Chief Executive Officer

Are you an ambitious, values-led charity leader looking for an opportunity to shape the future of a distinctive and impactful organisation? Would you like to lead a charity providing specialist addiction recovery support to serving personnel, veterans and emergency services personnel, while building its long-term sustainability and influence?

Tom Harrison House provides specialist addiction recovery support for people who are serving or have served in the UK Armed Forces, as well as emergency services personnel. Combining therapeutic support, shared experience and a strong sense of community, the charity offers people the opportunity to find connection, rebuild their lives and move forward in recovery.

Over more than a decade, Tom Harrison House has developed a distinctive approach, built a strong reputation and established valuable partnerships across the veterans, health, addiction, homelessness and wider voluntary sectors.

They are now looking for an experienced Chief Executive Officer to lead Tom Harrison House into its next chapter, building on these strong foundations while strengthening the organisation’s capacity, income and infrastructure to support its future.

This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic and outward-facing leader who can protect what makes Tom Harrison House special while bringing fresh ambition, developing new funding opportunities and creating the conditions for sustainable growth and greater impact.

The Role

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer will provide strategic, operational and inspirational leadership for Tom Harrison House. Working closely with the Chair, Board, staff and key stakeholders, you will lead the development and delivery of the organisation’s strategy, strengthen its leadership and management capability, and ensure it has the systems, structures and resources needed for its next phase of development.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Strategic leadership: Develop and deliver the charity’s strategic direction, translating ambition into clear priorities, measurable outcomes and practical plans.
• Financial sustainability and income generation: Diversify and strengthen income across fundraising, trusts and foundations, statutory funding, commissioning, philanthropy and corporate partnerships, while ensuring robust financial planning and oversight.
• External leadership and influence: Act as the charity’s principal ambassador, building relationships with Government, NHS organisations, commissioners, local authorities, veterans’ organisations, emergency services, funders and other strategic partners.
• Organisational development: Lead the charity through its next phase of growth and change, strengthening structures, systems, processes and ways of working while retaining its values, culture and identity.
• People and culture: Lead, motivate and develop the management team, staff and volunteers, creating a positive, inclusive and accountable culture in which people can thrive.
• Governance, safeguarding and compliance: Work effectively with the Board to ensure strong governance, effective risk management, regulatory compliance and robust safeguarding arrangements.
• Service quality and impact: Provide strategic oversight of the charity’s recovery services, ensuring they remain safe, effective, person-centred and responsive to the needs and experiences of those who use them.
• Continuous improvement: Strengthen organisational performance, data, impact measurement and infrastructure to support informed decision-making and sustainable development.
• This is a senior leadership role for someone who can combine strategic thinking with a pragmatic, hands-on approach, bringing people with them through change while maintaining a clear focus on the charity’s purpose and long-term future.

The Person

We are seeking an experienced, confident and collaborative leader with a strong track record of leading a charity or comparable mission-led organisation through growth, change and development.

You will bring strategic vision, financial understanding and the ability to build trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. You will be comfortable working closely with a Board of Trustees, leading organisational development and representing the charity with credibility at senior and national levels.

You should bring:

• Significant senior leadership experience within the charity sector or a comparable mission-led organization.
• A proven track record of developing and delivering organisational strategy and leading change.
• Strong financial and commercial awareness, with experience of budgets, financial sustainability and developing diverse income streams.
• Experience of working effectively with a Board of Trustees and a clear understanding of charity governance, risk and accountability.
• Excellent relationship-building, influencing and communication skills, with the confidence to engage senior stakeholders and represent an organisation externally.
• Experience of leading, developing and supporting teams, building accountability and strengthening organisational capability.
• An understanding of safeguarding, service quality, regulatory compliance and organisational risk
• Experience in mental health, addiction or recovery services would be highly desirable.

Why Tom Harrison House?

This is a unique opportunity to lead a respected charity at a significant point in its development.

• Shape the next chapter of an organisation with a distinctive purpose and an established reputation.
• Build on strong foundations and develop the sustainable income needed to secure the charity’s future.
• Strengthen the organisation’s influence, partnerships and reach across the veterans, Armed Forces, emergency services, health and addiction sectors.
• Lead a committed team and work alongside an ambitious Board of Trustees.
• Develop organisational capacity and infrastructure while protecting the values and culture that make Tom Harrison House special.
• Make a meaningful and lasting difference to people affected by addiction, mental health challenges and the transition from service.

If you would like more information, please download the Recruitment Pack. To apply for the role please send your CV. 

Please note: If you would like to submit an application or express your interest in an alternative format such as audio or video upload, or require any adaptations for your initial engagement with us, please contact either Leanne or Jen who will be happy to advise on this.

Please also be aware that we use anonymous recruitment methods when submitting shortlists for all our roles and we only work with organisations that are happy to engage with us in this way.

Charity Horizons is an equal opportunities employer and as such actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from all suitable candidates irrespective of age, disability, hidden disability, race or national origin, religion or belief, gender, gender expression, political view, sexual orientation, medical ccondition and pregnancy