Acting ceo jobs

This is a unique opportunity to lead a respected charity dedicated to supporting individuals affected by trauma and adversity. As Chief Executive, you will provide inspirational leadership, driving our vision, strategy, and impact while ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable, well-governed, and focused on delivering high-quality services that transform lives.

Working closely with our Board of Trustees, staff, volunteers, donors, and partners, you will champion our mission and identify new opportunities for growth and innovation. We are seeking a strategic and values-driven leader with experience of working within trauma-informed environments, a strong track record of securing grant funding, and the ability to build and maintain excellent donor and stakeholder relationships. The successful candidate will also have training experience and/or confidently stand in-front of large audiences discussing sensitive topics.

This is an exciting opportunity for a compassionate and ambitious leader who can inspire others, strengthen our charitable impact, and help shape the future of our organisation. If you have the vision, leadership experience, and commitment to making a meaningful difference in people's lives, we would love to hear from you.

The Purple Elephant Project is looking for an experienced, values driven Finance Manager to join our team in Twickenham. We are a children’s mental health charity, supporting over 100 children and their families every week with therapeutic services, such as Play and Art therapy, across the London boroughs of Richmond, Hounslow and beyond. This is an exciting new opportunity to play a key role in a growing children's charity and to use your finance expertise to help us make a real difference to children and families.

Working closely with our CEO and Trustees, you'll take ownership of our financial management, including:

• Management accounts and financial reporting
• Budgeting, forecasting and cashflow
• Payroll and financial controls
• Business partnering and financial insight
• Improving systems and processes, including Xero

We're looking for someone with strong management accounting experience, excellent attention to detail and a proactive, collaborative approach. Charity experience and Xero knowledge are desirable.

If you live within reasonable reach of our charity, and are looking for a meaningful, senior part-time role, where your expertise can directly support the wellbeing of children and families, we'd love to hear from you. 

About Us

For over 21 years, The Pickering Cancer Drop-In Centre has offered free, holistic support to anyone in our community affected by cancer through complementary therapies, talking therapies, art, and our supportive community.

In 2025 alone, we had 1,911 individual visits and 1,021 therapy sessions - entirely through the dedication of our volunteer team. We are currently renovating our new centre, and we want to use it to reach further into our community than ever before. This is the first paid role in our history.

About the Role

As our first Executive Director, you will be the single point of accountability between our Board of Trustees and the day-to-day operation of the Centre - working alongside our (voluntary) Centre Manager and (voluntary) Volunteer Manager to support their roles, not duplicate them. You'll lead our strategy delivery, guide the charity's move into its new home, and oversee a service redesign informed by a fresh programme of visitor, volunteer and community research.

About You

You already know how to do this job - you've held a senior, accountable position in a charity or comparable organisation and can bring that experience from day one. You're confident reporting to a board of trustees, comfortable getting things done, and able to win the trust of a highly experienced, long-standing volunteer team through competence and credibility, not authority alone.

Key Activity Areas

• Financial management – budgeting, financial controls, and reporting to the Board and Treasurer

• Governance & best practice – supporting trustees to discharge their statutory duties; maintaining the policy suite and risk register

• HR & people leadership – supporting our entire volunteer and therapist team; communication is key to our volunteers

• Fundraising – write and lead on a fundraising strategy, implement new funding streams and be the ‘face of Pickering’ – local networking will be essential

• Change management – leading the transition to our new centre and evolving service model with care and consultation

• Compliance – safeguarding, health and safety, GDPR, and other regulatory requirements

Qualifications - Desirable

All the below are not necessary qualifications but would assist with this role:

• CIPD qualification, or equivalent hands-on HR experience

• A recognised governance qualification (e.g. Chartered Governance Institute) or completion of a charity leadership programme or similar

• Financial management experience – a qualification would be useful but not essential

• Safeguarding lead training

Experience and Competencies — Essential

• Senior leadership experience with genuine authority and accountability in a charity or comparable mission-led organisation

• A track record of reporting to and working with a board of trustees or non-executive directors

• A track record of leading organisational change, with evidence it was genuinely adopted

• Sound financial literacy - budgets, management accounts, financial controls, dealing with auditors

• Working knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and regulatory compliance

• Excellent written and verbal communication, including board-level reporting as well as the ability to speak in public

• Experience making a leadership role pay for itself, through income generation, cost savings, or both

• A genuine, demonstrable commitment to Pickering's mission

Experience and Competencies — Desirable

• Fundraising experience across grants, trusts, community fundraising and corporate partnerships

• Experience within the cancer support, wider healthcare, or hospice sector

• Lived experience of cancer, personally or through supporting someone close to you

• Experience leading a refresh of a brand or a rebrand, service redesign, or physical relocation of services

• Familiarity with Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding local community

Safeguarding

This role involves working with adults who may be vulnerable by virtue of serious illness. The successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory reference checks before appointment, and will act as, or oversee, the charity's designated safeguarding lead.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Pickering is committed to equal opportunity for all and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. A copy of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policy is available on request.

How to Apply

Please apply by Sunday 6 September 2026. Interviews are expected to take place w/c 14 September 2026.

