55 Executive director jobs

An exceptional opportunity to help take a remarkable charity to its next stage

The Barrie Wells Trust is a children’s charity dedicated to creating extraordinary experiences and unforgettable memories for seriously ill and disabled children and their families.

The Trust has achieved an outstanding record of impact throughout the UK since its launch in 2008, with its work made possible through the vision and personal commitment of its Executive Chairman, Barrie Wells MBE. Historically, Barrie has managed and personally funded 100% of the Trust’s operational activities.

The Trust’s largest and most successful initiative is Box4Kids. Dedicated to bringing joy and happiness to children living with serious illness and disability, Box4Kids provides access to VIP experiences at major sporting and entertainment venues. Since 2010, the Trust has given over 29,000 guests VIP experiences through its Box4Kids initiative.

We are now seeking an exceptional Director of Fundraising to play a key role to take the Trust to its next phase. The successful candidate will work closely with Barrie, to build on the Trust’s considerable success whilst creating new opportunities to increase its reach and impact.

This is a senior, hands-on role for an experienced charity professional who combines proven fundraising ability with exceptional relationship-building and operational management skills.

A unique events model

The Trust’s events depend on bringing together three important groups of people:

Companies and high net worth individuals who are willing to donate hospitality boxes and other valuable experiences.

Hospitals, hospices and other charities who identify and nominate seriously ill and disabled children and their families who would benefit from the Trust’s support.

Volunteer hosts who generously give their time to attend events, ensuring that each family receives a warm, personal and memorable experience.

In-house event management team with responsibility for organising the events.

The Director will be responsible for overseeing these relationships and ensuring that the whole process works seamlessly, whilst also building a successful fundraising function.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising & partnerships

· Create and implement a fundraising strategy capable of establishing sustainable income for the Trust.

· Identify, approach and develop relationships with potential corporate supporters and high net worth individuals.

· Secure financial donations as well as donations of hospitality boxes, experiences and other support.

· Build long-term relationships with donors and supporters and ensure they feel valued and engaged with the Trust’s work.

· Ensure all fundraising activities comply with relevant legislation and the Fundraising Regulator’s Code of Fundraising Practice.

Event management & communications

· Lead the planning and delivery of the Trust’s programme of events, ensuring every event is professionally organised and delivers an exceptional experience for the children and their families.

· Oversee the development of strong relationships with hospitals, hospices and other appropriate organisations to encourage nominations of children and families.

· Oversee the recruitment and coordination of a strong network of reliable and enthusiastic hosts who give their time to attend events.

· Oversee the development of communications that engage different audiences including box and financial donors, beneficiaries, hospitals and hosts.

· Ensure the Trust’s information systems, website and social media are relevant and kept up to date.

Leadership & Operations

· Work closely with Barrie Wells to turn the Trust’s vision and objectives into practical action.

· Line manage key members of the team and develop staff, creating a culture of creativity, accountability and continuous improvement.

· Manage budgets, expenditure and resources effectively.

· Ensure the Trust operates to appropriate standards of governance and best practice.

About you

We are looking for an experienced and highly personable charity professional with a proven track record of success.

You will have:

· A successful career within the charity sector, with demonstrable fundraising achievement.

· Experience of creating and significantly growing fundraising income.

· Exceptional relationship-building and influencing skills.

· Experience of recruiting, managing and motivating staff and/or volunteers.

· Excellent organisational and project management skills.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills.

· Sound commercial judgement and an entrepreneurial approach.

· The personality and emotional intelligence to represent the Trust with warmth, enthusiasm and professionalism.

You will be someone who enjoys bringing people together to achieve something special. You will understand that a donated box, a hospital nomination or a volunteer giving up their time is not simply an operational transaction – it is one of the essential ingredients in creating an extraordinary experience for a child and their family.

Why join the Barrie Wells Trust?

