Chief Executive Officer (Part-time, 3 days/week)
Veterans With Dogs (VWD) is seeking an experienced, values-driven and credible Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead our charity into its next chapter. This rare and exciting opportunity offers the chance to guide a small, high-impact team at a pivotal stage in the charity’s growth.
Location: Flexible / UK-based, with regular travel to Exeter, training sites, and key meetings as required. We are flexible in how this is structured, and relocation is not required.
Salary: £45,000–£55,000 pro-rata (equivalent to £27,000 - £33,000 for 3 days/week) + 3% pension contribution
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 21 hours / 3 days per week
Holiday: 28 days per annum (FTE), plus bank holidays
Reports to: Chair of Trustees
Direct reports: 3
About Veterans With Dogs
Veterans With Dogs is a UK charity that transforms the lives of Armed Forces veterans living with mental health challenges. Through the provision of highly trained assistance dogs and trauma-informed support, we help restore purpose, independence, and dignity to those who have served.
Founded in 2012, our work addresses a vital gap for veterans living with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and complex trauma. Through our award-winning PALS™ (Partner Animal Life Skills) programme, we support veterans to rebuild their lives, with the constant support of a trusted companion by their side.
Following a period of governance transition and renewal, we are entering a new and exciting phase. We are strengthening leadership, systems, and strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and greater reach, while maintaining the quality, care, and integrity that sit at the heart of our work.
We recognise that this is a senior leadership role within a small organisation and are committed to flexibility in how the role is delivered. We are open to conversations around working patterns and location to ensure we attract the strongest possible candidate.
We are also open to shaping aspects of the role around the strengths and location of the successful candidate.
We would particularly welcome candidates who can bring fresh perspective, while respecting and building on the strong foundations already in place.
This is an opportunity to shape the future of a respected and growing charity at a pivotal moment, with genuine scope to influence strategy, culture, and long-term impact.
The Role
The CEO will provide strategic direction, operational oversight, and cultural leadership for Veterans With Dogs. Working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CEO will oversee the delivery of the charity’s mission, ensure operational excellence, develop our long-term strategy, and foster a values-led and high-performing team.
This is a hands-on, multi-dimensional leadership role, ideal for a calm, pragmatic, and inspiring individual with experience of organisational stabilisation, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable growth. You will build strong relationships with the team and stakeholders, maintaining a visible and engaged leadership presence both in person and remotely.
This is a genuinely part-time role with a focused and manageable scope, supported by an engaged Board of Trustees and a committed team. The role is designed to be sustainable within the allocated hours.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy
- Lead the development and delivery of an interim plan and longer-term organisational strategy
- Translate strategic goals into clear operational priorities and plans
- Foster a compassionate, inclusive, and mission-aligned organisational culture
- Act as a credible and inspiring ambassador for Veterans With Dogs with stakeholders, funders, partners, and the public
- Guide the charity through stabilisation and values-led, sustainable growth
Governance & Compliance
- Ensure compliance with all relevant charity law, regulation, and best practice
- Work in partnership with the Board of Trustees, supporting effective governance and reporting
- Implement and embed improvements in HR, finance, safeguarding, IT, and operational systems
- Lead on organisational risk management, ensuring policies and procedures are in place and regularly reviewed
Operations & Programme Delivery
- Oversee day-to-day operations to ensure safe, ethical, and effective service delivery
- Ensure safeguarding standards are upheld for both veterans and dogs
- Drive continuous improvement in programme quality, delivery, and impact measurement
- Ensure operational systems and data processes are robust, compliant, and fit for purpose
People & Culture
- Lead, support, and nurture a small, dedicated staff team and wider network of volunteers
- Promote staff wellbeing, clear communication, and professional development
- Work with trustees to assess future staffing needs and build leadership capacity
Finance & Sustainability
- Work with trustees and advisors to ensure sound financial management and reporting
- Contribute to financial planning, budgeting, and development of a sustainable reserves policy
- Help diversify income streams, supporting fundraising efforts, corporate partnerships, and individual giving
Fundraising & External Relations
Build and maintain relationships with funders, donors, corporate partners, and sector allies
- Collaborate with the fundraising trustee to develop new funding opportunities
- Represent the charity externally with credibility, transparency, and professionalism
- Strengthen partnerships with ADUK, ADI, Cobseo, and other key membership bodies
Person Specification
Essential
- Senior leadership experience within a charity, social enterprise, or values-led organisation
- Strong knowledge of charity governance, regulation, and trustee relationships
- Experience leading teams through organisational change or stabilisation
- Financial literacy with experience of budgeting, reporting, and planning
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills across diverse stakeholders
- A calm, values-based, and ethical leadership approach
Desirable
- Experience in health, mental health, veterans’ services, or trauma-informed work
- Experience working with boards during periods of strategic or leadership transition
- Fundraising and/or income generation experience
- Understanding of safeguarding best practice (for people and/or animals)
- Lived experience of the military or charity sectors (not essential)
Our Commitment
Veterans With Dogs is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion. We actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds and strive to create a supportive, respectful, and empowering workplace. We recognise the value of lived experience and are committed to continuous learning as an organisation.
How to Apply
Please apply via Charity Jobs.
If you would like a confidential conversation before applying, we would be happy to speak with you.
Closing date to apply: 5pm on Thursday 11 June 2026
- First interviews (online): week commencing 22 June 2026
- Second interviews (in our Exeter office): TBC
Previous applicants need not reapply, thank you.
Veterans With Dogs is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 1161554).
Apply with your CV and a Covering Letter to explain your interest and suitability for the role.
No recruiters at this stage please.
Previous applicants, please don't apply. Thank you.
