Chief financial officer jobs

Are you an inspiring leader with a passion for improving the lives of women and families in the perinatal period?

Are you ready to lead the next phase of growth and development of our established Perinatal Mental Health Support charity as Chief Executive?

About Light Peer Support

Light is a perinatal mental health support charity, set up in 2010, which has grown to support parents and their families across South Yorkshire through the provision of peer support and counselling. We’re led by our passion to support mental health during pregnancy and beyond for all families from all communities.  

From our hub in Sheffield as well as in Family Hubs across Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley, we work with families who are experiencing emotional and mental health difficulties in the perinatal period, working in partnership across the statutory and voluntary sector to raise awareness of perinatal mental health difficulties and the support available.

We’re committed to providing services that embrace diversity to support equity in service access and promote equality of opportunity. 

The role

Following the planned retirement of our current Chief Executive, we are seeking an exceptional leader to guide our grassroots charity through its next phase of growth and development. As our new Chief Executive, you will work closely with the Board of Trustees to build on a strong foundation of trusted services and demonstrable outcomes. You will provide inspiring strategic, financial, and operational leadership to ensure our services remain sustainable, evidence-based, trauma-informed, and responsive to the needs of parents and families from all communities.

We’re looking for a compassionate, visionary leader with proven senior-level experience who can balance day-to-day operational oversight with stakeholder engagement and longer-term strategic thinking.

This is a pivotal moment for our organisation. You will lead us into an exciting new chapter — strengthening partnerships, creating new collaborations, expanding our reach, diversifying income, and driving innovation in how we support families. As our lead ambassador, you’ll champion lived experience and the value of co-production, raise awareness of perinatal mental health challenges, and influence change locally and nationally to improve the experiences of families at a crucial time in their lives.

We looking to you to bring the following skills and experience:

Senior operational and strategic leadership with at least 3 years’ experience, including successful delivery of public or private sector contracts.

Service growth and development experience, including leading organisational expansion and managing performance, contracts, tenders, and funding or grant applications.

Financial and governance expertise, including budget management, financial oversight, reporting to governing boards, and strong knowledge of governance, compliance, safeguarding, and GDPR.

People leadership, with a track record of managing staff, building high-performing teams, and increasing volunteer involvement.

Stakeholder engagement and networking skills to advance awareness and investment in our mission.

Sector knowledge, including understanding of maternity, mental health and children’s services, and the challenges faced by women and families in the perinatal period, along with the value of timely intervention.

Equality at Light

We believe that every parent deserves understanding, compassion, and the right support at the right time and in the right place.

We’re proud to be a welcoming, inclusive charity, and we want our team to reflect the diverse communities we serve. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences, especially those with lived experience of perinatal mental health challenges. We're aiming for a workforce that is truly representative of the communities we serve.

We're a family friendly employer and open to discussion on flexible working subject to service needs.

If you’re an inspiring leader who shares our passion for supporting parents and families — and you’re ready to build on a proud 15-year legacy and shape the future of perinatal mental health support — we’d love to hear from you.

Please note full-time working is 35 hours/week

Closing date 23:59 Monday 1st December 2025

We are looking for a person who can lead LWPT through ongoing development of the organisation in coordination with both staff and trustees. The person needs to be able to maintain a clear strategic plan for the organisation that allows the organisation to stay focussed on what we plan to do to the benefit of both beneficiaries and supporters. The right person is able to maintain a healthy focus on income and expenditure in order to ensure that LWPT can meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Essential for the right applicant:
• A Christian with a good knowledge of the Christian communities in the UK.
• Someone who is an active member of a local church.
• Is able to affirm the historic creeds of the Christian church.
• A personal commitment to the development of the next generation of Christian Bible teachers in the UK.
• The ability to work from home with good wifi access.
• Ability to travel to the main office in Watford twice a month.

£60k pa FTE. This is a 0.8FTE role

We are seeking a Deputy Chief Executive Officer to support the current Chief Executive Officer and strengthen the senior leadership of our charity. Working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Managers and Trustees, you will play a key role in driving our long term strategic goals and ensuring our values remain at the heart of everything we do.

