Chief executive officer jobs

We’re looking for someone inspirational, approachable, open-minded, with great communication skills and a genuine passion for supporting people experiencing mental health difficulties, their families, friends and their carers to live their best lives.

If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.

As our current CEO prepares for retirement, we are looking for someone new to lead our organisation with the kindness and professionalism we’re known for.

For more than 30 years, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen Mind has supported people across the Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen Local Authority areas and the Hywel Dda University Health Board region.

Mental health challenges affect people from all walks of life, and the need for accessible, person-centred support continues to grow. Conditions such as anxiety, depression, and other long-term mental health difficulties remain some of the most common health issues faced by individuals, families, and communities.

Compassionate, local mental health support can make a meaningful difference, we help people build resilience, maintain independence, and find hope during difficult times.

Across the UK, many people experience significant impacts on their daily lives, relationships, and wellbeing because of mental health problems. The wider effects on families, carers, and support networks can also be profound, highlighting the importance of early help, ongoing support, and community-based services.

Who we’re looking for:

• We’re looking for an experienced, confident and compassionate leader who can balance people, purpose and performance.
• You will be responsible for implementing the organisation’s strategy, as set by the Board of Trustees, leading staff and volunteers, overseeing services and finances, and ensuring strong governance and compliance.
• You’ll need strong knowledge and understanding of NHS and Local Authority structures, as well as health and social care legislation in Wales.
• You will maintain our welcoming, inclusive culture while planning for the future by identifying opportunities, building new partnerships and income streams, managing risk, and ensuring the charity’s financial sustainability.
• You will be a great listener, ensuring that our community feels heard. You will amplify their voices locally, regionally and nationally. These views will also inform the design, development and delivery of all our high-quality services

Application Resources

For Job Role specifics and more about us please see our CEO Recruitment Pack

Application Instructions

Ready to lead?

If you are interested in becoming Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen Mind’s next permanent Chief Executive Officer, please complete our application form and attach your CV. The application form can be found on our website.

For Full Application Instructions and more about us please see our CEO Recruitment Pack

Closing date for this role will be at 12:00 midday on 30/09/26

Interviews for this role will be held on week commencing 19/10/26

Information about Headway Gloucestershire:-

Headway Gloucestershire was established in 1987 and since then has been working to make a positive difference to the lives of people over 18 with an acquired brain injury.  We provide specialist recovery support and respite through the following services

• OurCommunity Links Service provides outreach information, specialist brain injury recoveryadvice for people with an acquired brain injury and their families and supports them as they come toterms with the changed circumstances brought about by brain injury. The service includes benefits advice and collaborative working with other organisations such as Adult Social Services, Housing Providers and other VCSE organisations
   
• Our Enablement Service is centre based and open every weekday offering activities that focus on the five elements of rehabilitation: emotional functioning; cognitive functioning; learning; social interaction and behaviour. This takes the form of a structured timetable so that those with an acquired brain injury can select the activities thathelp them work towards their goals.We work one to one and also employ a group format to harness theunique recovery benefits of peer contact and support. 
   
• OurCarer Support Groups provide a relaxed environment withinthe community where people with an acquired brain injury and their families can meet new people, share experiences and support each other.We provide training events, social events and facilitate familysupport groups. 
   
• Our Peer Support Groups provide an opportunity once a month in different locations for people with an acquired brain injury to discuss topics of interest and to share challenges, tips and provide positive support.
   
• Our Community Hubs are delivered in locations around the county in community venues and are tailored to the needs of the group for up to 3 hours. They include physical exercise sessions, focussed discussion groups, advice and support related to acquired brain injury and the opportunity to develop a local support network
   
• Our Hospital Liaison service is where we attend the Gloucester Royal Hospital once every two weeks at an agreed time to offer support to individuals and their family during the early stages of rehabilitation.

Headway Gloucestershire is a busy, growing charity providing services to people with an acquired brain injury and their families and carers.  Every year we are challenged to raise funds to help deliver our services.

CEO Role

You will lead and motivate a small team of staff and volunteers and work with them to provide a person centred, enabling and outcome focused support service to people over 18 with an acquired brain injury.  You will seek opportunities for planned development and growth and build on the success of our existing services to increase our offer.

You will act as principal spokesperson and advocate for the charity, demonstrating integrity and commitment to key stakeholders, partners and donors to ensure the best outcomes for people affected by brain injury in the Gloucestershire area.

You will be joining at an exciting time as we work together with health and social care partners to monitor and understand the needs of people with brain injury in Gloucestershire and influence the pathway for rehabilitation and longer-term support.

The ideal candidate will have experience of managing a small organisation in the charity or care sector, developing strategy and business plans, a track record of securing funding in a tough financial climate, excellent communication skills and the ability to motivate and develop a team of staff and volunteers.

Headway Gloucestershire is an equal opportunity employer and committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk. The successful applicant will need to undertake an enhanced DBS check.

