Emma Bainbridge

Chartered Manager, project leader and people-focused service developer with more than 13 years' experience across charity, recovery, community, social-enterprise, hospitality and customer-facing settings. I take ideas from fundraising and business development through mobilisation, delivery, monitoring and evaluation, combining strategic oversight with practical, hands-on service delivery. My leadership style is person-centred and developmental: I coach and mentor staff, provide purposeful supervision and invest in individual personal development plans that strengthen confidence, capability, wellbeing and accountability.

I also bring hospitality project experience and a genuine passion for travel and tourism, with practical experience researching and coordinating bespoke family trips, cruises, city breaks and all-inclusive holidays.

Founder, Managing Director & Programme Facilitator - Ark & Anchor Management Consultancy / Ark & Anchor CIC

(2025-04)

• Established Ark & Anchor as a management consultancy before developing it into a Community Interest Company in October 2025.
• Alongside my two fellow directors, share full responsibility for strategy, service design, governance, safeguarding, finance, partnerships, fundraising and delivery.
• Write grant applications, build budgets and delivery plans, and lead projects from concept and mobilisation through implementation, impact measurement, evaluation and funder reporting.
• Design workbooks, facilitator resources and person-centred healing programmes for adults affected by trauma, poor mental health, addiction and substance misuse.
• Facilitate groups exploring emotional and "soul" wounds, addictive behaviours and survival responses, using Polyvagal Theory, psychoeducation, grounding, breathing, somatic practice, journalling and glimmers to support nervous-system regulation and recovery.

Retail Photography & Gallery Assistant - Lord's Photography & Harrison Lord Art Gallery - Brighouse

(2025-11 - 2026-08)

• Delivered photographic, retail and gallery services and assumed full responsibility for day-to-day shop operations during management holiday cover.
• Took compliant passport and driving licence photographs and helped customers create photobooks, collages, mugs, key rings, photo panels and canvases.
• Restored and replicated old or damaged photographs using photographic editing software and advised on bespoke framing for artwork, prints, memorabilia and football shirts.
• Used detailed knowledge of local artists and consultative sales skills to sell individual artworks valued between £150 and £2,000; role ended following company insolvency.

Business Development & Project Lead - King's Church / The Encouragement Café

(2025-01 - 2026-03)

• Led The Encouragement Café at The King's Coffee House from September 2025 to March 2026 as an extension of my business development role.
• Managed the full project lifecycle, including fundraising applications, mobilisation, promotion, menu development, customer experience and hands-on delivery.
• Created menus and promotional resources and developed themed hospitality events, including Greek Week and a pop-up Parisian bistro.

Operations Manager - Proclaim Trust

(2025-01 - 2025-12)

• Led a remote team, safeguarding incident management, national prison and guest-speaking arrangements, and relationships with chaplaincy services.
• Supported volunteers through compliance training, safeguarding awareness and clear expectations.

Operations Manager & Project Lead - The Light Group

(2024-01 - 2025-12)

• Helped establish the organisation's operational foundations and led funded projects through application, mobilisation, staffing, delivery, monitoring and reporting.
• Drafted policies, developed the staff handbook, supervision resources, training and impact-measurement tools.
• Coached and mentored team members through structured supervision and individual personal development plans, supporting strengths, learning, wellbeing and progression.
• Embedded professional boundaries and escalated safeguarding and compliance matters to trustees.

Operations Manager - Project Colt

(2020-01 - 2024-12)

• Managed the addiction recovery project for three years and led its social enterprise during a six-month leadership transition.
• Coached and mentored the full staff team through regular supervision, performance support and individual personal development plans.
• Led safeguarding triage and investigations, created an incident database and embedded continuous improvement, governance and risk management.
• Prepared governance reports, policies, KPIs, tenders and audit evidence with the CEO and trustees, while maintaining information-governance standards.
• Coordinated national prison speaking engagements and trained volunteers in safeguarding, professional boundaries and consistent practice.

Psychotherapist & Group Facilitator - Project Colt

(2015-01 - 2024-12)

• Delivered assessments, recovery-focused therapeutic interventions and structured groups for people affected by addiction, trauma and complex life experiences.
• Produced formal reports for courts and external stakeholders and coordinated person-centred support with partner agencies.

Senior Sales Supervisor / Trainee Support Worker - Colt Enterprise

(2012-01 - 2015-12)

• Managed day-to-day social-enterprise operations, financial transactions and customer service while supporting service users within a structured recovery environment.

Hotel Reception - Five-Star Hotel - Leeds

(1999-09 - 2001-08)

• Developed an early understanding of professional guest care, high service standards, presentation and attention to detail while completing a workplace-based City & Guilds NVQ Level 2 in Hotel Reception.

Family Travel Planning - Independent

• Researched and coordinated bespoke trips to the Canary Islands, Rome, Portugal and Malta, comparing destinations, flights, accommodation, transfers, activities and overall costs.
• Supported relatives with American cruises, European city breaks and all-inclusive holidays to the Balearic Islands.

Level 5 Apprenticeship - Operational/Departmental Management - Span Training / Leaders in Business (2021-01 - 2025-12)

Graduate Diploma - Addiction Studies - University of Leeds (2013-01 - 2015-12)

BA (Hons) - Criminology - University of Hull (2002-01 - 2005-12)

ILEX Legal Secretary Course (2000-01 - 2001-12)

City & Guilds NVQ Level 2 - Hotel Reception (1999-09 - 2001-08)