You will be joining a highly successful charity with an exceptional story and working directly with its founder and Executive Chairman, Barrie Wells. You will have the opportunity to build the Trust’s fundraising capability virtually from the ground up, while helping to shape its future direction. For the right person, this is a role where your relationships, energy, fundraising ability and leadership can have a very tangible impact.

If you are an experienced charity professional who wants to make a lasting difference and play a major part in the future of the Barrie Wells Trust with the potential to take on significantly greater responsibility, we would love to hear from you.

Please include a covering letter, giving specific examples of your fundraising experience and achievements, including the scale and type of funds you have personally raised or been responsible for developing. Please also explain briefly why you believe this role is right for you. 

Applications close at midday on Monday, 5th October 2026.

Interviews will be held on Monday, 26th October 2026.

Finance Director, Ark UK Programmes

About The Role

• We are looking for a strategic finance professional to join the senior leadership team of Ark UK Programmes and support the sustainable growth and development of our traded programmes. This is an exciting opportunity for someone with strong commercial experience who is passionate about our mission and motivated by how different funding models and blended finance can enable us to create social impact at scale.

  Within this role you will work closely with the Group Finance team, which is responsible for all the group financial processing and reporting, and supported by a group financial controller. We are looking for someone who will bring a firm understanding of the drivers of income and expenditure to support effective decision making across our programmes, ensuring that financial sustainability and mission impact are considered together and influence every part of the organisational strategy. The Finance Director will own all the financial modelling underpinning this, managing forecasting and budgeting, and providing rapid and reliable assessments of the financial impact of business decisions.

  This role requires a curious and commercially minded approach, using a strong grasp of the economics of our ventures to identify risks and opportunities and deepen organisational understanding of key metrics such as subscription renewals. Working closely with the Group Finance team, the Finance Director will ensure management reports provide an accurate view of performance and will oversee spend and income risks, ensuring corrective action is taken where needed. The role will also work closely with the Managing Director to develop new ventures, ensuring their underlying economics are sound.

  Reporting directly into the Managing Director of Ark UK Programmes, this role will also have dotted line reporting into the Group CFO who oversees all Ark’s financial activity, to ensure consistency and management of risk throughout the Ark Group.

  The Finance Director will report into Managing Director, Ark UK Programmes. This role is currently operating hybrid working in our West London Office on a permanent basis working full time.

  1st round interviews will be taking place in person on Wednesday 21st October 2026 with 2nd round interviews taking place in person w/c 2nd November 2026.

  Key Responsibilities:

  Key Requirements:

  • The financial performance of Ark UK Programmes, highlighting risks and issues to the Managing Director to ensure effective commercial decisions are promptly made
  • Developing the strategic plans for Ark UK Programmes including forecasting and budgeting
  • Developing a fully auditable, flexible financial model able to provide rapid and reliable answers about the impact of different decisions on the financial performance
  • Working with the Managing Director and product strategy team on developing new ventures, conducting robust financial analysis to support decision making and fundraising applications
  • Working with the Group Finance Business Partner responsible for Ark UK Programmes to obtain relevant and accurate monthly Management Accounts in a format that supports sound financial management
  • Present Management Accounts to the Ark UK Programmes senior leadership team
  • Responsible for compiling and presenting the quarterly report to the AC+ Programme Board
  • Work with the Group FD, FC and group finance team in making sure financial processes are efficient, processing is accurate, and that we make the most of the use of available technology
  • Work with the Managing Director of Ark UK Programmes to develop a fully auditable flexible financial model able to be interrogated to provide financial insights into the impact of different decisions on the financial performance and long-term sustainability of the ventures, and to use this to advise on proposed changes such as pricing, contractual terms and programme structures
  • As part of the senior leadership team, contribute to organisational direction and priorities that maximise long-term impact, ensuring financial sustainability is central to decision making
  • Right to work in the UK
  • Professional Accounting Qualification, with a preference towards CIMA
  • Educated to degree level or equivalent
  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a senior finance role in complex organisations or start ups
  • Understanding the importance of strong financial modelling and experience building and interrogating models
  • Strong commercial management and project experience, including financial management experience in organisations that depend on trading income in highly competitive markets
  • Strong numerical and analytical skills including confidence in analysing large data sets and presenting important findings clearly
  • Experience operating at a leadership level, with the ability to work independently and to structure and lead complex projects
  • Strong relationship skills with enthusiasm for working in an entrepreneurial environment
  • Confident and highly credible with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels
  • Able to juggle multiple priorities and enjoy an environment which is constantly changing

