18 Chief executive officer jobs in Bermondsey, Greater London

The Executive Director will provide strategic, operational and financial leadership for East London Dance, working in close partnership with the Creative Director & CEO to deliver the organisation’s vision and business plan, strengthening its position as an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation. The role leads people, culture, finance, governance, risk, operations, fundraising and stakeholder engagement, ensuring the organisation remains financially sustainable, well-governed and equipped to deliver high-quality artistic and community programmes.

As a senior ambassador, the Executive Director builds strong relationships with funders, partners, trustees and stakeholders, while fostering an inclusive, collaborative and values-led culture. The role creates the conditions for a thriving team, turning creative ambition into organisational reality and supporting East London Dance’s long-term success.

We’re looking for someone who can help turn our ambition into a sustainable, thriving future – building the relationships and the funding that will carry us forward, and doing it alongside a team that already cares deeply about the organisation.

If you’re someone who loves building things, who knows how to bring people and money together, and who wants to help shape what east London’s cultural life looks like for years to come – we’d love to hear from you.

Job requirements:

Must bring substantial senior leadership experience, ideally Director, Deputy CEO or equivalent level, with evidence of strategic planning, organisational growth and performance management. Must have a proven track record in fundraising, business development and income generation, including securing funding, managing funder relationships and identifying new commercial or partnership opportunities; experience leading high-performing teams, managing change and strengthening organisational culture; strong financial acumen, including understanding budgets, balance sheets and financial decision-making; knowledge of charity governance, safeguarding, health and safety, data protection and risk management frameworks; experience working with Boards of Trustees. Must demonstrate commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, be confident using Microsoft Suite, and have knowledge of ACE funding and reporting requirements.

Job Responsibilities:

Provides strategic, operational and financial leadership with Creative Director & CEO. The role translates the Business Plan into action, leads staff, freelancers and consultants, and develops an inclusive, high-performing culture. Key responsibilities include workforce planning, recruitment, HR compliance, performance management and staff wellbeing. The role oversees organisational systems, administration, IT and the operation of Talent House, including health and safety, compliance, venue hire and stakeholder relationships. They co-lead budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, cash flow monitoring and audit processes, while driving fundraising and income generation across grants, trusts, partnerships, sponsorship and earned income. The role also leads governance, risk management and business continuity planning, supports the Board of Trustees, develops strategic partnerships, represents the organisation externally and strengthens its profile, impact and long-term sustainability.

Apply via the East London Dance Website by Thursday 8 October, 12 Noon

Gendered Intelligence is seeking an exceptional leader to serve as its next Chief Executive. This is a rare opportunity to lead a nationally respected, trans-led organisation with real influence on policy, professional practice and the lives of trans, non-binary and gender exploring people across the UK.

The next Chief Executive will inherit strong foundations: an experienced and committed team of just under 40 people, a distinctive and trusted public profile, and a range of services that reach communities, professionals and institutions across the country. With income of around £1.5–2m, the next Chief Executive will lead the organisation through its next phase of development at a time when that leadership matters enormously.

The role offers the chance to shape strategic direction, open new partnerships and income streams, and contribute to national conversations on trans equality and human rights, while working alongside people who are deeply committed to the mission and to each other.

We are looking for someone who combines strategic clarity with operational grounding, who leads with calm and consistency, and who understands both the privilege and the responsibility of this role. We will be honest with candidates about what the role involves, and we expect the same in return.

Full details of the role can be found on our website and in the attached recruitment pack. 

Julie’s Bicycle is seeking a visionary, collaborative and values-led Chief Executive to lead the organisation into its next chapter.

About Julie’s Bicycle

Julie’s Bicycle is a pioneering not-for-profit organisation mobilising the arts and culture sectors to take action on the climate crisis. For nearly two decades, we have been at the forefront of the creative climate movement, working to put culture and creativity at the heart of climate action. We believe culture has the power to challenge, inspire and move people; to shape how we think, feel and act; and to help transform our future now.

Our work brings together cultural and environmental expertise to support practical action, build leadership, inform policy and strengthen collective impact. Through our programmes, tools, training, consultancy, campaigns and partnerships, we support artists, creative organisations, policymakers and changemakers to respond to the climate, nature and justice crises with confidence, imagination and purpose. To date, Julie’s Bicycle has worked with thousands of organisations and individuals, in the UK and globally, helping to equip people, places and policies with the knowledge and power to drive sustainable change.