Are you...

• A passionate, dedicated leader?
• Committed to our ethos, values and mission?
• Skilled in mentoring, supporting and empowering others?
• Looking for a leadership role within the charity sector?
• Ready to take on a new and rewarding challenge?

You will provide strong effective leadership to service managers and operational teams, ensuring decisions are made responsibly within available financial and organisational resources. This role is central to maintaining high quality services and supporting the continued success and sustainability of Health for All.

The ideal candidate will bring...

• Significant senior level management experience
• Proven people management experience
• A collaborative, adaptable and inclusive leadership style
• Excellent communication and relationship building skills
• The ability to develop partnerships that enhance our work and impact

There is scope for this role to evolve over time into the Chief Executive position, offering an exciting development opportunity for the right candidate. 

The main purpose of the role:

• To act as a Deputy to the Chief Executive Officer
• To lead the operational management team, mentor, support and empower managers to achieve objectives.
• To play a key role as a member of the senior leadership team.
• To identify and inspire process improvements, collaborating with team members to implement good practice.
• To develop and represent the charity in building strategic relationships.

Hours and contract period:
Full time, 35 hours per week, normally Monday to Friday but flexibility is required given the seniority of the post. There may be some need to work outside normal office hours and may include some weekend work. This post is offered on a permanent contract with a 6 month probationary period. This post will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service
check and satisfactory references.
Location:
Based at Tenants Hall Enterprise Centre in Middleton, Leeds, the role involves regular travel to other Health for All centres and locations. It is desirable that the successful applicant is a car driver with access to a suitable vehicle. Mileage and travel costs will be reimbursed through expenses. Candidates must be eligible to work in the UK.

Benefits:

• 31 Days annual leave plus bank holidays
• 5% Employers Pension Contribution
• Free Parking at Health for All centres
• Mindful Employer Plus employee assistance programme

Reports to:
Chief Executive Officer.
Responsible for:
Operational Service Managers (6 Managers)

Application closing date: Friday 19th December 2025

First Interviews: Early January 2026

To apply please download the application pack from our website and complete an application form, please note we do not accept CV's.

Chief Executive Officer - ECT Charity

Location: London (Greenford / Ealing) with regular travel to Dorset, Cheshire and partner sites; minimum three days per week in office
Salary: circa £80,000 per annum
Contract: Permanent, full-time

Are you ready to deliver a pragmatic financial reset, rebuild income and scale at the sector leading community transport organisation that delivers tangible impact across London, Dorset and Cheshire?

About ECT Charity

ECT Charity is a leading specialist community transport organisation enabling mobility and social inclusion across London, Dorset and Cheshire. We deliver essential door-to-door transport and influence sector policy with partners such as TfL and the GLA, including through the use of our pioneering CT Social Value Toolkit. Facing reduced statutory income, operations changes, lease negotiations and contract retendering, we need to stabilise cashflow and protect services. Significant opportunities include leveraging our network and resources to develop our training and consultancy, build strategic partnerships to generate earned income, and using Dorset as a demonstrator site to pilot sustainable, mission-aligned commercial models.

Role priorities (first 12–18 months)

• Deliver a sustainable financial model and restore reserves.
• Redesign operations for the new scale (depot footprint and operations strategy).
• Leverage our networks and resources to develop commercial opportunities (partnerships, training, consultancy).
• Rebuild business development capability and secure partnership income.
• Strengthen governance, compliance and staff retention.

Who you are

• Senior leader with experience of multi-site operations or similar scale.
• Proven track record of financial turnaround, contract negotiation and estate management.
• Strong partnership, commercialisation and Board reporting skills.
• Commitment to inclusive leadership; willing to be office-based (min three days/week) and travel; driving licence preferred.
• (Desirable) Experience in community transport, social enterprise or productisation/licensing.

Why ECT?