• Benefits

• • Our flexible working model offers the best of both worlds, balancing in person collaboration, either in our state of the art West London office or through visits to our schools, with the flexibility of remote working
  • In addition to flexible working arrangements, employees can request to work fully remotely for up to 10 working days a year, whether this be in the UK or abroad
  • Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments
  • 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
  • Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
  • As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to
  • Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
  • Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

• About Us

• Ark Curriculum Plus is a not-for-profit education venture set up by the Ark Multi Academy Trust to improve subject outcomes. We’ve now been going for over ten years, using what we learn in Ark to support over 1,000 schools nationally. Our mission is to empower teachers to give every young person, regardless of their background, the subject knowledge and skills that will allow them to succeed.

  We now have subject excellence programmes in English, Maths, Science and Geography, at primary and secondary. A team of subject experts work with partner schools to empower teachers to achieve subject excellence using an ambitious curriculum combined with CPD, teaching and assessment resources.

  Our programmes, including Mathematics Mastery and English Mastery, have been shown to have measurable impact in evaluations by the EEF, FFT and The Brilliant Club.

  Diversity and inclusion:

  We aim to build a diverse and inclusive organisation where everyone – staff and students – can do their best work and achieve their full potential. We want to reflect and represent diverse perspectives across our organisation because we know that doing so will make us stronger and more effective. To know more about Ark’s diversity and inclusion commitments, please click on this link.

  Safeguarding statement:
  Ark is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in its academies. In order to meet this responsibility, its academies follow a rigorous selection process to discourage and screen out unsuitable applicants.

  Ark requires all employees to undertake an enhanced DBS check. You are required, before appointment, to disclose any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. Non-disclosure may lead to termination of employment. However, disclosure of a criminal background will not necessarily debar you from employment - this will depend upon the nature of the offence(s) and when they occurred. To read more about Ark’s safer recruitment process, please click this link.

  Please note we will be reviewing applications on an on-going basis and this role may close earlier than advertised depending on the level of response. We strongly encourage to submit your application at your earliest convenience. 

In July 2026, following almost two and a half years of work and nearly two decades as a Faculty, we became the College of Intensive Care Medicine: an independent charity with our own Board of Trustees, governance and voice. Reaching this point has been a significant achievement. Now comes the next chapter: building an organisation that is genuinely independent, financially sustainable and equipped to lead the specialty for the future.

This role sits at the heart of that transformation.

Organisationally, we are creating a College from what was previously a faculty function – establishing our own culture, values, policies, systems and operating model while managing a careful and constructive separation from the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA), our long-standing host and continuing close partner.

Financially, we begin with an established income base, derived predominantly from subscriptions and examinations. The Executive Director will lead the development of a more diverse and resilient financial model, strengthening income and ensuring long-term sustainability without compromising our charitable purpose, governance or commitment to members.

For our people, we need to build our own workforce and operating model while supporting colleagues through a genuine change in employer and organisational identity. This will require clarity, empathy and strong leadership – alongside an unwavering focus on maintaining the services that almost 5,000 members rely on.

THE ROLE

We are therefore looking for an Executive Director who has successfully led organisations through significant transformation; who understands how to build financial sustainability and diversify income; and who can bring people with them through complex and meaningful change.

You will bring the strategic and financial credibility to earn the confidence of our Trustees and partners at the RCoA, alongside the emotional intelligence and collaborative leadership needed to unite staff, members and the wider clinical community behind the College’s future.

This is a rare opportunity to shape a new professional College at the moment of its creation: establishing its identity, culture and operating model while building the foundations for long-term independence and impact.