Why this opportunity has arisen

This is a defining moment for Julie’s Bicycle. After 19 years of inspirational founding leadership, our Founder and Chief Executive, Alison Tickell, is stepping down from the role. As we approach our 20th anniversary, Julie’s Bicycle is renewing its strategy and theory of change. The climate, nature and justice crises continue to evolve, and so too must the leadership, partnerships and solutions needed to create meaningful change. This creates a significant opportunity for a new Chief Executive to honour a powerful legacy while shaping a bold, clear and ambitious next chapter for the organisation.

What we are looking for

We are looking for an exceptional Chief Executive who can provide strategic and organisational leadership, strengthen Julie’s Bicycle’s voice and influence, and ensure the organisation continues to deliver impact at the intersection of culture and climate. The successful candidate will work closely with an experienced Board and dedicated staff team to refine and deliver our next phase of strategy, sharpen our priorities, build sustainable income and communicate our distinctive value with clarity and conviction.

This is both an outward-facing and deeply organisational role. Externally, our next Chief Executive will be a visible and credible advocate across culture, climate and environmental networks, able to build partnerships, engage funders and policymakers, convene people around shared purpose, and speak persuasively about the role of arts and culture in responding to the climate crisis. Internally, they will inspire, empower and support a talented and values-led team, strengthening leadership capability, systems, decision-making and accountability while protecting the inclusive, creative and collaborative culture that makes Julie’s Bicycle special.

We are keen to hear from experienced senior leaders with a track record of organisational and people leadership, strategic development, partnership building and income generation. We expect our CEO to demonstrate a strong understanding of the relationship between culture, climate and wider social and environmental change, and to bring a deep knowledge and experience of the UK cultural landscape and key institutions and stakeholders, and/or a deep knowledge and experience of national and international climate policy and advocacy environments. However, we are also keen to hear from you if you are passionate about the intersection of culture and climate/environmental issues, but would benefit from a period of phased support to fully immerse yourself in the breadth of issues, sectors and contexts in which JB operates.  

This is an opportunity to lead a pioneering organisation with purpose and ambition: protecting what makes Julie’s Bicycle distinctive, strengthening the foundations that will help it thrive, and turning the power of culture into meaningful and lasting climate action.

To learn more about the opportunity and how to apply, please download the full appointment brief.

Closing Date:  18 October 2026

People Beyond Profit Conversations:  22 October2026 - 5 November 2026

JB Interviews:

First stage:  12 November 2026

Second stage:  19 November 2026

About GMWSA

Greater Manchester Women’s Support Alliance brings together nine Member and Associate women’s centres serving all ten Greater Manchester boroughs. Together, the Alliance helps women involved in the criminal justice system, at risk of offending or experiencing multiple disadvantage to access coordinated, trauma-responsive support in their communities.

GMWSA is both a strategic alliance and a contract-holding organisation. It coordinates major commissioned work across Greater Manchester, supports delivery through local women’s centres and represents a pan-Greater Manchester view in partnerships concerned with women, justice, health and gender-based violence. Its work includes community-based probation services, support at HMP Styal and health-focused initiatives delivered with NHS and voluntary-sector partners.

About the role

This maternity-cover appointment comes at an important point in GMWSA’s development. The substantive Chief Executive has built strong relationships and a significant portfolio of work. During her absence, the Alliance needs a confident interim leader who can maintain momentum, give staff and partners clarity, and ensure that major commitments continue to be delivered well.

Alongside business continuity, there is meaningful development work to lead. GMWSA is resetting its strategic purpose, strengthening the way its Board and membership work together, and preparing for the possible retender of service contracts.

The successful candidate will keep delivery on track while helping the Board and members make practical progress on these priorities.

You will lead a small core team and work across a wider network of project staff, secondees, women’s centres, commissioners and strategic partners. This is a hands-on role requiring sound judgement, strong relationships and the confidence to move between operational detail and system-level influence.

Key responsibilities

·  Provide visible, values-led executive leadership throughout the maternity-cover period.

·  Maintain oversight of contracts, services, safeguarding, performance, finance and organisational risk.

·  Lead readiness for a potential contract retender, coordinating members, evidence, relationships and bid planning.

·  Work with trustees to strengthen governance, clarify accountability and support Chair and Treasurer recruitment and induction.

