Executive director jobs

As our current CEO steps down after five successful years, we are looking for an outstanding candidate to lead our charity in the next stage of its development.

As Chief Executive Officer you will provide strategic and operational leadership to our well-established community charity, ensuring that our activities and projects continue to meet the changing needs of our local community.

You will work closely with the board of trustees to shape the next stage of our charity’s development. You will lead our staff team and ensure that all the resources and structures are in place that allow them and the charity to flourish. This means successfully securing grant funding, leading our community fundraising efforts, ensuring the charity meets its legal and regulatory obligations, managing the operational finances, and building effective partnerships within the local voluntary, community, and faith sector.

You will be equally comfortable writing a funding bid, supporting a member of staff, navigating a spreadsheet, working directly with beneficiaries, and providing concise and accessible reports to trustees and stakeholders. This is a varied role where no two days are quite the same. Your work will make a real difference to the lives of those we support and this is what makes it so rewarding.

For more information please see the recruitment pack attached. The closing date for applications is Friday 17 April 2026.

We are looking for a new CEO to lead Surrey Community Action into a bright and exciting future, where the voluntary sector and communities of Surrey are helped to survice and thrive.

Surrey Community Action

Chief Executive Officer

35 hours per week, mostly office based but with some scope for working remotely.

Based in Burpham, Guildford, Surrey

The role is subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

£62,000 for a 35-hour week

5% employers pension contribution

25 days annual leave plus three days over Christmas

Employee Assistance Programme

About Surrey Community Action

Surrey Community Action supports Surrey’s voluntary sector, the diverse communities of Surrey, and other organisations who seek to work with either. We ensure that non-voluntary sector stakeholders understand the value of our sector and how to work together to achieve shared objectives. We provide services to Surrey’s voluntary sector that increase their effectiveness or fill gaps in their capability, capacity, and resilience. Services to the Surrey’s Communities and we provide services directly to Surrey’s communities that support community action and address unsupported needs.

About The Role

We are seeking a new Chief Executive to join us at an ideal time to complete and implement our emerging new strategy and direct Surrey Community Action into a bright future.

As Chief Executive Officer, you will have the scope and authority to shape strategy, influence policy, empower Surrey’s voluntary sector, and champion rural communities, working closely with a committed Board, and experienced staff team.

You will be the organisation’s lead ambassador, building trusted relationships with partners, funders and decision‑makers, and ensuring the organisation’s voice is heard at local, regional and national level.

You will also play a critical role in leading change and transformation within the charity - strengthening systems, diversifying income and evolving how the organisation works so it remains resilient, relevant and impactful in a fast‑changing environment.

This is a role for someone who enjoys balancing big‑picture thinking with practical delivery, and who can bring people with them through periods of transition.

If you are motivated to improve the capability, capacity and resilience of the Surrey’s voluntary sector, communities and residents; if you thrive in complex and changing stakeholder environments; and if you are excited by the challenge of leading an organisation through its next phase of growth and influence, this role is for you.

No two days will be the same, but there are some core parts of this role.

• Strategic Leadership & Organisational Direction
• You will lead the delivery of a clear, compelling organisational strategy, adapting it in response to an evolving operating environment and ensuring the organisation remains agile, future‑focused and well positioned within the voluntary and community sectors.
• Board Partnership & Governance
• You will work collaboratively with the Board of Trustees, providing high‑quality insight, advice and assurance on strategy, finance, risk, governance and compliance, and then supporting effective Board decision‑making through clear reporting, analysis and professional guidance.
• Leadership of People & Culture
• You will lead, inspire and support the staff team through a transparent, inclusive and empowering management style, creating a high‑performance culture rooted in trust, accountability, equality, diversity and wellbeing.
• Change Management & Organisational Development
• You will be a skilled change manager, leading transformation in response to evolving funding landscapes, policy shifts, technology and community needs, designing and implementing systems, structures and processes that strengthen organisational effectiveness and resilience.
• Ambassadorial Role, Advocacy & External Relations
• You will be the public face of the organisation, representing it with credibility, passion and authority, and building strong, influential relationships with funders, partners, policymakers, communities and stakeholders.