TIMELINE

Closing date: Monday 19th October 2026

Preliminary interviews: w/c Monday 2nd and 9th November 2026

Final Panel interviews: w/c Monday 7th December 2026  

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and highly organised Executive Assistant to provide dedicated support to the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

This is a pivotal role at the heart of the College, providing confidential, high-level executive support that enables the President and CEO to focus on leading the College and delivering its strategic priorities. You will be a trusted partner, managing complex schedules, coordinating key activities, and acting as a central point of contact for a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.

Key tasks and responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

• Managing complex diaries, meetings, travel arrangements, and competing priorities on behalf of the President and CEO.
• Coordinating correspondence and communications, ensuring timely responses and effective stakeholder engagement.
• Preparing agendas, briefing papers, presentations, reports and other documentation to support meetings and decision-making.
• Monitoring actions and commitments, ensuring follow-up and completion within agreed timescales.
• Building strong relationships with senior leaders, members and external partners.
• Providing high-quality secretariat and administrative support for leadership meetings, governance activities and key projects.
• Identifying opportunities to improve processes, systems and ways of working to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Upholding the highest standards of professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality at all times.

About You

You will be an experienced Executive Assistant, Personal Assistant, or Senior Administrator with a proven track record of providing high-quality support to senior leaders in busy, fast-paced and demanding environments.

Highly organised and adaptable, you will be skilled at managing competing priorities, coordinating complex workloads, and maintaining exceptional attention to detail. You will be a confident communicator who can build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion, and take a proactive, solution-focused approach to your work.

Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams, together with the ability to quickly learn new systems, is essential.

The Package

This is a full-time, permanent position with a competitive employee benefits package, which includes (but is not limited to):

• 26 days of annual leave, plus bank holiday
• 1 additional paid day of leave for the purpose of celebrating your birthday
• Healthcare support through Benenden Health
• Up to 12% pension contribution
• Hybrid and flexible working
• Wellbeing hour once a week
• Cycle to work and employee discounts schemes
• Training and development opportunities
• Access to Mental Health First Aiders and Employee Assistance Programmes

About the College

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) is the professional body responsible for the specialty throughout the UK. We are the third largest medical royal college in the UK by membership. With a combined membership of more than 24,000 Fellows and Members, we ensure the quality of patient care by safeguarding standards in the three specialties of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine.

At RCoA equality, diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our culture so it is important to us that this is reflected in everything that we do. We welcome applications from all individuals irrespective of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, marital status, or parental responsibilities to ensure we actively embrace an inclusive and representative culture that encourages, supports and celebrates our differences.

Please note that the closing date may be brought forward should we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide individual feedback to external candidates. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted following the closing date.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK and be resident in the UK at the time of application.

No agencies please.

Swansea Women’s Aid is seeking an inspiring, courageous and values-led Chief Executive Officer to lead our specialist women-only domestic abuse charity following the retirement of our current Chief Executive Lynne Sanders MBE after more than 40 years of outstanding service. 

Working closely with a well-established Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across the charity. You will: 

• Provide clear, strategic and compassionate leadership. 

• Work with Trustees to shape and deliver the charity’s future direction. 

• Ensure strong governance, safeguarding, financial sustainability and compliance. 

• Represent Swansea Women’s Aid as a credible and influential voice for women and children affected by abuse. 

• Identify opportunities for service development, partnership working, fundraising and long-term sustainability. 

About you

You will bring significant senior leadership experience together with: 

• Strong financial and organisational management skills. 

• Understanding of income generation, commissioning and accountability
• Experience of leading people and supporting positive organisational culture. 

• The ability to build trusted relationships and effective partnerships. 

• A genuine commitment to ending violence against women and children. 

Knowledge and experience of the VAWDASV sector, charity governance, commissioning, fundraising and service development would be highly desirable. 

You may not have followed a traditional route into senior charity leadership. We are interested in the skills, experience, values and perspective you can bring to Swansea Women’s Aid and its future. 