Salary
£50,000 - £52,000 (Pro Rata) with a possible bonus for meeting agreed fundraising targets

Based at
Headway House, Gloucester

Hours
37.5 hours per week with the option of some flexibility depending on business need

Contract
Permanent

Responsible to
The Board of Trustees

To find out more about this role, please email us.

To apply for this position please send your CV and maximum of a two-page personal statement outlining how you meet the requirements for the role.

Job titleChief Executive

ContractPermanent / Full time (35 hours a week)

Location London / hybrid (regular London presence)

Salary£95,000 - £100,000

Benefits Up to 6.5% matched pension, total contributions of 13%.
28 days annual leave per year plus public holidays.
Enhanced sick leave cover of up to 5 years.
Death in service benefit of 2x annual salary.
Employee Assistance scheme.
Working from home allowance.
Annual wellbeing allowance.

Reports to Chair and Board of Trustees

Direct reportsDirector of Finance and Operations
Director of Evidence and Improvement
Policy and Communications Manager
People and Business Partner

Background information

About us:

National Voices is the leading coalition of health and social care charities in England. We have more than 200 members covering a diverse range of health conditions and communities, connecting us with the experiences of millions of people. We work together to strengthen the voice of patients, people with Lived Experience, unpaid carers, their families and the voluntary organisations that work for them.

Our mission:

We advocate for a more equitable and person-centred health and care, shaped by the people who use and need it the most.

We do this by:

- Understanding and advocating for what matters to people, especially those living with health conditions and groups who experience inequalities

- Finding common cause across communities and conditions by working with member charities and those they support

- Connecting and convening charities, decisions makers and citizens to work together to change health and care for good.

Our five-year strategy:

In September 2024 we published a new five-year strategy that was co-produced with our staff, our member charities, our Lived Experience Partners and our key stakeholders. This set out three clear goals:

- End unequal access
By addressing the barriers experienced by those facing the worst outcomes, we will find solutions that improve care for all.

- Transfer power to people and communities
As a leader in co-production, we will help communities to work with system leaders at national and neighbourhood level to make big decisions together. This will maximise the skills and capabilities of patients, ensuring care is truly person-centred.

- Shift the measures of success
By campaigning for better patient experience and outcomes metrics, we can ensure that what matters to people becomes the key measure of success for the NHS.

In the first two years of the strategy we have already made big strides. For example, our work encouraging the Government to focus on “getting the basics right” has seen major policy initiatives designed to fix access to primary care and the 8am rush. Similarly, our work on the experience of waiting for elective care has seen the introduction of the first ever set of minimum standards for waiting.

Our work on the 10 Year Plan, and on the Quality Strategy, has also seen both patient experience and outcome measures given much greater prominence in how the NHS judges success and National Voices has now been commissioned by NHS England to help design the future of patient feedback mechanisms.

We have also successfully campaigned for funding formulas to be revised to enable the NHS to directly address the inverse care law and tackle the impact of health inequalities head on.

But there are challenges ahead, not least the role patients and communities play directly in co-producing improvement. With ICBs under huge financial pressures, and so much change in the health and care system, we need to make sure every piece of work we deliver is of the highest quality and adds real value. This is the only way to help others across the sector understand the value that people with Lived Experience offer to problem solving processes and creating better and more inclusive solutions.

PLEASE SEE RECRUITMENT PACK FOR FULL DETAILS AND APPLICATION GUIDANCE

Chief Executive Officer

Age UK Gateshead

Age UK Gateshead is looking for its next Chief Executive Officer,  someone who is passionate about people, believes in the strength of community and wants to lead an organisation that makes a real difference every day.

We are a genuinely community-driven local charity. Our services have grown and developed by listening to the people around us, understanding what our communities need and finding practical ways to respond.

From information, advice and advocacy to community activities, dementia support, day services, hospital-to-home support and regulated care through our subsidiary, Living Well North, our work reaches people at very different points in their lives.

Despite the breadth of what we do, the principle behind it is simple:

It’s simply about people.

We are looking for a CEO who shares that belief and can lead Age UK Gateshead through its next chapter.

The Role

As Chief Executive, you will have overall responsibility for the leadership, development and sustainability of Age UK Gateshead and its subsidiary.

Working closely with our Board of Trustees and leading an experienced senior team, you will provide direction while ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable, well governed and focused on the people we exist to support.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing clear and positive leadership across Age UK Gateshead and its subsidiary
• Working with the Board to develop and deliver organisational strategy
• Leading our people, culture and organisational development
• Maintaining strong financial oversight and long-term sustainability
• Overseeing service quality, performance and continuous improvement
• Ensuring effective governance, safeguarding, risk management and regulatory compliance
• Providing strategic oversight of regulated services within our subsidiary, including appropriate assurance around quality and CQC requirements
• Developing sustainable income through funding, commissioned services, partnerships and new opportunities
• Building strong relationships with local authorities, NHS organisations, commissioners, funders, businesses and community partners
• Identifying opportunities for growth, collaboration and service development
• Representing and championing Age UK Gateshead locally, regionally and, where appropriate, nationally
• Providing the Board of Trustees with clear information, advice and assurance
• Ensuring the voices and experiences of the people we support continue to influence our decisions and direction

You won't be expected to do all of this alone. A big part of being our CEO is about leading people well, trusting good people to do their jobs, developing a strong senior team and creating clear accountability throughout the organisation.