About You

The purpose of the Chief Executive Officer’s role is to guide and plan the strategic development and overall direction of the organisation, providing strong leadership and co-ordination to ensure the aims, strategic objectives and priorities of the organisation are achieved.

To do this, we need someone who embodies the following attributes, skills and experience.

You will have:

• Senior leadership experience within a voluntary, community, public or values‑led organisation, with accountability for strategy, performance and resources.
• Proven experience of working effectively with a Board or trustees
• Demonstrable success in leading and managing organisational change, including restructuring, service development or cultural transformation.
• Experience in fundraising, income generation and business development
• Experience of financial leadership, including budgeting, financial planning, income generation and managing funding agreements or contracts.
• A strong track record of external engagement, partnership working and representation at senior level.
• People management experience, supporting a compact team delivering diverse projects.
• Excellent communication skills (including social media) and governance literacy.
• It will be a distinct advantage to have familiarity with Local Government Reorganisation and devolution, ideally in a county like Surrey.

You will be:

• Motivated, motivating and dynamic
• An effective communicator (including social media) with good network contacts, especially in the VCSE sector and across local government
• A strong team builder, able to develop, encourage and support colleagues in making the most of their experience and skillsets and to feel confident in their abilities
• A visionary leader who is able to embrace and manage change through strategic creativity and innovation, while also able to pay attention to detail when necessary.
• Ideally, you will also be able to demonstrate understanding of charity governance, compliance and safeguarding.
• Calm and confident under pressure with an evidence-based approach to prioritising finite resources.

These attributes, skills and experience will make you stand out, but even if you do not match all the criteria below, we still want to hear about you and what you can offer.

The Nuts and Bolts

The role is a permanent contract for 35 hours per week, mostly office based but with some scope for working remotely.

Our offices are in Guildford, Surrey

We are committed to continued professional development and will support you to develop your skills even further.

The role is subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

The salary for this post is £62,000 for a 35-hour week.

We also offer:

• 5% employers pension contribution
• Employee Assistance Programme
• 25 days holiday with an additional three days between Christmas and New Year, as well as all English Bank Holidays

We can only accept applications from candidates with the right to work in the UK.

Catalyst is looking to recruit an exceptional leader to be our next Chief Executive.

Candidates should be values-driven, with a passion for leading an organisation which supports the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector (VCSE). As Chief Executive, you must have the skills and experience to lead the dedicated, professional staff and volunteers in developing our services based on the needs of the sector, fulfilling the requirements of our funders, and actively seeking other opportunities for partnership work with statutory, private and VCSE partners.

The successful candidate will combine strategic and operational skills and have experience of effective leadership, including facilitating change in this sector. The role is offered at a salary of £51,500, plus pension and 28 days holiday a year.

You can find out more information and how to apply at Catalyst Chief Executive – Catalyst Stockton

OTR is at an important point in its journey. We have a strong foundation, a dedicated team and an engaged Board, alongside a growing demand for our services and a changing external environment. This creates both opportunity and complexity.

We are looking for a CEO who can lead the organisation through this next phase, balancing strategic direction with a clear focus on what is realistically achievable. This includes strengthening how we align our services, delivery and resources to ensure we can continue to support young people in a sustainable way.

As CEO, you will lead a values-driven, person-centred organisation and work closely with the team and Board to provide clarity, direction and stability. You will build strong relationships with partners and stakeholders, and play a key role in shaping our approach to income generation and longer-term sustainability.

We are looking for a collaborative and thoughtful leader with senior experience in the third sector, who is comfortable operating in a complex and evolving environment. You will bring strong judgement, financial awareness and the ability to make and communicate clear decisions.

This is a significant leadership opportunity to shape the future of support for young people in BaNES, while ensuring the organisation remains grounded in its values and responsive to the realities it operates within.