Role Purpose 

The Chief Executive Officer will provide strategic, operational and values-led leadership for Home-Start Norfolk, ensuring the charity delivers its mission, supports its families effectively and remains financially sustainable. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead the organisation’s strategy, people, services, partnerships, governance, income generation and volunteer strategy, while acting as an ambassador for the charity and its work. 

Key Responsibilities 

Strategic Leadership 

• Lead the development and delivery of the charity’s strategic plan in partnership with the Board of Trustees. 

• Translate the charity’s vision, mission and values into clear priorities, measurable objectives and effective operational plans. 

• Identify opportunities for growth, innovation, collaboration and improved impact. 

• Ensure services and activities remain responsive to beneficiary needs and changing external circumstances. 

Governance, Compliance and Risk 

• Support the Board of Trustees to fulfil its governance responsibilities through clear reporting, sound advice and timely information. 

• Ensure the charity complies with charity law, company law where applicable, employment law, fundraising regulation, data protection requirements, safeguarding duties and all relevant regulatory obligations. 

• Maintain a robust approach to risk management, internal controls, policies and procedures. 

• Promote transparency, accountability and ethical decision-making across the organisation. 

Financial Leadership and Income Generation 

• Provide overall leadership for financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and long-term sustainability. 

• Work with trustees and senior colleagues to ensure resources are used effectively and in line with charitable objectives. 

• Lead the development of a diverse and resilient income strategy, including grants, trusts and foundations, individual giving, corporate partnerships, contracts and other appropriate income streams. 

• Maintain strong relationships with funders, commissioners, donors and supporters, ensuring excellent stewardship and reporting. 

Service Delivery, Quality and Impact 

• Ensure the charity delivers high-quality, safe and effective services that achieve positive outcomes for families. 

• Embed continuous improvement, evidence-based practice and meaningful beneficiary involvement. 

• Oversee monitoring, evaluation and impact reporting to demonstrate the value and effectiveness of the charity’s work. 

• Champion safeguarding, inclusion, accessibility and dignity in all areas of service delivery. 

• Comply with Home-Start UK’s Quality Audit Policies and Process, to ensure the charity maintains a high standard of quality assurance. 

People, Culture and Organisational Development 

• Lead, support and develop the senior leadership team and staff, creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture. 

• Ensure the charity has the right structures, systems, skills and capacity to deliver its strategy. 

• Promote wellbeing, learning, accountability and collaboration across the organisation. 

• Ensure effective HR, performance management and recruitment practices are in place. 

Volunteer Leadership 

• Provide strategic leadership for the development and delivery of the charity’s volunteer strategy, ensuring it supports organisational priorities and beneficiary needs. 

• Oversee effective volunteer recruitment, induction, training, supervision, support, retention and recognition. 

• Ensure volunteers are valued, well-supported, appropriately deployed and able to contribute safely and confidently to the charity’s work. 

• Develop a sustainable volunteer workforce plan, identifying current and future volunteer capacity, skills and support requirements. 

• Promote a positive volunteering culture that reflects the charity’s values and strengthens engagement, inclusion and community connection. 

External Relations, Partnerships and Advocacy 

• Act as the public face and senior ambassador for the charity, representing it with credibility and confidence. 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with beneficiaries, partners, funders, commissioners, local communities, statutory bodies and sector networks. 

• Raise the charity’s profile and influence through effective communications, thought leadership and advocacy. 

• Promote collaboration and partnership working to extend reach, improve outcomes and strengthen sustainability. 

This is a pivotal senior leadership role with full strategic and operational accountability.  Leadership and exceptional communication skills will be critical as The DBR Foundation establishes and grows.  Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer will have a proven track record and experience as a CEO or in a similar executive leadership position.  An extensive knowledge of the implementation of charity governance will be essential in this role. 

The Chief Executive Officer will be responsible for the drafting and implementation of policies and procedures, ensuring financial sustainability, overseeing activities, memberships, fundraising and advocacy.

The Chief Executive Officer will have responsibility for recruitment and establishing a new team, resources and managing key relationships in line with the overall strategic policies, direction, goals and budget, for the purposes of advancing The DBR Foundation’s objectives, purpose and identity worldwide.

The DBR Foundation’s objectives are:

• The improvement of health by furthering the advancement of the theory and practice of Deep Brain Reorienting ("DBR")
• The relief of emotional and psychological distress wherever it may arise by the provision of appropriate DBR training and therapy
• The relief of poverty and distress wherever it may arise by the provision of humanitarian aid, by supporting other like-minded charities

Key Responsibilities

Leadership, Strategy & Organisational Direction:

• Lead strategic initiatives and sustainable organisational long-term development
• Drive sustainable growth and measurable impact
• Lead organisational strategy and service development
  

Operations & Service Quality:

• Oversee all operational delivery
• Ensure members are equipped with relevant, up-to-date, and impactful resources

Financial Management, Corporate Governance & Regulatory Compliance:

• Provide strong financial oversight and sustainability planning
• Ensure regulatory, and governance compliance
• Performance and risk overview to the Board of Trustees

Business Development & Commissioning:

•  Income strategy and fundraising
• Grant applications and partnership funding
• Building relationships and funder partnerships

 People & Values:

• Build a high performing operational team
• Establish a culture that reflects the core values and culture of the Foundation

External Engagement & Stewardship:

• Act as senior ambassador and spokesperson
• Represent the Foundation across statutory, voluntary, education and health sectors
• Strengthen partnerships and influence

Essential Skills:

• Senior leadership experience in the charity, public or social sector
• Strong organisational and operational management experience
• Experience working with a Board of Trustees
• Proven financial oversight and budget responsibility
• Experience delivering organisational strategy
• Fundraising or income generation leadership experience
• Strong partnership and stakeholder management skills
• Commissioning and contract delivery experience

We are seeking an enthusiastic and highly motivated Chief Executive to assume overall responsibility for the management of HMC. The purpose of this senior leadership role is to lead the organisation in fulfilling its purpose of supporting migrants in Hackney and the wider London community, ensuring they can access their rights and overcome injustices in the immigration and social welfare system.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a respected and well-established charity with deep roots in the communities we serve. Jigsaw4u has a strong reputation and dedicated staff and volunteers.

As CEO, you will provide strategic, operational and cultural leadership, working closely with the Board of Trustees, staff, volunteers and partners to ensure the delivery of high-quality services.  You will drive our strategic priorities, strengthen financial sustainability, build effective partnerships and foster an inclusive, high-performance culture.

We are seeking a values-driven leader who can inspire confidence, champion collaboration and innovation and deliver meaningful outcomes for children, young people and families.

York Travellers Trust (YTT) is seeking an inspiring, values-led Chief Executive to
lead our organisation through its next stage of development.

We work alongside the vibrant and resourceful Gypsy and Traveller communities of York and the surrounding area. We challenge discrimination and inequality, increase opportunities and life chances, and build bridges that promote understanding and community cohesion.

As Chief Executive, you will provide strategic leadership and hold overall responsibility for YTT’s performance, financial sustainability, governance, safeguarding and organisational development.

Working closely with our Board, staff and community members, you will:

 shape and deliver YTT’s strategic direction;
 strengthen our financial sustainability and develop new income opportunities;
 ensure our services remain effective, safe and responsive;
 build influential relationships with communities, funders, partners and
policymakers;
 champion the rights, needs and aspirations of Gypsy and Traveller
communities; and
 embed sociocratic and democratic ways of working so that community voices
genuinely shape our decisions.

We are looking for an experienced senior leader with a strong commitment to equality, social justice and community empowerment. You will have experience of leading in a charity, community organisation, public service or another values-led environment.

You will understand the strengths, needs and systemic barriers experienced by Gypsy and Traveller communities, gained through direct work with these communities or substantial experience alongside other marginalised groups.
You will combine strategic thinking with a collaborative, authentic and hands-on leadership style. You will also bring experience of managing people, working with a Board, overseeing finances, securing income and representing an organisation externally.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a trusted community organisation at an important point in its development. If you share our ambition for an inclusive, community-led and sustainable future, we would be delighted to hear from you.

The job description sets out the skills and experience we are looking for, but we know
that the right person may not tick every box. If you are passionate about our mission and bring significant relevant experience and the capacity to develop into the role, we would love to hear from you.

We are open to applications from people wishing to job share or looking for less than full-time hours; if this applies then let us know in your application.

Prospectus is delighted to be partnering with our client to recruit their next Chief Executive Officer.

The orgnisation is the UK's leading charity dedicated to improving the lives of people affected by Dravet Syndrome, a rare, severe and life-limiting neurological condition. Founded by parents in 2008, the charity has grown significantly and now supports hundreds of families across the UK through family support services, professional education, awareness raising and medical research.

As the charity enters its next phase of development, the organisation is seeking an ambitious and inspirational CEO to lead the organisation through its next stage of growth and impact.

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across the organisation, leading the delivery of the charity's future strategy while ensuring excellence in day-to-day operations. You will work closely with families, clinicians, researchers, industry partners, funders and policymakers, acting as a visible and credible ambassador for the charity across the sector.

This opportunity is ideally suited to a senior leader from a national charity or patient advocacy organisation who has successfully led organisational growth and transformation. You will bring experience of scaling services, income and organisational capacity, while retaining a strong understanding of hands-on leadership within a growing charity.

We are looking for a confident and influential leader with the presence and credibility to inspire supporters, stakeholders and partners, whether speaking at conferences, fundraising events or representing the charity nationally. Experience within a rare disease, neurological condition, disability, health or patient advocacy organisation would be highly advantageous, with direct rare disease experience particularly welcomed.

To be successful, you will bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience within a national charity, health or patient advocacy organisation.
• A proven track record of leading organisational growth and managing complexity through periods of change.
• Strong strategic and operational leadership skills, with the ability to balance long-term vision and day-to-day delivery.
• Outstanding relationship-building and stakeholder management capabilities.
• The confidence and presence to act as an engaging external ambassador and public spokesperson.
• A commitment to improving outcomes for individuals and families affected by complex health conditions.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a highly respected charity at an exciting time of progress and opportunity, including significant advances in rare disease research and treatment.
This role is home-based with regular UK travel and occasional international travel. Some evening and weekend work will be required.