Equality and inclusion 

Swansea Women’s Aid welcomes applications from women with the skills, values and lived or professional understanding needed to lead a specialist service. 

This post is open to women only. Swansea Women’s Aid considers that being a woman is an occupational requirement for this post under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010. 

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

A little bit about the role

Contract: Full time, fixed term
Salary: £87,632.09 (incl London Office Allowance) plus competitive pension
Location: Hybrid- 2 days per week in London Office

The Culture and Operations Director (COD) ensures Frontline is a high-performing, well-governed charity with a strong culture of freedom and responsibility - a place people can do their best work to achieve Frontline’s mission.

They have strategic responsibility for charity-wide planning to ensure Frontline’s operational functions, effectively support teams to navigate challenges whilst maximising new opportunities. The successful candidate will join Frontline at a pivotal moment and play a key role in driving the next exciting step of our growth.

The COD will ensure high-quality operational support is available to all teams. Working closely with Frontline’s Leadership Group (Heads and Directors), to make sure that the appropriate and timely information, tools and guidance (e.g. HR, IT and finance) are available to managers and teams as needed. This includes working alongside other members of SLT, to:

• Confidently support Frontline through a period of growth and structural change
• Embody the culture of freedom and responsibility, leading by example, and implementing strategies which improve efficiency and quality
• Maintain Executive oversight of Frontline’s finances, working  with Head of Finance and Finance Audit and Risk Committee (FARC) Chair to ensure budgeting and financial decision-making is robust and strategic, to support the ongoing stability of the charity
• Maintain clear communication across teams, ensuring a connected and informed workforce who collaborate effectively. Oversee the success of key events such as annual all-staff away days, monthly gatherings and leadership stocktakes
• Develop strong relationships with key stakeholders including Frontline trustees, partner organisations and the Department for Education (DfE)
• Effectively lead teams to maintain Frontline's strong track-record of meeting legal/regulatory requirements, to minimise risk to the charity

Key Responsibilities

The COD will lead teams delivering on operational priorities in line with freedom and responsibility, to ensure we remain high performing:

Change management:

• Lead the coordination and project-management of an organisation-wide restructure, ensuing the charity is well-positioned to deliver on contractual obligations whilst diversifying to further amplify our impact and that teams are kept well-informed and feed into structural changes
• Support Frontline teams to work  collaboratively and deliver plans to broaden the scope of Frontline's work, extending activity beyond current areas of focus whilst maintaining a strong, shard commitment to Freedom and Responsibility.
• Develop and adhere to tracking and monitoring systems ensuring annual priorities remain on track to achieve Frontline's mission and long-term strategy.

People and Culture:

• Manage the Head of People to identify new and creative ways to further strengthen and embed our culture and grow personal accountability
• Support the Head of People to ensure excellent HR administration, support and use of data (e.g. staff turnover, sickness levels and performance reporting) to inform future planning and decision-making
• Ensure the team design and deliver high-quality staff induction and training which support staff to thrive (e.g. personal leadership, managing effectively and radical candour)
• Maintain awareness of trends and developing technologies to support efficiencies, e.g approaches to recruitment and support to managers.

Finance and Governance:

• Manage Head of Finance and Compliance to ensure sound budget management (£25m annually), financial controls and clear reporting mechanisms are in place
• Work with the Finance team to ensure FARC and the board have the necessary information and confidence in the financial leadership of Frontline.

Charity Quality and Efficiency:

• Manage and support IT and System leads across Frontline, ensuring they have the resources and compliance mechanisms to ensure robust systems are in place.
• Support Contract Governance teams to negotiate and implement significant government contracts, ensuring outcomes are achievable and effective governance and commercially sound contracts are in place.

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.

UKHarvest is an award-winning food rescue and education charity that tackles two major challenges at the same time: food waste and food insecurity. Founded in 2016, UKHarvest rescues surplus nutritious food from growers, farmers and suppliers that would otherwise go to waste and redistributes it to support people and communities across the South of England and London. But it doesn't stop there. UKHarvest also teaches people how to make the most of that food through cooking, nutrition and food-waste prevention programmes, helping families develop the skills and confidence to eat well for less and waste less at home.