We are seeking a dynamic individual with strong people skills to provide leadership across all of BTO’s Country Offices and to manage operations in Scotland. Operational management for Wales and Northern Ireland is provided by the Heads of those teams. The post holder will be part of BTO's senior leadership team, responsible for setting the direction and priorities of the organisation and attending Board meetings where they will represent BTO Country Operations. The postholder will directly manage an excellent team of senior Country Office staff members and work collaboratively with many others.

The role requires demonstrable experience in supporting, motivating, and leading multi-disciplinary teams and excellent people management and influencing skills. It will also require experience in developing strategic vision, setting measures of success, securing funding, and ensuring delivery of multiple and often complex projects. The post holder will need skills in, and a passion for communicating both internally and externally; a good science (ideally ecological) background, and an understanding of long-term monitoring and citizen science approaches to monitoring and research.

Ideally, the postholder will be based out of the BTO Scotland office in Stirling (which currently has the largest staff complement), but we would be willing to consider working out of the BTO Cymru offices at Bangor University or the BTONI offices in Lisburn, near Belfast, for the right candidate.

BTO operates flexible working, and a hybrid working pattern is available (60% office, 40% home). The postholder is expected to build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues across the BTO, and whilst communication by virtual means is used frequently, regular travel (several times a year) between each of the offices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and to the English office in Thetford, Norfolk is required, as is frequent working in person at the postholder’s office base.

FIND OUT MORE
Navigate to ‘Supporting documents' within the job details on our careers page to view:

• The full role description and person specification
• A message from BTO’s CEO, Juliet Vickery- ‘Intro to Director of Country Operations’.

WHAT DOES BTO DO?

BTO helps to secure the future for birds and nature, using our science, monitoring and data to inform good environmental decisions, inspiring others with the wonder of birds and empowering them to work with us. Our priority is to make a positive impact for birds, using our strong and objective science in partnership with others. We strive to work sustainably and to welcome everyone.

Our values
We are evidence-led, inclusive, collaborative and empowering.
Birds Science People; it is a powerful combination – will you be part of it?

WHAT WE OFFER

• £68,199 per annum
• Annual Leave: 25 days per year (plus bank holidays), increasing with service to 26 days after 5 years, 28 days after 10 years, and 30 days after 15 years (pro rata for part-time staff).
• Paid 'journey days' (up to 2 days) to staff who travel on holiday by land or sea instead of flying.
• Annual team away days
• Life assurance (four times salary)
• 11% employer pension contribution
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Enhanced sick pay
• Enhanced Family leave
• Health cash plan
• Retail discounts through MyLifestyle.
• Cycling friendly employer- gold accredited
• Cycle to work scheme
• Discounts on: BTO books, Bird care from Vine House Farm  (10% discount on orders placed on the website) and Opticron (15% off)
• Free access to BTO training courses
• Flexible working
• Free eye tests and a contribution of £49 towards prescription glasses for VDU use only.
• Free car parking
• Effective job evaluation policy that recognises where staff increase their level of responsibility over time
• Coaching and mentoring scheme
• Staff groups and forums- First Aiders and mental health first aiders, Coaching and mentoring, Diversity working, Sustainability and Natural Working, Becoming Inclusive, Neurodiversity group, LGBTQ+ group and our staff group creating a positive and welcoming culture to work in.
• Commitment to creating an inclusive environment
• Commitment to sustainability

The closing date for receipt of applications is 23:59 on Tuesday 14th April and Interviews will be held remotely on Tuesday 5th May. 

Charity People is delighted to be partnering with Wells Maltings to recruit for their new position of CEO.

Location: Wells-next-the-Sea / Hybrid
Salary: c.£50,000
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time (37 hours) or part-time (minimum 4 days/week). Some evening and weekend work required.

Wells Maltings a vibrant arts, heritage and community venue, opened in 2018, and set in beautiful Wells-next-the-Sea at the heart of the North Norfolk AONB. We are a year-round hub of excellence for the arts providing a diverse and extensive programme, plus heritage preservation, community cohesion and tourism for our coastal town and the surrounding environs.