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome all candidates to apply, regardless of age, sex/gender, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, marital status or pregnancy/maternity. If you have any disability and require reasonable adjustment/s to any part of the process, then please contact Catherine Bunting at Prospectus.

Recruitment timeline:
First round interviews (via Zoom) - Friday 18th September
Final round interviews (London) - Monday 28th September

Bible Society is on a mission to change the conversation about the Bible in culture. We want to see the Bible ‘translated’ into every part of life and society and, excitingly, we are having more and more opportunities to do this.

Global trends show that the world is becoming a less secular place. There is a growing spiritual openness particularly in China and sub-Saharan Africa. But in recent years, here in England and Wales, we are also seeing a burgeoning spiritual openness with well over a quarter of the public actively seeking greater meaning and purpose in their lives. The question is will they find the Bible as part of their search?

Bible Society have recently re-configured their leadership team to release the CEO to take up more of the external opportunities that are growing in both number and profile.

The Head of Office is a new role designed to help the CEO maximise the impact of these opportunities in two main ways: first by identifying and prioritising opportunities with the greatest potential, cultivating strategic relationships and partnerships, and marshalling the talents of the team internally so that the Bible Society is not only responding to opportunities as they arise but actively shaping the environment in which they operate, and secondly helping the CEO proactively curate an effective external engagement programme to communicate my core messages so that we can grow our missional impact in this season of openness.

This role sits at the intersection of strategic acceleration, external engagement, and the strengthening of relationships and influence across the wider sector. It will require skills in strategic thinking, public engagement and messaging, relationship building, decision-making around opportunities and project management.

Bible Society today combines the dynamism of innovation with the trust and tradition of a 222-year-old organisation. Our history is full of major innovations, daring exploits and significant impact. This is the time to join us if you want to be part of writing the next chapter…

For more details including how to apply please see the job pack. Closing date 31 August 2026.

Position: Deputy CEO

Reporting to: CEO

Location: London or Bath (hybrid working at either location)

Contract: Full-time, permanent

Salary range: £65,000 - £75,000 (dependent on experience)

Deadline: 18:00 (BST) on 11 September 2026 

EJF is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.

About the Role

Environmental destruction and human rights abuses are rarely separate crises - they are cause and effect. The Environmental Justice Foundation was founded on this understanding, and for two decades we have fought to protect the natural world and the people whose lives and freedoms depend on it.

We are seeking an exceptional Deputy CEO to help lead EJF into its next phase of growth and impact. This is an extremely rare opportunity to take on a crucial leadership role at a highly respected international NGO at a pivotal moment.

As Deputy CEO, you will play a central role in shaping EJF's strategic direction, team leadership and operational excellence, working in close partnership with the CEO and senior team to scale our impact, strengthen our global presence, generate new income, and ensure the organisation continues to deliver courageous, evidence-led change.

The Deputy CEO will take on critical tasks to enable the CEO to focus on delivering the strategic vision, providing vital leadership and development of EJF's programmes and governance. You will assume specific, nominated areas of programme management, supervising and guiding campaign and communications teams and providing a clear line of decision-making and direction.

The role will work closely with the CEO and senior leadership to continually improve the organisation's efficiency and effectiveness, entrench the ethos, vision and values that define our working culture, and help deliver the positive impact for the natural environment and the human rights that depend on it.

From strengthening governance and organisational performance to driving innovation, growth, and collaboration, you will be instrumental in maintaining an agile, resilient, impact-driven organisation capable of confronting some of the world's most urgent environmental challenges.

This role calls for an experienced and confident manager and leader with strategic vision, operational rigour, communications acumen and a deep commitment to biodiversity conservation and environmental justice. You will bring people together across cultures and disciplines, empower emerging leaders, and foster a high-performance, inclusive organisational culture. Externally, you will help represent EJF with credibility and influence, building alliances with funders, policymakers, partners, and frontline communities to accelerate systemic change.

Key Responsibilities

1. Mission and Purpose

● Alongside the CEO and Founding Director, continuously reaffirm and embed EJF's Mission, Vision and Values, ensuring they are deeply embedded across all programmes and teams to foster cohesion and strategic alignment globally.

● Safeguard our core mission of environmental justice and strengthening grassroots capacity in the Global South, ensuring that the organisation, across its multiple geographies and jurisdictions, adheres to this core purpose and scope.

● Articulate and deliver the highest possible professional standards, working culture and practice across all aspects of EJF's work.

2. Campaign Delivery, Amplification and Impact

● In close partnership with the CEO, guide and oversee the organisation's strategic and tactical approach across its operations and campaigns.

● Provide additional guidance, recommendations and scrutiny on the planning, production and release of reports, films and other campaign materials.

● Help shape EJF's external positioning, ensuring coherence between evidence, advocacy, partnerships and communications.

● Strengthen EJF's visibility and reach by engaging the media, attending and presenting at high-level meetings, liaising with key contacts and major funders, and acting as a spokesperson in the CEO's absence.

