Chief Executive Officer – The Abbey Centre
Location: The Abbey Centre, Westminster, London (site-based role, flexible working available)
Salary: £90,000 – £95,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent (Full-time, 37.5 hours/week; regular evening attendance for events as required)
Could you lead a much-loved community hub through its next chapter of stability, growth and civic impact?
About The Abbey Centre
Our charity has served the community of south Westminster since 1948 and has occupied The Abbey Centre building, a converted Victorian public bath house a stone’s throw from Westminster Abbey, since 1991. We are a site-based community hub and social enterprise, combining community services, training and outreach with venue hire, an on-site café and catering to generate income that supports our charitable work.
We work across employability, health and wellbeing, volunteering and practical support for vulnerable residents; the Centre welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds, and sees over 1,000 visits each week. Our strong partnerships with Westminster City Council, statutory bodies and corporate donors underpin commissioned activity and solidify our position as a trusted local delivery partner.
This is an opportunity for a visionary but hands-on leader to preserve the Centre’s warm, inclusive culture and outstanding reputation while further professionalising systems, developing our income, and shaping a multi-year strategy that secures the building and grows impact.
As our next Chief Executive Officer, you will:
• Strategy & Impact: lead a collaborative listening phase and then develop and deliver a 3–5 year strategy and rolling business plan that defines the Centre’s core offer and impact targets.
• Governance & Finance: own the annual budget and medium-term financial modelling, deliver full-cost recovery across activity lines and present timely, accurate management information to trustees.
• Operational Leadership: ensure continuity of community services, venue trading and café operations and strengthen operational systems including safeguarding, H&S and business continuity.
• Income Generation: drive commercial performance of venue hire, events and catering, professionalise fundraising (major donors, legacies, corporate partnerships) and lead bids for multi-year statutory contracts.
• Community & Partnerships: sustain and deepen strategic relationships with Westminster City Council, commissioners, local partners and corporate supporters to secure commissioned work and philanthropic income.
• Estate Stewardship: manage day-to-day stewardship of the Centre’s significant ageing building, overseeing maintenance, lease/compliance obligations and contractor relationships.
• People & Culture: build a cohesive senior team, embed clear role accountabilities, performance management and development, and protect the Centre’s welcoming culture while managing change.
• Brand & Profile: act as a visible ambassador locally and with funders to raise the Centre’s profile and champion its social value.
Who you are:
• A seasoned senior leader with proven experience in a small/medium charity, community organisation or social enterprise that combines front-line delivery with significant premises/estate responsibility.
• Demonstrable track record of leading strategic development and delivering organisational growth while balancing hands-on operational leadership.
• Strong commercial and earned-income expertise, with experience of running successful commercial – ideally site-based - operations.
• Confident in winning and managing statutory contracts and multi-year grant programmes; credible with local authorities, commissioners and corporate partners.
• Financially literate with direct budget and cash-flow accountability and experience of full-cost recovery modelling.
• A collaborative, visible and warm ambassador who builds trust quickly, communicates clearly and can present concise management information to trustees.
Why The Abbey Centre?
• A powerful mission: deliver practical services, companionship and opportunity for south Westminster residents in a civic, high-impact setting.
• A prominent, historic central Westminster location and a cherished community building offering scope for strategic estate planning and growth.
• A warm, loyal staff team and an engaged board navigating a positive leadership transition.
• A social enterprise model where successful trading directly funds frontline services and creates a platform for entrepreneurial leadership.
• The opportunity to shape a multi-year strategy that secures the long-term future of the charity and grows its impact in the community.
For full details of the role including how to apply, please download the full appointment brief. For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill via the apply button with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile which will be treated with the strictest confidence.
Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 12th January 2026
As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.
Recruitment Agency 
21 - 50
Thank you!
ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle the climate crisis, protect nature, improve workers’ rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society’s best interests at its core.
Our Fundraising Team is formed of three fundraising strands, an established Trust & Foundation (T&F) grants programme, a developing high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) programme and a digital fundraising stream raising income from the public.
We are seeking a Trusts & Major Gifts Senior Fundraising Manager to expertly cultivate and steward T&F and HNWI relationships to secure new and existing funding opportunities.
Position
As part of the Fundraising Team, you will play a pivotal role in driving ShareAction’s fundraising strategy and enabling the organisation to deliver its mission. Reporting to the Head of Fundraising, you will lead your own portfolio of high-value trusts and foundations, securing major multi-year partnerships that underpin the organisation’s work. You will also play a key role in developing our major gifts programme, cultivating relationships with high-net-worth individuals and bringing six- and seven-figure philanthropic support on board.
You will be building on the momentum of our fundraising growth, playing a vital role in supporting the organisation’s sustainability and enabling us to deliver even greater impact in a ‘transition’ year where we are launching our new five-year strategy.
A typical week will involve researching and identifying new prospects, managing and deepening relationships with existing donors, and developing compelling propositions aligned with ShareAction’s five-year strategy. You will collaborate with colleagues across teams, ensuring a coordinated and strategic approach to fundraising and keeping senior staff and trustees informed of pipeline and cultivation plans. Line management and development of the Major Donor Manager is a critical element of the role, providing coaching, guidance, and oversight to deliver against the major gifts strategy.
You will also attend funder and prospect meetings in London, deliver excellent stewardship to retain and grow support, and monitor activity and track progress using Salesforce and project management tools. Staying up to date with sector trends and philanthropy developments, you will ensure ShareAction maintains a forward-looking and innovative approach to fundraising.
Through building strong relationships with stakeholders, delivering impactful propositions, and developing a high-performing team, you will help ShareAction secure the resources it needs to drive meaningful change and advance its mission of responsible investment and financial system reform.
