Case study: Director of Delivery and Operations recruitment | The Violence Intervention Project (V.I.P.)

The Violence Intervention Project (V.I.P.) is a West London-based charity supporting young people affected by serious youth violence, trauma or exclusion. Founded in 2017, the organisation delivers therapeutically informed, shame-aware interventions that prioritise deep, trust-based relationships.

V.I.P. works with over 50 young people and families across Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea, and Hillingdon. Their mission is to address violence at its root, using care and connection as tools for change. With a team of around 20 staff and a turnover of £1.3 million, V.I.P. continues to grow its impact and reputation in youth intervention and public health.

Context.

V.I.P. had experienced rapid organic growth under the visionary leadership of CEO Charlie Rigby. While the organisation had established a strong external presence and was securing funding and partnerships, it needed to mature its internal systems and delivery infrastructure.

The CEO sought a senior leader to complement his strengths and bring consistency, structure and operational excellence without compromising the organisation’s relational, human-centred ethos.

The role of Director of Delivery & Operations was critical to helping V.I.P. scale its programmes sustainably, embed impact measurement and support a high-performing team culture.

Brief.

V.I.P. was looking for a hands-on, strategic operational leader with experience designing and scaling programmes, ideally in complex, mission-driven environments. While sector-specific experience wasn’t essential, an understanding of trauma, youth work or therapeutic models was beneficial.

The brief prioritised emotional intelligence, team leadership and a calm, pragmatic mindset. The ideal candidate needed empathy just as much experience. They needed to be capable of creating systems that served both people and purpose, while mentoring existing managers and building long-term operational resilience.

Process.

Peridot Partners conducted a nationwide search, mapping candidates from charities, social enterprises, local government and youth services, with an openness to those from private sector roles who demonstrated strong values alignment. It was essential to find someone who could grow with the organisation, offering both fresh perspective and respect for the culture already in place.

We focused on people who demonstrated a unique blend:

• The ability simplify operations.
• Leading with empathy and supporting staff wellbeing.
• Building scalable, quality-assured delivery models that remained aligned with the charity’s therapeutic mission.

The recruitment process attracted over 50 applications, with 6 candidates longlisted and 2 taken through to a final-stage interview. The process was designed to be transparent, inclusive, and values-led, with key team members and funders involved throughout.

Both final candidates were exceptionally strong:

1. A person with significant operational leadership experience in the criminal justice sector.
2. The successful appointee, bringing a compelling blend of safeguarding expertise, systems leadership and entrepreneurial drive.

Outcome

The appointed candidate had spent over a decade in children’s and adults’ social care, working across ten local authorities. They impressed with their passion for innovation, systems change and scaling impact, and their energy and values felt immediately aligned with V.I.P.’s culture.

The organisation is excited for the appointed candidate to embed scalable delivery models, strengthen team capacity and help lead V.I.P. into its next phase of high-impact, values-driven growth.