Executive director jobs in Leeds, west yorkshire

This is not just recruitment – it's a revolution.

Sikh Women's Aid stands at a pivotal moment. With unprecedented support from major funders including Comic Relief, Lloyds Bank Foundation, National Lottery, Smallwood Trust, The Circle, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, and various other funders and generous donations from corporates and the community, we are scaling our impact to reach thousands more women who need our support.

Our groundbreaking Gender, Power & Abuse Report 2024 revealed the shocking truth: 61.48% of Sikh Panjabi women have experienced domestic abuse, yet 58.13% never report it. The silence ends now. We are seeking a transformational Chief Executive who will:

• Lead service delivery transformation for survivors

• Challenge harmful practices rooted in culture

• Build movements for change in communities

• Influence policy at local, regional and national levels

• Create sustainable growth from £250K to £1M+

Why Lead Us Now?

Purpose: Your leadership will literally save lives Impact: Be the architect of systemic change in the Sikh community

Growth: Lead a rapidly expanding organisation with major multi-year funding secured Innovation:

Shape pioneering approaches to culturally-specific services Legacy:

Build: an institution that will protect generations of women

Genuine Occupational Requirement: This position is restricted to Sikh Panjabi women only under Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010. This is essential to provide culturally specific services to women who have experienced gender-based violence and require support from those who share their cultural and faith background.

Please note that candidates who applied during our previous recruitment round are not eligible to apply again. 

We value the time and effort every candidate invests in applying and look forward to hearing from individuals who share our passion for supporting women and girls affected by domestic abuse and harmful practices.   

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE - OPERA NORTH

STRATEGIC FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP IN THE ARTS

Opera North, one of the UK's leading opera companies, is seeking an accomplished Director of Finance to provide strategic financial leadership and ensure robust financial management across the organisation.

Reporting to the General Director, you will lead the financial operations and governance framework of Opera North and its affiliated organisations, working closely with the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to devise sustainable financial strategies that deliver the company's artistic ambitions and strategic priorities. You’ll be taking over from a well-respected senior finance leader who is moving on after years of brilliant service, leaving a legacy to build upon and facilitating a substantial handover period.

This is a senior role requiring significant experience in complex financial and regulatory environments, with strong charity accounting knowledge highly desirable. You will lead a dedicated finance team while building productive partnerships with stakeholders across the organisation, external auditors, and professional advisers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership

• Lead financial operations and governance across Opera North, Opera North Trading Ltd, Opera North Future Fund and Friends of Opera North
• Contribute to company strategy across all business areas, providing financial analysis and guidance on activities, plans, targets and business drivers
• Work with the General Director and Board to develop sustainable and viable financial strategies

Financial Management & Reporting

• Provide budgets and financial modelling, offering robust challenges to planning processes where necessary
• Produce regular management accounts, annual income and expenditure budgets, improving their effectiveness as managerial tools
• Prepare information on capital expenditure, property management and reserves management to enable effective Board assessment
• Ensure timely and accurate compliance with requirements of Arts Council England, Charity Commission, Companies House and other external stakeholders

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, manage and support the continuous professional development of the finance team
• Support the development of financial skills and awareness across budget-holders to achieve continuous improvement in financial planning, forecasting and budget management
• Develop procedures and policies to support the company's financial performance

Compliance & Governance

• Liaise with providers of professional services including auditors, tax advisers, insurers, lawyers and pension providers
• Work closely with the People Team to ensure efficient payroll and pension arrangements in line with legislative and HMRC requirements
• Maintain awareness of changes to leadership and governance legislation, communicating implications to non-finance colleagues
• Ensure an effective governance framework is in place

BENEFITS PACKAGE

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• 35 hours per week
• 33 days annual leave inclusive of 8 statutory holidays
• Pension scheme: Opera North contributes 5.5% of basic pay after 3 months' service (employee contribution 2.5%)
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to Opera North performances and cultural activities
• Based at the Howard Opera Centre, Leeds

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications & Professional Standing

