Chief Executive

 The Willats Trust gives grants to Christian workers to share the Good News of Jesus in some of the poorest and most marginalised communities in the UK and Ireland.

As a young man in the nineteenth century, William Willats, observed that the poorest people in the city of Bath, where he lived, didn’t go to church simply because they didn’t have suitable clothes to wear to a religious place of worship. As a Christian he felt the injustice of this and set about taking the ‘church’ to the people. He set up a ‘Spiritual Guide’ programme where workers would visit the poorest in society to read them the Bible, pray with them and help them understand God’s word.

During this time, Mr Willats acquired a considerable number of properties across the Bath area.

The Trust currently owns and manages a property portfolio of in excess of £35m and awards approximately £500,000 a year in grants to support ‘Guides’ who bring the Good News of the Gospel to communities with little or no experience of or interaction with the Christian faith. 

We have an ambition to more than double that amount, transform our grant-making to be best-in-class and forge dynamic partnerships that extend the reach of the hope of the Gospel across UK and Ireland.

This role calls for a dynamic Chief Executive, with a Kingdom heart and commitment to evangelism, who brings a breadth of senior leadership experience, commercial skills, and prayerful wisdom in navigating the opportunities and challenges of the season ahead.

We are seeking a Chief Executive who:

• is passionately motivated to use their gifts to facilitate the resourcing of Christian workers to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the least reached and hardest to reach communities across the UK and Ireland.
• has experience in senior leadership in an organisation of a similar scope including setting vision, developing and delivering strategy and overseeing finances.
• is an inspirational team leader and an excellent communicator
• has commercial acumen with experience of assessing and making investment decisions involving property and other types of asset.
• has a servant heart, a highly collaborative nature and a passion to develop others
• has the focus and determination to deliver excellence, efficiency and growth.

The role is full-time and permanent although the Selection Panel would be open to someone doing the job on a 4 day a week basis. 

It is envisaged that a regular presence, likely to be 2 days a week, at The Willats Trust office in Bath will be necessary with occasional trips to other parts of the UK also required. 

The deadline for applications is 5pm BST on Thursday 13th June 2024.

 Our mission involves seeking to reach people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. We want our leadership and other staff to reflect this diversity and so applications from people of all backgrounds and life experiences are welcome.

Please note that this role has an Occupational Requirement to be a committed Christian as permitted under Schedule 9, Part 1, of the Equality Act 2010.