• Lead a sector-recognised charity with a marketable toolkit and immediate partnership routes.
• Combine financial rigour with mission-aligned commercial innovation.
• Shape ECT’s recovery and long-term sustainability.

For full details, please contact Jenny Hills via the apply button  to request the full appointment brief that covers both the interim and permanent positions.

How to apply (permanent)

Email the address in the appointment brief with Permanent CEO – ECT Charity in the subject line. Please attach an up-to-date CV and a Supporting Statement (max 2 x A4) demonstrating how you meet the Person Specification (in the appointment brief) and your interest.

As you can read in the full appointment brief, we welcome applications for both the interim and permanent positions if you are interested in both roles. Please download and read the full brief for details. The deadline for applications for the interim position is 9am, Monday 8th December 2025

For an informal and confidential conversation contact Jenny Hills at the same address with suitable times.

Closing date for applications — Permanent CEO role: 9am, Monday 12th January 2026.

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.

The Family Treatment Service (TFTS) is a respected, CQC-registered, not-for-profit mental health clinic based in Wimbledon Village. We provide compassionate, evidence-based care for individuals, couples, and families, with specialist services, and a growing multidisciplinary team.

As we enter an exciting new phase of growth, we are seeking a Managing Director to take over day-to-day leadership from our founding team. This is a rare opportunity to guide a well-established and values-driven service through transition—maintaining our clinical integrity while strengthening operational systems and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the organisation through a structured transition period, working closely with the founders to preserve TFTS’s ethos and high standards of care.
• Oversee all business and operational functions, including HR, finance, governance, and compliance.
• Ensure full CQC and regulatory compliance, with strong governance and risk management.
• Develop and deliver a strategic plan for sustainable growth, innovation, and service development.
• Foster a positive, inclusive culture—supporting staff wellbeing, communication, and professional development.

About You

• Proven senior leadership experience in a CQC-registered healthcare, charity, or not-for-profit setting.
• Strong commercial and operational management skills with financial oversight experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills—able to lead with empathy during change.
• Strategic thinker with a track record of implementing operational improvements.
• (Desirable) Experience in mental health or family-centred services and leading organisational transformation.

Bring your drive and passion to lead CPRE London towards its vision of a greener city and manage its strategic direction and delivery. This is a rare, part time opportunity to lead an organisation at the cutting edge of policy regarding green spaces and the environment, housing and planning. You will manage a small but motivated team of staff and dedicated volunteers. We are looking for candidates with the confidence to pitch for new funding and prioritise projects, coupled with a track record of liaison work across the environmental space ideally drawing on a background in planning.

CPRE London is a leading environmental charity in the capital, an independent charity and the London regional branch (1 of 42) of the national CPRE organisation, ‘The Countryside Charity’.

The focus of our campaigning is to make London a well-planned, greener, climate-resilient and nature rich city, which benefits everyone.

Skills in leadership, oversight of income and expenditure, communication, negotiation, and project management are needed to run our operations. In addition to leading CPRE London you will also work closely with a supportive board of trustees.

Currently at the exciting stage of developing the London Tree Ring project, additionally we are involved in many more initiatives such as Healthy Streets Scorecard and GoParksLondon and supporting local campaigns to protect our precious green spaces from development. 

Further details available on our website: Get Involved: Jobs and Volunteering Tab.

The Vacancy

Job Title: CEO YMCA Newcastle

Location: Newcastle

Salary: TBC

Weekly Hours: TBC

Reference: YMC1157145

About YMCA Newcastle
YMCA Newcastle is part of the global YMCA Movement — one of the world’s oldest and largest youth organisations — and has been empowering young people in the city for over 170 years. As an independent local charity, we deliver a diverse range of youth and community services across Newcastle, including youth work, housing and social enterprise. Our housing portfolio includes supported accommodation and outreach programmes, alongside private rented flats, managed in partnership with a local managing agent,.

Our mission is simple but powerful: to empower young people and strengthen communities so that everyone can belong, contribute and thrive.