Who We're Looking For

We aren't looking for someone who simply wants the title of CEO.

We're looking for someone who is genuinely passionate about supporting people and understands the responsibility that comes with leading an organisation that people and communities rely upon.

You will be comfortable moving between the strategic and the practical. One day you may be discussing finances, governance, contracts or organisational strategy; another you could be meeting a commissioner, visiting one of our services or simply having a conversation with the people we support.

We want someone who is visible, approachable and willing to listen, but who also has the confidence to make difficult decisions when they are needed.

You'll need strong leadership skills, sound judgement and commercial awareness, with an understanding of finance, organisational performance and good governance. You'll also need the ability to build strong relationships and bring people with you.

Our subsidiary delivers regulated care services. You don't necessarily need to have spent your career in regulated social care, but you will need to understand the importance of strong quality assurance and be comfortable providing senior oversight within a CQC-regulated environment.

About Age UK Gateshead

Age UK Gateshead is an independent local charity with deep roots in the communities we serve.

Our staff and volunteers support people in many different ways – sometimes through specialist advice or structured services, sometimes by helping someone regain their independence, and sometimes simply by making sure someone has somewhere to go and somebody to talk to.

Through Age UK Gateshead and our subsidiary, our work spans community support, information and advice, advocacy, wellbeing, dementia services, day opportunities, hospital-to-home support and regulated care.

Our next CEO will inherit an organisation with committed staff and volunteers, established services, strong partnerships and significant opportunities for further development.

They will also be leading in a challenging environment. Demand continues to grow, funding is increasingly competitive and the expectations placed upon charities and care providers continue to increase.

We therefore need a CEO who can balance ambition with sustainability and compassion with commercial awareness – someone who understands that growth only matters when it improves what we can do for people.

Experience & Qualifications

Strong leaders come from different professional backgrounds, and we don't expect our next CEO to tick every box. However, we would particularly value:

• Significant senior leadership or executive experience, ideally within the charity, community, health or social care sectors
• Experience of working effectively with a Board of Trustees, Directors or similar governing body
• Strong financial, governance, risk and organisational management experience
• Experience of developing strategy, leading change and supporting organisational growth
• Experience of income generation, commissioned services, contracts, grants or business development
• Strong partnership experience, particularly with public, voluntary or community sector organisations
• Knowledge or experience of regulated health or social care services and CQC expectations would be advantageous
• Experience of leading and developing multidisciplinary teams
• A relevant professional, management or leadership qualification would be beneficial, although equivalent senior leadership experience is equally valued

Most Importantly

Qualifications and previous job titles only tell us part of the story.

We want someone who knows how to listen, lead and bring people with them. Someone who trusts and develops their team, challenges things when they can be better and is willing to have difficult conversations when necessary.

Someone who can protect what makes Age UK Gateshead special while having the ambition and ability to move it forward.

Because behind the contracts, funding applications, CQC requirements, targets, strategies, budgets and Board reports are real people.

That's why we're here.

It’s simply about people.

Salary: £55,000–£60,000 per annum, dependent on experience.

Interviews to take place: Friday the 18th September

The Organisation

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

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

The Role

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

Key responsibilities include:

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

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

The Candidate

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

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

come from a variety of sectors and backgrounds.

You will bring:

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

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

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

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

strengthening communities.

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

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

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

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

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

Chief Executive Officer

London/Hybrid | 4 days a week (28 hours per week)
£80,000 FTE
Two-Year Fixed-Term Contract

Our client is a respected UK-wide professional membership body representing more than 3,000 practitioners. Through advocacy, professional development, research and member support, the organisation champions professional standards and works to increase access to high-quality services across its sector.

The organisation is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as its next Chief Executive on a two-year fixed-term contract, leading the organisation through a significant period of transformation, stabilisation and renewal.

Working closely with the Board, staff, members and key stakeholders, the successful candidate will provide the strategic and operational leadership required to strengthen organisational effectiveness, enhance financial sustainability, build an engaged and high-performing culture, and position the organisation for long-term success. This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on a well-established membership body, ensuring it emerges stronger, more resilient and better equipped to deliver for its members and wider stakeholders.

As the organisation's senior executive and principal ambassador, you will lead the development and implementation of a clear transformation roadmap, strengthen organisational capability and governance, and build confidence across the membership and stakeholder community while championing the value and impact of the profession.