UKHarvest's commitment to combining food, education and community is perhaps best demonstrated through the Nourish Hub in Shepherd's Bush, West London. Opened in 2022, the Hub was established as a welcoming community space where people can access nutritious meals, practical support, educational opportunities and social connection under one roof. The Nourish Hub has received local and national recognition for its social and environmental impact.

Building on this successful model, UKHarvest has recently opened the Nourish Hub Café in Bognor Regis. The café reflects the same ethos that has shaped the organisation since its founding: using good food as a catalyst for positive change and building up community that surrounds it through accessible food education and affordable, healthy food.

UKHarvest is now entering a new phase. Founder Yvonne Thomson has stepped away from the organisation. A temporary interim COO has been in role for six months, providing operational continuity during the transition. The Board, led by Chair Susannah Day, is now seeking a permanent CEO to take over organisational leadership and lead UKHarvest into its next chapter.

Principal responsibilities

Strategy and leadership

• Lead the development and delivery of UKHarvest's next strategic plan.
• Translate the Board's agreed priorities into a clear, practical and measurable organisational plan.
• Ensure UKHarvest remains mission-led, evidence-informed, financially responsible and community-rooted.
• Work closely with the Chair and Trustees to ensure strong governance, good decision-making and appropriate Board visibility of key risks and opportunities.
• Financial sustainability and fundraising
• Lead the development of a proactive fundraising and income generation strategy.
• Diversify income streams, with a particular focus on unrestricted income and long-term sustainability.
• Ensure robust financial planning, forecasting, cash flow management and reserves development.
• Build relationships with funders, donors, corporate partners, local authorities and other income-generating partners.

Operational effectiveness

• Ensure UKHarvest's programmes and services are delivered safely, efficiently and to a high standard.
• Review the current service portfolio and recommend where to deepen, consolidate, stop, partner or scale.
• Oversee the review of sites, leases and infrastructure, ensuring operational decisions are mission-led, financially sound and reputationally responsible.
• Ensure systems, processes, reporting and accountability are fit for purpose.

People, culture and organisation

• Lead and support staff and volunteers through a period of change.
• Model a cohesive, positive and accountable culture across all UKHarvest locations and emobdy UKHarvest’s values of collaboration, focus, care, innovation and positivity.
• Strengthen internal communication, management capability and staff development.
• Ensure appropriate structures are in place to support wellbeing, performance and delivery.

Partnerships, profile and influence

• Act of the charity’s key ambassador and build UKHarvest's profile and influence
• Develop strategic partnerships across corporate, public, charitable and community sectors.
• Strengthen external messaging so UKHarvest's distinctive model is clear, compelling and consistent.
• Represent UKHarvest with funders, policymakers, partners, media and sector networks.

Governance and risk

• Support the Board in reviewing and strengthening governance and organisational foundations.
• Ensure effective risk management, safeguarding, compliance and charity governance.
• Provide clear and timely reporting to the Board.

Person specification

Essential experience

• Senior leadership experience in a charity, social enterprise, mission-led organisation or relevant public/private sector setting.
• A track record of leading organisations, teams or substantial programmes through change.
• Strong financial literacy, including budget management, forecasting, cash flow oversight and income diversification.
• Experience of fundraising, income generation, partnership development or commercial/social impact funding.
• Experience of building and managing senior teams, organisational culture and staff engagement.
• Ability to work effectively with a Board or equivalent governance structure.
• Credibility with external stakeholders, funders and partners.
• Experience of developing and delivering strategy in a complex operating environment.
• Understanding of community delivery, social impact, food systems, sustainability, education, poverty, health inequalities or related fields.

Essential qualities

• Mission-led and values-driven.
• Clear, calm and confident in a period of transition.
• Financially disciplined and strategically practical.
• Empathetic but willing to make difficult decisions.
• Collaborative, partnership-minded and externally credible.
• Able to honour a founder legacy without being overawed by it.
• A strong communicator with staff, volunteers, trustees, partners and funders.
• Comfortable balancing operational realities with long-term strategic ambition.

