Chief executive officer jobs in Manchester, greater manchester

The Belay Foundation supports adoptive, kinship and special guardianship families raising children who have experienced early developmental trauma, often alongside neurodiversity. Founded in 2020 from lived experience, Belay offers something many families struggle to find elsewhere: practical, in-home support and expert guidance that’s genuinely trauma-responsive, delivered by people who understand what these families are living through.

Why now? - Belay has just spent a year strengthening its foundations - redesigning services, building organisational capacity and setting an ambitious growth plan. The groundwork is done. What we need now is a permanent CEO with the vision to take a small, high-impact charity and turn real momentum into lasting change - for families and for how the sector understands and responds to developmental trauma.

About the role - You’ll provide strategic and financial leadership across a small team, working closely with an exceptional Board and Belay’s Founder, who remains closely involved as Services Director. You’ll lead fundraising and income diversification, shape Belay’s public voice and ensure the organisation’s trauma-responsive, DDP-informed model continues to deliver real impact as it scales.

This is a rare chance to take the helm of an organisation with an innovative model, a loyal community and genuine room to grow - and to leave your mark on how the UK supports some of its most vulnerable children and families.

This is a home‑based role, but applicants must be permanently based, and have the right to work, in the United Kingdom. For legal, tax, and operational reasons, we cannot consider applications from outside the UK.

Please see the CEO Application Pack for further details, including the full job description and the application/ interview process.

We are seeking an inspiring, dynamic leader to champion outdoor learning, drive national impact and sector growth as our first Chief Officer.

Location: Remote

Applications close: 9 a.m. Tuesday 8th September 2026

About AAOLEV

The Association of Advisers for Outdoor Learning and Educational Visits (AAOLEV) is a new charity, formed from the Outdoor Education Advisers’ Panel (OEAP).  It is a respected organisation dedicated to promoting high-quality outdoor learning and ensuring safe, enriching educational visits for children and young people across England and Wales.

Through our network of experienced advisors, AAOLEV plays a pivotal role in supporting schools, local authorities and providers to plan and deliver meaningful learning beyond the classroom, with the potential to impact the education of around 10 million children and young people each year.

About the role

AAOLEV is now seeking to appoint its first-ever Chief Officer, an important milestone that reflects our ambition to strengthen our voice, broaden our influence and build the charity’s capacity for the future. This is a unique opportunity to shape a leadership role from the ground up and help define the next phase of the charity’s development.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for an inspiring and dynamic leader with strategic vision, strong relationship-building skills and a commitment to the value of outdoor learning. You will be a credible advocate, able to engage stakeholders, influence nationally and unite a diverse professional community behind a shared purpose.

Above all, you will bring energy, credibility and a clear sense of purpose, helping to position AAOLEV for long-term impact and success.

This role is fully remote, and we do not have a physical office.

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments for the application or interview process, please let us know, and we will be happy to support you.

Peridot Partners and AAOLEV are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.

Please click on the link to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you will find full details of the role and how to apply.

Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Tuesday 8th September 2026.

Scottish Mountain Rescue represents 26 volunteer Mountain Rescue Teams across Scotland, alongside Police Scotland and RAF Mountain Rescue services. Its highly trained volunteers respond around the clock, in all conditions, to emergencies across Scotland’s mountains and remote communities.

Scottish Mountain Rescue is now appointing its first Chief Executive Officer.

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive will lead the charity’s operational functions, manage and support its staff team and help shape its future strategic direction. They will build strong relationships with member teams, volunteers, funders, government, emergency services and other national partners.

This is a significant leadership appointment during a period of organisational development and change. The successful candidate will combine strategic judgement with a practical, hands-on approach and will be confident working within a small national organisation.

Candidates should bring:

• Significant senior leadership and management experience
• Experience of strategy, operations, finance and organisational change
• Strong people management and Board reporting skills
• Outstanding stakeholder engagement and relationship-building experience
• Knowledge of Scotland’s policy, public sector and voluntary sector landscape
• A genuine commitment to Scottish Mountain Rescue’s purpose and volunteers

Applicants must be based in Scotland and have the legal right to work in the UK.

Application is by CV and covering letter, each no longer than two pages.

Closing date: Midday, Friday 21 August 2026
Interviews: Wednesday 9 September 2026, in central Edinburgh

All enquiries are being managed by Abeer Macintyre Consultancy. Please do not contact Scottish Mountain Rescue staff or Board members directly.

Start date: December 2026

Timeline: 

• Application deadline: 13 August 0900
• Initial phone interview: 14 August 
• First panel interviews: 20 August (online)
• Written task: wk/c 24 August (online, 1 hour)
• Final panel interviews: 8 September (in person, London)

Full-time 37.5 hours per week.

Remote with international travel

Salary and benefits: 

• £98,800 per annum pro rata
• 10% employer pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave, bank holidays on dates of your choice, a week of office closure in August and December
• Flexible working and other benefits (here)

 About us

Foxglove is a non-profit that exists to make the use of technology fair for all. When Big Tech companies abuse their power, their workers or the planet – and when governments use technology to oppress, exclude or discriminate – we litigate and campaign to fix it.  

