Charity trustee jobs

We have big ambition, and our organisation strategy reflects this. As Senior Trust Fundraising Manager, your role will focus on securing five- and six-figure gifts from grant-giving trusts and foundations. You will provide exceptional stewardship to those trusts with whom we have existing relationships, whilst researching and cultivating new prospects to maximise income, value, and influence for The Children’s Trust. This role will be key in enabling us to strengthen long term financial sustainability, through multi-year funding relationships and to drive restricted and unrestricted income to realise the strategy for 2030.

WHEN APPLYING PLEASE INCLUDE A COVERING LETTER

This role is not open for sponsorship.

Skills and Responsibilities

To develop relationships to secure gifts and grants from Corporate Foundations, Trusts and statutory grant makers to achieve income targets. Responsibilities include:

Prospect Research:

• Identify and develop a pipeline of opportunities from grant-giving trusts and foundations.
• Use internal database, online resources, desk research, and contact mapping to identify new funder opportunities.
• Review trusts’ and foundations’ funding criteria to grow the prospect pipeline.
• Develop a thorough understanding of our work and future developments to identify new funding opportunities.

Submitting grant applications:

• Create compelling and persuasive funding appeals.
• Complete grant application forms and follow application processes as required.
• Work closely with colleagues across the Directorate and the wider charity to articulate our work and build strong funding propositions.

Leadership & Relationship Management:

• Lead and manage the Trusts and Philanthropy Executive by developing skills, conducting appraisals and overseeing ongoing development.
• Lead & steward a portfolio of existing charitable trusts and foundations, and cultivate new potential donors, ensuring their support is recognised and celebrated.
• Ensure funders are thanked promptly and that grant terms and conditions are applied.
• Provide progress reports and manage all formal reporting requirements on time.
• Build relationships in person, by phone, email, or virtual meetings to secure long-term commitment.
• Identify opportunities for funders to meet key staff and attend events and site visits that strengthen their relationship with the charity.
• Implement the High Value Donor Stewardship Plan.
• Take a proactive role in developing assets such as appeals and cultivation events.
• Work with colleagues across the charity to monitor and evaluate funded projects, producing reports that demonstrate impact.

Administration and Reporting:

• Manage trust prospects and donors on the CRM database, ensuring records are accurate and compliant with fundraising regulations.
• Budget management, cost control forecasting and taking corrective action to achieve budgets.
• Use the CRM database to manage task “actions”, prioritise and evaluate opportunities, and record funder interactions.
• Manage and develop a portfolio of high value relationships.
• Liaise with colleagues to ensure grant applications are coordinated across the organisation.

Education & Qualifications:

• Educated to GCSE (or equivalent) English and Maths
• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

Experience:

• Significant experience and track record in trust fundraising.
• Experience of writing compelling proposals and appeals.
• Proven experience of working as part of a team to deliver ambitious income targets.
• Experience in undertaking prospect research and creating a pipeline of prospects through to cultivation, ask and stewardship.
• Experience of securing and managing statutory funding desirable.
• Demonstrable experience of using fundraising or relationship management databases.

Skills & Abilities:

• Exceptional skills with excellent attention to detail and proof-reading ability
• Excellent research skills
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills whether on the phone, virtually, in person or in writing
• Excellent relationship building skills.
• Professional, positive, and committed
• Results focussed with strong analytical skill.
• Adaptable and flexible, tenacious, and persuasive
• Financially astute, with the ability to understand project budgets and read the accounts of grant giving trusts.

Join Our Team!

Crohn’s and Colitis UK has an exciting opportunity for a Trusts Officer to join our team. In this role you’ll play a key part in growing our income from charitable trusts and foundations, inspiring long-term support and generating sustainable funding.  If this sounds like a good fit for your skills and experience, then we’d love to hear from you! 

About Us

We're the UK's leading charity for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.  A diagnosis of Crohn’s or Colitis is life-changing. Over 500,000 people in the UK are living with a lifelong disease many people have never heard of, and for which there is no known cure.

Crohn’s & Colitis UK funds research, provides award winning information and support and raises vital awareness by increasing the public’s understanding of the conditions, and what it means to live with debilitating symptoms. But we need to do more. We need to be a louder voice in the marketplace. Our ambitious plans for 2026 and beyond, will help to make a real difference to every supporter’s journey with us. If this excites you - join us!

