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!
Income Generation and Development Lead
Do you have experience of securing income across multiple streams?
This is an exciting opportunity to shape and lead a new phase of income generation and organisational sustainability within a growing and ambitious mental health charity.
Help shape the future of mental health support in Surrey
Position: Income Generation & Development Lead
Location: Surrey/Hybrid
Hours: Part-time, 3 days per week (0.6 FTE)
Salary: £55,000-£60,000 pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Benefits: 5% Pension Employer Contribution, Paid Sick Leave, Blue Light Card Scheme, Staff Social Events, Staff Social & Wellbeing Committee, Celebration Day (in addition to annual leave entitlement)
Closing Date: 28 June 2026, interviews will be scheduled for the beginning of July 2026.
The Role
The charity is investing in this role because they believe the organisation can significantly strengthen and diversify its income, increase unrestricted funding, and build new strategic partnerships and opportunities that support long-term impact across Surrey.
You will establish and lead a high-performing income generation function, bringing strategy, structure and momentum to activity that is currently fragmented and underdeveloped.
This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on delivery.
You will work closely with senior leadership at both the charity and Catalyst Support on selected partnership initiatives and collaborative opportunities that strengthen mental health support across Surrey. There is a clear expectation that the role will contribute significantly to improving the organisation’s financial resilience and move towards generating net financial contribution over time.
This is a rare opportunity to:
- Build an income generation function from the ground up
- Shape organisational strategy and sustainability
- Develop high-value partnerships and collaborative opportunities
- Work across innovation, community mental health and system partnerships
- Help position the charity as a key partner in improving mental health support across Surrey.
Key responsibilities include:
- Develop and lead an income generation strategy
- Build and manage a strong pipeline of funding opportunities
- Secure income from trusts, statutory and partnership sources
- Strengthen the case for support and external positioning
- Develop strategic partnerships and collaborative opportunities
- Establish systems, structure and focus across income generation activity.
The role will also contribute to selected partnership initiatives and joint funding opportunities with Catalyst Support as part of strengthening collaboration across the county.
About You
We are looking for someone who can build pipeline, secure funding, develop partnerships and create the systems and relationships needed for sustainable growth.
You will also:
- Have a strong track record of securing income across multiple streams
- Have built and converted funding pipelines into secured income
- Understand the UK charity and/or commissioning landscape
- Be able to work strategically while remaining hands-on and delivery-focused
- Be comfortable operating autonomously in a growing and evolving environment
- Bring energy, credibility and relationship-building strength.
You will have experience of:
- Securing income across multiple streams (trusts & foundations, statutory funding, corporate or major donors)
- Record of building and converting income pipelines into secured funding
- Developing and delivering income generation strategies
- Working within the UK charity and/or commissioning environment
- Translating organisational priorities and relationships into income opportunities
- Leading or significantly contributing to successful funding bids.
This role is not suited to someone looking to learn income generation in post. We need someone who can bring experience, momentum and delivery from the outset.
When you click to apply you will be asked to upload your CV and covering letter (in which you’ll explain how you feel your experience is suitable for the role). Please ensure you upload your documents in order to be considered for this role.
About the Organisation
The charity is a mental health and emotional wellbeing charity, supporting Surrey residents since 1994 in Banstead, Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell and Mole Valley.
Offering a variety of face-to-face and online services, available to adults (aged 16+) living in Surrey who would like to restore and/or maintain their mental and emotional wellbeing (no diagnosis needed). The services are free of charge, with no waiting list and no time limit.
This post is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, and the successful completion of a probationary period.
You may also have experience in areas such as Income Generation and Development, Trusts Fundraiser, Foundations Fundraiser, Funding, Corporate Fundraiser, Major Donor Fundraiser, Fundraising, Fundraising Lead, Fundraising Manger, Income Generation Manager. #INDNFP
PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.