To be successful, you will bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience as a Chief Executive, Executive Director or equivalent.
• A proven track record of leading organisational transformation, change, stabilisation or turnaround programmes.
• Experience developing and implementing strategy, translating vision into sustainable organisational improvement and measurable outcomes.
• Strong financial, operational and governance leadership skills, with experience improving organisational resilience and sustainability.
• A history of building positive, inclusive and high-performing organisational cultures, with a strong focus on staff engagement and organisational development.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement, communication and influencing skills, with the credibility to act as the organisation's principal ambassador.
• A collaborative, resilient and values-led leadership style, with a commitment to supporting professional excellence and sector advancement.

To find further information, please view the microsite on Prospectus’ website.

Closing date: 16 September
Final interviews: Week commencing 28 September

Ambition Aspire Achieve is seeking an exceptional, values-led Chief Executive to lead our much-loved children and young people’s charity into its next chapter.

This is a rare opportunity to lead a practical, relationship-based and strongly rooted Newham charity that makes a real difference to children, young people and families facing disadvantage, vulnerability, SEND, disability or risk.

Founded in 2016 by Kevin Jenkins OBE, Ambition Aspire Achieve has grown from a small number of projects at the Terence Brown Arc in the Park into a well-established charity working across Newham. Today, AAA supports nearly 1,000 children and young people each year through its hubs, with many more reached through outreach, schools-based work and community programmes.

Our work is grounded in the belief that every child and young person should be able to enjoy their childhood, overcome barriers, build confidence and develop the skills and self-belief to achieve positive futures. We deliver a broad programme of support including after-school clubs, holiday programmes, youth clubs, SEND activities, mentoring, outdoor learning, sports, family days, residentials, detached youth work, schools-based youth safety work, community events and targeted family support.

This is an exciting and important moment in AAA’s journey. Following a period of growth, the charity is now focused on consolidation, quality and long-term sustainability. We are financially stable, well regarded and deeply rooted locally, with strong relationships across funders, schools, corporate partners, local agencies and community organisations.

The next Chief Executive will provide clear, steady and values-led leadership, working closely with the Chair and Board of Trustees. They will lead and support the staff team, strengthen organisational sustainability, maintain and develop partnerships, champion safeguarding and inclusion, and ensure children and young people remain at the heart of every decision.

As AAA does not currently have a dedicated senior fundraising post, the Chief Executive will also play a central role in securing and maintaining the income needed to sustain and develop the charity’s work. This will include trusts and foundations, statutory funding, corporate partnerships, individual donors, appeals and wider supporter engagement.

We are looking for someone who can combine strategic leadership with practical operational understanding. You may already be a Chief Executive, or you may be an experienced senior leader ready to step into your first Chief Executive role. What matters most is your ability to lead with clarity, care and resilience; build trusted relationships; secure income; uphold strong governance; and keep AAA’s values at the centre of how the charity works.

AAA’s values are Committed, Caring, Collaborative and Creative. We are looking for a leader who can live these values, promote a positive and inclusive culture, and help ensure AAA remains strong, responsive and ambitious for the children, young people and families who need us most.

This is not a turnaround role, but it is a significant leadership opportunity. The successful candidate will inherit a respected and impactful charity with strong foundations, while also leading it through a more challenging external funding environment and into its next phase of development.

Help lead the next chapter of an award-winning, volunteer-powered environmental charity

As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, Shrewsbury Food Hub is looking for an inclusive, practical and strategically minded Executive Director to lead us through the next phase of our development.

We have a simple vision: a community where food is valued and not wasted.

Founded in 2016, we rescue surplus food seven days a week from local suppliers and redistribute it through charities, community groups, schools and Foodshares. In the year to March 2026 alone, we rescued more than 270 tonnes of food, with our work reaching an estimated 4,000 people every week across Shrewsbury and the surrounding area.

We have also developed a growing programme of community cooking, bringing people together to build skills and confidence, share food and strengthen community – while ensuring that good food does not go to waste.

The opportunity

Shrewsbury Food Hub has grown significantly over the past decade. Our next Executive Director will help us build on that success while strengthening the foundations beneath it.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead an established and much-loved local charity through a period of organisational development: bringing greater clarity, focus, structure and resilience while protecting the energy, relationships and community spirit that make the Hub special.

The Board is committed to focusing increasingly on governance and delegating day-to-day leadership and management to the Executive Director. You will have the authority and responsibility to lead the organisation, work closely with our Senior Leadership Team and create the conditions in which staff and volunteers can perform at their best.

This is not a figurehead role. We need an Executive Director who can see the bigger picture, make difficult choices and turn strategy into practical action – someone equally comfortable around the Board table and spending time with the staff, volunteers and partners who make our work possible.

This role is largely based in Shrewsbury, with some home working possible. This is a strongly place-based role requiring a regular and visible on-site presence.