Role Overview

Reporting to the Trusts Manager, the postholder will be responsible for maximizing income from Charitable Trusts and Foundations, building and nurturing elationships and inspiring long-term support and sustainable income in line with the organisational strategy.

About You

This is a great role for someone with previous experience of Trust Fundraising. You’ll have first class communication skills to enable you to quickly build solid, strong relationships both face to face and over the telephone. Excellent writing skills are essential as well as good organisational skills and CRM experience. In these challenging times you’ll need to channel your creative skills to develop exciting stewardship plans.

In this role you will need:

· Previous experience of Trust Fundraising with a strong track record of success and meeting targets

· Excellent writing skills, with the ability to take complex material and translate into visually appealing proposals.

· Experience of organising or helping to organise stewardship events.

· Experience of working with CRM databases.

· Target driven with experience of budgeting and financial management

Please see our Recruitment Pack for details of our full Job Description and Person Specification.

Our Location

We are based in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, so we are easily accessible by road and rail. In this role, there is plenty of scope for working from home,  although there will be times when you will need to be at face-to-face meetings. There is a requirement for you to attend a minimum of 12 in person days a year, including two Directorate meetings and the charity’s mandatory ‘All Staff Together’ days which take place four times a year at our offices in Hatfield or a location in London. In addition there will be a requirement to attend team and donor meetings in person as required.

Benefits

25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing one day per year up to 30 days

Salary Sacrifice Pension scheme

Flexible working options

Enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity pay

24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

Wellbeing programme

Interest free loan for season tickets

Cycle to work scheme

Free parking and secure bike locks

Training and development financial support and/or study leave

Performance review and development scheme

Southall Community Alliance (SCA) is a charity that has been working in Southall for
over 30 years. We seek an enthusiastic and experienced Operations & Capacity
Building Manager to oversee the project work of our charity over the next two years.
We are looking for a candidate with excellent interpersonal skills, community
engagement and fundraising experience and the confidence to manage and deliver
projects that will extend our work and enhance local networks.
You will report to the SCA Director and be part of the growing SCA staff team.
Title: Operations & Capacity Building Manager
Salary: £36,000 per annum
Duration: Full time, two year fixed term contract, with the possibility of an
extension subject to review.
Location : Southall Town Hall, 1 High Street, Southall, UB1 3HA
Annual leave : 25 days

Job Description
1) Managing delivery of SCA’s funded projects and project related staff
2) Community outreach and engagement with a diverse range of residents and
stakeholders
3) Work with adults and young people to arrange training on community
campaigning, capacity building and equality issues
4) Promoting work on social media or website to share good practice and case
studies
5) Arranging arts and creative activities to engage young people
6) Prepare publicity to promote awareness of activities arranged in partnership
with statutory and community based partners
7) Preparing agendas, minutes and other relevant materials relating to SCA
projects
8) Supporting the recruitment and supervision of volunteers
9) Provide support for preparing monitoring, performance and evaluation reports
relating to project activities
2
10) Identify and apply for funding opportunities to sustain SCA projects and core
work
11) To ensure inclusion and diversity in all aspects of SCA’s operation and work
12) To report to the SCA Board of trustees and advisory boards, as required
13) To undertake other such duties as may be assigned by the SCA Director from
time to time

Head of Governance

£50,718 - £58,726 plus London weighing if applicable

Location , Hybrid, with travel needed

The WEA is the UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of adult education, a charity dedicated to bringing high quality, professional education into the heart of communities.  

We are looking for talented individuals to help us deliver our mission – to bring lifelong learning within reach fighting inequality and promoting social justice.

Job Description

WEA are looking for talented individuals to help us deliver our mission – to bring education within reach. If that sounds like you, then please read on.

As the Head of Governance, you will work closely with the Director of Governance & Purpose (Company Secretary) to support the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Chairs of committees with advice and support on standards of good governance, and compliance - particularly around or SDI status. 

Reporting to the Director of Governance and Purpose, the successful candidate will also ensure ongoing monitoring of governance effectiveness and continuous improvement, and the efficient and effective administration of governance process, including trustee and committee member recruitment and onboarding, tracking appointment terms, and annual skills audits. Along with other members of the corporate governance team, you will support the Board of Trustees and its committees, including the creation and retention of proper meeting records, and the appropriate support, training and development of Trustees and senior volunteers serving on committees of the Board. 

