Case study: Chief Operating Officer recruitment | Association of Charitable Foundations

The Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) sits at the heart of UK philanthropy, supporting and connecting over 430 foundations to maximise their collective impact. Through its programmes, advocacy and learning, it supports a sector that channels billions of pounds each year into charitable causes, including communities and issues that can be harder to reach.

At a time when social challenges are growing in both scale and complexity, ACF plays a vital role in helping foundations respond with confidence, insight and collaboration. The Chief Operating Officer position was central to this mission.

The successful candidate would help ACF turn ambition into practical progress, ensuring that its systems, culture and capabilities could effectively support its members and the wider sector.

Context.

Following a period of financial pressure and organisational redesign, the organisation had stabilised, becoming leaner, more focused and financially secure.

The next phase was about evolving the member offer so it continued to meet members’ changing needs, which brought both opportunity and challenge. ACF needed to strengthen its commercial model while remaining values-led and deepening member engagement in a rapidly evolving sector. This also involved building stronger digital and data capabilities to inform decision-making that would enhance the member experience.

At the same time, there was a clear cultural ambition to strengthen ACF’s adaptability, member-centric approach and focus on impact.

The COO appointment would sit at the centre of this next phase: helping ACF build on its stability, put its strategy into practice and support teams in working with greater clarity and focus.

Brief and search.

James Hunt and the Peridot team began by creating space for honest, thoughtful conversations with Carol Mack, CEO of ACF, and other key stakeholders. Together, we shaped a brief that reflected both the technical demands of the role and the deeper leadership qualities needed to succeed.

This was a role for a leader who could hold strategy and delivery together, bring commercial thinking into a social purpose organisation and lead with clarity, empathy and pace.

The search focused on leaders from membership bodies, professional associations and complex non-profit environments. We were particularly interested in individuals who had successfully led organisational transformation, strengthened income models and built high-performing, inclusive cultures.

Throughout the process, we prioritised:

• Values-led leadership and alignment with ACF’s purpose.
• The ability to work collaboratively and build deep-rooted relationships.
• Experience of navigating complexity with clarity and confidence.
• A commitment to equity and inclusion in both leadership and practice.

We worked in close partnership with ACF, sense-checking insights, challenging assumptions where helpful and ensuring a safe and inclusive recruitment process. Our aim was not just to find a capable leader, but to see beyond the placement and identify someone who could help shape ACF’s long-term success.

Outcome.

Nysa Pradhan was appointed Chief Operating Officer following a rigorous, competitive process.

She brought a compelling combination of strategic and operational leadership, shaped through senior roles in membership and education-focused organisations. Most recently, she had led strategy, operations and member services across a national higher education network, managing budgets of over £1.5m and strengthening engagement across a diverse membership base.

Earlier in her career, she held a COO role within a global professional body, where she led a significant organisational transformation, strengthened financial resilience and delivered digital and systems change at scale.

What stood out was her ability to connect the details with the bigger picture. She brings commercial acumen, governance strength and a clear commitment to inclusive leadership. Just as importantly, she leads with care, curiosity and a genuine belief in the role membership organisations can play in strengthening their sectors.

Impact.

Nysa’s appointment has marked a shift in momentum for ACF.

With her experience, ACF is well placed to strengthen its commercial approach while staying grounded in its values, deepen relationships with members and build the systems and insight needed for confident, evidence-based decisions.

Over time, this role will help embed a more connected and enabling operating model, supporting teams to work with clarity, create space for innovation and respond to the changing needs of the sector.

Ultimately, the impact reaches beyond the organisation itself. By strengthening ACF, the appointment contributes to a more resilient and effective foundation sector and to greater positive impact across society.