3. People, Culture and Leadership

● Help to further develop and support a high-performing Senior Management Team (SMT), individually and collectively, fostering accountability, collaboration and strong leadership practice.

● Guide and mentor teams to ensure they remain focused on delivering EJF's mission and priority objectives with strategic impact.

● Ensure fairness and equity for staff across the organisation, alongside consistently high standards of management.

● As directed by the CEO, serve in his absence to ensure the campaigns and programmes continue uninterrupted, working closely with the Senior Management Team (SMT).

4. Operations and Funding

● Work with the Operations Team to ensure EJF's exemplary operational efficiency across all areas of its work, championing continuous improvement of systems, processes and tools to strengthen efficiency, resilience and internal knowledge sharing.

● Work with the CEO, Founding Director, COO, and other team members to secure funding to support all our operations. This will require direct liaison with key donors, identifying new funding streams and ensuring compelling proposals, grant reports and updates are delivered on time.

● Ensure our operations across geographies and jurisdictions adopt a unified approach in all aspects of our work while respecting local contexts and needs.

5. Risk and Security

● Ensure that robust security and safeguarding measures are in place, regularly reviewed and actively embedded across teams.

● Contribute to organisational risk management, providing an additional oversight role for legal, reputational, political and operational risks across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring guidance and support are in place to secure compliance with relevant laws, regulations and ethical standards in all operating contexts.

Essential Experience, Skills and Attributes

We are seeking a values-driven, strategic leader with the judgement and organisational capability to help guide EJF through its next phase of growth and impact.

You will bring:

● Significant senior leadership experience (typically 10+ years), ideally 6+ years within the charity or not-for-profit sector.

● Proven success in programme design and delivery and organisational management, including oversight of complex budgets and resources.

● Strong financial acumen, with the ability to improve cost-effectiveness and maximise impact.

● Outstanding communication skills, including exceptional written English and the ability to engage diverse audiences, from teams to funders and senior decision-makers.

● Sound judgement and strategic thinking, with the ability to navigate complexity and make high-quality, values-led decisions, including in fast-moving or high-stakes environments.

● Strong people leadership, with experience building inclusive, high-performing teams, supporting senior colleagues, and developing emerging leaders across cultures and geographies.

● Experience contributing to organisational strategy, change, and governance, with confidence engaging boards and leading through growth or transition.

● A collaborative, diplomatic approach, combined with resilience, adaptability, and composure under pressure.

● Experience working in international or distributed organisations, and building effective external partnerships, including with donors, business partners and grassroots groups.

● An ability to travel internationally, occasionally at short notice.

● A clear commitment to EJF's Vision, Mission and Values, and to fostering a culture of excellence, equity, safeguarding, and impact.

While not essential, the following would be a strong advantage:

● Additional languages, particularly French, Spanish, Portuguese, or German.

● Professional media or communications experience, with demonstrable skills in shaping narratives, engaging audiences, and supporting organisational visibility.

● Experience in field research and/or investigations, ideally in complex or international contexts.

● Proven ability to manage projects, people, and budgets remotely, including supporting geographically dispersed teams.

What We Offer

In return for your leadership and commitment, we offer a rewarding package designed to support your well-being, flexibility, and professional growth:

● 30 days annual leave (including public holidays), increasing with each year of service, plus additional paid leave between Christmas/New Year.

● Private healthcare package.

● Generous pension scheme, with employer contributions increasing over time.

● Hybrid working (minimum 3 days in the office).

● Cycle-to-work scheme.

● A dynamic, supportive, and inclusive working environment, with genuine opportunities for professional development and career progression.

● The chance to play a senior leadership role in an organisation delivering real-world impact for people and planet.

Join Us

EJF's strength lies in a rare combination: deep, trusted relationships with grassroots communities on the front line of environmental destruction, and the expertise to turn that local knowledge into major campaigns that protect our oceans, our climate, and the ecosystems that sustain us all. As Deputy CEO, you will help ensure that strength keeps growing — sharpening the leadership, systems and teams that connect community action to global impact, from coastal fishing villages to the corridors of international policy.

At EJF, leadership means courage, integrity, and impact. As Deputy CEO, you will help steer campaigns that expose environmental crime, defend those on the frontlines, and secure lasting protections for ecosystems and communities alike. Together, we work to protect people by protecting the planet — and to build a fairer, more resilient future for all.

If you are ready to bring your skills to a mission that matters, we would love to hear from you.

Application

To apply, please use this link to upload your:

● Cover letter outlining your suitability and interest in the role (max 2 pages)

● CV (max 2 pages)

Deadline: 18:00 (BST) on 11 September 2026 

** We encourage early applications as we review on a rolling basis and may begin interviewing shortlisted candidates ahead of the deadline.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. No other communications or agencies, please.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK. EJF is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace.

The Organisation

Sported is one of the UK's leading sport-for-development charities, supporting more than 5,000 community groups across the UK to use sport and physical activity as a catalyst for positive social change. Through a combination of volunteer expertise, grants, learning and strategic partnerships, Sported helps grassroots organisations become stronger, more sustainable and more impactful.