What you will lead

Working with the Board, staff, volunteers and partners, you will:

• Lead the development and delivery of a clear, focused and financially sustainable strategy.
• Strengthen our structures, systems, processes and ways of working, leading organisational change with clarity and sensitivity.
• Provide overall leadership for safe, reliable and effective operations and organisational risk.
• Build an inclusive, enabling and accountable culture, supporting and developing our Senior Leadership Team and wider community of staff and volunteers.
• Oversee financial sustainability and the development of a strong, balanced income base.
• Build trusted relationships with funders, suppliers, businesses, local authorities and community partners, acting as a visible and credible ambassador for the Hub.

Please see the full Job Description and Person Specification for further details.

Who are we looking for?

You will bring successful senior leadership experience from a charity, social enterprise, public service or other purpose-led organisation, together with experience of shaping strategy, leading change and turning plans into results.

You will be financially astute, pragmatic and comfortable creating clarity in a busy organisation. Above all, you will be a genuine people leader: emotionally intelligent, approachable and able to build trust across a diverse community of staff, volunteers, trustees, founders and partners.

We don't expect our new Executive Director to be a specialist in everything. You may bring particular depth in operational and organisational leadership or in income generation, fundraising and external development. What matters is that you have credible experience of the other and the leadership ability to bring different expertise together.

Previous Executive Director experience is welcome, but is not essential.

Our values

We want our new Executive Director to share our commitment to reducing food waste and strengthening our community, and to lead in a way that reflects our values:

Passion – Accountability – Inclusiveness – Integrity – Caring – Resilience

These values shape not only what we do, but how we work together. We are looking for a leader who enables others to succeed, listens to different perspectives, acts with integrity and empathy, and remains purposeful and constructive through change.

Our ambitions remain firmly rooted in place. We believe there is significant potential to deepen our environmental and social impact across Shrewsbury and Shropshire, rather than becoming a national organisation.

How to apply:

Please submit your CV and a covering letter of no more than three pages, outlining your suitability for the role, by 5pm on Friday 25 September 2026.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to visit Shrewsbury Food Hub on Monday 5 October 2026, providing an opportunity to meet the team, see the Hub in action and gain a deeper understanding of the organisation ahead of formal interviews.

Shrewsbury Food Hub values the strength that comes from different experiences and perspectives. We welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and are committed to a fair and accessible recruitment process.

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Over the past decade, Escapeline has become a recognised leader in the prevention of child criminal and sexual exploitation across the South West. Through awareness raising, education, direct intervention, family support, professional training and strong partnership working, we have empowered thousands of children, young people, families and professionals to better understand, identify and respond to the risks of exploitation.

Our work has never been more important. As the nature of exploitation continues to evolve, so too must our response. We are therefore seeking an exceptional Chief Executive who can provide visionary leadership, inspire confidence among stakeholders, strengthen strategic partnerships and ensure Escapeline continues to be at the forefront of protecting vulnerable children and young people.

Building on our strong foundations, we see significant opportunities to expand our reach and deepen our impact, particularly across Dorset and Wiltshire, where support for the charity remains strong and continues to grow. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape the next chapter of our development, broadening our influence, diversifying income streams, enhancing our services and securing long-term sustainability.

While preventing the exploitation of children will always remain our core purpose, we are equally committed to supporting the wider impact that exploitation has on families. Our specialist helpline and parent support community provide a vital source of guidance, understanding and hope for families who often feel isolated and overlooked by traditional support services. We are determined to strengthen and expand this provision, ensuring that no family faces these challenges alone.

We are looking for a leader who combines strategic vision with emotional intelligence, commercial awareness with compassion, and ambition with an unwavering commitment to our values. You will lead a dedicated team, work alongside an engaged and supportive Board of Trustees, and build on a reputation that has been earned through years of trusted and impactful work.

Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people and families at a time when that difference is urgently needed.

If you are inspired by our mission and share our ambition to create safer futures for children and young people, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Responsibilities

People and Team Leadership

• Line manage the Fundraising Manager, providing regular supervision, support, and performance development

• Lead the planning and delivery of all-hands meetings and team development programmes, fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture

• Maintain oversight of team resource mapping, ensuring capacity is well-managed across the organisation

Impact and Evaluation

• Lead the design and ongoing development of Routes' impact evaluation framework, ensuring it captures meaningful data about the difference our work makes

• Oversee the collection, analysis, and interpretation of impact data throughout the year, using findings to inform programme development and organisational decision-making

• Write and produce Routes' annual impact report, communicating our work and outcomes compellingly to funders, partners, and the wider sector

Income Generation

• Support the Fundraising Manager with grant applications, funder relationships, and income generation activity as needed

• Manage the sales pipeline for the mentoring programme, including prospecting, relationship development, and conversion of corporate and organisational clients

