4 Assistant chief executive jobs in Birmingham

Permanent | Full-time 

Salary: £58,560 – £71,480 per annum

Hours: 35 per week

Location: Home-based with regular national travel 

Job reference number: 1766

Help shape the future of Cranstoun’s services 

Cranstoun is a social justice and harm reduction charity supporting and empowering people to live healthier and safer lives. Each year, we support more than 45,000 people through services including substance use, criminal justice, domestic abuse, housing and services for children and young people. 

Following a successful five-year strategy and significant growth, we remain ambitious about the difference we can make. As we enter our next phase, we are investing in the leadership and operational capability needed to support our continued development. We are now recruiting an Assistant Directors of Service to join our senior management team.

This is a significant senior leadership role offering the opportunity to lead substantial service portfolios while helping shape how Cranstoun’s services are led and delivered across the organisation. 

The role

Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will lead a substantial portfolio of complex commissioned services and senior operational managers. 

You will lead eight services with nine direct reports, spanning substance use and services for children and young people. You will have clear accountability for ensuring services are safe, effective and well-led, with strong contractual performance, financial sustainability and positive outcomes for the people and communities we support. 

You will provide operational grip and evidence-based assurance, strengthen safeguarding and management accountability, build effective relationships with commissioners and partners, and ensure risks and underperformance are identified, escalated and addressed early. 

You will also work collectively with fellow senior operational leaders to embed a One Cranstoun approach, strengthening common standards, sharing learning, developing leadership capability and improving quality and resilience across our services. 

What you will be accountable for 

As an Assistant Director, you will take senior operational accountability for: 

• Safe, effective and well-led services – ensuring strong safeguarding, quality, operational risk management and service user outcomes.  
• Contractual performance – ensuring services deliver against contractual requirements and KPIs, with strong commissioner relationships and timely action to address underperformance.  
• Financial sustainability – maintaining strong financial oversight, effective workforce management and oversight of the sustainability of individual contracts.  
• Evidence-based assurance – using reliable performance, quality, workforce and financial information to identify risks and drive improvement.  
• Collective organisational leadership – working beyond individual portfolio boundaries to build consistent standards, stronger leadership and shared ways of working across Cranstoun.  

You will lead and develop senior operational managers, set clear expectations and create a culture in which support and accountability operate together. 

You will also lead and contribute to service mobilisation, transformation, workforce planning and continuous improvement. 

Who we are looking for 

We are looking for established senior operational leaders with substantial experience leading complex commissioned services and geographically dispersed teams. 

You will bring a strong track record of: 

• leading safe, high-quality services for people with complex needs;  
• safeguarding, quality and operational risk management;  
• contract and performance management;  
• managing significant service budgets and improving financial performance;  
• building effective relationships with commissioners, regulators and strategic partners;  
• leading service improvement, mobilisation and organisational change;  
• developing senior operational managers and addressing underperformance; and  
• using performance, quality, workforce and financial information to provide assurance and drive improvement.  

You will need to combine strategic leadership with operational pragmatism, understanding the detail when necessary while maintaining oversight of performance, risk, quality and sustainability across a complex portfolio. 

Above all, we are looking for collaborative, credible and values-led leaders who can support and challenge in equal measure, build leadership capability and bring people together around common standards and organisational priorities. 

Specialist experience 

For this role, significant senior leadership experience within substance use services is essential, including experience of leading CQC-regulated provision and maintaining high standards of quality, safety and regulatory compliance. 

You will also need a strong understanding of safeguarding and the governance required to deliver safe and effective services for children and young people. Direct operational experience of Children & Young People services would be valuable, but we are equally interested in candidates who can demonstrate strong safeguarding and CYP governance experience alongside substantial substance use leadership. 

This permanent appointment offers the opportunity to provide long-term leadership to a significant portfolio and help shape the future development of Cranstoun’s services. 

Be part of Cranstoun’s next chapter 

Our successful five-year strategy has seen Cranstoun grow considerably, extending our reach and the range of services we provide. We remain ambitious and innovative, committed to developing services that respond to the changing needs of people and communities. 

As we look to the future, we are investing in the leadership, operational capability and organisational infrastructure needed to support our continued development, strengthening operational governance, consistency and assurance across our services. 

This role offers the opportunity to do more than manage established portfolios. You will help shape the future of our services and build an Operations Directorate characterised by high standards, clear accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement. 

Find out more 

Please refer to the accompanying recruitment pack for the full Job Description, Person Specification and details of the application process.

Please note: All posts are subject to an Enhanced DBS check.

How to Apply:

For more details and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button. Please quote the appropriate Job Ref in all correspondence.

Applicants must be able to provide satisfactory evidence of their right to work in the UK at the application stage.

Sponsorship is not available for this post. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK that does not require employer sponsorship for the duration of the appointment.

