Chair and trustees jobs in henley on thames, oxfordshire

Job Title: CEO

Reporting To: Chair of Trustees

Salary: £50,000 Pro Rata 

Working Hours: 28 hours per week (4 days). Job share applications will be considered.

Location: Hybrid/ Prepare to travel to London several times a year for industry events. Prepared to travel to other destinations in the UK on occasion.

Contract Type: Permanent

About Us

Safer Waves was set up in 2019 to provide support to merchant seafarers who have experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment or gender discrimination on board.

Safer Waves provides an anonymous email support service, run by volunteers who are trained in responding to disclosures of sexual violence, and who understand the specific challenges experienced when these events happen onboard a vessel.

We work with shipping companies, industry leaders, law enforcement and maritime training providers to raise awareness of sexual violence within the maritime industry, and to improve the support that is available to seafarers who experience it.

Job Purpose

For the first 5 years, Safer Waves has been a volunteer-led organisation. We are now in the exciting position of being able to recruit a CEO, and we are looking for an individual who has the passion to see this new organisation thrive in the maritime welfare sector.

As the head of a small and rapidly developing organisation, the CEO role will be extremely varied, with the opportunity to shape the organisational structure as needed. The CEO will work closely with the trustee board and Operations Manager to deliver the strategy, improve sustainability and financial resilience, manage risk and deliver high-quality services to our beneficiaries.

We are a growing organisation, and this is a unique opportunity to grow and innovate with the organisation and to contribute to our future success. Applicants will need to be prepared to take on a wide range of tasks at the outset including compliance, accounting, training, public speaking, banking, leading volunteers, engaging with external partners and funders, overseeing the website and email service and many other tasks.
 

Responsibilities & Accountabilities 

The CEO reports directly to the Trustee Board and is responsible for the following:

• Strategy: Shape and deliver the charity's strategy over the next five years, whilst also ensuring the day-to-day running of the charity remains effective.

• Finance: Maintain and develop relationships with funders, and find new funding streams for the charity. Prepare budgets and control spending accordingly.

• Risk management and compliance: Work with the trustees to ensure strong governance, including effective management of risks and compliance with current legislation.

• Relationships: Build and maintain relationships with international organisations including charities, shipping companies, law enforcement and government agencies among others.

• Line management: Manage staff and volunteers

• Communications and Outreach: Work with the Operations Manager, Trustees and volunteers to raise the profile of the charity and increase the number of seafarers reached

Person Specification

Essential 

• Experience in being self-sufficient and driving progress, ideally in a business or charity setting.

• Senior Management Experience

• Able to demonstrate alignment with the core values of Safer Waves.

• Knowledge and understanding of supporting survivors of sexual violence

Desirable

• Experience working in the charity sector. 

• An understanding of the maritime sector

Your cover letter should address and provide evidence to support each of the essential criteria and the desirable criteria if applicable.

Abandon Normal Devices are seeking an experienced finance professional or small accountancy provider to manage our core finance functions on a freelance/contract basis. This is an ongoing, part-time contract supporting the financial operations of a small, ambitious arts organisation working at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture.

We are looking for someone with a strong understanding of charity finance, skilled in Xero, bookkeeping, payroll, reporting, audit preparation, HMRC filings and support with funding reports. You may be an individual already set up for freelance work, or a firm used to providing finance support to charities or arts organisations. You’ll work closely with the Chief Executive and liaise with trustees and external auditors as needed.

To apply for the role please:

• Read the Finance Manager Job Description
• Complete an Application Form 
• Complete an Equal Opportunities Form (submitted anonymously).

Application Timeline

• The closing date for applications is midnight Sunday 1 June 2025
• Interviews are expected to take place on W/b 16 June 2025

About us

Abandon Normal Devices (AND) is a commissioning agency and arts organisation known for creating radical, site-responsive projects at the intersection of art, technology and digital culture. Working across the UK and internationally, AND commissions artists to explore the social, environmental and ethical implications of emerging technologies. Our portfolio includes large-scale outdoor artworks, exhibitions, research programmes, residencies, online projects and our flagship AND Festival — a
nomadic biennial bringing cutting-edge digital experiences to diverse locations.

Our work often takes place in unexpected settings, from post-industrial towns to natural landscapes, creating space for bold experimentation and critical reflection. At our core, we champion interdisciplinary collaboration and are committed to inclusive, sustainable practices that challenge what is considered ‘normal’ in culture today.

Job purpose

This is an exciting time to join Action for ME. With developments in research and policy alongside delivering services which are in high demand, you will enjoy working in a fast-paced and continually changing environment. You will be responsible for overseeing operational programme design and delivery, reporting of progress, and measuring the impact of all Action for ME work to improve the lives of people affected by ME. Better meeting their needs today while taking action to secure change for tomorrow. You will also assist the Chief Executive in implementing the organisational strategy, and by adapting and evolving delivery models on the ground. As you will have operational management and oversight for our Healthcare Services and hold the Designated Safeguarding Lead role for the organisation, you will bring considerable services-related experience at a management and leadership level. The Chief Executive will focus predominately on external matters and therefore you must have experience of managing an organisation to achieve high quality programmes with evidenced impact and motivated teams. You will act for the Chief Executive on topics, as agreed, and deputise during their absence.