• Source and manage CSR partnerships, building relationships with corporate partners and ensuring existing partnerships are well-stewarded

Operations

• Lead on the creation, review, and approval of organisational policies, ensuring Routes' policies are up to date, legally compliant, and reflective of our values

• Oversee day-to-day office administration and organisational housekeeping

• Manage organisational insurance, ensuring appropriate cover is maintained and reviewed annually

• Oversee staff IT, laptops, phones, and software subscriptions, including troubleshooting and managing supplier relationships

• Draft and manage organisational contracts, including supplier, partner, and service agreements

• Lead on the conversion of Routes from a CIC to a CIO, working with legal advisors, the board, and relevant statutory bodies to manage the process

Strategy

• Contribute to the development and delivery of Routes' organisational strategy, bringing insight from your areas of responsibility

• Lead on the development and implementation of Routes' income generation strategy, working closely with the Fundraising Manager and Co-CEO

Communications

• Write thought leadership pieces for the Routes blog, contributing to Routes' voice and visibility in the sector

Leadership Development and Learning

• Take ownership of your own professional development, using the annual training budget to attend relevant training, events, and sector learning opportunities that strengthen your contribution to Routes and the wider sector

There are some areas of responsibility that sit under the other Co-CEO, but we would expect the person in this role to maintain some oversight or involvement in to enable smooth co-working between the roles. These are:

• Safeguarding: Act as Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) when required, ensuring Routes meets its safeguarding obligations and that staff and volunteers are appropriately supported

• Finance: Attend and contribute to monthly finance meetings, planned by other Co-CEO, maintaining a clear understanding of the organisation's financial position and flagging any concerns to the Co-CEO and board

• Governance: Attend board meetings, providing updates on areas of responsibility and supporting the board to fulfil its governance function

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience in a senior leadership role within the charity, social enterprise, or public sector

• Demonstrable experience of managing and developing staff, with a coaching and supportive leadership style

• Experience of income generation in a charity or social enterprise context, including either grant fundraising, corporate partnerships, or programme sales

• Experience of designing or overseeing monitoring, evaluation, and learning frameworks and producing reports that communicate impact clearly

• Experience of managing operational and governance responsibilities, including policy development and working with a board

• Experience leading teams in challenging, fast-changing and resource-constrained environments 

• Experience of working with or for communities facing marginalisation, discrimination, or structural disadvantage, and a deep understanding of the barriers refugee and asylum seeking women face in the UK

Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to balance day to day operational oversight with long term strategic planning, ensuring that Routes’ work remains in line with values and objectives whilst responding to the changing needs of participants and the external landscape

• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to write compellingly for different audiences

• Financially literate, with the ability to read and engage meaningfully with management accounts and budgets

• Highly organised, with the ability to manage a broad and varied portfolio without dropping the ball

• Comfortable working with data, both quantitative and qualitative, and using it to draw meaningful conclusions

• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to build trust quickly with a wide range of stakeholders including funders, corporate partners, board members, and colleagues

• Sound understanding of CIC/charity governance and good practice, and the ability to make confident decisions independently while knowing when to consult

Values and Approach

• Deep personal commitment to gender equality, racial justice, and the rights of refugees and asylum seeking people

• Understanding of the importance of implementing trauma informed practices and a commitment to accessible working practices for all

• A collaborative leadership style that builds trust, shares power, and brings out the best in others

• Comfortable with ambiguity and change, able to hold complexity without becoming overwhelmed by it

• Honest, transparent, and accountable, someone who says what they mean and follows through on commitments

• Energised by working in a small, values-led organisation where everyone mucks in

Additionally, it would be desirable for you to be trained as a Designated Safeguarding Lead, but training on this can be provided.

A Note on Experience

We know that leadership experience takes many forms, and that people from marginalised communities,  including those with lived experience of the asylum system, are often underrepresented at senior levels in the charity sector despite having exactly the qualities and understanding this role requires. We warmly encourage applications from people who may not follow a conventional career trajectory but who can demonstrate the skills, values, and commitment we are looking for. If you are unsure whether your experience is the right fit, please do get in touch before applying,  we would rather have that conversation than miss out on the right person.

About Us

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

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

About the Role

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

About You

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

Key Activity Areas

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

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

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

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

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

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

Qualifications - Desirable

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

• CIPD qualification, or equivalent hands-on HR experience

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

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

• Safeguarding lead training

Experience and Competencies — Essential

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

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

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

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

• Working knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and regulatory compliance

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

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

• A genuine, demonstrable commitment to Pickering's mission

Experience and Competencies — Desirable

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

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

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

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

• Familiarity with Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding local community

Safeguarding

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

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

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

How to Apply

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

This is an opportunity to lead an established and respected charity with a strong reputation, ambitious plans and genuine influence across Northamptonshire.  You will pay a pivotal role in shaping programmes that improve health, education, employability, inclusion and community wellbeing, leaving a lasting legacy for thousands of people.