Having undergone significant growth and transformation in recent years, Sported is entering an exciting new chapter. With a clear strategy, strong foundations and a respected national profile, the organisation is well positioned to increase its reach, influence and impact across communities throughout the UK.

The Role

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer will lead Sported through its next phase of growth and development. This is an opportunity to build on a strong platform, strengthening financial sustainability, deepening partnerships and increasing the organisation's influence across the sport and social impact sectors.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the delivery of Sported's strategy and long-term vision. 
• Strengthening income generation and long-term sustainability.
• Developing high-performing teams, culture and organisational capability.
• Acting as Sported's principal ambassador with key stakeholders, funders and partners.
• Increasing the organisation's profile, reach and influence nationally.
• Ensuring strong governance, operational performance and impact delivery.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a highly respected national charity and help shape the future of grassroots sport and community development across the UK.

The Candidate

We are seeking an ambitious, values-led leader with the credibility, strategic capability and

commercial acumen to guide Sported through its next chapter. Outstanding candidates may

come from a variety of sectors and backgrounds.

You will bring:

•  A successful track record of leading a complex organisation, business unit or function with responsibility for strategy, performance and delivery.
• Experience of organisational growth, transformation or performance improvement.
• A demonstrable ability to secure income, develop partnerships and build sustainable funding streams.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, balancing mission, impact and sustainability.
• Experience of working with Boards and building effective senior stakeholder relationships.
• A track record of leading and developing high-performing teams through change and growth.
• Excellent communication and ambassadorial skills, with the ability to represent Sported at the highest levels.
• A genuine commitment to Sported's mission and the role sport can play in creating stronger communities.

Previous Chief Executive experience would be welcomed, though it is not essential. Above all,

candidates will bring a genuine passion for sport for development and a strong belief in the

role sport and physical activity can play in tackling inequality, creating opportunity and

strengthening communities.

For further information and details on how to apply, please click to be apply this will redirect you to the application process.

Closing date for applications (CV and covering letter): 9am Thursday 17th September

Lord’s Taverners

The Lord’s Taverners exists to positively impact the lives of young people facing the challenges of inequality. Through inclusive and transformative cricket programmes, we empower young people with disabilities and from disadvantaged communities across the UK and beyond.

We are now seeking a senior professional, with significant knowledge and expertise as an Executive Assistant / Virtual Assistant to join our organisation. Reporting to the CEO, you will play a crucial key role supporting the chair of the board and their fellow trustees, as well as the CEO and the senior and middle leadership teams with a range of professional support functions that includes communications, diary management as well as meeting organisation, administration and management. You will be expected to lead wihout close supervision whilst you undertake key roles that will ensure the leadership and governance of the charity functions highly. You will need to be a confident at complex management in a fast paced environment, a proactive and very highly organised member of the team, capable of managing your own working pattern, stewarding and organising multiple stakeholders and are able to work very flexibility with wide ranging and varied work pattern.  

Salary: £38,000 - £42,000 FTE (pro‑rata £22,800 – £25,200 for 21 hours per week)

Contract: 21hrs per week Part Time, Permanent, 3 days per week.

The Role

This is a varied and rewarding role at the heart of Lord’s Taverners, providing essential support to the CEO, Trustee Board, and Leadership Teams. You will coordinate Board, Committee and leadership meetings, prepare agendas and papers, manage actions and governance records, and ensure the smooth running of key governance processes.

You will also provide high-level executive support to the CEO, managing diaries, travel, correspondence and briefing materials, while acting as a trusted point of contact for Trustees, senior leaders and external stakeholders.

Alongside this, you will help coordinate our head office operations and support strategic projects, contributing to an efficient, well-connected and high-performing organisation.

This is an excellent opportunity for an organised and proactive Executive Assistant who enjoys working with senior stakeholders, thrives on variety, and wants to make a meaningful impact within a purpose-driven charity.

About You

You will be an organised, proactive and highly professional individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and enjoys working with senior stakeholders. You will have exceptional attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining the highest levels of discretion and confidentiality.

You will bring:

• Experience providing executive or senior administrative support within a complex organisational environment.
• Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and competing demands.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the confidence to engage with senior stakeholders and produce high-quality correspondence and meeting documentation.
• Proven ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with professionalism, discretion and integrity.
• Strong Microsoft 365 skills, including Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Word and PowerPoint.
• The ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement and build effective working relationships across the organisation.
• A collaborative, flexible and proactive approach to work.
• A commitment to the values of Lord's Taverners and a belief in the power of sport to positively impact the lives of young people.

This role offers an exciting opportunity to work at the centre of a charity that is transforming the lives of young people through inclusive sport, while providing critical support to the organisation's leadership and helping to ensure the effective delivery of its strategic priorities.

At Lord’s Taverners, sport is a means to an end. We are looking for people who share our belief in sport’s power to change lives, and who are motivated by impact, inclusion and opportunity for young people. 

Above all, you will be motivated by our mission and aligned with our values: We Include, We Inspire, We Empower. 

Safeguarding 

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. 