·  Bring members together around a clearer strategic purpose and a sustainable future for the Alliance.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for an experienced Chief Executive, Interim Chief Executive or senior leader who can establish credibility quickly and combine calm stewardship with constructive change.

You will be comfortable leading a small organisation that operates through partnerships, commissioned services and influence rather than a large directly delivered service base.

The successful candidate will bring:

·  Senior leadership experience in a charity, public-service or other mission-led setting.

·  A strong understanding of commissioned services, contract performance and the disciplines required of a prime provider or accountable body.

·  Strong external relationship and influencing skills, including the ability to hold constructive boundaries with commissioners.

Why join GMWSA?

This is an opportunity to make a tangible difference in a focused period: protecting high-value services for women, supporting a committed team and membership, and helping an established Alliance take its next steps with greater clarity and confidence.

The role offers genuine scope to influence that work while maintaining the relationships and operational grip on which women and partners rely.

How to apply

Full information about the role and the application process will be available on the Peridot Partners microsite. Applications will close on a date to be confirmed.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Bill Yuksel at Peridot Partners.

This post is restricted to women as an occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be subject to appropriate pre-employment checks, including a DBS check.

We are looking for an inspirational new CEO to lead our dedicated team and continue to develop SLRA’s outstanding services and impact. You may be an experienced CEO or have the skills and determination needed to step up into the role. We are looking for someone who will ensure the continued exceptional impact of our work with local migrant individuals and communities and who will continue to develop our campaigning and policy influencing work at a time when the hostility of the external environment and government policies is more challenging than ever. If you think you might be the right person for this role, feel that you could bring the best out in those you lead and have the capability to define SLRA’s direction over the coming years, then we would love to hear from you.

SLRA is a well-established local migrant support organisation working with and for refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants who are at risk or in crisis because of immigration issues. We provide specialist immigration advice as well as a broad range of practical, social and therapeutic support services. We also campaign for a fairer immigration system, involving local people with lived experience in influencing local and national policy and practice.   

For all roles, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic individuals, and those who are migrants or refugees, and who have lived experience of the hostile immigration system. We are proud to be a member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network, which aims to create a charitable sector that is led by people with lived experience of the asylum and immigration system. As part of this network, we challenge the one-size-fits-all approach in our employment practices, and respect personal circumstances and needs of people with lived experience. Please feel free to use information and resources on their website which may help in preparing your job application. 

Absolute Support Leading Light (ASLL) is looking for an inspiring, values-led Chief Executive to lead the charity through its next stage of development. This is a significant opportunity for an experienced leader to work closely with the Board of Trustees, senior leadership team, staff, commissioners, families and the people we support to sustain and grow high-quality outreach and supported living services for people with learning disabilities and autism.

ASLL is a small local charity based in Richmond-upon-Thames supporting people with learning disabilities and autism. Founded in 2006 and registered as a charity in 2019, Absolute Support has built a solid reputation as a caring provider with a warm and supportive home setting for the people we support. Through our two community-based, supported living homes and via a small outreach service, we work to enable 11 young adults to live happy and meaningful lives.

You will lead a skilled and committed staff team within a welcoming and collaborative culture whilst being supported by the active and experienced board of trustees. The successful candidate will provide strategic direction, strengthen governance and quality assurance, oversee compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements, and act as the organisation's lead spokesperson.

Job title: Chief Executive Officer.

Location: Office-based at ASLL's Teddington office, with regular travel to the locally based client sites.

Working hours: 24 hours (3 days per week).

Salary: £60,000 FTE (£36,000 based on 24 hours per week).

Regulatory role: CQC Nominated Individual (designate) for ASLL's regulated activity, pending CQC registration.

How to apply:

Please review the Recruitment Pack for further information about ASLL, the CEO position and for details on how to apply.

Closing date for applications: 9am Monday 5 October 2026

Both ASLL and Harris Hill operate an equal opportunity policy and commit to treating all of our candidates and jobseekers fairly. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

Are you an exceptional leader motivated by compassion and commitment with a belief in people, that can take a thriving small charity to the next stage of professionalism and growth? Are willing to help our women and girls including Black Asian Minority Ethnic Refugee BAMER and their families in the area of benefit?