If this role sounds like something that would build on your current skill set and engage you, we’d love to hear from you!
What you’ll bring to the team
We want to hear from you if you have significant experience in fundraising from trusts and foundations and major gifts, with a proven track record of securing six-figure, multi-year gifts and managing long-term philanthropic relationships. You’ll be highly skilled at building and sustaining networks with senior internal and external stakeholders, including trustees, programme directors, CEOs, and family offices, and you’ll be confident operating at the highest levels to inspire support for ShareAction’s mission.
This role would suit someone who enjoys developing compelling fundraising propositions, identifying and cultivating new opportunities, and working strategically to grow income streams. You will be an excellent relationship manager with sophisticated communication skills, persuasive writing ability, and the capacity to influence and inspire colleagues and donors alike. Exceptional organisational skills, entrepreneurial thinking, and strategic insight are essential, as is the ability to line-manage, coach, and develop the Major Donor Manager to achieve ambitious goals.
While experience with international fundraising, campaigning NGOs, or financial sector knowledge is desirable, we welcome applications from candidates who bring transferable skills, creativity, and a passion for advancing responsible investment.
We have a hybrid working policy in place, and the Fundraising Team meets monthly in the London office. As this role involves regular meetings with London-based donors and prospects, there is an expectation that you will be able to attend the office or stakeholder meetings on average 4–6 times a month.
What we will do for you
We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day, they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive, and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.
Currently, we are pleased to offer:
- A commitment to flexible working: over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place.
- Hybrid working: we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role.
- Internal promotion and development opportunities: we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we also offer direct progression.
- The opportunity to help make a difference: we tackle some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
- A unionised work environment: our staff have the opportunity to join the union and are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
- Regular in-person meetings, including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
- 8% non-contributory pension invested with NEST and their green funds.
- A health care plan with Bupa.
- An employee assistance programme: advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling.
- Death in service cover of 3x salary.
- 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year, ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
- Enhanced family leave pay: up to 18 weeks paid at 90% for either parent.
- Enhanced sick pay starting at 5 weeks’ full pay from day 1.
- Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.
ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities, and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won’t apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!
For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.
Closing date: Midday on Monday, 15th December 2025.
First interviews: Wednesday, 7th January 2026 (online).
Second interviews: Wednesday, 14th January 2026 (online).
N.B. We will be contacting successful applicants to arrange the first interviews before the Christmas break.
To be considered for this post, you must be legally eligible to work in the UK; unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.
Thank you!
You will be required to attend the office for a minimum of 2 days per week with the option to work remotely for the remaining 3 days.
It may be possible to do the job on a part-time basis with a proportional reduction in the activities outlined in the role profile. This can be discussed with candidates interested in applying.
If you are applying to this vacancy as an internal secondment, please ensure you have your line manager's support prior to applying. You must have at least 6 months service in their current role before being considered or applying for a secondment opportunity.
Please note that for internal candidates you may be required to complete your contractual notice period before moving into the secondment role, unless your line manager is able to release you early.
About us
Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We are a global movement of people, churches and local organisations who passionately champion dignity, equality and justice worldwide. We are the changemakers, the peacemakers, the mighty of heart.
We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and recognise the value this brings in forming strong, creative and high performing teams. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, and from those with experience from outside of the voluntary sector. And no, you don't have to be Christian to work here - we encourage people of all faiths and none to apply. We just ask that everyone lives out our values of dignity, equality, justice and love. We value a good work-life balance, so we're open to part-time and flexible working. We also offer hybrid working for our office-based colleagues and the option of being a homeworker for most of our roles too.
Learn about our vision, mission and values
About the role
The Media Manager will shape key messages and contribute towards positive media coverage for Christian Aid's policy and advocacy work, for instance on humanitarian crisis contexts, climate, aid and economic justice, aligning with organisational values and goals and to maximize impact.
About You
You will have significant experience of working as a journalist, communications professional or in PR (client or agency side), with a developed ability to produce newsworthy stories, op-eds and press releases for Christian Aid in collaboration with relevant colleagues. You will possess highly developed time and project management skills, strong multi-tasking abilities and strong situational awareness, along with advanced interpersonal, influencing and communication skills, including written, oral and professional networking, particularly with journalists. You will be able to translate potentially dry, academic or specialist material into stories suitable for mainstream media. Desirable experience includes working in a media relations team within a charity or the public or private sector, understanding of the UK government, Parliament and politics, as well as international development and international relations. Additional desirable skills include experience using a content management system and experience of story-gathering in developing countries.
Further information
At Christian Aid we strive to be an inclusive and diverse employer and recognise the value that this brings in helping to build strong, creative and high performing teams.
We are actively encouraging racialised minorities, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people with caring responsibilities, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, women, and older workers to apply. This is because these groups are under-represented within our teams, especially at senior level, and we recognise and value the contributions members of these groups make to strong, creative and high performing teams.
We have a strong Christian ethos and we encourage applications from all faiths. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of and sympathy with Christian Aid's faith identity.
All successful candidates will require a DBS/police check appropriate to the role and location and a Counter Terrorism Sanction check as part of your clearance for commencing your role with us. We also participate in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information as part of the referencing process from job applicants' previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.
This role requires applicants to have the right to live and work in the country where this position is based and undertake the role that you have been offered. If you are successful and we make you an offer for the role, we will be required to conduct a right to work check on your immigration status in the UK. We will contact you regarding the documentation you will need to provide to evidence this.
You can expect a wide range of rewards and benefits, please refer to the benefits booklet for your location to see our full list of employee benefits.