Chief Executive Officer

UKHarvest is an award-winning food rescue and education charity that tackles two major challenges at the same time: food waste and food insecurity. Founded in 2016, UKHarvest rescues surplus nutritious food from growers, farmers and suppliers that would otherwise go to waste and redistributes it to support people and communities across the South of England and London. But it doesn't stop there. UKHarvest also teaches people how to make the most of that food through cooking, nutrition and food-waste prevention programmes, helping families develop the skills and confidence to eat well for less and waste less at home.

UKHarvest's commitment to combining food, education and community is perhaps best demonstrated through the Nourish Hub in Shepherd's Bush, West London. Opened in 2022, the Hub was established as a welcoming community space where people can access nutritious meals, practical support, educational opportunities and social connection under one roof. The Nourish Hub has received local and national recognition for its social and environmental impact.

Building on this successful model, UKHarvest has recently opened the Nourish Hub Café in Bognor Regis. The café reflects the same ethos that has shaped the organisation since its founding: using good food as a catalyst for positive change and building up community that surrounds it through accessible food education and affordable, healthy food.

UKHarvest is now entering a new phase. Founder Yvonne Thomson has stepped away from the organisation. A temporary interim COO has been in role for six months, providing operational continuity during the transition. The Board, led by Chair Susannah Day, is now seeking a permanent CEO to take over organisational leadership and lead UKHarvest into its next chapter.

Principal responsibilities

Strategy and leadership

• Lead the development and delivery of UKHarvest's next strategic plan.
• Translate the Board's agreed priorities into a clear, practical and measurable organisational plan.
• Ensure UKHarvest remains mission-led, evidence-informed, financially responsible and community-rooted.
• Work closely with the Chair and Trustees to ensure strong governance, good decision-making and appropriate Board visibility of key risks and opportunities.
• Financial sustainability and fundraising
• Lead the development of a proactive fundraising and income generation strategy.
• Diversify income streams, with a particular focus on unrestricted income and long-term sustainability.
• Ensure robust financial planning, forecasting, cash flow management and reserves development.
• Build relationships with funders, donors, corporate partners, local authorities and other income-generating partners.

Operational effectiveness

• Ensure UKHarvest's programmes and services are delivered safely, efficiently and to a high standard.
• Review the current service portfolio and recommend where to deepen, consolidate, stop, partner or scale.
• Oversee the review of sites, leases and infrastructure, ensuring operational decisions are mission-led, financially sound and reputationally responsible.
• Ensure systems, processes, reporting and accountability are fit for purpose.

People, culture and organisation

• Lead and support staff and volunteers through a period of change.
• Model a cohesive, positive and accountable culture across all UKHarvest locations and emobdy UKHarvest’s values of collaboration, focus, care, innovation and positivity.
• Strengthen internal communication, management capability and staff development.
• Ensure appropriate structures are in place to support wellbeing, performance and delivery.

Partnerships, profile and influence

• Act of the charity’s key ambassador and build UKHarvest's profile and influence
• Develop strategic partnerships across corporate, public, charitable and community sectors.
• Strengthen external messaging so UKHarvest's distinctive model is clear, compelling and consistent.
• Represent UKHarvest with funders, policymakers, partners, media and sector networks.

Governance and risk

• Support the Board in reviewing and strengthening governance and organisational foundations.
• Ensure effective risk management, safeguarding, compliance and charity governance.
• Provide clear and timely reporting to the Board.

Person specification

Essential experience

• Senior leadership experience in a charity, social enterprise, mission-led organisation or relevant public/private sector setting.
• A track record of leading organisations, teams or substantial programmes through change.
• Strong financial literacy, including budget management, forecasting, cash flow oversight and income diversification.
• Experience of fundraising, income generation, partnership development or commercial/social impact funding.
• Experience of building and managing senior teams, organisational culture and staff engagement.
• Ability to work effectively with a Board or equivalent governance structure.
• Credibility with external stakeholders, funders and partners.
• Experience of developing and delivering strategy in a complex operating environment.
• Understanding of community delivery, social impact, food systems, sustainability, education, poverty, health inequalities or related fields.

Essential qualities

• Mission-led and values-driven.
• Clear, calm and confident in a period of transition.
• Financially disciplined and strategically practical.
• Empathetic but willing to make difficult decisions.
• Collaborative, partnership-minded and externally credible.
• Able to honour a founder legacy without being overawed by it.
• A strong communicator with staff, volunteers, trustees, partners and funders.
• Comfortable balancing operational realities with long-term strategic ambition.

Desirable experience

• Experience of leading an organisation after a founder transition.
• Experience in food waste, food redistribution, food education, community development, sustainability or social justice.
• Experience of scaling, franchising, licensing or replicating education/community models.
• Experience of working across multiple sites or geographically dispersed teams.
• Experience of strengthening brand, external communications or public influence.
• Experience of developing unrestricted income and corporate partnerships.
• Understanding of charity governance, safeguarding and regulatory compliance.