Big Tech companies have become so large – gobbling up a huge slice of the global marketplace and an unprecedented treasure hoard of user data – that they’re now more powerful than many states. The harmful effects of this concentration of power are everywhere – threats to our democracy, to our privacy, decimated workers’ rights and platforms rife with disinformation and hate. Big Tech and AI data centres are rapidly expanding, resulting in huge strain on energy and water supplies. Worldwide governments are ploughing ahead with the use of algorithms and mass data systems to cut costs and increase efficiency often resulting in digital tools that entrench unfairness and leave the most vulnerable in society in crisis. All these problems are only getting worse with generative AI. 

Foxglove works to bring the rule of law to the tech and AI giants who have upended our public square, workplaces, and social lives. We have a strong track record. We’ve launched landmark cases seeking structural changes to big tech’s harmful business models, supported 180+ Facebook content moderators fired for trying to form a union to sue Facebook. We’ve supported tech workers and their unions to file cases challenging union busting at Google, Amazon and TikTok. We urged state regulators worldwide to stop Google’s theft of independent news. We won the UK’s first legal challenge to a data centre permission decision and filed the first such case in South Africa. We forced disclosure of secret contracts between tech giants and the NHS, stopped a racist Home Office visa streaming algorithm, helped make grading fair for UK A-level students and challenged the Department of Work and Pension’s use of an algorithm unfairly flagging disabled people for benefit fraud investigations. We have much more in the works and we hope you want to join us.

We are a small but growing team of lawyers, communications experts, and campaigners. Our work is global, and we work in partnership with lawyers, civil society, unions, and people impacted by Big Tech.

About you

You are an experienced social change leader who thrives at the intersection of politics, law and communications. You know that court wins alone don't create lasting change – it takes a compelling public narrative and a movement to back it up. You're energised by the prospect of what a well-run Foxglove can bring to the fight for tech justice and thrive in fast-moving environments and complex coalitions – holding a room, building a movement, and keeping a small team motivated and focused. You are a self-starter with the judgement to prioritise and the generosity to support others. You understand that Foxglove's power comes from the communities we work with as much as the cases we bring. If that's you, and the Foxglove mission excites you, we would love to hear from you.

The role

This is a fixed-term parental leave cover post for 1 year. The post holder will step into the co-Executive Director role with co-responsibility for Foxglove's strategy, impact, advocacy, operations, fundraising and public facing work. The post holder will work very closely with Foxglove’s other co-Executive Director and will make all sizable decisions about Foxglove together. UK and international travel (approx. 20%) is required.

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategy, Leadership and Impact

1.Serve as a member of Foxglove's leadership team, helping to set direction across the organisation.

2.Work closely with the co-Executive Director and Director of Advocacy to align Foxglove's legal, advocacy and operations work.

3.Represent Foxglove externally: to the press, at events, with funders (trusts, foundations & individual donors), members of parliament and with policymakers and allies.

4.Help ensure communities', workers' and affected individuals' voices are at the centre of all of Foxglove's work.

5.Champion a culture of impact, monitoring and evaluation across the organisation, ensuring Foxglove can clearly demonstrate the change it is achieving internally and externally.

6.Use monitoring and evaluation insight to sharpen strategic decision-making – learning from what's working (and what isn't) to keep Foxglove's campaigns and casework focused on change for the people and communities we support. 

Advocacy and Campaigns

1.Oversee the work of Foxglove's advocacy team (led by our Director of Advocacy) and shape our overall approach to campaigning across digital, media and grassroots channels.

2.Build and maintain relationships with a wide range of allies – civil society organisations, unions, policymakers, regulators, journalists, academics, and international partners – to strengthen Foxglove's reach and influence.

3.Spot and pursue new opportunities for campaigns, litigation, coalition-building and advocacy, keeping Foxglove responsive to a fast-changing tech and policy landscape.

4.Act as a public voice for Foxglove's work – engaging with the press, media and public platforms as required to advance our work.

Operations and Organisational Management

1.Oversee Foxglove's day-to-day operations, ensuring the organisation runs smoothly and effectively.

2.Manage and support staff across the organisation, providing clear leadership and creating a positive team culture.

3.Oversee financial management in partnership with relevant staff, ensuring responsible stewardship of Foxglove's resources.

4.Ensure compliance with Foxglove's policies and obligations to donors, partners and statutory bodies.

5.Line management of Director of Advocacy, Head of Operations, Digital Campaigner, Operations and Executive Assistant and peer support the other co-Executive Director.

Fundraising and Donor Relations 

1.Oversee and lead Foxglove’s fundraising and donor relations in partnership with relevant team members.

2.Drive Foxglove’s fundraising strategy that diversifies Foxglove's income across foundations, major donors and other funding sources.

3.Build and maintain strong personal relationships with key funders and major donors, serving as Foxglove's primary external contact for funders. 

4.Identify and cultivate new funding prospects aligned with Foxglove's mission, including researching and pursuing grant opportunities.

5.Oversee the preparation of compelling funding proposals, reports, and impact updates, ensuring funders have a clear and accurate picture of Foxglove's work and results.