The Role
We are seeking a visionary, compassionate and inspirational Chief Executive Officer to lead YMCA Newcastle into its next chapter. Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the CEO will provide strategic and operational leadership, ensuring that our organisation continues to deliver high-quality, impactful services while remaining financially sustainable.

Key responsibilities include:

Leading the strategic development and operational delivery of YMCA Newcastle’s youth, housing and community services.

Managing supported housing provision.

Acting as the Ofsted Responsible Officer and ensuring full compliance with regulatory standards.

Overseeing financial management, budgeting, reporting and income generation.

Building strong partnerships with funders, local authorities, and community stakeholders.

Promoting, developing and expanding youth work provision across Newcastle – and, in time, Gateshead.

Leading and developing a multidisciplinary team, fostering a culture of inclusion, safeguarding and continuous improvement.

Managing commercial interests, including a block of 22 flats in partnership with a managing agent.

About You
You’ll be a dynamic, values-driven leader with at least five years’ senior management experience in a complex or multidisciplinary organisation. You will combine strategic vision with hands-on operational understanding and have a track record of managing services for young people and/or housing provision. Financial acumen, excellent interpersonal skills, and a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion are essential.

Why Join Us?

Lead a historic and impactful charity with a bold vision for the future.

Work alongside a dedicated team and supportive Board committed to positive social change.

Enjoy flexible working arrangements and a collaborative, values-based culture.

Make a lasting difference to the lives of vulnerable young people across Newcastle.

YMCA Newcastle is an equal-opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.

Yeldall Manor is seeking a visionary, faith-driven, and servant-hearted Chief Executive Officer to lead our Christian charity into its next chapter.

Yeldall Manor is a Christian residential rehabilitation centre supporting men who are struggling with addiction. Rooted in our Basis of Faith, Ethos Statement, and Values, we offer hope, healing, and transformation through Christ-centred care.

For nearly 50 years, Yeldall has been a place of restoration and new beginnings — helping men break free from addiction and rebuild their lives with dignity, purpose and faith.

As CEO, you will work closely with the Board of Trustees to provide strategic leadership, spiritual guidance, and compassionate oversight across all aspects of the organisation. You will bring the experience, insight, and communication skills needed to inspire and equip our dedicated staff, volunteers, and partners — ensuring that Yeldall continues to flourish in its mission and ministry.

We are seeking a visionary leader with a committed Christian faith — someone who can uphold and model the ethos and values of Yeldall Manor while supporting residents in their spiritual journey. You will be an experienced and compassionate leader, able to guide teams through change and growth, and a gifted communicator who can inspire trust and collaboration across staff, residents, and external partners.

A passion for supporting individuals in recovery and personal transformation is essential. If you are in recovery yourself, you must have a minimum of two years’ clean time.

Yeldall Manor is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its residents. The successful candidate will be required to undergo a satisfactory enhanced DBS check.

This is a permanent position, available on a full-time or part-time (0.8 FTE) basis. We are happy to be flexible for the right candidate.

If this opportunity excites you and you feel called to lead and serve in this way, we would love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role.

We would like to fill this post as soon as possible, so please apply by 12pm on Sunday 7th December 2025. 

Join us at Yeldall Manor — and help shape a future of hope, healing, and lasting change.

We are supporting an impactful national charity, helping marginalised young people to make and monetise music.

At a time of reduced public funding, mental health challenges, climate change, and the growth of AI, we believe their mission has never been more urgent. Music builds confidence, creativity and community and it can transform how young people understand themselves and their place in the world.

This is a rare and exciting opportunity for a strategic, inclusive leader who shares this belief to join the UK’s largest and leading young people’s music charity. We are searching for a Chief Executive who will boldly campaign for the charity’s mission, inspire colleagues, and play a key strategic role in shaping their next chapter.