• Full professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)
• Professional membership of recognised accountancy body

Experience

• Senior manager or director level experience
• Substantial professional experience in a complex financial and regulatory environment
• Preparing and presenting management accounts, reports and data at board level
• Liaising with auditors and other professional advisers
• Management of a payroll function
• Managing teams

Technical Knowledge

• Knowledge of relevant legislation affecting financial reporting and taxes
• Good knowledge of VAT and Gift Aid
• Strong Excel skills
• Comfort with different accounting software

Skills & Attributes

• Excellent communication skills with ability to explain complex financial information to stakeholders with varying levels of financial knowledge
• Ability and willingness to review and improve internal systems
• Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

• Knowledge and experience in charity accounting
• Understanding of charity law and guidance
• Knowledge and experience in preparing creative tax reliefs
• Professional experience of the arts sector

ABOUT OPERA NORTH

Opera North is one of the UK's most vibrant opera companies, creating extraordinary experiences for audiences across the North of England. The organisation values creativity, collaboration and cultural impact, operating with a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Opera North promotes equity, diversity and inclusion in our workplace and makes recruitment decisions by matching our needs with the skills and experience of candidates. As we work to address underrepresentation in our workforce, we are particularly keen to hear from applicants from the global majority or those with other protected characteristics.

The successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK or be ready to obtain it.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

All Opera North employees are expected to:

• Represent company values and purpose to create extraordinary experiences every day
• Work collaboratively with all team members
• Act as an ambassador for Opera North, following all policies and procedures
• Ensure everyone visiting Opera North is welcomed and treated with respect

APPLICATION PROCESS

Broster Buchanan are acting as recruitment partner for this appointment.

To apply, please send your CV and covering letter to Lucy Rider at Broster Buchanan

Application deadline: 13th March 2026 Interviews: 25th & 26th March

For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Lucy Rider at Broster Buchanan.

If you require any adjustments to the application process, please let us know.

This is a full-time Chief Exec role offering an exciting time to join an organisation making

a huge impact with minimal resources. As the Organisation enters its tenth year,

regrettably the need for this work has never been greater and in addition to enhancing

existing projects, we plan to grow our Dignity Centre locations as well as expand our

outreach and impact in the coming two to five years. As a small charity, the role is

incredibly varied as well as hands-on. While there is no physical back office, meaning

the role is mostly from home/remote, the CEO spends sustained periods of time in our

projects in Nicosia, Cyprus and Bournemouth, UK as well as any new or potential

project sites in the UK and abroad. A typical day could include troubleshooting and

managing maintenance problems at distance for our projects in Nicosia and

Bournemouth, preparing and delivering interviews and presentations to the media or for

donors, calling volunteers to prepare them for collaborating with us and collating

indicator data for impact reports.

Neotree: The Digital Learning Health System

Neotree is an award-winning digital learning health system co-designed with frontline clinicians to end preventable newborn deaths in low-resource settings. Our open-source platform integrates real-time, knowledge-based clinical decision support (CDS), structured data capture, and visual dashboards into routine neonatal care. Currently active in 18 healthcare facilities, Neotree has supported care for 60,000 newborns and trained over 3,000 health workers to date. Neotree is the only platform of its kind with a defined pathway to embed AI-enabled decision support into routine neonatal care in sub-Saharan Africa.

Neotree: The Charity

The UK charity was established by core members of the University College London (UCL) Neotree research project to maximise the impact of their research on the quality of newborn care and newborn mortality. After five years of rapid growth and proven clinical impact, Neotree is seeking a visionary Executive Director to lead our next chapter. Having evolved from an innovative research pilot into a multi-country digital health intervention, integrated into routine neonatal care in Malawi and Zimbabwe, Neotree is poised for national-scale rollout and scale up, alongside rigorous ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

The Opportunity: Impact at Scale

By 2030 the ambition is for Neotree to be a fully integrated, sustainable standard of care across Malawi and Zimbabwe, having been handed over to, and owned by, their respective Ministries of Health. The incoming Executive Director will lead this transition, shifting the organisation from a research-led implementation partner to one able to scale up a digital public good (currently a DPGA Nominee with a full submission for DPG designation under review).