Closing date: Sunday 20 September 2026.

We are an inclusive employer, committed to promoting equality and diversity in all areas of our work. 

Registered Charity No: 1061582

About RMC

RMC Charity (RMC) is an established, award winning, regional charity working across the West Midlands to support newcomers and people facing barriers to accessing services, rights and opportunities.

RMC is a growing and ambitious organisation. As we continue to develop our services, partnerships and organisational infrastructure, we are strengthening the support available to our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Trustee Board.

We’re also embarking on an exciting new asset development project, which will represent a significant long-term investment in the organisation and its future. The project is expected to be sizeable and complex, involving a range of external parties, professional advisers, stakeholders and partners, and will develop over the next two years and beyond.

The Senior Executive Assistant will play an important role in supporting the SLT through this period, including helping to coordinate meetings, information, actions and communications involving external parties. The postholder will need to bring structure, organisation and follow-through to a lengthy and evolving programme of work, ensuring that key actions, decisions, commitments and deadlines are effectively tracked.

We are looking for an exceptional Senior Executive Assistant who can operate at a senior level, bring structure and discipline to executive and governance activity, and act as a trusted partner to the SLT and the Board.

This is not simply an administrative role. The postholder will be an important part of how RMC ensures that decisions are followed through, commitments are delivered, information flows effectively and governance remains strong.

About the Role:

The Senior Executive Assistant will provide high-level executive, governance and organisational support to the SLT, working particularly closely with the CEO and Executive Director of Services.

The postholder will manage complex diaries and relationships, support the effective operation of the Trustee Board, prepare high-quality information and reports, and ensure that important actions and commitments do not get lost.

The successful candidate will have the confidence to work with senior leaders and managers, trustees and external stakeholders while maintaining the highest levels of discretion and professionalism.

They will also be someone who is prepared to "keep the executives honest" constructively challenging where appropriate, identifying gaps, following up on commitments and helping the SLT to anticipate and manage organisational risks.

Key Responsibilities

1. Trustee Board and Governance

• Coordinate the effective administration and operation of Trustee Board meetings, including scheduling meetings, preparing agendas and papers, circulating documentation and managing follow-up actions
• Attend Trustee Board meetings and produce accurate, concise and timely minutes and records of decisions
• Maintain an effective system for tracking Board decisions and actions and ensure that these are followed through
• Act as an important conduit between the Trustee Board and SLT, ensuring appropriate information flows between governance and executive leadership
• Support the SLT in maintaining an effective overview of governance requirements, deadlines, decisions and actions
• Maintain appropriate governance records and documentation and support the preparation of relevant papers
• Identify gaps, inconsistencies or emerging governance issues and appropriately flag these to the SLT
• Maintain absolute confidentiality in relation to Board discussions and sensitive organisational matters 

2. Executive Support and Diary Management

• Provide high-level diary management and executive support to the CEO and Executive Director of Services
• Proactively manage complex and competing priorities, identifying diary conflicts and resolving them before they become problems
• Help executives prioritise meetings and commitments according to organisational importance and strategic priorities
• Ensure executives are properly prepared for important meetings by coordinating papers, briefings, agendas and relevant information
• Arrange travel, accommodation, meeting logistics and expenses where required
• Manage meeting schedules involving internal teams, trustees, funders, partners, commissioners and other external stakeholders
• Act as an appropriate first point of contact on behalf of the SLT, maintaining positive and professional relationships
• Support the SLT in coordinating the new asset development project, which will involve a significant programme of work over the next two years and require engagement with a range of external parties
• Coordinate meetings and communications with external professionals, partners, funders, and other parties involved in the asset project
• Maintain an overview of key milestones, deadlines, and dependencies associated with the project and ensure that the relevant members of the SLT are appropriately briefed
• Ensure important commitments, deadlines and follow-up actions are tracked and completed as well as anticipate the needs of the Executives and proactively identify issues before they arise

3. Executive Information and Reporting

• Draft, edit and coordinate reports, briefing papers, presentations and other executive-level documentation
• Compile information from across the organisation and turn it into clear, concise and useful briefings, identifying areas requiring further consideration and raise these appropriately
• Prepare agendas and supporting information for SLT, Senior Management Team (SMT) and other senior meetings
• Attend relevant meetings and produce precise, action-focused minutes and records
• Support the preparation of information for strategy sessions, appraisals and organisational reviews
• Ensure that information presented to senior leaders is accurate, appropriately sourced and clearly communicated

4. Leadership Accountability and Organisational Follow-Through

A key part of this role will be ensuring that decisions and commitments made by the SLT translate into action.