This role requires an enhanced DBS check and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. In line with statutory guidance, applicants do not need to disclose youth cautions or any protected convictions or cautions. 

As part of our safer recruitment practices, an online search will be carried out on all shortlisted candidates. 

Benefits 

• 25 days annual leave + Bank Holidays 
• Five additional days between Christmas and New Year 
• 6% pension contribution 
• Group income protection 
• Critical illness cover 
• Life assurance 
• Health Cash Plan 
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay 
• Employee Assistance Programme 
• Two volunteering days 
• Birthday day off 
• Season ticket loan 
• Flexible working 
• Wellbeing plan 
•  

Key Dates

Applications open: 24 August 2026, 8:00am
Application deadline: 6 September 2026, 11:59pm

Please note we may close the vacancy early if we receive exceptional applications. Should this occur, all applicants will be notified.

Interviews scheduled:

First stage interviews: 9 and 10 September 2026
Second stage interviews: 14 September 2026
Third stage interviews: 17 September 2026 (TBC)
 

Interview Process

First Stage (Online)

The first stage will be a 45-minute online MS Teams interview. During this stage, we will ask a range of competency-based questions to explore your experience, skills, suitability for the role, and how your values, attitude, and approach align with our culture and ways of working.

Second Stage (In Person)

The second stage will be a 60-minute, in-person assessment and interview at our London office. During this stage, you will complete a practical activity and discuss your approach, thinking, and decisions with the interview panel. This assessment is designed to explore your prioritisation and judgement, organisation and planning skills, and written communication. We will also ask questions to understand how you approach challenges, make decisions, and work collaboratively with others.

Third Stage (Online)

The third stage will be a 45-minute online conversation with members of our Trustee Board.

This stage is less formal and provides an opportunity for us to get to know each other better. We will explore your motivations, values, and working style, as well as what you are looking for in your next role. It is also a chance for you to learn more about our organisation, our Trustees, and the culture and values that guide our work.

The conversation is designed to help us understand how we would work together and ensure there is a strong mutual fit for both you and the organisation.

Accessibility

We want every candidate to feel comfortable and able to perform at their best. If you require any adjustments or support to take part in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate.

Location note:please see location information below - we actively encourage applications from people across Europe, and a relocation package is available for candidates moving to either country if necessary.

Lead the strategy and team behind Europe’s push for protein diversification.

The Good Food Institute Europe (GFI Europe) is a nonprofit think tank at the forefront of the movement to transform meat production in order to solve some of the world’s biggest problems, from climate change and global hunger to antibiotic resistance and animal suffering. Our vision is a thriving world, fed sustainably.

With a nonprofit entity in Belgium, a branch in the UK and colleagues working from seven other countries that make up GFI Europe, we are also part of an international network of affiliates. We advance the science, policies and investment needed to make plant-based, cultivated and fermentation-made meat delicious, affordable and accessible across Europe. Please check out the rest of our website, our 2025 Year in Review and our 2025 Europe highlights blog post to find out more about who we are and what we do.

We are looking for an Executive Director to lead GFI Europe’s strategy and team, play a key role in shaping and advancing GFI’s global strategy, and foster the relationships and organisational strength needed to accelerate the shift towards a resilient and sustainable food system.

How you will make a difference 

You will have high responsibility and high impact. Reporting to, and appointed by, the Board of GFI Europe, you will lead a ~50-person team working from nine European countries. 

You will:

• Enable strategic focus:

  • Align the team around a clear and compelling organisational direction that aligns with the GFI network’s mission and theory of change.

  • Translate organisational direction into high-level priorities in collaboration with GFI Europe’s Leadership Team.

  • Ensure Europe’s strategic decisions are made well – soliciting the right input from the right people, preserving autonomy in areas of specific expertise, and making decisions when organisation-wide trade-offs are required.

  • Take ultimate responsibility for maximising outcomes and impact in pursuit of our mission.

• Provide leadership to the team:

  • Empower, develop and inspire a high-performing, people-centric team. 

  • Lead GFI Europe’s Leadership Team, formed of six department heads, ensuring they continue to function on a ‘first-team’ basis to achieve organisational objectives. 

  • Champion and uphold a values-driven culture built upon transparency, autonomy, collaboration, accountability, and psychological safety. Champion the integration of diversity, equity and inclusion into the team’s day-to-day work.

• Represent GFI Europe in GFI’s international network:

  • Participate in international strategic and coordination workstreams as a member of GFI’s Regional Leadership Group, comprising GFI’s affiliate leads.

  • Act as the primary liaison between GFI’s affiliates and European teams on strategies, processes and goals. Ensure the Europe team can successfully connect with, influence, support and navigate a complex international network, including global workstreams such as fundraising and impact reporting.

  • Participate in discussions about global strategy and resource allocation so as to maximise GFI’s overall mission impact, including communicating GFI Europe’s strategy, resourcing needs and contributions as part of the international GFI network.

• Represent GFI Europe in front of donors and external stakeholders:

  • Work closely with global and Europe-based fundraising teams to help ensure GFI achieves its fundraising goals.

  • Build and maintain strong relationships with donors, prospective supporters and key stakeholders.