While the technological landscape, and specific delivery modules, will evolve, the Executive Director will ensure Neotree remains a safe, cost-effective, equitable, and evidence-based system that is successfully embedded within national digital health infrastructures.

The Executive Director's success will be measured collaboratively, focusing on KPIs related to impact and sustainability, and they will work alongside experienced clinical, technical, and academic leads.

Location: Remote within 2-3 hours of Central Africa Time (CAT), with approximately quarterly travel (including to Malawi, Zimbabwe and the UK).

Reports to: Board of Trustees

Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)

Key Responsibilities

1. Operations, Clinical Safety & Quality Assurance

1.1. Senior Operational Oversight: Provide high-level oversight of Neotree’s operations across 18 healthcare facilities in Malawi and Zimbabwe, ensuring that the "baby-first" mission is consistently delivered on the ground.

1.2. Clinical Safety & Ethical Governance: Lead the overarching strategy for clinical safety and ethical compliance. Ensure the platform remains a safe and effective clinical tool, and that all operations comply with international data protection and health governance best practices.

1.3. Quality & Effectiveness: Oversee the continuous improvement and optimisation of the Neotree platform based on real-world feedback from frontline clinical staff, ensuring the system remains highly acceptable and trusted by healthcare professionals.

2. Management: People, Grants & Finance

2.1. International Team Leadership: Lead, oversee and inspire a multi-disciplinary, multi-country team (UK, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa), fostering a culture of agility, collaboration, and excellence.

2.2. Develop local leadership and support the growth of country-based teams, ensuring long-term sustainability through in-country capacity building.

2.3. Financial & Grant Management:

2.3.1. Provide robust oversight of the charity’s finances, including budget setting and cash flow.

2.3.2. Lead the management of complex institutional grants (e.g. FCDO, Gates Foundation), ensuring all milestones and reporting requirements are met.

2.3.3. Manage relationships with multiple downstream partners.

3. Governance & Accountability

3.1. Statutory Compliance: Lead Neotree’s reporting and compliance with the Charity Commission, HMRC, Companies House, donors and other relevant legislation. Oversee internal and external audits.

3.2. Board Development & Relations: Act as the primary link to the Board of Trustees, providing transparent reporting on risks, financial performance, and strategic progress. Work proactively with the Chair to strengthen the board, supporting its growth and ensuring its membership is representative of the diverse international contexts and communities Neotree serves.

3.3. Risk Management: Serve as the ultimate lead for organisational risk, identifying and mitigating risks to protect the charity’s reputation, clinical safety, and financial health.

3.4. Organisational & Innovation Governance: Responsible for the continuous review and implementation of all policies (HR, due diligence, safeguarding, clinical and data governance etc.). Ensure policies are legally compliant across international operations.

4. Strategy & Impact Scaling

4.1. Overall Strategy: Lead the development and execution of Neotree’s business model and strategy to scale impact globally, ensuring the sustainable growth and wider adoption of Neotree as a digital public good.

4.2. Evidence base: Work closely with Neotree’s academic team at University College London to identify and address evidence gaps, to support on Neotree research grants (e.g. NIHR, Gates Foundation), and to ensure academic insights are translated directly into clinical impact and national policy.

4.3. Tech Strategy & Interoperability: Lead the development and execution of Neotree's digital strategy. A key focus will be driving the roadmap for system interoperability to ensure Neotree is a future-proofed platform. This includes FHIR compatibility and integration with national systems, such as DHIS2 and national EHRs, to support seamless data exchange.

4.4. Fundraising Strategy: Design and deliver a diverse fundraising strategy that further moves the organisation toward financial resilience and reduced dependence on major academic grants.

4.5. Partnerships & External Relations: Serve as one of the primary ambassadors for Neotree, alongside our Principal Investigators and co-founder Professor Michelle Heys. Define priority stakeholders, and build and maintain relationships with those high-level strategic partners to drive adoption and raise Neotree’s profile.