The Board of Trustees are seeking an experienced Chief Executive to  drive operational efficiency and strategic growth, ensuring that we continue to make a lasting impact. As Chief Executive , you will play a key leadership role in overseeing the charity’s day-to-day operations, ensuring financial sustainability, governance, compliance, and organisational effectiveness

WAND is a women led and operated organisation that seeks to help women become agents of their own change and hence influence their families and communities. We work with all women including those in marginalized and excluded communities through advocacy, support and advisory services.

Above posts are open to women only and are exempt under the Sex Discrimination Act 7(2) (d) and (e) and the Race Relations Act 5(2) (d) 1976.

For more than 30 years, Riverside has provided clinically excellent, affordable and accessible counselling and therapeutic services across our local communities. Every day, we see the life-changing difference that timely, compassionate support can make to people experiencing mental health and emotional difficulties. 

We are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive who shares our values and has the vision, energy and determination to lead Riverside into its next chapter. Working with a committed Board and dedicated team of staff, volunteers and counsellors, you will help shape our strategy, strengthen our partnerships and build a sustainable future for the charity. 

This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting difference. For furher information and details on how to apply, please see our recruitment pack. 

Change for Good Community Chaplaincy is looking for an experienced and committed Executive Director to lead our charity through an exciting stage of growth.

Founded in 2012, Change for Good began as a mentoring project in HMP Wandsworth and has grown into an established resettlement charity working across London. We support people before and after release through in-prison support, "through the gate" work, volunteer mentoring, and our peer support group, Next Chapter. Mentoring, advocacy, and peer support sit at the heart of everything we do.

As we grow, we're looking for a hands-on Executive Director who can lead the development and implementation of our strategic plan, lead and inspire our small staff team, champion the vital work of our volunteer mentors and our peer support group Next Chapter, and strengthen our relationships across the criminal justice and voluntary sectors - including our partner multi-faith prison chaplaincies.

About the role

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the development and implementation of Change for Good's strategic plan, working closely with the Board of Trustees
• Serve as ambassador and primary spokesperson for the charity, promoting our mission and programmes

Programme Delivery & Impact

• Ensure the effective delivery of our programmes: in-prison support, through the gate, volunteer mentoring, and Next Chapter
• Monitor and evaluate programme outcomes, and produce quality impact reports for funders and stakeholders

Income Generation & Sustainability

• Contribute to funding strategy, diversifying and growing income streams to secure the charity's long-term sustainability
• Produce high-quality reports that meet funders' requirements and maintain strong funder relationships

People & Volunteers

• Lead, motivate, and support high-performing staff team, building a positive and inclusive team culture
• Oversee the recruitment, training, and development of staff and volunteer mentors
• Support the vital role of our volunteer mentors, ensuring they feel well trained, supervised, and valued

External Relations

• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across the criminal justice and voluntary sectors

About you

This role would suit an experienced manager ready to take the step up into their first leadership role, as well as someone with prior senior leadership experience.

The ideal candidate will have:

• Management experience within the charity or voluntary sector, with the confidence and ability to lead a high-performing team
• A genuine passion for prisoner and ex-prisoner welfare, and a commitment to our mission
• Experience working with vulnerable or marginalised populations
• Experience within the criminal justice system or resettlement sector
• Ability to work closely with the Board of Trustees to develop and deliver strategic goals
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to represent the organisation externally
• Resilience, and the ability to thrive in a challenging and evolving environment
• Experience of, or willingness to lead on, fundraising and income generation

Change for Good is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and we particularly encourage applications from candidates who are currently underrepresented in charity leadership. We warmly welcome applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system.

Change for Good has a Christian foundation and works within multi-faith prison chaplaincy settings. Applicants should be comfortable working within, and respectful of, our faith-based ethos and multi-faith environment.

For two decades, Transplant Links Community has been transforming access to kidney transplantation in low- and middle-income countries. Working with NHS transplant professionals and international clinical partners, they help hospitals develop ethical, sustainable and increasingly self-sufficient transplant services. Alongside Transplant Links work with Partner Centres, our education and training programmes connect healthcare professionals around the world with specialist expertise and learning.

Chief Executive
Transplant Links
£75,000 FTE
Remote, UK based

This is an opportunity to lead a small, specialist organisation with international reach and tangible human impact. Working with a committed staff team and an exceptional network of NHS clinical volunteers, you will build on strong foundations while helping Transplant Links become more ambitious, sustainable and influential.