The postholder will;

• Maintain oversight of key leadership and senior management commitments and actions
• Track commitments made to staff, service users, trustees, partners and other stakeholders
• Prompt senior leaders and managers where actions or deadlines are approaching or have not been completed
• Identify gaps between agreed decisions and implementation
• Constructively challenge where commitments appear to be at risk of being missed
• Help the SLT maintain visibility of emerging organisational risks, issues and dependencies
• Support the SLT to maintain oversight of the asset development project, ensuring that key actions, deadlines and dependencies are captured and followed through
• Help coordinate the flow of information between the SLT and the range of external parties involved in the asset project, ensuring that requests, actions and decisions are appropriately followed up
• Help the SLT maintain visibility of emerging organisational and project risks, issues and dependencies
• Escalate concerns appropriately and proportionately
• Support a culture of accountability, transparency and delivery

This will require judgement and courage. The successful candidate must be comfortable respectfully challenging senior colleagues when something does not look right, while maintaining trust and confidentiality.

5. Relationships and Communication

• Communicate confidently and professionally with people at all levels of the organisation
• Contribute to the existing environment where colleagues feel able to share concerns, provide candid information and challenge decisions appropriately
• Handle sensitive conversations with empathy, discretion and objectivity
• Represent the SLT professionally when communicating with internal and external stakeholders
• Maintain appropriate boundaries and confidentiality at all time

Person Specification:

Essential Criteria:

Executive support and organisation

• Minimum 5 years’ experience of providing high-level executive, senior administrative or governance support
• Excellent organisational and time-management skills
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities and complex schedules
• Exceptional attention to detail and ability to work accurately under pressure
• Experience preparing professional reports, briefings, minutes and correspondence
• Strong written and verbal communication skills 

Governance

• Understanding of effective governance and the relationship between trustees and senior leadership
• Experience supporting Boards, committees or senior-level meetings
• Ability to understand complex information and identify actions, risks and gaps
• Strong understanding of confidentiality and appropriate information handling

Technology

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft 365, particularly Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Teams
• Confidence using CRM systems, digital collaboration platforms and online meeting tools
• Ability to use technology to improve organisation, information management and workflow

Judgement and Discretion

• Demonstrable ability to handle highly confidential and sensitive information
• Excellent professional judgement and understanding of when information should be shared, withheld or escalated
• Ability to remain calm, balanced and objective in difficult or sensitive situations

Suitable Candidate Leadership Profile

We are particularly interested in people who demonstrate the following qualities:

• High Courage - You will need the confidence to ask difficult questions, challenge assumptions and respectfully tell senior colleagues when something needs attention
• Deep Empathy - You will understand that leadership decisions affect real people. You will listen carefully, understand different perspectives and approach sensitive situations with humanity
• Sharp Objectivity - You will be able to separate facts from assumptions, remain impartial and provide senior leaders with an honest and clear view of an issue – even when that view may be uncomfortable
• Strategic Thinking - You will understand the bigger picture. You will not simply manage diaries and actions; you will understand why they matter, how they connect to RMC's priorities and where a missed action or emerging issue could create wider organisational risk

What Success Looks Like

Within this role, success will mean:

• The CEO and Executive Director of Services are well organised, properly briefed and able to focus on strategic priorities
• Trustee Board meetings are well planned, professional and supported by accurate information and records
• Board and SLT decisions are translated into clear actions and followed through
• Important commitments do not get lost
• Risks, gaps and emerging issues are identified early and appropriately escalated
• Information provided to senior leaders is accurate, concise and useful
• Internal and external relationships are handled professionally and with discretion
• The SLT has a trusted partner who can provide challenge as well as support
• RMC's governance and executive functions operate with greater consistency, discipline and accountability

The Person We Are Looking For

We are looking for someone who is more than an administrator.

You will be highly organised, but also intellectually curious. You will be discreet, but not passive. You will be supportive of senior leaders, but willing to challenge them. You will be empathetic, but able to remain objective. You will be comfortable dealing with detail while keeping sight of the wider strategic picture.

Above all, you will be someone the SLT and Trustee Board can trust completely, someone who will see what needs to be done, make sure it happens, and have the courage to speak up when it doesn't.

Flexibility 

In order to deliver the stated aims of this post, a degree of flexibility is needed and the post holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. This could include data, administrative and/or project support to other cross-organisational departments. Such duties will fall within the scope of the job within the appropriate pay grade. The job description will therefore be subject to periodic review with the post holder to ensure it accurately reflects the duties that are being performed.

Equal Opportunities

We're an equal opportunity employer, which means we'll consider all suitably qualified applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or beliefs, age, sexual orientation, disability status or any other protected characteristic. We recruit and develop our people based on merit and their passion for creating better outcomes, and we're committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Closing Date:  Thursday 1^st October 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, if we receive enough suitable applications to take forward to interview prior to the published closing date.

Please note that RMC is not a sponsoring organisation. If your visa requires an extension within the next 12 months with the support of employer sponsorship, the RMC Charity is unable to provide assistance with this.