Northampton Town Football Club has been a central part of life in Northamptonshire since 1897 – a source of local pride, identity, and connection.  The club inspires passion, brings people together and plays a powerful role in uniting communities across the county.

As Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Northampton Town FC Community Trust, you will provide visionary leadership, strategic direction, and operational excellence to drive the charity’s impact in leveraging the power of football for social change and community development across Northamptonshire.

You will develop, lead and deliver the NTFC Community Trust Strategy, increasing the Community Trust and Football Club’s brand, impact and reputation locally and nationally.

Imroc is seeking a Chief Executive Officer to provide strategic, values-led leadership as the organisation enters its next phase of development.

This is a significant leadership opportunity for someone who can combine a strong commitment to recovery and lived experience leadership with the strategic, organisational and commercial judgement needed to lead a relatively small, influential charity. Working closely with the Board of Trustees and senior colleagues, the CEO will shape clear priorities, strengthen organisational and financial sustainability, build future leadership capability, and create new opportunities for impact and growth.

The successful candidate will be joining an organisation with a distinctive philosophy and more than 20 years of experience influencing recovery-focused practice. Imroc works in England and globally, combining consultancy and organisational development, accredited training, coaching and mentorship, thought leadership, evaluation and research.

What Imroc does

Training – co-produced, practical and recovery-focused programmes designed to build skills, confidence and meaningful culture change.

Consultancy and organisational development – collaborative support that helps organisations embed recovery principles, co-production and lived experience into practice and organisational culture.

Research and evaluation – evidence-based work that contributes to learning across mental health and related systems and underpins Imroc’s training and consultancy.

Thought leadership and influence – sharing learning, challenging established practice and helping shape more inclusive and recovery-focused systems.

At the heart of Imroc’s work is a commitment to recovery, peer support, co-production/co-development, equality, diversity and inclusion, and lived experience leadership.

Purpose of the role

The Chief Executive Officer is responsible for providing strategic, values-led leadership to Imroc, ensuring the organisation continues to influence and transform mental health systems through recovery-focused consultancy, research, training and innovation.

Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will lead the organisation through its next phase of development by creating a clear strategic vision, building sustainable partnerships, identifying new opportunities for growth and ensuring Imroc remains financially sustainable whilst remaining true to its values and recovery philosophy.

The CEO will lead Imroc through a period of organisational transition, strengthening organisational and financial sustainability, developing future leadership capability, and positioning the charity for its next phase of development.

They will inspire an inclusive, high-performing culture where people are supported, challenged and enabled to do their best work, ensuring Imroc continues to have meaningful impact both nationally and internationally

Imroc’s new Chief Executive Officer will:

Provide inspiring, values-led strategic and executive leadership;

Successfully lead Imroc through its next phase of organisational development and transition;

Establish clear strategic priorities and ensure these translate into organisational action;

Strengthen Imroc’s influence nationally and internationally;

Create new opportunities for sustainable growth and impact;

Build sustainable strategic partnerships;

Strengthen Imroc’s long-term financial sustainability;

Develop organisational and leadership capability;

Develop an engaged, confident and high-performing team;

Ensure lived experience leadership, peer support, co-production and recovery principles are meaningfully embedded across Imroc;

Champion innovation and thought leadership whilst enabling a wider range of voices across Imroc to contribute to its influence; and

Ensure Imroc continues to have a meaningful impact on mental health systems and communities.

Key responsibilities

Strategic and executive leadership

Provide strategic leadership to Imroc, ensuring the organisation remains focused on delivering its charitable objectives and long-term vision.

Work collaboratively with the Board of Trustees to set and deliver Imroc’s strategic direction, translating the organisation’s purpose and values into clear organisational priorities.

Provide effective executive oversight of organisational and operational performance, ensuring resources, systems and organisational capability support strategic priorities.

Continually scan the external environment to identify emerging opportunities, challenges and changes across mental health, health, social care and wider systems.

Translate strategic opportunities into innovative products, partnerships, and services that align with Imroc’s mission.

Ensure organisational structures, capabilities and resources continue to evolve to meet future priorities.

Lead Imroc effectively through organisational, cultural and strategic change.

Champion continuous improvement and innovation.

Leadership and culture

Lead an inclusive, compassionate and value-led organisational culture.

Foster an environment where people feel supported whilst also being appropriately challenged to achieve high standards.

Lead with authenticity, integrity, and a strong commitment to recovery principles.

Ensure Imroc’s values, recovery philosophy, commitment to EDI, peer support, co-production/co-development and lived experience leadership are reflected throughout organisational culture, priorities and decision-making.

Build leadership capability through coaching, mentoring, and development.

Promote collaboration, learning, and continuous improvement across consultants and colleagues.

Ensure difficult conversations are approached constructively, respectfully, and in a way that enables growth.