Chief Executive

Salary: £100,000 - £110,000 + benefits

Location: London, Southwark office- Hybrid working

We’re seeking a senior leader with a proven track record in securing major partnerships, grants, or donations, ideally from a charity, foundation, or similar organisation. You’ll have experience across the creative, youth, education, or cultural sectors, with expertise in funding strategy, impact measurement, and working confidently with government. A key priority will be accelerating income growth by building strong, strategic relationships with funders, policymakers, and philanthropists.

Key responsibilities include:

· Lead and evolve the charity’s strategy, ensuring it reflects the organisation’s vision and values.

· Act as principal ambassador, advocating their mission with authority and authenticity.

· Model inclusive, values-driven leadership, promoting equity, wellbeing, creativity, and youth participation.

· Oversee long-term financial planning and budgeting with the COO and board.

· Drive digital transformation through strategic adoption of digital tools and technologies.

As Chief Executive, you’ll be an effective spokesperson, progressive thinker, and committed advocate for grassroots youth music, able to connect with people from all backgrounds. If you bring energy, belief in young people, and a passion for music, we’d love to hear from you.

How to Apply
To apply for the role, please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) onto the Prospectus website.

Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable.   

If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact us for more information. 
 
At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire.

Recruitment Timetable

Deadline for applications: Sunday 4th January (midnight) 2026

Interviews with Prospectus: 12-23 January

Interviews with the charity: 2-13 February

Head of Finance

Location: Bath (minimum of 4 days in the office)

Contract: Permanent, full-time (35 hours per week, Monday–Friday)

Salary: Up to £65K (dependant on skills and experience)

About St John’s Foundation

St John’s Foundation is one of Bath’s oldest charities, supporting individuals and communities for over 850 years. Today, we continue to make a lasting difference across Bath and North East Somerset by helping people to live independent, fulfilling lives and by working to build stronger, more resilient communities.

As we continue to evolve, we are investing in modern systems, governance and talent to ensure we can deliver lasting social impact with integrity, efficiency, and purpose.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Head of Finance to join our team. This role will  play a pivotal role in ensuring the long term financial health and sustainability of St John’s Foundation and its trading subsidiaries.

Reporting to the Director of Finance, you will lead and take responsibility for our day-to-day financial operations and manage a dedicated team of finance professionals. You will ensure robust financial control, accurate reporting, and effective systems that underpin the charity’s strategic ambitions and operational delivery.

This is a senior, operational leadership role, offering the opportunity to shape our financial systems, guide a talented team, and contribute directly to our mission. You will also manage  the next phase of our finance system implementation.

What You’ll Do

· Manage the finance team, ensuring timely, accurate financial reporting and high standards of control.

· Manage all aspects of financial management — including cashflow, balance sheet integrity, and statutory reporting.

· Lead on the statutory reporting and oversee budget setting and management accounts.

· Manage the next phase of our finance system implementation, embedding process improvements and digital innovation.

· Support the Finance Director with governance, risk management, and strategic financial planning.

· Manage investment and endowment accounting, ensuring compliance and effective performance monitoring.

· Provide insightful analysis and reporting to the Executive Team and the Board of Trustees.

About You

We’re looking for an experienced senior finance professional who combines technical expertise with strong leadership skills.

You will have:

· A recognised accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent).

· Proven significant experience in senior finance leadership, including management accounts, budgeting, and statutory reporting.

· Strong technical knowledge of accounting standards and charity finance (including restricted and endowment funds). 

· Demonstrable strong knowledge of financial controls, accounting standards, and (ideally) charity finance.

· Proven experience managing or implementing finance systems or digital transformation projects.

· Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build trust across all levels.

· A collaborative, proactive, and improvement-focused approach.

Desirable:

· Experience within the not-for-profit or charity sector.

· Knowledge of property and investment accounting.

· Familiarity with cloud-based finance systems.

Why Join Us?

Joining St John’s means becoming part of a long-standing Bath charity that puts people at the heart of everything it does. Your work will directly support older adults and people in financial need, and you’ll be part of a friendly, collaborative team that cares about doing things well and doing them with trust, courage and kindness.