Together with the team, you will also provide support to ad hoc working groups and volunteer committees that may arise from time to time to provide important local insight and input to governance decision-making.

We have attached the full role profile, that lists the key deliverables, performance measures and experience/qualifications needed for this role. Please take your time to read through this, and if you’d like to apply, hit that button!

We are working hard to create a workplace that reflects the communities we seek to serve and in which everyone feels empowered to be themselves and work together to drive positive change. We strongly encourage applicants from a diverse range of candidates and encourage everyone with the appropriate skills, experiences and potential to apply.

Should you need any support with your application, then please get in touch. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible

In our recent OFSTED inspection, we received a GOOD overall grade, with an OUTSTANDING rating for Behaviour and Attitudes and Personal Development.

You can read more about our benefits and what it’s like to work here, on our website .

The the engine room that powers grassroots transformation.

You've mastered the art of making things work smoothly – maybe in charity operations, facilities management, or business support. You know that every compliance checkbox ticked, every system optimised, and every pound saved directly translates into changed lives. You're ready to step up into a role where your attention to detail genuinely matters.

We're looking for a Senior Operations Officer who can keep everything running while keeping people at the centre. You'll be the person who welcomes callers seeking help, negotiates charity discounts with suppliers, coordinates staff onboarding, manages compliance, and ensures our Board can focus on strategy. It's operational excellence meets genuine compassion.

What you'll be doing

• Keep our operations safe and compliant – conduct risk assessments, manage health and safety, coordinate facilities maintenance, and ensure we meet all legal requirements.

• Enable brilliant people to do brilliant work – support HR processes from onboarding to exits, manage DBS checks, coordinate team events, and be the go-to person who solves problems.

• Be the first point of contact for people seeking help – answer calls with empathy, direct clients to appropriate support using your knowledge of local services, and ensure no one leaves Grapevine without assistance.

• Support recruitment and governance – process applications through our system, coordinate Board meetings, and provide key liaison support for trustees.

• Drive continuous improvement – review and enhance internal processes, explore AI and automation opportunities, and negotiate contracts that stretch our resources further.

• Manage the everyday essentials – coordinate post, emails, building access, waste collection, vehicle checks, and the hundred other details that keep a charity functioning.

What we're looking for

We need someone who combines operational excellence with warmth, resourcefulness with reliability, and efficiency with empathy.

You'll need:

• Experience in operations, facilities management, HR administration, or business support – ideally in the charity or public sector.

• Proactive problem-solving skills – you spot issues before they escalate and find creative solutions within tight budgets.

• Excellent organisational abilities and meticulous attention to detail.

• Confidence working independently while knowing when to escalate or collaborate.

• Strong IT skills and willingness to explore tools that improve efficiency.

• Understanding of health and safety regulations and risk assessment processes.

• Experience with HR systems, DBS processes, or recruitment support.

• Familiarity with charity governance and Board support.

• Knowledge of facilities management, including building safety and maintenance coordination.

Why Grapevine?

At Grapevine, we believe people in communities are the answer to the challenges they face – and we work alongside them to build power and create lasting change. For 30 years, we've been a nationally acclaimed example of community-led transformation.

You'll join a values-driven team that trusts you to make decisions, celebrates your initiative, and recognises that behind every operational task is a person we're enabling to change lives. We're high-trust, human-centred, and built on shared accountability. We repay out-of-hours effort with TOIL, cherish diverse lived experience, and never lose sight of the people behind the work.

Our offer:

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)

• 8% non-contributory pension (we pay it all)

• Flexible working arrangements

• Employee Assistance Programme

• Supportive culture with continuous learning baked in and real autonomy with genuine support

• A management team role where your voice shapes how we operate

Ready to make operations meaningful?

If you're excited by purpose-led work, comfortable with honest reflection, and believe that systems should serve people (not the other way round), we'd love to hear from you. Apply if you can see yourself as the person who keeps our award-winning work running smoothly while treating every caller, colleague, and compliance requirement with equal care.

The Chief Executive provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the Sheila McKechnie Foundation, ensuring the organisation delivers meaningful impact, remains financially sustainable, and continues to be a respected voice in social change and activism.

Leading a small, committed team, the Chief Executive will set the strategic direction, secure and steward funding, and ensure effective delivery of programmes and services. They will work closely with the Board of Trustees, act as an ambassador for the Foundation, and foster strong relationships with partners, funders, and stakeholders.