Desirable experience

• Experience of leading an organisation after a founder transition.
• Experience in food waste, food redistribution, food education, community development, sustainability or social justice.
• Experience of scaling, franchising, licensing or replicating education/community models.
• Experience of working across multiple sites or geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience of strengthening brand, external communications or public influence.
• Experience of developing unrestricted income and corporate partnerships.
• Understanding of charity governance, safeguarding and regulatory compliance.

Harris Hill is delighted to be working with Citizens Advice St Albans District (CASTAD) to recruit its new Chief Executive Officer.

CASTAD provides free, confidential, impartial and independent advice to help people overcome their problems. We campaign on the issues that matter to them when their voices need to be heard.

We want to see a world where no one suffers through ignorance of their rights and responsibilities, or an inability to pursue them; and where the underlying causes of people’s problems have been eliminated.

As Chief Executive, you will:

• Deliver high-quality client services to approximately 9,000 users per annum.
• Ensure financial resources are in place to run the service.
• Work with the Trustee Board to define and lead the future strategy and sustainability of CASTAD.
• Execute the agreed strategy by ensuring a detailed and measurable Business Plan is in place, regularly tracked, and reported on.

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

Job title: Chief Executive Officer
Salary: circa £50,000 - £55,000 p.a.
Contract: Permanent / Full-time
Location: Citizens Advice St Albans and District, The Civic Centre, St Peters Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 3JE. (Flexible working will be considered.)

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

Closing date for applications: 9am Monday 19 October 2026

Both CASTAD 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.

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

We are seeking a talented Director of Programme Delivery and Operations (maternity cover), fully committed to our widening participation cause, to join the Senior Leadership Team in a pivotal role for a growing and ambitious charity. 

You will have responsibility for ensuring we are providing high quality programme delivery to young people across our centre network, that are centres are functioning effectively, and that targets are monitored and met. And of course, you will need to have a genuine passion and enthusiasm for working with young people and helping them achieve their ambitions.

The Director of Programme Delivery and Operations is a Senior Leadership Team position within the charity and reports into the Chief Operating Officer. The role is responsible for oversight of all centre programme delivery and performance across our network of 44 local learning centres (and growing).

Contract

This is a fixed-term, maternity cover role until at least end of November 2027. This role can be either full-time or part-time (0.8 FTE) - responsibilities will be adjusted proportionally for part-time candidates.

Start date
January 2027 (or as otherwise agreed)

Working hours
Mon and Thurs: 09:30-18:00
Tues, Weds, Fri: 09:00-17:30
We are a delivery organisation providing frontline educational services for young people. We are an organisation with team members at different stages of their career, including many in their first roles: We are committed to nurturing talent and providing a developmental culture for all. Our team works in-person 4 days per week (or 3 days for a 0.8 FTE staff member)
with 1 day working from home. 

Location

The role would be based at one of our IntoUniversity centres in Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, London, Manchester or Nottingham, with regular travel across the network and to our Head Office in London. 

Salary

£62,500 (Plus additional London contribution of £2,800 for London-based candidates). Pro rata for part-time candidate.

Annual leave

This is the full-time staff entitlement and will be pro-rated for part-time staff.

33 days (inc bank & public holidays)
+ 3 closure days (two in December and one in July)
+ additional length of service entitlement
(one day per year of service, up to 5 days)
 

Staff benefits

• Employer pension contributions of 6% (and up to 8% after two years)
• Year round ‘early finish’ Fridays at 4.30pm 
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to medical and legal support 
• Life Assurance scheme with AIG including SmartHealth service with access to 24/7 online GP appointments
• Interest-free new starter loans of up to £1,000 
• Cycle to Work Scheme and Travelcard Loan Scheme
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental and adoption pay and sick pay allowances
• Staff in FOCUS – rewards, competitions and prizes across the year

Application deadline - 9am Monday 28th September 2026.