Social Development Direct is a mission-driven, international development consultancy with a global reputation for excellence in gender equality and social inclusion. As a social enterprise subsidiary of Plan International UK, we combine commercial agility with a deep commitment to social change.

We are seeking a Managing Director who will lead the next phase of SDDirect’s development, advancing the organisation’s influence and impact. 

The Managing Director will report into the CEO of Plan International UK and the SDDirect Board, and will provide inspirational leadership to SDDirect’s talented and motivated executive and staff, ensuring the organisation continues to deliver excellent technical quality alongside sustainable commercial performance.

This role offers a unique opportunity for a dynamic, values-led and engaging leader, with drive, resilience and commercial acumen.A high level of commercial awareness combined with a social justice technical background, and a proven track record of successfully leading and managing a commercial enterprise, consultancy or similar organisation or unit in the international development sector, is highly preferable for this position.

For more information about the company, role and responsibilities, please find the full job description and person specification below. 

How to Apply: Please click 'Redirect to recruiter' for details on how to apply for this position.

If you would like a confidential discussion about the role, please get in touch with Sue Griffiths, Managing Director, to arrange this. Contact details can be found in the job description.

Harris Hill is delighted to be working with the Cotswolds Dogs and Cats Home (CDCH) to recruit its new Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The CDCH has been providing care and support to vulnerable animals in our community for over 80 years. We work across Gloucestershire and support over 1,000 animals each year living in our community.  We find wonderful families for pets who need a new home and provide access to veterinary treatment for pets living with financially vulnerable families through our subsidised veterinary clinics, ensuring no animal suffers because of cost.

As COO, you will:

• Oversee operations, including the CDCH centre, retail and fundraising as well as project delivery, finance, human resources, IT, customer service, and facilities.
• Translate the Board’s strategic vision into actionable plans and upgrade daily procedures.
• Lead a high-performing team.

If you are inspired and excited by what CDCH does, we’d love to hear from you.

Job title: Chief Operating Officer

Salary: Up to £75,000 p.a.

Location: Gloucestershire

Employment term: Permanent / Full Time

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

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 5th January 2026

Both CDCH 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 partnership.

Multi-Story Orchestra is seeking a dynamic and experienced Executive Director to see us thrive in our next phase.

Multi-Story Orchestra is seeking a dynamic and experienced Executive Director to lead our next chapter. After 15 years, our visionary Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Kate Whitley, will step down in early 2026. This marks an important and carefully planned transition for the organisation. Alongside the new Artistic Director, the Executive Director will have a unique opportunity to forge Multi-Story’s future.

Since 2011, we’ve pioneered youth-led orchestral music that challenges conventions, tells urgent real-life stories, and amplifies unheard voices. Today, young people aged 14-18 are at the heart of our creative process, working with professional musicians to create original works across a range of genres, from soul and R&B to classical and choral. The result is music that’s fresh, relevant and powerful.

We are seeking someone who shares our commitment to:

• Strengthening our organisation through strategic leadership and sound governance.

• Driving ambitious fundraising and sustainable financial planning

• Championing equity, diversity and inclusion across all areas of our work.

• Sustaining a strong sense of organisational cohesion through sound team and operational management.

The Executive Director will work in close partnership with the Artistic Director and Board of Trustees to champion the organisation’s vision, drive fundraising initiatives, extend our partnerships, fulfil commitments to funders, and ensure Multi-Story Orchestra thrives in its next phase. The Executive Director and the Artistic Director together fulfil the CEO function for Multi-Story Orchestra.

About the opportunity
Action Tutoring is the largest tutoring charity in the country. At the heart of our work is closing the attainment gap for pupils facing disadvantage in the UK by harnessing the power of tutoring. We are seeking an inspiring and strategic Interim Chief Executive Officer (maternity cover) to lead our growing charity, ensuring the charity continues to achieve benchmark-beating results for the pupils we support. In 2025-26, our work will reach 7,000 pupils supported by more than 80 staff and 2,500 volunteer tutors.  This role would suit someone with experience of interim senior leadership roles, wanting to make a difference in an area with proven impact on outcomes for children and young people.