You will work with the Board to shape and deliver our strategy, lead and develop the organisation, strengthen our partnerships and profile and, importantly, grow and diversify our income. Developing a more consistent and sustainable funding base will be central to our next chapter.

This is a genuinely hands-on CEO role. We are looking for someone who thrives in a small, entrepreneurial organisation and is comfortable moving between the strategic and practical. You might be working with Trustees on future direction, developing a funding relationship, building an international partnership or helping colleagues resolve an operational challenge. You will enjoy being close to the work, taking ownership and making things happen.

You may already be a CEO or be a senior leader ready to take that step. More important than title is your ability to combine strategic judgement, strong relationship-building and an entrepreneurial approach. You will bring leadership experience alongside a demonstrable ability to generate income, develop partnerships and make a compelling case for support.

You do not need to be a clinician, but you will need the curiosity and credibility to work effectively with medical professionals and international partners, and respect for the expertise and voluntary contribution on which our work depends. Above all, we are looking for someone who is ambitious for our impact rather than the size of the organisation, a collaborative, resourceful and resilient leader who can see what is possible and help us make it happen.

Closing: 18 October 2026
Prospectus interviews: 26-30 October
Transplant Links interviews: From November 9

We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse organisation where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, particularly those currently underrepresented in our organisation.

The attached appointment brief provides further information about the opportunity, and the Prospectus team is available for an informal conversation.

The Environmental Funders Network (EFN) is a community of funders, philanthropy advisers, and fundraisers working together to transform environmental philanthropy and support more impactful funding for the environment in the UK and around the world. Through its research, networks, convening and programmes, EFN helps the environmental funding community to learn, connect and act effectively together, strengthening collaboration and increasing the scale and impact of environmental funding.

EFN is now seeking a new Executive Director at an important moment. Environmental philanthropy has grown significantly, creating a larger and more diverse funding community and real opportunities for greater impact. At the same time, environmental action and those who fund it are operating in an increasingly complex and contested political and public environment. As EFN finalises  its next strategy and turns to implementation, there is an opportunity to become more intentional about where it can add greatest value, sharpen its priorities and strengthen how it understands and demonstrates the outcomes and longer-term impact of its work.

The Executive Director will provide strategic and organisational leadership, working closely with the Board and a talented multidisciplinary team (13 staff representing 9.3 FTE) to translate EFN's strategy into focused action. They will provide clear and confident internal leadership, setting priorities, making thoughtful decisions and creating the conditions for the team to thrive, while strengthening EFN's financial sustainability and organisational resilience. They will foster a culture of reflection, learning and improvement, ensuring evidence and insight inform EFN's priorities and programmes.

Externally, the Executive Director will be a compelling ambassador and outstanding relationship-builder, able to build trust across a diverse community – from major international foundations to smaller funders, philanthropy advisers, fundraisers and NGO leaders. They will attend daytime and evening events regularly in London and periodically around the country and will bring the environmental literacy and political awareness to understand the changing context in which funders are operating, using EFN's distinctive role as a connector to build relationships, share knowledge and enable collaboration and collective action.

The ideal candidate will bring strategic leadership experience and can turn vision into focused delivery. They will be a skilled relationship-builder - able to listen, convene, influence and galvanise a diverse community around a shared purpose - low-ego and collaborative in approach. The successful candidate will have led and developed high-performing teams with an inclusive culture, embedding a genuine commitment to justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. You will combine strong organisational, financial and governance skills with an entrepreneurial mindset, and have experience generating income and building sustainable partnerships. Experience within philanthropy, foundations or membership networks is highly valuable but not essential. 

Above all, EFN is looking for someone with a genuine passion for environmental and social change, who understands the interconnectedness of today's environmental challenges and is excited by EFN's distinctive role: helping funders and fundraisers learn from one another, strengthening collaboration, and increasing the impact of environmental philanthropy. 

This is an exceptional opportunity to lead an influential network at a formative point in its development, helping EFN give the environmental funding community the knowledge, networks and agency to learn from one another, collaborate more effectively and increase the impact of environmental philanthropy.

To apply, pleaseclick on Apply Now below. You'll be required to submit your CV and a covering letter. 