6.Set and track annual fundraising targets in collaboration with the co-Executive Director and finance team, ensuring income projections align with organisational budgets and plans.

7.Represent Foxglove at donor meetings, briefings, and sector events to build the organisation's profile and credibility within the funding community.

8.Ensure fundraising practices reflect Foxglove's values and independence.

Person Specification

Essential

• A strong interest in tech justice and Foxglove's mission.
• Significant (5+ years) experience at CEO level.
• Experience managing and motivating a team, with a track record of supporting people to do their best work.
• A brilliant fundraising track record and experience in financial management. 
• Excellent communication skills – you can write persuasively, clearly and concisely, hold a press conference, and brief a politician, all in the same day.
• Strong political judgement and an ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes.
• Experience in organisational management or operations, including oversight of budgets and financial processes.
• A self-starter who is able to work independently and take initiative, while contributing generously to a shared team goal.
• Excellent time management skills of yourself and others – able to prioritise a complex workload and work to tight deadlines.
• Willingness to muck in and support other members of a small team as required.
• UK based with right to work in the UK.

 Desirable

• Experience working on technology, digital rights, or AI.
• Legal qualification or equivalent advocacy leadership experience. 
• Experience working with a wide range of groups and partners from impacted communities, civil society groups, unions, associations and small businesses.
• Experience working with or alongside legal teams in a campaigning or advocacy context.
• Experience working with unions or impacted communities.

Length and Salary

This is a fixed-term parental leave cover contract of 12 months. The annual salary is £98,800 per annum pro rata less any required deductions for income tax and national insurance. Please note our pay is transparent and non-negotiable.

Our team works remotely; this role must be based in the UK, ideally London. Our team travels every two months for team days and annually for team retreats. 

Please note we are only accepting UK based applicants for this role. Applicants must already have right to work in the UK, unfortunately we are not able to provide visa sponsorship.

How to apply

Please make your application via the Be Applied link provided, answering the application questions and uploading your CV. We will not review applications sent via a job board or to our email.

All applications are reviewed by a Foxglove member of staff. We do not use automated systems to select which candidates proceed through the recruitment process. The only way in which we will use generative AI is as a comparison, to assess whether applications may have been AI generated. We do not otherwise use AI to process applications, and would request that candidates do not use generative AI to draft theirs.

Foxglove is growing and we are striving to build a team that is inclusive. We will create a diverse and adaptable environment where we support people to do their best work. We believe an effective and creative team is made up of people from different walks of life. You can read more about how we work and what we offer our staff on our website.

If any part of this process causes you difficulty or you require any reasonable adjustments to make your application, please get in touch with us via our website.

If you would like to know more about how we process your data as part of the recruitment process you can read our recruitment data use policy on our website

This is a pivotal senior leadership role with full strategic and operational accountability.  Leadership and exceptional communication skills will be critical as The DBR Foundation establishes and grows.  Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer will have a proven track record and experience as a CEO or in a similar executive leadership position.  An extensive knowledge of the implementation of charity governance will be essential in this role. 

The Chief Executive Officer will be responsible for the drafting and implementation of policies and procedures, ensuring financial sustainability, overseeing activities, memberships, fundraising and advocacy.

The Chief Executive Officer will have responsibility for recruitment and establishing a new team, resources and managing key relationships in line with the overall strategic policies, direction, goals and budget, for the purposes of advancing The DBR Foundation’s objectives, purpose and identity worldwide.

The DBR Foundation’s objectives are:

• The improvement of health by furthering the advancement of the theory and practice of Deep Brain Reorienting ("DBR")
• The relief of emotional and psychological distress wherever it may arise by the provision of appropriate DBR training and therapy
• The relief of poverty and distress wherever it may arise by the provision of humanitarian aid, by supporting other like-minded charities

Key Responsibilities

Leadership, Strategy & Organisational Direction:

• Lead strategic initiatives and sustainable organisational long-term development
• Drive sustainable growth and measurable impact
• Lead organisational strategy and service development
  

Operations & Service Quality:

• Oversee all operational delivery
• Ensure members are equipped with relevant, up-to-date, and impactful resources

Financial Management, Corporate Governance & Regulatory Compliance:

• Provide strong financial oversight and sustainability planning
• Ensure regulatory, and governance compliance
• Performance and risk overview to the Board of Trustees

Business Development & Commissioning:

•  Income strategy and fundraising
• Grant applications and partnership funding
• Building relationships and funder partnerships

 People & Values:

• Build a high performing operational team
• Establish a culture that reflects the core values and culture of the Foundation

External Engagement & Stewardship:

• Act as senior ambassador and spokesperson
• Represent the Foundation across statutory, voluntary, education and health sectors
• Strengthen partnerships and influence

Essential Skills:

• Senior leadership experience in the charity, public or social sector
• Strong organisational and operational management experience
• Experience working with a Board of Trustees
• Proven financial oversight and budget responsibility
• Experience delivering organisational strategy
• Fundraising or income generation leadership experience
• Strong partnership and stakeholder management skills
• Commissioning and contract delivery experience