Closing date: Wednesday, 17th December 2025
Interviews: Between 8th and 16th January 2026
Start date: Ideally, Monday, 23rd March 2026
Contract and hours: Fixed-term, 9 to 12-month maternity cover. We are open to discussions regarding the working pattern, and welcome applications for 0.8 FTE up to 1 FTE. A full working week is 37.5 hours. We offer flexible working hours. The core working hours are 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM. Applications from candidates seeking a secondment are welcome.
Location: Hybrid working with 2 or 3 days per week, in London, dependent on meetings and occasionally with short notice. Our London office address is: Fivefields, 8-10 Grosvenor Gardens, Victoria, SW1W 0DH
 

Duties and Responsibilities
The Interim CEO (maternity cover) is responsible for maintaining the high performance of the charity, overseeing the delivery of key strategic goals in line with our mission and aims. During the period of this appointment, you will lead the organisation through its annual school sales process (Spring 26), ensure the successful delivery of a key strategic project testing AI in our delivery model (Summer and Autumn 26) and set the organisation up for success in a new academic year (Autumn 26).

Vision, Strategy and Delivery

• Working with the Board to implement the vision and mission of the charity.
• Responsible for implementing the agreed strategy.

People and Cultural Leadership

• Overall people and cultural leadership, empowering the team the maintain the positive working culture with behaviours that align closely to the charity’s values.
• Ensuring operational excellence is maintained across the organisation.

Advocacy

• Representing Action Tutoring externally to a range of stakeholders, including school leaders, policymakers, the media and funders, to raise the profile of Action Tutoring and awareness of the cause.
• Sustain constructive working relationships with other education charities, sharing good practice and working collaboratively to improve educational outcomes.

Finance and Fundraising

• Overseeing financial management of the charity supported by the Director of Finance & Operations. 
• Lead fundraising alongside the Head of Philanthropy to ensure fundraising targets set by the Board are met.

Line Management

• Direct line management of the Senior Leadership Team (3 Directors), the Head of Impact & Quality and the Head of Philanthropy, covering the five departments of the organisati

A full list of duties and responsibilities can be found in the job description attached to the BreatheHR advert.

Person specification
Qualifications criteria:

• The right to work in the UK.

We are looking for some of the following attributes, though you might be more experienced in some areas than others: 

• Proven track record as a CEO in a not-for-profit organisation, experience as an Interim CEO is desirable but not essential. The ability to get up to speed quickly will be vital. 
• Experience of working within a delivery-based organisation and an understanding of how to ensure quality, efficiency, and impact in that context.
• Commercial mindset, with proven success in fundraising and/or sales targets to meet set targets and secure income for ongoing operations.
• Experience overseeing pilots of new delivery modes, applying a theory of change approach to learning.
• Experience in developing and executing strategic plans and complex projects to achieve organisational vision and mission.
• Strong communication skills, with experience representing organisations externally to various stakeholders (e.g., school leaders, partners, funders).
• Understanding of the education sector, and the needs and drivers of stakeholders across the education space.
• Ability to diagnose and dissect complex problems and encourage scalable solutions to novel issues.
• Experience in empowering senior leaders and the wider organisations to meet ambitious targets.
• Ability to foster a positive working culture, aligned with Action Tutoring’s values.
• Strong financial management skills.
• Knowledge of governance structures and experience in working closely with a board of trustees, including managing strategic risk.
• Comfortable with data and committed to driving impact across the organisation.

You will be likely be more successful in this role if you have the following personal attributes: 

• Passion for addressing educational disadvantage and closing the attainment gap.
• Collaborative mindset and the ability to build strong, constructive relationships with other organisations and charities, fostering collaboration and sharing of best practices.
• High ethical standards and personal integrity, with a commitment to transparency and accountability in leadership.
• Resilient and adaptable with the ability to thrive in an evolving and challenging external environment, and to adjust to shifts in the education landscape.
• Strong commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive working environment.