Your cover letter shouldbe structured toanswer the following questions: 

1. What attracts you to the Executive Director role at EFN andwhat role do you feel EFN plays in the environmental philanthropy sector? 
2. Can you tell a story about how you have led a collaborative effortand how it delivered greater impact than could have been achieved acting alone?
3. Describe your leadership style and what you believe good leadership looks like, including how you have created an inclusive culture where people withdifferent roles,backgroundsand levels of influence feel able to contribute meaningfully. 

The deadline for applications is09.00BST on Monday 5th October 2026. 

EFN is a remote-workingorganisation, with team members based across the UK. The Executive Director will be expected to attend meetings and events regularly, primarily in London – potentially up to three times per week – as well as travelling elsewhere in the UK asrequired. 

The salary for the role is£85-95k.

Perrett Laver will conduct an executive search process in parallel with the public advertisement of the role. Longlisted candidates will be invited to interview with Perrett Laver in late mid-October, and the Selection Panel will subsequently meet to decide upon a final shortlist for the post in late October, following which, interviews with Environmental Funders Network will take place November and December. If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us of these so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

Justice, Equity,Diversityand Inclusion 

EFN is committed to justice, equity,diversityand inclusion andrecognisestheir inherent value and importance to effective environmental work. We welcome applications from candidates from a broad range of backgrounds and experiences and are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process. 

Perrett Laver’s GDPR Policy 

Protecting your personal data is of the utmost importance to Perrett Laver and we take this responsibility very seriously. Any information obtained by our trading divisions is held and processed in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation. The data you provide us with is securely stored on our computerised database and transferred to our clients for the purposes of presenting you as a candidate and/or considering your suitability for a role you have registered interest in. 

Perrett Laver is a Data Controller and a Data Processor, and our legal basis for processing your personal data is ‘Legitimate Interests’. You have the right to object to us processing your data in this way. For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit our website.

About School of Hard Knocks

School of Hard Knocks (SOHK) is one of the UK’s leading education charities, working in 29 secondary schools across England, Scotland, and Wales. Using rugby as a key delivery tool, we support young people who are struggling to engage in early secondary education - often because of anxiety, low confidence, disrupted home lives, or behavioural challenges rooted in trauma. For many of the children we support, life has already brought more hardship than most adults experience in a lifetime. Our purpose is clear: to help young people facing complex challenges break the cycle and move towards a safer, stronger, more hopeful future.

The SOHK Schools Programme is a two-year intervention working with cohorts of around 20 pupils from Year 7 through to Year 9. Pupils are selected by the school and are typically among the hardest to reach young people. Each week, we deliver half a day of rugby training and classroom sessions built around our 3Cs framework, covering topics such as growth mindset, goal setting, and decision-making, alongside monthly one-to-one sessions with every pupil. The programme’s impact is evaluated by SOHK staff, teachers, parents, and the pupils themselves.

90% of our participants report feeling more confident and more engaged with school after taking part, with long-term effects on attendance, attainment, and life outcomes. Find out more about our Schools Programme.

Since 2023, SOHK has been proud to partner with Impetus, a charity that invests in and supports organisations helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed. This partnership combines investment with strategic and organisational development support, helping to strengthen our impact and set SOHK up for sustainable growth.

We are proud to be delivering long-term programmes that meaningfully reach hundreds of young people each year - but the societal need is vast. Our ambitious four-year strategic plan targets growth, aiming to bring our impactful programme to hundreds more young people each year.

“Despite the usual challenges that every education or sport for development charity faces, School of Hard Knocks really is unique. It is not so much what we deliver at a programme level (which is of course brilliant) but who we are as a team. If you are a values-led leader and love the idea of ‘team’, then School of Hard Knocks is the place for you.”

- Ken Cowen, Founder and outgoing CEO

The Role

The CEO is the public face and leader of SOHK, responsible for the overall strategic direction, vision, and management of the charity - ensuring SOHK meets its mission and strategic objectives while maintaining strong relationships with Trustees, staff, supporters, and the wider SOHK community. We’re looking for a mission-driven charity leader and effective fundraiser, capable of building a sustainable growth model.