Interview Day (in-person at our Head Office in London) - Wednesday 7th October. Please ensure that you are available on this date.

Could you be the next Chief Officer of Just Drop-In?

We're looking for an inspiring, values-driven leader to guide our much-loved charity in Macclesfield into its next chapter.

For 25 years, Just Drop-In has been a lifeline for young people 11–24yrs old across the north of Cheshire East. Every year, we support more than 1,000 children and young people through our Counselling, Mentoring, Wellbeing, and Parent Support Services — and the need has never been greater.

We're looking for someone who brings:

✅ Strong leadership experience

✅ Business awareness

✅ Safeguarding knowledge and experience

✅ Experience of working with children and young people and a genuine passion for helping them thrive

This is a rare opportunity to lead an organisation with deep roots in its community and a team that truly believes in its mission.

If this sounds like you — or someone you know — we'd love to hear from you.

Please see further information and how to apply by downloading the attached document or clicking redirect to recruiter. 

#Hiring #ChiefOfficer #Charity #YouthWork #Macclesfield #NonProfit #Leadership #JobOpportunity

Lead the next chapter for liver health in the UK

This is a unique opportunity to lead a respected and financially stable health charity at a pivotal moment of transformation.
Following a successful merger, the organisation has proudly just completed a full rebrand to Liver UK, bringing together services, information and advocacy across all ages. With a clear, trustee-approved strategy for 2026–2032 already in place, the next Chief Executive will focus on delivery, growth and national influence.

A strong platform and a planned transition

This role comes at a natural and positive point within a planned leadership transition.Our current Chief Executive has provided long-standing, successful leadership and is excited to hand over the rebranded charity for it to be led into its next phase of strategic development, sustainability and growth.
The incoming CEO will inherit a well-led organisation with strong governance, a clear strategic direction, and real momentum.

About the role

As Chief Executive, you will lead delivery of an established strategy, ensuring the organisation continues to grow its reach, impact and income.You will work closely with an engaged and supportive Board of Trustees to maintain high standards of governance, regulatory compliance and risk management, while strengthening the charity’s voice in national policy and public affairs.
This is a role that balances external influence with internal leadership, ensuring both impact and organisational resilience.

Key responsibilities

• Deliver a trustee-approved long-term strategy, refining priorities as needed
• Ensure robust governance, legal and regulatory compliance
• Lead policy, public affairs and national influencing activity
• Maintain financial sustainability and drive income growth
• Lead and develop a high-performing Senior Management Team
• Oversee delivery of high-quality services and information

About you

You are a credible and values-driven leader with senior experience in the charity, health or related sectors.
You will bring:

• Proven senior leadership experience at Director or Chief Executive Officer level
• Strong understanding of governance, finance and regulatory compliance
• Experience influencing policy and working with senior stakeholders
• A track record of delivering organisational growth and impact
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills

You will be confident working with a Board of Trustees, able to build strong relationships, provide clear advice, and operate effectively in a governance-led environment. 

You will be motivated by improving health outcomes and confident leading an organisation with both national influence and strong operational delivery.

Why join us?

• A clear, trustee-approved strategy ready for delivery
• Strong governance, financial stability and organisational foundations
• A positive and well-managed leadership transition
• The opportunity to shape a newly unified, UK-wide charity
• A chance to make a meaningful difference in an under-recognised area of health
• A strong, engaged and motivated Board

A competitive salary will be offered, reflecting the experience, skills and leadership qualities of the successful candidate.

We are grateful for all interest shown in leading Liver UK. However, as our resources are currently focused on supporting our newly rebranded organisation, we are unable to provide individual feedback to applicants.

#CEO #Chief Executive #Chief Executive Officer #Charity CEO #Chief Executive Charity #Health Charity CEO #Healthcare CEO #Nonprofit CEO #Charity Leadership #Executive Leadership #Senior Leadership #Chief Executive Jobs #CEO Jobs