Key duties

1. Leadership

• Ensure that children and adults with ME are at the heart of everything we do through meaningful engagement and participation to influence all aspects of our work.
• Deputise for the CEO and represent and promote the Charity at national meetings and events.
• Deputise for the CEO during periods of absence, and in relation to specific matters, issues or elements of operation as delegated from time to time by the CEO, ensuring a consistency of approach and decisions aligned with the organisation’s objectives.
• With the CEO and HR Business Partner, lead on implementing the People and Culture Strategy and ensuring our Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging plan is achieved.
• To provide support, leadership and coaching to the Management Team to ensure the smooth running of the organisation and development of the Charity.
• Contribute to the development of the overall strategy for Action for ME, ensuring that the best use is made of available resources within agreed priorities. Ensure that agreed strategy is delivered to target and in line with agreed budgets.
• Work closely with the Chief Executive and Trustees to ensure effective reporting to the Board and sub-committees.

2. Operations & management

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the Charity ensuring high quality service provision that meets all best practice, legal and regulatory frameworks and internal policies and procedures.
• Hold overall management responsibility for our Healthcare Services including the role of the CQC Nominated Individual, ensuring all regulatory requirements and compliance are met.
• Manage the staff and volunteer team, including holding regular meetings and ensure the efficient running of the office ensuring a culture that supports, inspires and motivates the team while ensuring required standards and quality are met at all times through effective performance management.
• Act as the organisational Designated Safeguarding Lead (children and vulnerable adults), working closely with the Designated Safeguarding Officers, colleagues and the Safeguarding Lead Trustee; facilitate the annual safeguarding audit (led by the Lead Trustee) and ensuring safeguarding standards across the organisation are maintained.
• Contribute to the learning and development of key personnel including coaching support (either directly or through the identification of external coaches) to enhance performance.
• Establish (where not already in place) and maintain a clear performance outcome-focused management system driving positive change and improvement across all teams.
• Ensure that policies and procedures are effectively implemented and kept up-to-date to enable the effective management of operations and support growth.
• Take the lead role for data protection, health and safety, compliance and risk management across the organisation and act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

3. Finance & income generation

• Hold financial leadership responsibility, working closely with the Finance Manager and the Fundraising Director to ensure sustainability for our work.
• Ensure effective financial management with procedures in place which are kept up-to-date and implemented accordingly.
• Provide support and engagement, where appropriate, to actively grow our income.

4. Working with others

• Lead, nurture and develop relationships with key stakeholder groups and partner organisations, both locally and nationally, supporting Action for M.’s place as the ‘go to’ organisation for people affected by ME
• Lead on new business ideas and pilot projects in line with the strategic objectives; with colleagues, develop the business case, identify and manage risks, lead implementation across teams, evaluate success and learning and make recommendations for future development.

5. Other key accountabilities

• Be proactive in keeping up to date with developments affecting operations and maintain and improve personal competence through continuous professional development.
• Take direction on projects and priorities from the CEO, which may vary from time to time.
• To ensure best value in all service delivery.

Person specification

Experience and Knowledge

• Proven experience in an operations, leadership, or senior management role, ideally within the charity service delivery or healthcare sector, with the ability to develop and implement strategic plans that drive organisational growth and reporting that demonstrates impact delivered. If you come from outside a support services background, you must demonstrate sound understanding of the regulatory and best practice requirements related to delivering support and/or healthcare services.
• An understanding of ME and associated/overlapping illnesses, the impact on people affected by it or a commitment and ability to understand the illness and lead services to meet the needs of children and adults with ME
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams, including remote workers, and fostering a supportive workplace culture where change is a constant.
• Safeguarding understanding at a management/decision-making level.
• Proven experience of building and nurturing strong relationships internally and externally at all levels.
• A sound understanding of outcome-focused, effective performance management, quality assurance and risk management.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, financial planning, and resource management in the voluntary sector.

Skills and Behaviours

• Experience of governance, risk management, and compliance, including within regulated services, ideally within a charity and/or service delivery setting.
• Proven ability to think strategically, balance competing demands, use initiative to solve problems and actively seek innovative approaches to problem solving and delivering results.
• Strong interpersonal skills including motivational, negotiating influencing and networking skills which build strong internal and external relationships.
• An ability to understand, analyse and make effective use of data across all of our work.
• A proven ability to coach and motivate staff and to build and lead teams reflecting organisational culture and values, a respectful, constructive and energetic style.
• Proven, strong MS Office skills that supports writing, email, internet and database use.
• Demonstrable ability to work within our organisational values