This is a hands-on role suited to a versatile leader with a passion for social change and building communities, who thrives in a small charity environment.

Please note this is a UK-based role and applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Seeking an enthusiastic, dynamic, dedicated yet compassionate leader to drive the charity forward with a fresh strategy, new ideas and a bold vision. As CEO you will provide visionary, strategic, and operational leadership to the Ileostomy and Internal Pouch Association, ensuring we fulfil our mission and grow sustainably. You will act as a key ambassador, building partnerships and maintaining our reputation for excellence ensuring we move forward with impact sharing the strength and passion that we have continued to experience for almost 70 years.

Key Responsibilities (see breakdown within attached job specification)

• Strategic leadership
• Operational Management
• External Engagement
• Governance and Board Relations
• Team Leadership
   

What we do
IA offers peer-to-peer support to those with, or about to have, either an ileostomy or an internal pouch. We also help fund research into bowel disease and other conditions leading to the removal of the colon, as well as providing relevant information to interested parties using a range of channels.

Our strapline, “Because we know, we care”, sums up our whole ethos. Individuals can join either their local IA member organisation, or the IA national charity, and in either case, gain access to a range of services and support, including our flagship quarterly Journal, local and national meetings and information events, and other services such as our One2One peer support and Support Through Therapy services.

What you offer

Essential
• Proven senior leadership experience, ideally as a CEO or Director in the charity or social enterprise sector
• Demonstrable experience of strategic planning and implementation
• Excellent communication skills with ability to engage effectively with stakeholders, professionals and volunteers both internally and publicly
• Work empathetically with vulnerable adults employing working knowledge of safeguarding
• Financial management and budget oversight
• Demonstrable experience of implementing and monitoring services based on financial benefit and social benefit
• Track record of income generation and fundraising
• Demonstrable experience of operating within a governance and regulatory framework
• Experience of developing, managing and supporting high performing teams with a strong growth mindset
• Builds effective relationships with a strong network instilling confidence and trust
• Experience of leading a team delivering effectively against objectives

Skills and Qualities
• Visionary and values-led leadership
• Ethical decision-maker
• Strong, confident and decisive performing well under pressure
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Resilience, adaptability, empathy and emotional intelligence
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

What we offer
Contract: Part time 60% FTE – flexible over 3-5 days, permanent role.
Location: Remote (with regular travel to National Office (Rochford, Essex) and other UK locations, as required)
Salary: £80,000 - £85,000 equivalent FT (pro-rata 60%), commensurate with experience plus benefits

Please see further information about us, what you will offer and who we are looking for within the attached role profile.

Head of Corporate Partnerships

Location: North London (3 days per week in the office)
Hours: 37.5 per week
Salary: £50,000 to £55,000 per annum
Reporting to: Director of Fundraising
Term: Permanent

Aquilas is delighted to be partnering witth a much loved children's charity to recruit a Head of Corporate Partnerships to join their successful fundraising team.

About the role:

In this role, you will work closely with the Director of Fundraising & Communications to develop and enhance their Corporate and Special Events Programme. This is very much a hands-on role of team leadership and direct account management. This includes six figure partners. 

The post-holder has a key role in the management of their Philanthropy & Corporate Board, which bring together industry leader to help move both these programmes forward. There is great freedom to innovate and a healthy pool of local business with an affinity to our cause. The post-holder takes a key leadership role across fundraising and marketing, working with their peers  and Director to take strategic decisions for wider benefit of the department. 

Line managing a small team of two you will play a key role in building and maintaining relationships with existing and prospective partners of the charity. You will ensure our partners have the best possible experience, making them feel engaged and motivated, valued and informed about the impact of their involvement and help them achieve their organisation’s objectives.

About you:

You will be an inspiring Corporate Fundraising Head, excellentcommunicator and a natural relationship builder. You will have demonstrative experience in people management within Partnerships and ideally a strong, broad background in corporate fundraising or commerical sales.  Excellent donor stewardship skills in terms of account management of existing supports

To Apply:

To receive a candidate pack or arrange a confidential conversation, please contact:

Kieran McGorrian, Head of Not for Profit Appointments, Aquilas 

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – The Eveson Trust
Location: Worcester (minimum two days per week in the Trust’s office; travel across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and the West Midlands)
Salary: circa £75,000
Contract: Permanent, 35 hours per week

Are you a judicious, outward-looking leader who can sharpen strategy and raise the profile of a regionally rooted grant-maker with a significant endowment?