Grade: 4

Salary: £44,080 per year

Position Type: Full-time, 37.5 hours week, Permanent (flexible working considered)

Responsible to: Senior Philanthropy and Partnerships Manager

Direct reports: None

Location: Remote (UK), within reasonable commuting distance to London to accommodate regular donor meetings. This may be up to once a week. Additionally, there will be two trips per year to our HQ in Truro, Cornwall.

ROLE PURPOSE

Sitting within our Philanthropy & Partnerships team, you will play a pivotal role in securing the philanthropic support that makes ShelterBox's work possible. By identifying, qualifying and developing major donor opportunities from our supporter base, networks and wider community, you will help connect more people with our mission to ensure no one is without shelter after disaster.

At the heart of this role is building and strengthening the major donor pipeline. You will proactively analyse data, identify high-potential prospects, uncover valuable connections and work with colleagues across the organisation to create opportunities for supporters to deepen their engagement with ShelterBox. Through strategic prospect research, qualification and relationship building, you will help move individuals from initial interest to meaningful philanthropic partnerships.

Working closely with colleagues across Philanthropy & Partnerships, senior leadership, volunteers and key stakeholders, you will develop and implement tailored cultivation plans that create pathways to giving and maximise the long-term potential of prospective donors. You will support the delivery of bespoke engagement opportunities, proposals and communications drawing on ShelterBox's powerful humanitarian mission, compelling stories and tangible impact to engage diverse audiences and inspire long-term philanthropic support.

You will also play a key role in coordinating the Philanthropy Advisory Board and supporting events and activities that help expand networks, generate introductions and unlock opportunities to engage prospective major donors with ShelterBox's work.

Through strategic pipeline development, relationship building and effective use of data, insight and networks, you will help grow a thriving community of future major donors whose investment enables families affected by disaster, conflict and climate-related crises to access shelter, safety and a foundation for recovery.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for a proactive and strategic fundraiser with a talent for identifying opportunities, building relationships and developing a strong pipeline of future major donors.

You will be naturally curious and enjoy analysing data, researching prospects and uncovering opportunities to deepen engagement with existing supporters. Equally comfortable networking with supporters, volunteers, senior stakeholders, and professional contacts, you will be confident initiating conversations, and skilled at connecting people to ShelterBox's work whilst creating meaningful pathways towards philanthropy.

You will have excellent communication, influencing and project management skills, enabling you to coordinate multiple prospects, cultivation activities and stakeholder relationships simultaneously. Highly organised and confident using CRM systems, supporter insight and prospect research tools, you will be experienced in managing and progressing a pipeline, ensuring opportunities are effectively qualified, cultivated and moved through the donor journey.

This is an exciting opportunity for a major donor fundraiser who enjoys opening doors, creating new opportunities, building meaningful supporter engagement and converting warm prospects into committed philanthropic supporters whose generosity will help families affected by disaster.

DUTIES WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

• Effectively manage a portfolio of major donors: developing strong and personal relationships, delivering bespoke stewardship and communication plans to ensure donors feel part of ShelterBox; providing them with inspiring stories, unique engagement opportunities, and strong impact reporting.
• Work with the ShelterBox team and key external influencers, connectors, partners and/or networks to grow and steward the major donor pipeline, cultivating relationships with new audiences.
• Develop a wide range of compelling communications for prospects and existing major donors including proposals, reports, and deliver concise and engaging updates via email, phone and in person.
• Work with the Senior Philanthropy and Partnerships Manager, Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships, Director of Fundraising and Communications, and CEO to steward to the top high-level donors.
• Working with the Head of Philanthropy & Partnerships to refine and implement the major donor strategy.
• Work closely with the Stewardship and Research Officer and Philanthropy & Partnerships Assistant to carry out targeted prospect research, and develop bespoke and strategic cultivation plans for prospective donors currently in the pipeline.
• Support with the development and implementation of cultivation and stewardship events to deepen donor engagement and reach new audiences.
• Utilise the grant management system when securing restricted income (i.e. tracking pipeline, asks, restricted income secured, reporting requirements).
• Act as the subject matter expert (SME) to provide knowledge and expertise in major donor fundraising and the wider ShelterBox team (UK and global affiliates).
• Maximise the benefits of the CRM to create and implement cultivation and stewardship journeys for high-level funders, keeping records updated and following Data Protection regulations.
• Be active in the fundraising sector, know and follow the latest fundraising legislation and codes of practice, seek out peer learning and peer mentoring opportunities, network and contribute.
• Represent ShelterBox as required and always work in line with our aims, values and plans.
• As part of an emergency organisation there will be times when you will be required to work evenings and weekends at short notice in response to a disaster
• Any other duties as required which are deemed appropriate to the level and grade of the post.