About the Role

This is a brand-new role for an experienced senior leader and income generation specialist to join the team at Wells Maltings and lead on developing and delivering our fundraising, commercial and operations strategies. You will have the space to make a real impact, supported by both an experienced team and an engaged Board of Trustees.

About you

We are looking for a leader with a strong understanding of income generation in the arts and culture sector, preferably with experience of running a venue.

You will bring your leadership experience, financial acumen and fundraising skills. You will lead the organisation, shape how we generate income and increase our commercial and individual sponsorship, all with the aim of securing a sustainable future for the charity and the communities we support.

How to Apply
Formal application is via CV and supporting statement addressing three specific questions outlined in the recruitment pack. Please download a copy of the job pack

Closing: 9am, Monday 20th April 2026
Interviews: Friday 1st May 2026

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability, and potential. Please inform us if you require any assistance or adjustment to help ensure the application process works for you.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

Peters Fraser + Dunlop (PFD) is one of London’s most established and respected literary and talent agencies, representing leading voices across literature, film, television, audio, journalism and digital media. We pride ourselves on nurturing talent, protecting rights, and connecting our clients with the right opportunities in a fast-moving creative landscape.

We are now seeking an exceptional Finance Director to join our Senior Management Team and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the business.

This is a high-impact leadership role at the heart of a dynamic, creative organisation. Reporting to the CEO, you will oversee all financial and operational functions, provide strategic guidance to the Board, and help drive sustainable growth.

You’ll combine hands-on financial leadership with strategic insight, influencing decision-making at the highest level while ensuring operational excellence across the business.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Finance Leadership

• Lead financial strategy and long-term planning to support business growth
• Provide clear, insightful reporting and advice to the CEO and Board
• Build organisational resilience through robust financial planning and analysis

Financial Operations & Governance

• Oversee all financial operations, controls, compliance and statutory reporting
• Lead budgeting, forecasting and audit processes
• Continuously enhance reporting frameworks and financial systems

Operational Leadership

• Oversee HR, IT, office and facilities management
• Ensure efficient, compliant and high-quality operational support across the organisation
• Drive continuous improvement in systems, processes and services

Royalties & Commercial Insight

• Ensure the royalties function operates with accuracy, transparency and efficiency
• Support income generation through market analysis and commercial evaluation

Governance & Risk

• Develop and maintain risk and opportunity frameworks
• Lead company secretarial responsibilities and ensure regulatory compliance

About You

We’re looking for a commercially minded, strategic thinker who thrives in a fast-paced environment:

• Qualified accountant (UK)
• Proven senior financial leadership experience
• Strong commercial acumen and entrepreneurial mindset
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to translate data into clear insights
• Confident working at Board level
• Collaborative leader with high emotional intelligence
• Proactive, adaptable and solutions-focused
• Strong communicator and effective negotiator
• Experience improving systems and operational efficiency

This is a rare opportunity to join a leading creative agency and make a meaningful impact at senior level. You’ll play a key role in shaping strategy, driving performance, and supporting world-class talent.

How to Apply

Please send your CV, cover letter and salary expectations via the link.

For an informal conversation about the role please contact our exclusive recruitment partner, Bryony Thomas via the Allen Lane agency website.

We reserve the right to close the process early and so an early application is highly recommended.

Harris Hill is recruiting for a Director of Finance & Operations for this well-established Charity. (BASED IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE) Hybrid Working

• LOCATION: Buckinghamshire
• HYBRID WORKING: A minimum of 2/3 days a week, is required at their offices in Buckinghamshire
• SALARY: £70,000pa - £72.000pa
• ORGANISATION: THIS IS A HANDS-ON ROLE WITH NO OTHER FINANCE STAFF. 

CLOSING DATE 10.00AM MONDAY 30TH OF MARCH - INTERVIEWS ARE AVAILABLE W/C 6TH OR 13TH APRIL

Job Description

This role blends strategic financial leadership with hands-on operational management and is critical to enabling the charity to achieve its charitable programme as well as provide long-term sustainability.

The Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) will play a crucial role in realising our ambitious plans as a charity. The postholder will be a member of our Senior Leadership Team (SLT), along with the CEO, Director of Development, Director or Programmes and Director of Fundraising and Communications.

The role is responsible for overseeing the financial health, operational effectiveness, and organisational infrastructure of the charity, ensures that the charity operates efficiently, ethically, and in compliance with all regulatory and fiduciary requirements.

CEO

• Salary for FTE: £62,000 - £75,000 dependant on experience
• 38 hours a week over 5 days (flexibility for right candidate)
• Home-based with travel for events and meetings

Reporting into the Board of Trustees, we are seeking an inspirational CEO for the PDA Society, who can lead with humility and curiosity, empowering and supporting our staff along the journey. They will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the charity and its staff and volunteers, and will oversee the development of our training products, research and support services, whilst ensuring sustainable growth in impact and income.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a trusted enterprise within the PDA community with a strong mission and a committed, values driven team. The successful candidate will be passionate about improving the lives of PDAers and their families. You will be energetic, creative and bring new ideas for enhancing the charity’s reputation, through nurturing existing relationships and developing new ones to achieve the charities goals. Our ideal candidate will have lived experience of autism, PDA or other neurodivergence although this is not essential.

Closing date for applications: Midnight on 22nd April 2026

Interviews with Trustees:  April / May 2026

We are looking for a strategic, values-driven and collaborative Charity Director/CEO to lead DS Achieve (a small charity) through its next stage, building on strong foundations to ensure long-term sustainability and meaningful impact for the families we support.

This is a rewarding opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of a small community-focused charity supporting children and young people with Down Syndrome. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, you will provide strategic leadership, guide the development of the organisation, and support a committed team to deliver high-quality services for families across Hertfordshire and surrounding areas.

Please see the attached Role Profile for details.

Location: London (flexible working - 2-3 days in the office)

Interviews: 15th and 16th April 2026, and second stage interviews the following week on the 22nd April 2026. 

Employer: King's Trust International (not The King's Trust)

Around the world, 65 million young people are unemployed. Many more face the challenge of unstable, unsafe and underpaid work. King’s Trust International was founded by His Majesty King Charles to tackle the global crisis in youth unemployment and ensure that every young person has the chance to succeed. Central to our new 10-year strategy is the need to articulate the challenges and opportunities faced by young people and help them shape a better future.  We are recruiting a Director of Marketing, Communications and External Affairs to shape and share this story.

In this exciting and varied strategic and operational role, you will lead KTI’s marketing, communications and external affairs team with the aim of promoting and protecting King’s Trust International and The King’s Group, increasing awareness of our brand and our work for young people around the world. You will spearhead the establishment of our advocacy function and play a key role in research commissioning, awareness raising and coalition creation.  This will involve attendance at key global events, the commissioning of proprietary research, and guiding the marketing and communication strategies that will bring these narratives into the public consciousness.

You will be an experienced and dynamic communicator with significant demonstrable experience in communications, marketing and external affairs at a senior level. This will be complemented by strong knowledge of the full range of media, marketing and communications tools, and how to deploy them effectively to maximise the reach, impact and value of our brand.

In addition, you will have excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to confidently build and maintain strong relationships with a diverse group of people and stakeholders. Possessing strong management skills, you will have experience of managing small multi-disciplinary teams, providing direction and leadership to enable growth and development, and the ability to role-model a culture of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Perks for working at The King’s Trust International:

• Great holiday package. 30 days annual leave entitlement, plus public holidays. Office closure the days between Christmas and New Year
• Fantastic Family leave. Receive 13 weeks full pay and 13 weeks half pay for maternity and adoption leave, and pro rata entitlement for shared parental leave. Receive 8 weeks' full pay for paternity leave.
• Flexible and agile working. Where operationally possible, you can work your hours that support a work-life balance, including compressed hours and hybrid-working (part office - part home-based) or working from home options.
• Benefits platform. Everything from health and financial wellbeing support to discounts on your favourite restaurants, shops and cinemas
• A free employee assistance programme (EAP) to support your mental wellbeing.
• KTI will contribute 5% of your salary to the workplace Pension Scheme
• Generous life assurance cover (4 x annual salary)
• In-house and external training opportunities are available throughout the year

Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF) is the UK’s leading celebration of Arab arts and cultures. We are a small team that delivers huge impact - rooted in Liverpool’s communities yet connected to artists and audiences across the world. Our work is grounded in representation, collaboration, and exchange, bringing Arab creativity and perspectives to the heart of the UK’s cultural landscape.

As Chief Executive Officer, you will lead this unique organisation through a pivotal period of transition and renewal. Working closely with the Board, staff team, freelance workers, artists, communities and partners, you will provide strategic, financial, artistic and cultural leadership - ensuring that LAAF continues to thrive in an increasingly complex political, social, and financial climate. This is a deeply rewarding role that calls for someone who is rigorous, transparent, and community-minded; someone who understands both the practical challenges of running an arts organisation and a live festival, year-round events and engagement projects, and the responsibility of representing communities whose stories matter.

The ideal candidate will be ready to immerse themselves in the relationships and networks that keep LAAF alive, and to lead with creativity, care, and conviction.

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Contract: Permanent, 0.8-1.0 FTE

Location: Office (Stirling) or Hybrid

Salary:£55,000-62,000k FTE

Benefits: Generous Pension (up to 12% Employer + 6% Employee) & Holiday (full time holiday allowance starting at 28 days plus six bank holidays)

Closing Date:Thursday 30 April 2026

Interview Dates: Online – Friday 15 May 2026. In person, Stirling – Thursday 28 May 2026.

Circular Communities Scotland is a small but rapidly growing national charity, with a staff team of 12 and income of £527k last year. We are a membership network with a vision for a thriving circular economy in Scotland with local communities benefiting from the social, environmental, and economic outcomes. With a growing membership of over 270 charities, social enterprises and community groups we are always looking for new ways to support the reuse, repair and recycling Third Sector and see our vision become a reality.

Our outgoing CEO has taken Circular Communities Scotland to a strong position as a thriving charity with a strong track record of delivery. Are you the inspirational leader who can take forward our vitally important work in member support and representation in a challenging external environment?

We are determined to get the right person to join our strong team which is why we are open to exploring different options regarding place of work (office or hybrid) within Scotland. Post holders should be able to travel to our Stirling Office and central belt-based stakeholders about two days per week. At all levels of the organisation, we are strongly committed to staff wellbeing, equality, diversity and inclusion and we welcome and encourage candidates from underrepresented groups.

Full details about the role can be found in the job description and person specification which can be found on our website.

We ask applicants to submit a tailored 2-page CV and a 1-2 page covering letter setting out how you meet the requirements for this role. We want to hear your authentic voice in the application and would therefore discourage use of any AI generated content.

Applications should be uploaded to our recruitment portal before the closing date Thursday 30 April 2026. We would also appreciate the completion of our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form and submitting it as detailed in the portal.

We are seeking a purpose-driven and forward-thinking Director of Finance & Strategy with essential third sector experience, who is passionate about using their financial expertise to create meaningful impact and drive positive change in the world, while embracing technology and AI to strengthen, modernise, and evolve The Zahra Trust’s finance function.
This is a strategic leadership role that combines strong financial control with a clear focus on systems, data, and revenue insight. You will be responsible not only for financial governance, but also for building the infrastructure that enables the organisation to understand income performance, identify opportunities for growth, and respond quickly to changes in revenue.
You will also ensure that the organisation operates in line with charity finance regulations and best practice across all jurisdictions in which we operate.
You will play a central role in ensuring that financial data is accurate, accessible, and actionable — supporting decision-making across fundraising, marketing, and programme delivery.