementation phase of the business.Define market strategy. Research and develop a deep understanding of the applicable market; build out the business plan and hiring strategy; and define the company’s core offerings and points of differentiation (much of the foundational groundwork will be provided by Spring).Lead fundraising. Drive the capital strategy to support the company’s ongoing growth. Spring will provide initial and follow-on funding for promising companies, but securing additional outside capital may be necessary.Build a team. Oversee the recruitment of a co-founder (if applicable) and the buildout of a high-performing team across technical, sales, and other key functions.Represent the company. Serve as the primary representative of the company to all external stakeholders.Travel frequently. Travel regularly to engage partners, customers, and investors as the needs of the business require.Who you are You are a builder.You have a track record of creating, scaling, or leading high-growth businesses and are energized by the challenge of building something new from the ground up.Personal AttributesEntrepreneurial and highly self-directedResilient and persistent in the face of setbacksComfortable operating without large support teams or established infrastructureYou bring founder-level ownership, resilience, and pace.Exceptional relationship-building and communication skillsA bias toward action and ownershipStrong commercial instincts and customer development skillsIdeal Background Founder, co-founder, or senior startup leadership experienceExperience bringing new products or businesses to market Experience raising capital or working with investorsA proven ability to execute in ambiguous, fast-moving environmentsFamiliarity with agricultural technologies, especially within our target markets: fish, aquaculture and poultry is a bonus.