Registered Charity
51 - 100
To improve the quality of life for Veterans who are living with mental health disorders with the support of assistance dogs
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Community Organiser
Salary: £26,950 - £27,972 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working hours: Full time
Location: Working across Buckinghamshire with some travel to sites across the three counties (Bucks, Berks and Oxon). Hybrid working available.
The Community Organiser will help nature recover by collaborating with and organising communities around shared issues and interests, facilitating them to take action for nature in a way that is most meaningful to them, ensuring that positive change is sustainable and systemic. The Community Organiser will build trusting relationships with a range of community groups and stakeholders, identifying and developing local leaders to enable sustainable community-led change for nature.
The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust has a vision for “more nature everywhere, for everyone”. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. This includes you being comfortable bringing your whole self to work, and us co-working with the diverse communities we serve to ensure we are meeting everyone’s needs.
The Community Organiser will help nature recover by collaborating with and organising communities around shared issues and interests, facilitating them to take action for nature in a way that is most meaningful to them, ensuring that positive change is sustainable and systemic. The Community Organiser will build trusting relationships with a range of community groups and stakeholders, identifying and developing local leaders to enable sustainable community-led change for nature.
You’ll be joining a small but cohesive team of community organisers working across the three counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. While we work largely independently in our own areas, we come together often to evaluate and reflect on our work, so that we can continue to develop and improve our craft of organising.
What you’ll be doing:
- Building authentic relationships with communities developing them to take action to win the positive changes for nature and wildlife that they want to see in their localities
- Working with communities to embed a community organising ethos so that positive changes won for nature and wildlife are sustainable
- Facilitating groups to work together on issues that matter to them
- Identifying and supporting potential community leaders, helping them to develop their skills and confidence to lead change
What we’re looking for
- The ability to build authentic relationships with a diverse range of audiences including global majority and underserved groups
- Comfortable working independently with groups in a variety of locations
- Skills and ability to listen intentionally to a range of viewpoints to identify desired community outcomes, barriers to these, and how they may be overcome
- Current UK valid car driving licence or eligible for Access to Work support driver
For all your hard work you can expect a great rewards package in return. In addition to being part of a friendly, skilled and knowledgeable team who are passionate about making a difference, when you work for us you’ll also receive
- Generous annual leave entitlement with paid birthday leave, balance days, urgent personal business leave and generous occupational sick pay
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, and family-friendly policies
- Flexible working to achieve work-life balance
- Salary exchange pension with generous employer contribution
- Learning & Development Programme for all
- Wellbeing initiatives including qualified Mental Health First Aiders, YuLife benefit package - access to immediate and confidential help for any work, health, or life matters; 3x life assurance, online GP access, discounts and trade YuCoin points for gift cards
- Salary sacrifice Cycle scheme & Electric Vehicle scheme
- Membership to BBOWT’s, and The Wildlife Trusts’, Staff Network Groups for social interaction, peer support, mentoring and personal development
The Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust is committed to equal opportunities and maintaining a safe and secure environment for all children and young people. Therefore, the successful applicant for this position will be subject to pre-employment checks including an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Please note, it is an offence to apply for this position if barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.
The closing time and date for applications is 11.59pm on Tuesday 9th June 2026.
Online speed interviews will take place on Tuesday 16th June and in-person interviews will take place on Monday 22nd June.
Interested?
If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.
We want our people to be as diverse as nature, so we particularly encourage applications from people who are underserved within the communities in which we operate. This includes people from visible ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities (including those who are neurodivergent), the LGBTQ+ community, those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and younger people. We are committed to creating an organisation that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities.
BBOWT values diversity and inclusion and the benefits this brings. We want every candidate to have the best chance of success as part of this process. In order to do this, we know that some candidates will need reasonable adjustments. You will be able to contact BBOWT Recruitment Team if there are any reasonable adjustments we can provide during the recruitment process, including completing your application.
No agencies please.
Thank you!
We are looking for a Head of Income Generation & Engagement to lead the creation and delivery of a new, integrated Income Generation and Engagement Strategy, with scope to innovate across individual and major giving, retail, digital engagement and emerging approaches.
The Charity
An incredible animal welfare charity based in Surrey looking for full time office working.
The Role
Working with the Chief Executive and others, to design, recruit and develop a multi-disciplinary team covering income generation, marketing, communications and engagement.
Review income generation, marketing and communications trends, approaches and evaluation frameworks. Conduct further research and evaluation as required and set against sector comparators.
Conduct initial, then regular, analysis of the charitys audiences, both existing and potential, with a view to maximising opportunities for engagement, influence, giving, volunteering and homing.
Create an integrated brand, marketing and income generation strategy, with clear delivery plans and evaluation frameworks.
Review and lead development of the individual giving programme, both traditional and digital, including membership and friends schemes.
The Candidate
Track record at senior level with demonstrable experience across income generation, marketing and communications disciplines.
Demonstrable experience of building, implementing and evaluating income generation and engagement strategies.
Demonstrable experience of integrating brand, marketing and income generation strategies and the teams delivering them to achieve both financial and wider organisational targets.
Budgetary understanding and experience; able to understand corporate budgets and management accounts, build and manage annual budgets and accurately forecast both income and expenditure.
Significant experience of line management and team development, setting objectives and goals and holding regular supervision and one to-one meetings.
IMPORTANT NOTE
Our aim is to respond to all successful applications within 5 days. If you havent been contacted within 5 days your application has been unsuccessful, but we positively encourage you to apply for any other positions that you may see in the future.
We apologise that we cannot contact everybody in person but thank you in advance for your interest.
Third Solutions encourages applications from individuals of all ages & backgrounds. Appointment will be made on merit alone but candidates must be able to demonstrate their ability to work in the UK. Third Solutions acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment & an employment business for temporary recruitment as defined by the Conduct of Employment Agencies & Employment Business Regulations 2003.