Strategy and Direction

● Be the face and voice of the charity - its principal ambassador

● Lead the development and periodic review of SOHK’s strategy with the Trustees and Senior Management Team

● Translate the 2026-30 strategy into organisational priorities, plans, and goals

● Ensure safeguarding, wellbeing, and the lived experience of young people remain central to every decision and growth plan

Programme Delivery, Quality and Impact

● Hold a high bar for programme quality and outcomes for young people

● Line-manage and support the Director of Programmes, working with delivery teams and partners to build a world-class, evidence-based intervention

● Ensure SOHK can evidence the impact of its programmes, with insights feeding back into constant improvement

Income Generation, Fundraising and External Relations

● Lead income generation across trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships, individual giving, and challenges and events

● Line-manage and support the Head of Fundraising in executing a comprehensive fundraising strategy

● Hold senior relationships with funders and partners, building SOHK’s brand, reputation, and profile

Leading People, Culture and Operations

● Build and lead a high-performing Senior Management Team

● Foster a positive, inclusive, high-performing culture aligned with SOHK’s values

● Line-manage and support the Director of Finance & Operations, ensuring operational excellence

Governance and the Board

● Act as the primary link between the organisation and the Trustees

● Attend all Trustee meetings (held quarterly) and provide timely, accurate reporting

● Ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, and Charity Commission requirements

About You

Essential

● Proven senior leadership experience in the charity, education, youth, or social impact sector - whether as CEO or as part of an executive team - including working directly with a Board of Trustees

● Demonstrated success in building or significantly growing an organisation, programme, or initiative

● A collaborative and values-led leadership style, with the ability to inspire trust, hold people to account, and build high-performing teams

● Strong track record of income generation, including securing significant funding from trusts, foundations, corporates, or major donors

● Experience of financial oversight, budgeting, and organisational planning at a senior level

● Strategic thinker, able to translate vision into clear plans and delivery

● Strong relationship-builder and communicator, confident with a wide range of stakeholders

Desirable

● Previous charity CEO experience - a bonus, but not essential; we know brilliant candidates come from a wide range of backgrounds

● Direct classroom, youth work, or education leadership experience

● Knowledge of the UK education system and youth policy landscape

● Experience of scaling a multi-site delivery organisation and working with local authorities

Personal Attributes

● Deep commitment to improving outcomes for young people, especially those facing disadvantage

● Resilient and persistent, able to work under pressure and navigate setbacks

● Collaborative, open, and reflective leader who seeks feedback and learns from it

Terms of Appointment

Contract type

Full-time, permanent

Location

Greater London, with offices in Edinburgh & Cardiff

Salary

£85,000 – £90,000 per year + £5,000 PRP

Reports to

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Direct reports

Director of Programmes; Head of Fundraising; Director of Finance & Operations

Travel

Regular UK travel, primarily to Edinburgh and Cardiff. Occasional evenings for stakeholder engagement and fundraising events

Trustee meetings

Quarterly, in London, in the evening, plus ad hoc subcommittees

Who we are

Bipolar UK is the only national charity dedicated to building a better world together for everyone affected by bipolar disorder. For more than 40 years, peer support has been at the heart of everything we do. Through our support services, research and campaign work, we empower thousands of people a month to stay well and we have the ambition to reach many thousands more.

About the role

Our next Chief Executive will lead Bipolar UK through this next stage, building on strong foundations while strengthening how the organisation works. You will drive collaboration, clearer accountability and confident decision-making across our organisation.

Financial sustainability will also be important. We have healthy reserves and have invested significantly in fundraising capability. As our new CEO, you will work with colleagues and trustees to strengthen and diversify sustainable income, develop external relationships and ensure our resources can support greater reach and impact.

You will work closely with our Chair and trustees, building an effective relationship between Board and executive leadership. You will also represent Bipolar UK externally, developing partnerships and increasing understanding of bipolar while ensuring lived experience continues to shape our voice and decisions.

Who we are looking for

You will bring substantial senior leadership experience and the ability to lead across people, resources, strategy and delivery. Previous CEO experience would be valuable given the breadth of the role, although we remain open to leaders who can demonstrate comparable organisation-wide responsibility.

You will understand financial sustainability and income development, know how to build an effective senior team and be comfortable working with an engaged Board. You will bring sound judgement, an inclusive leadership approach and the ability to build trust with different communities and stakeholders.

Experience within charities, mental health or health would be valuable, although we welcome different backgrounds. Direct or indirect lived experience of bipolar or mental health challenges is welcomed, but is not a requirement. What matters is your ability to listen, understand and lead authentically within an organisation shaped by lived experience.

If you connect with Bipolar UK’s work and believe your leadership could help us reach and support many more people, we would be pleased to hear from you.

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.

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