About The Eveson Trust
The Eveson Trust is a Worcestershire-based, place-focused grant-maker established from the bequest of Violet Mary Eveson. With an endowment of approximately £100 million, the Trust supports an annual grants programme of around £5–6 million and in 2022 modernised its legal structure by becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation while retaining strong local roots.

We exist to relieve need and enhance quality of life across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and the West Midlands, prioritising support for people with disabilities, mental-health needs, children and young people in need, older people, those experiencing homelessness, and users of hospitals and hospices. Our next CEO will be central to translating stewardship into measurable local impact and sustainable grant practice.

As our next Chief Executive Officer, you will:

• Strategy & Impact: lead the development and delivery of a refreshed strategic plan and grant-making framework that focuses resources where they will make the greatest measurable difference.
• Governance & Finance: support and advise the Board and sub-committees, ensuring robust governance, high-quality committee papers and sound financial stewardship of the endowment.
• Operational Leadership: strengthen internal systems and processes, make effective use of Salesforce, and propose a right-sized resourcing model to deliver the Trust’s ambitions.
• Income & Investment Oversight: work with the investment advisers and Trustees to balance spending policy, long-term capital protection and responsible investment principles.
• Community & Partnerships: build regional funder partnerships, increase reach in under-represented areas and foster strong relationships with grantees and local stakeholders.
• Grants Quality & Safeguarding: ensure rigorous due diligence, proportionate monitoring and consistently high standards of safeguarding and risk management.
• Brand & Profile: establish and deliver a communications plan that raises the Trust’s visibility across urban and rural communities.
• Team & Culture: lead, mentor and develop a compact team and oversee high standards in HR, data protection and operational compliance.

Who you are

• A seasoned senior leader with demonstrable experience in grant-making, philanthropy or a closely comparable mission-driven setting.
• Financially literate and confident with investment reports, annual accounts, budgets and risk analysis.
• Experienced in modern grants processes, due diligence and impact-focused monitoring.
• Comfortable advising and constructively challenging Trustees, producing concise, evidence-based committee papers.
• A strong relationship builder with a track record of partnership development and external representation.
• Skilled in strategic analysis, clear judgement and using data (for example Salesforce reporting) to inform decisions.

Why The Eveson Trust?

• A rare leadership opportunity to steward a significant endowment and shape a strategic grant-making approach across a diverse regional footprint.
• A respectful, detail-focused Board and a compact, capable team who value proportionate, evidence-based practice.
• The chance to expand the Trust’s presence in under-represented boroughs and to develop meaningful funder partnerships.
• Competitive salary, defined-contribution pension, flexible working and a supportive, mission-focused culture.
• The role offers clear scope to design the team and systems needed to deliver a more impact-focussed future for the Trust.

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 at 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 2nd February 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.

The Finance & Operations Manager is a senior leadership role responsible for the financial sustainability, compliance and operational effectiveness of the charity. The postholder will lead all aspects of financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, rent and service charge accounting, housing benefit income and statutory reporting.

Alongside this, the role has strategic responsibility for office and refuge operations, including facilities management, health and safety, and central administrative systems.

The Finance & Operations Manager will work closely with the Director, Senior Management Team and Board of Trustees, manage key external relationships, and line manage finance and operations staff.

Due to the nature of work and focus of LBWP, the organisation considers the candidate’s race and gender, to be an occupational requirement in accordance with Parag. 1, Schedule 9, of the Equality Act 2010. Therefore, this post is open only to Black and minoritised i.e. Global Majority, women.

Mslexia, the UK’s best-loved writing magazine for women, is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation into an exciting new phase of growth and impact.

Founded in 1999, Mslexia is a national publishing and outreach charity dedicated to addressing gender inequality in literature. We support over 50,000 women writers through our magazine, books, competitions, courses, events and online community. Financially independent for more than 20 years, we now want to build on our success, strengthen our sustainability and extend our reach.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a respected, values-driven organisation with a strong brand, loyal audience and passionate team.

About the role

As CEO, you will provide strategic, operational and inspirational leadership for Mslexia, working closely with the Board of Trustees and leading a team of talented staff.