Key Priorities for the First 12-18 Months

The new Executive Director will focus on the following key priorities during their initial 12-18 months:

1. Successful Project Delivery & Ministry of Health Partnerships. Ensure successful delivery of the projects currently in flight, in both Malawi and Zimbabwe. This includes partnerships with the Ministries of Health in both countries to build and hand over neonatal modules in their EHR systems based on Neotree, and support their successful rollout.

2. Strategic Plan Development. Develop a 3-5 year plan with the Board, academic partners, and wider project team to build on our existing foundation to expand Neotree – including addressing research gaps, using AI to improve clinical decision support, and finding ways to expand the adoption of the technology in Zimbabwe, Malawi, and beyond. Sustainability is a core part of that strategy.

3. Strategic Plan Execution. Execute on that plan, including securing funding, building partnerships, and further developing the Neotree team.

Person Specification

Personal attributes and skillset

• Overall: Values-driven, mission alignment, humility, and commitment to equitable partnership.
• Visionary Leadership: An inspiring leader who can balance day-to-day operations with a long-term strategic focus. You can articulate a clear future for Neotree that motivates an international team and aligns global partners toward making Neotree a national standard of care, ensuring every innovation remains underpinned by our "baby-first" mission.
• Adaptability & Flexibility: You must thrive in a landscape that is constantly shifting. You can pivot strategies as national digital health priorities evolve or as new technological partners emerge. You are comfortable with ambiguity and can steer the organisation through the "unknowns" of the next five+ years.
• Communication & Collaborative Mindset: You are a bridge-builder. You have a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across international borders and multidisciplinary partners, linking academic research, technical development, and frontline clinical delivery.

Experience

1. Education: Master’s degree (MSc, MPH, MBA) in a relevant field (e.g. Global Health, International Development, Digital Health).

2. Proven track record of overseeing delivery of health services and/or health interventions (ideally in low-resource settings).

3. Experience of working in partnership with Ministries of Health strengthening health systems.

4. Proven experience in scaling an organisation or a digital product / health intervention from a pilot phase to a national or regional standard.

5. Experience of leading multidisciplinary, multi-cultural teams, both in person and remotely.

6. Experience of monitoring and evaluating health programmes.

7. Experience managing complex grants, and diverse revenue streams (grants, philanthropy, or social enterprise models).

Desirable

• AI & Innovation: Understanding of the ethical and practical implications of integrating AI/Machine Learning into healthcare.
• Governance: Familiarity with UK charity governance, including reporting to the Charity Commission and Companies House.

Equal opportunities

Neotree values diversity and is committed to equal opportunities. All applicants for employment will receive equal treatment without discrimination on grounds of gender, race, ethnic or national origins, disability, gender identity or sexual orientation, or any other grounds. We are particularly interested in receiving applications from candidates from minority ethnic backgrounds, and the low-resource settings in which we work, to ensure we have a well-balanced and widely representative staff base.

Are you a visionary leader who can help shape the next stage of our work to protect, create and restore Scotland’s woodlands?

We are looking for our next Chief Executive, someone who can lead the charity into an exciting period of growth and change.

FWS is a Scottish charity working to create a Scotland where trees and native woodlands are thriving for our wildlife, communities and climate.  Our mission is to protect, create and restore these vital habitats through knowledge, partnership and practical action.

Founded in 2012 to support innovative thinking for trees and native woodlands, we have grown into an organisation delivering practical action at scale. Today, our work stretches from city spaces to wild places — supporting farmers and landowners to create or restore native woodlands, strengthening local nurseries, building sector skills, and bringing trees into everyday landscapes across Scotland.

The organisation has grown rapidly over the past three years, and now operates as a team of seven delivering national programmes across Scotland.

About the role

This is a rare opportunity to shape a small, ambitious and high‑performing charity at a time of growth and increasing national influence.