  • Serve as a public representative of, and spokesperson for, the organisation by speaking at conferences, events, and with the media. 

• Oversee organisational health:

  • Ensure strong governance, legal compliance, financial sustainability and reporting in partnership with the Board and the Head of Operations. 

  • Be the main legal representative of the organisation, reviewing and signing all legally relevant agreements and organisational documents.

• Perform other duties as appropriate.

Core capabilities needed to succeed in this role:

• Mission alignment. A passion for GFI’s philosophy and mission.

• Strategic judgement. Strong analytical skills and sound judgement, being able to absorb and process a range of types of information, understand the activities that GFI undertakes, and provide leadership and guidance to team members. You have the experience and ability to make strategic trade-offs across projects, functions, teams, countries/regions, programmes, etc – weighing resource allocation, prioritising impact, and communicating those decisions clearly and inclusively to stakeholders. 

• Thoughtful leadership. You align teams behind a clear and impactful vision. You know when to persevere and when to change course, and have led people, both directly and indirectly, to deliver impact. You trust the people closest to the work to make decisions, and you address hard topics when they truly matter. You own mistakes and make a genuine effort to learn and grow from them. You are intentional about remote leadership.

• Understanding the wider context. You can make sense of the political, economic and cultural forces shaping Europe’s food system today and are adept at drawing on patterns and ideas from outside our field to identify possible implications for GFI Europe’s next move. 

• Excellent people skills. High emotional intelligence and an ability to diplomatically engage across perspectives, being able to build and maintain trust with colleagues and stakeholders across multiple cultures, viewpoints and needs within Europe and beyond. 

• Financial literacy. Skilled at overseeing substantial financial resources, including partnering with the operations team on resource allocation. You have held accountability for a significant organisational budget and can interpret financial data to make sound, well-informed decisions.

• Fundraising acumen. You understand how GFI’s strategy, culture, and mission impact shape the organisation’s ability to raise funds and steward donors, and you’re enthusiastic about partnering with the fundraising team to make this happen. You bring an understanding of the philanthropic sector and donor relationships, or of fundraising in other sectors (eg, the private sector or government), while deferring to the fundraising team’s expertise on how donor relationships are best managed.

• Strong communication skills. An ability to convincingly articulate and explain our mission and work and to represent the organisation in the media, with programmatic stakeholders, and with donors. Comfort adapting your tone and message for different audiences across diverse cultures, and excellent verbal and written English skills.

• Flexible approach to work. We estimate that travel will account for approximately six weeks of the year. This will likely consist of two GFI Europe team-wide retreats (3-5 days each), one leadership retreat (2-3 days), other sporadic trips generally lasting 1-3 days, and occasional longer trips of approximately 5-7 days (for conferences and donor or partner meetings across Europe and internationally). In addition, you will need occasional flexibility in your working hours to accommodate coordination with other affiliates around the world.

• Integrity. You do what you say you’ll do, and are discreet when handling confidential information.

It would be an advantage to have the following, though none are prerequisites:

• Sector familiarity. Familiarity with or experience working in the food system, alternative proteins or an adjacent sector in Europe.

• Impact leadership. Strong knowledge and/or experience of being part of the leadership team of a nonprofit, think tank or other social impact-focused organisation.

• Governance and compliance experience. Experience with legal representation and board reporting, and/or experience working on nonprofit compliance, especially in Belgium.

• Fundraising partnership experience. You’ve contributed to fundraising in a supportive capacity – whether managing a fundraising function, advising on donor and prospect strategy, joining donor conversations alongside a development team, or shaping fundraising strategy at an executive level.

• Network experience. Experience working in one or more network models (eg, affiliate or franchise-style, federation, confederation, etc).

• Languages. The ability to work in European languages in addition to English.

The Fine Print:

• Terms of employment: Full-time (flexible hours), permanent. 

• Location: This role can be based in either Belgium or the United Kingdom, where GFI Europe has established entities and where you must have the right to work. We actively encourage applications from people across Europe, and a relocation package is available for candidates moving to either country if necessary.

  • Relocation support will be provided with a budget of up to £8,000 in the UK or €8,700 in Belgium, which can be used for transport, temporary housing, and other relocation expenses deemed necessary.

• Salary and benefits: The salary and benefits packages for all of our roles are researched and benchmarked based on similar nonprofit roles in the country/location of hire. 

  • Belgium: €7,900-€8,900 gross monthly salary (€109,925-€123,907 annually including 13th month and holiday pay).

    • Plus benefits including home-working allowance (if applicable), meal vouchers, eco vouchers, and professional development allocation.

  • United Kingdom: £90,500-£104,000 gross annual salary.

• You can read more about our wider benefits offering on our website. 

• Right to work requirements: The successful candidate must, by the start of the employment, have permission to work in the country where they are based for the role, and be able to travel within the EU and internationally.

• Application Deadline: 13 September 2026, 11.59pm CEST. We will get back to all candidates after that date, no matter the outcome of their application.

• Right to work requirements: The successful candidate must, by the start of the employment, have permission to work in the country where they are based for the role, and be able to travel within the EU and internationally.