You will be responsible for:

• Setting and delivering organisational strategy with the Board.
• Leading and supporting the staff team, fostering a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture.
• Overseeing financial management, budgeting and long-term sustainability.
• Developing and diversifying income streams, including commercial activity, partnerships and fundraising.
• Acting as the public face of Mslexia, championing its mission locally, regionally and nationally.
• Strengthening governance, systems, policies and risk management.
• Building partnerships and promoting the Mslexia brand and influence.

We are looking for an inspiring, values-driven leader with the vision, credibility and skills to lead a purpose-led organisation.

You will bring:

• Senior leadership experience in the charity, public, commercial or related sector.
• Strong financial literacy and experience managing multiple income streams.
• A track record of leading and motivating teams.
• Experience working with a Board or similar governance structure.
• Strategic thinking skills, with the ability to turn vision into action.
• Excellent communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.
• A strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable:

• Experience in the arts, culture or creative industries.
• Experience of hybrid earned / grant-funded income models.
• Events or publishing-related experience.

Why join Mslexia?

• Lead a nationally respected charity with a clear social mission.
• Work with a skilled, passionate and supportive team.
• Shape the future of women’s writing and gender equality in literature.
• Flexible working and family-friendly policies.
• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays.
• City-centre Newcastle location.

How to apply

Mslexia is working with Jobs with Purpose to recruit to this role. You can access a detailed candidate pack below, including a job description and person specification.

To apply, please forward a detailed CV and a supporting statement (maximum three sides) explaining how you meet the requirements of the person specification and any other information relevant to the role to David Robinson at Jobs with Purpose.

For a confidential discussion about the role, email David with your availability and brief details regarding your experience and interest in the position.

Closing date: Monday 9 February 2026, 12 noon
Interviews: Week commencing 16 February 2026

Mslexia is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all sections of the community.

The opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and values-led Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead East London Waterworks Park in this next phase of our development. This is a rare opportunity to shape the first paid executive leadership role in a pioneering environmental charity.

The CEO role is wide-ranging and dynamic, and will evolve as East London Waterworks Park grows. The CEO will provide strategic leadership to help realise our ambition to purchase the Thames Water depot site in East London, while strengthening our capacity to deliver community-led rewilding and nature-recovery projects across London in partnership with landowners, local authorities and other stakeholders.

An important aspect of the role will involve introducing a sustainable staffing model that complements and develops East London Waterworks Park’s existing volunteer ecosystem, and strengthens our culture, vision and values. The CEO will be supported in this work by long-standing volunteers at both trustee board and operational level, who believe in the benefits this organisational change will bring.

About East London Waterworks Park

East London Waterworks Park is a community-led charity working to reconnect people and nature. Starting from nature-first principles, and with inclusivity at the heart of everything we do, we work with communities to co-design spaces to unlock a chain of positive changes that culminate in the long-term transformation of people and place.

Our work includes:

• co-designing East London Waterworks Park with the East London community, working towards purchasing a 14-acre Thames Water depot in Waltham Forest and transforming it into a biodiverse urban park with free, accessible wild swimming and welcoming community spaces

• co-designing other nature-first spaces on disused or brownfield land in London, returning land to nature in collaboration with local communities to encourage long–term community stewardship

• hosting engagement, education, and empowerment activities that build skills, confidence and deeper connections to nature.

East London Waterworks Park is a sociocratic organisation, with a decentralised organisational structure and a transparent and collaborative approach to decision making. We have grown organically since 2019, responding flexibly to the challenges we have encountered but always committed to our core vision: creating a new kind of urban green and blue space: one that is ecologically rich, inclusive, and shaped by the people and wildlife who use it.

East London Waterworks Park is currently entirely run by volunteers but we recognise the need to transition to a more sustainable structure. We want to introduce paid employees to ensure we can deliver the exciting projects planned in 2026 and beyond, while retaining our strong community-led ethos.

More information

If this sounds exciting, please review the attached recruitment package.

Role Purpose 

This is a new role. Stand-by-me is seeking an experienced Director to effectively lead and manage the organisation. The successful candidate will be responsible for ensuring the effective continued delivery of the charity’s aims, providing strong, strategic leadership and operational management, focussing on enhancing fundraising capacity and developing a robust organisation strategy. This role will also serve as the public representative of the organisation and will report directly to the Board of Trustees.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Development:

· Conduct a rapid assessment of the charity’s current strategic plan and identify key areas for improvement.