Business development and external influence

Build and maintain strategic partnerships across the NHS, voluntary sector, academia, research organisations and wider system partners.

Proactively identify and create new business opportunities, strategic partnerships and sources of sustainable income that increase Imroc’s impact and strengthen long-term financial sustainability.

Represent Imroc nationally through networking, speaking engagements, conferences, and stakeholder engagement.

Position Imroc as an influential, values-led and recovery-focused thought leader, creating opportunities for colleagues and people with lived experience to contribute to Imroc’s external voice and influence.

Support the development of bids, proposals, and strategic partnerships that align with Imroc’s values and expertise.

Build relationships that open opportunities for others across Imroc to develop and deliver new work.

Financial sustainability

Work closely with the Chief Operating Officer and Board to ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Oversee financial planning, budgeting, and organisational performance.

Ensure effective stewardship of organisational resources.

Support and enable income generation through consultancy, partnerships, grants, and other opportunities.

Ensure strategic and operational decisions take account of Imroc’s long-term financial sustainability.

Governance

Maintain a strong and effective relationship with the Board of Trustees.

Maintain oversight of effective strategic governance frameworks, ensuring clear accountability, effective decision-making, and appropriate organisational assurance.

Ensure the organisation meets all legal and regulatory obligations.

Support Trustees through timely reporting, strategic advice, and effective governance.

Promote high standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability.

People leadership

Lead, support, and develop senior colleagues.

Build organisational capability and succession planning.

Create an environment where people are empowered to contribute their expertise.

Encourage collaboration whilst maintaining accountability for delivery.

Lead through periods of change in a way that maintains engagement, organisational confidence, and effective delivery.

Create the conditions in which lived experience leadership, peer support and co-production are valued and embedded across the organisation.

Person specification

Essential experience

Significant senior executive leadership experience, including experience of organisational and operational management.

Demonstrable experience of leading organisations through significant organisational, cultural or strategic change, while maintaining staff engagement, stakeholder confidence and organisational performance.

Experience leading organisational strategy and change.

Experience working effectively with Boards or Trustees.

Experience developing and leading high-performing teams.

Experience building strategic partnerships and influencing senior stakeholders.

Experience contributing to organisational financial sustainability and identifying opportunities for sustainable growth.

Experience within mental health, health, or social care.

Essential knowledge and skills

Strong strategic thinking and commercial awareness.

Excellent relationship building and influencing skills.

Ability to identify future opportunities and translate these into organisational priorities.

Excellent communication and presentation skills.

Ability to lead with both compassion and accountability.

Strong judgement and decision-making skills.

Ability to manage complexity and ambiguity.

Demonstrable commitment to values-led leadership and to embedding equality, diversity and inclusion, recovery principles, peer support and co-production/co-development within organisational culture, leadership and decision-making.

A strong understanding of recovery philosophy, peer support, co-production and lived experience leadership.

Demonstrable understanding of lived experience leadership and the ability to value and embed lived experience in all aspects of the role and the work of the organisation.

Personal experience of mental health challenges, either personally or as a family member/carer, together with an ability to reflect on how this experience influences your values, priorities, and practice.

Desirable experience

Experience within consultancy or professional services.

Experience of research partnerships or academia.

Experience of public speaking and thought leadership.

Experience securing funding, consultancy opportunities or strategic partnerships.

Experience working internationally.

Postgraduate qualification or equivalent experience.

Personal attributes

Authentic and values-led leadership.

Curiosity and a commitment to learning.

Creativity and innovation.

Resilience and adaptability.

Collaborative leadership.

Courage to make difficult decisions.

Ability to inspire confidence and build trust.

Commitment to Imroc’s recovery philosophy.

A commitment to sharing power and ensuring lived experience meaningfully informs organisational leadership and decision-making.

The ability to balance strategic leadership with practical executive leadership required within a relatively small organisation.

Recruitment process and timetable

Timing & Activity

Wednesday 19 August – Sunday 6 September  - Application window

Monday 14 September – Wednesday 16 September  - First stage interviews (subject to change)

Monday 21 September – Wednesday 23 September  - Second stage final interviews (subject to change)

How to apply

To apply for the Chief Executive Officer role, please submit:

your current CV; and

a covering letter setting out your interest in the role and how your experience, skills and approach align with the requirements set out in this candidate pack.

Application details

Salary - £90,000

Location - London - Hybrid

Where to apply - Directly to this advertisement 

Contact for an informal discussion - Kathryn Wileman. Clover HR

Interview arrangements - First stage and second stage Imroc interviews will be arranged virtually.

Accessibility and inclusion

Imroc’s work is grounded in inclusion, equity, co-production and lived experience. Candidates are encouraged to let the recruitment team know if they require any reasonable adjustments or other support to participate fully in the recruitment process.

Find out more

More information about Imroc, its work, publications, training, consultancy and research is available at their website