As Chief Executive, you will report to and work closely with our Board of Trustees, providing strategic leadership and acting as the organisation’s senior representative. You will:

• Lead the delivery of our strategic plan and future direction
• Strengthen partnerships across the woodland, environmental, community and land‑use sectors
• Oversee programme delivery and organisational performance
• Support, motivate and develop our small and committed team of seven, working across programmes, fundraising and communications
• Represent Future Woodlands Scotland at senior levels across Scotland

You will bring strategic clarity, a collaborative leadership style, and the ability to build strong, trusted relationships across sectors and with funders.

Location

This role is Scotland-based, working from home with travel across Scotland to meetings. Our current team is spread across Dumfries & Galloway, Lothian, Central Scotland and Aberdeenshire.

Contract and salary

• 8% employer pension contribution
• Permanent, part‑time (3 days per week)
• £65,000–£75,000 FTE, depending on experience
• 25 days annual leave + 10 public holidays (pro rata)
• Additional annual leave increasing with length of service, up to a maximum of 10 additional days.

How to apply

Before applying, please read the Candidate Pack for full details of the role, responsibilities and the application process. You can find it on our website. 

Invitations are invited from suitably qualified people and applications should consist of a CV and covering letter. The covering letter should explain how you meet the essential skills set out in the Candidate Pack and what you would bring to Future Woodlands Scotland.

If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Shireen Chambers to arrange a call (details in Candidate Pack).

Key dates:

• Application deadline: Midday, Monday 16 March 2026
• Interviews: Monday, 30 March 2026, in Edinburgh in person

Director of Finance and Commercial Services

Help shape the future of a values-led consultancy transforming public services.

GGi is a leading independent management consultancy dedicated to improving governance across public services, third-sector organisations and mission-driven entities. We work with boards and leaders of some of the UK’s most interesting public purpose organisations to deliver lasting societal impact, and we pride ourselves on our ethical approach, collaborative culture and commitment to better governance.

Our clients are making a big difference to people’s lives throughout the UK. They include the NHS, local authorities, charities, housing associations, sports and arts bodies, regulators and community interest companies. Our work is interesting and diverse, and we have built a values-driven team who enjoy the work we do. We are very committed to individual development and properly budget time for learning together. Have a look through our website and it will give you a picture of the work we do and the type of team we have put together.

Following significant growth in 2025, GGi is now scaling rapidly, with ambitions to double in size by 2028. We are seeking a Finance and Commercial Services Director to join our senior leadership team at a pivotal moment in our journey.

The opportunity

This is a newly created, senior leadership role reporting directly to the Chief Executive. You will take ownership of GGi’s four year business plan, commercial performance and operational insight, while leading the adoption of modern digital systems to support growth.

This role offers genuine influence, autonomy and variety. You will work closely with the CEO, Board and senior team to professionalise systems, improve visibility of performance and ensure the organisation scales in a financially robust, values-aligned way.

GGI is committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

Key responsibilities

· Lead financial strategy, governance, budgeting, forecasting and cash flow

· Oversee outsourced finance operations and embed audit-ready processes

· Drive pricing strategy, commercial input to bids and margin improvement

· Develop KPIs and dashboards to support high performance and decision-making

· Lead adoption of a unified digital platform (finance, CRM, project tools)

· Provide clear insight to the Board on growth, risks and opportunities

About you

· Values driven professional with an interest in making a difference

· Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)

· Senior finance leadership experience in consultancy, professional services or a mission-driven organisation

· Strong commercial, pricing and performance management skills

· Confident working with data, dashboards and financial models

· Interest in digital transformation and efficiency through technology

· Collaborative, ethical leadership style aligned with a flat structure

What we offer

· Salary: £80,000 plus generous company bonus

·       Genuine work/life balance with remote working and regular in-person leadership meetings with occasional client travel

·    Benefits: Contributory pension

· Impact: Opportunity to shape a growing consultancy with real social impact

· Culture: Supportive, learning, values-driven and collaborative

Closing date: 27 February 2026