· Lead the development of a revised or updated strategic framework, focusing on sustainability, growth, and impact.

· Work collaboratively with the Board of Trustees and Clinical staff to define clear strategic priorities and measurable outcomes.

· Provide clear and concise report to the Board on progress against strategic objectives.

· Manage and coordinate research projects and feasibility studies including budgeting, resourcing, scheduling, tracking and ensuring quality assurance.

2. Income Generation and Financial Management:

· Conduct a rapid, comprehensive review of existing fundraising activities and identify opportunities for growth and diversification.

· Develop and implement a short and long-term fundraising strategy to maximise income generation.

· Monitor and report on grants and funding.

· Lead and motivate our volunteer community fundraising team providing guidance and support to achieve specified targets.

· Cultivate and strengthen relationships with major donors, trusts, foundations, patronage, and corporate partners.

· Explore and develop new fundraising streams, including regular giving, digital fundraising, innovative partnerships and legacies.

· Working with the team, develop compelling funding proposals and grant applications.

· Improve fundraising reporting and analysis to track performance and inform decision-making.

3. Operational Management:

· Provide effective line management to the team and volunteers to foster a positive and collaborative work environment.

· Effectively delegate tasks to team members including promoting self organisation.

· Work with the Finance Trustee to oversee financial management, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and best practices for budgeting.

· Manage risk and ensure the charity's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

· Represent the charity to external stakeholders, building and maintaining positive relationships.

· Ensure effective communication and engagement with staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries.

· Work with Safeguarding Trustee and external Supervisors on any clinical or safeguarding issues as they arise.

· Conduct annual appraisals to monitor and evaluate staff performance.

4. Board Engagement/Governance:

· Act as the primary point of contact between the Board of Trustees.

· Provide regular updates to the Board on organisational performance including operational and strategic matters.

· Ensure the organisation’s compliance with all relevant regulatory requirements and internal policies to support the Board in its governance role by providing advice and information as needed.

· Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between the Trustee Board, staff and volunteers.

Chief Officer

Citizens Advice Woking (CAW) provides free, independent, and confidential advice and information to the residents of Woking, and anyone who works in the Borough, particularly the most vulnerable, to help with the problems they face.  We are the only organisation locally that can and does address client issues holistically, across areas such as debt, housing and welfare benefits, not just single issues, and this is increasingly important as client problems become more complex.

We are looking for a Senior Manager who will bring both innovation and experience to lead a valued local charity.

Reporting to the Chair of the Trustee Board, the Chief Officer

• Is responsible to the Trustee Board for the management and leadership of Citizens Advice Woking,
• Represents Citizens Advice Woking to funders, partners and stakeholders,
• Ensures the delivery of a high quality, impartial and confidential service, utilising both paid staff and volunteers,
• Is responsible for the continuing funding, planning and financial management of the service,
• Represents the organisation in Woking and contributes to the overall provision of strategic advice services in the borough.

In particular, the priorities for the Chief Officer in 2026/27 will be to:

• Manage CAW’s external relationships with our funders and the Woking community generally, to ensure satisfaction with the delivery of current projects, and their continuation,
• Collaborate closely with the other Surrey LCA Chief Officers to respond to the changing funding landscape. In parallel, continue to identify and deliver local projects for local funders,
• Ensure that suitable alternative premises are secured, and the transition is managed as smoothly as possible,
• Ensure the staff and volunteers are enabled to work effectively, particularly during this period of disruption,

The Chief Officer has an important leadership role, working closely with the Operations Manager, who has line responsibility for the staff and, generally, the internal CAW operation.  The volunteers are managed on a day-to-day basis by the Advice Session Supervisors, who are critical to ensuring the quality of advice to clients, and the smooth running of the office. 

How to apply

To apply for the role of Chief Officer at CAW, please see the Job Pack on our website.

You will need to send us your CV and a maximum 2 page supporting statement. The supporting statement should demonstrate how you meet the criteria outlined in the person specification and outline why you are interested in becoming the CO of Citizens Advice Woking.

Closing date for applications: Friday 6th Febraury

Applications will be reviewed on receipt, and we reserve the right to close earlier if applications from sufficient suitably qualified candidates have been received