Executive Director of Finance, Operations & Growth
Keech Hospice
Charity People have partnered with Keech Hospice, a £15million turnover Hospice with sites in Luton and Bedford, in finding their next Executive Director of Finance, Operations and Growth. This is a pivotal moment to join the hospice strengthening their impact and secure their long-term future.
We are seeking an outstanding Executive Director of Finance, Operations & Growth to join our Executive Leadership Team. This is a high-profile, mission-critical role that combines strategic financial leadership with operational excellence and commercial growth. You will play a central role in ensuring the Hospice's future sustainability, driving income diversification, and enabling transformational change that supports the delivery of exceptional care. You will be delivering an ambitious new strategy working closely with an inspiring CEO, collaborative and forward thinking SLT and Board of Trustees. Keech Hospice is in the top 25 of 100 Best Companies to work for.
Salary: circa £90,000 per annum there is a performance related incremental scale offered to all staff.
Contract: Permanent, 37.5 hours
Flexibility: the hospice has a flexible working policy available to all staff including partial home working (initially three days a week and will reduce to two days a week)
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Strategic Financial Leadership: Shape and deliver the organisation's financial strategy, providing insightful analysis and robust planning to ensure long-term sustainability, effective risk management, and strong financial governance.
- Finance Function Excellence: Lead a high-performing finance function, ensuring accurate, timely reporting, strong financial controls, and continuous improvement in systems, processes, and business partnering across the organisation.
- Growth & Commercial Strategy: Lead and support the development and performance of trading and commercial income streams, including working with our excellent Ass. Director of Trading and Commercial , identifying new opportunities and forging strategic partnerships to diversify income.
- Operations, Estates & Sustainability: Provide strategic oversight of procurement, estates, facilities, and sustainability, ensuring efficient, compliant, and forward-thinking operations aligned to net zero and environmental goals.
- Transformation & Major Projects: Lead and sponsor strategic initiatives and capital programmes, developing robust business cases and ensuring effective delivery, governance, and realisation of benefits.
- Executive Leadership & Governance: Act as a key member of the Executive Team, building strong relationships with the Board and Audit and Risk committee, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.
- Organisational Stewardship: Ensure effective use of resources, robust risk management, and strong organisational performance, while acting as an ambassador for Keech Hospice and upholding its values at all times.
Person Specification
- Senior Leadership Experience: Proven track record in a Board or Executive-level finance leadership role, ideally within a complex, multi-faceted organisation.
- Sector specific: Senior financial and operational leadership experience within a charity or not-for-profit sector; Or strong desire to be working in a mission driven organisation
- Charity SORP: Strong understanding of Charity Commission requirements and SORP.
- Strategic & Commercial Acumen: Demonstrable success in financial strategy, commercial income generation, and driving sustainable organisational growth.
- Financial Expertise: Professionally qualified (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with deep knowledge of financial governance, planning, reporting, and risk management.
- Operational Leadership: Experience overseeing operations, estates, procurement, or infrastructure, with a focus on efficiency, compliance, and continuous improvement.
- Change & Transformation Capability: Strong experience leading large-scale transformation programmes and delivering measurable organisational impact.
- Values-Driven Leader: A collaborative and inspiring leader who models integrity, builds high-performing teams, and is committed to the values and mission of hospice care.
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to respond to three written questions to highlight their experience, approach, and leadership style.
Role will be closing on 24th June, 2026
First stage interview via MSTeams or in person 2nd July, 2026
Second stage in person 7th or 8th July, 2026 followed by an informal chat to "get to know" on 10th or 13th July, 2026
Charity People is a forward-thinking, inclusive organisation that deliberately champions equity, diversity and inclusion. We know charities thrive when inclusion is at the centre of decision-making. We proudly match organisations with talent based on skills and values, not background - because diverse teams deliver stronger results.
You will work closely with people living with dementia and those who care about them, providing ongoing support. You will listen carefully, understand what matters most to each person and offer guidance that helps them feel steadier and more confident as their situation changes.
Your days will be varied and meaningful. You might be visiting someone at home, offering calm reassurance over the phone, or working closely with other professionals to make sure the right support is in place. We operate a triage system for new referrals and you will play your part in making sure people are responded to quickly and thoughtfully. You will manage your own caseload, keeping clear and accurate records, while always seeing the person behind the paperwork.
You will be part of a caring and dynamic local team who share ideas, reflect together and support one another. There will be time to meet as a team and opportunities to keep growing your knowledge of dementia, with your manager and colleagues alongside you.
About you
You will have:
- An understanding of dementia, or a willingness to learn about the experiences of people living with dementia and those who care for them.
- Experience providing information, guidance, advice or emotional support - this could be from health, social care, community, voluntary, customer service or other people focused roles.
- You will be able to listen and communicate, with the ability to build trust and rapport with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
- The ability to manage your workload effectively, with appropriate support and tools, and to balance competing priorities.
- Confidence using IT systems to maintain accurate and confidential records.
- A compassionate, non-judgemental and person-centred approach, with respect for diversity and individual lived experiences.
- A valid driving licence and access to a vehicle. It is an essential requirement of this role that you are able and willing to drive service users to groups and/or appointments.
- The confidence and ability to communicate with a wide range of people, adapting your approach to ensure understanding. You will be required to speak publicly at events about dementia, delivering information and signposting people to further resources and networks.
Please don’t be put off from applying if you don’t meet every single requirement listed. We recognise the value of transferable skills and lived experience, and we’re keen to hear from candidates who can demonstrate potential, capability and a willingness to learn.
Key Responsibilities:
- Build supportive, trusting relationships with people living with dementia and their carers across, recognising and respecting individual needs and circumstances.
- Provide personalised information, advice and emotional support that reflects each person’s culture, background, values and preferences.
- Deliver support through home visits, telephone contact and partnership working other professionals.
- Participate in the triage rota, ensuring new referrals are handled promptly, sensitively and equitably.
- Manage a defined caseload, maintaining accurate, respectful and confidential records.
- Signpost and connect individuals to appropriate local services and community networks, reducing isolation and increasing access to support.
- Work collaboratively within a supportive team environment, contributing to reflective practice and continuous improvement.
- Facilitate and deliver regular peer support groups, creating a safe, inclusive environment where people affected by dementia can share experiences, build connections, and access tailored information and guidance.
- Drive service users to local peer support groups and/or appointments safely and dependably as an essential part of daily duties.
Interviews for this role have been provisionally scheduled to take place via Teams w/c 29th June.
About Alzheimer's Society
Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.
At Alzheimer's Society, we're the UK's leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.
Together with our supporters, we're working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.
Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.
Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.
We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society.
Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.
Our hiring process
During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply. Please also contact Alzheimer's Society Talent Acquisition Team via [email protected] for application support or any adjustments you might need.
To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.
We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.
We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a Criminal Record Check at the relevant level. You can read more information via our Website.
Giving back to you
Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society.
You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it's like to be an employee at the Society.