Service director jobs in London, greater london

Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering palliative and end of life care and support across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end-of-life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness, they’re likely to die from.

The care and support we provide is highly valued by the people we care for and their loved ones, but at present we are only reaching around 10% of dying people at the end of life. Right now, one in four people in the UK with a terminal illness, do not get the care or support they deserve at the end of their lives. 

We want a different society than the one we live in now. Our mission for the next five years is to close the gap in the number of people missing out on what they need at the end-of-life, through 3 ways:

• • Growing and transforming our direct care and support
  • Delivering more practical information and support
  • Leading in shaping the end-of-life experience 

As an Associate Director, Caring Services, you will play a pivotal leadership role in making that belief a reality—shaping, delivering and growing high-quality caring services across London and the Home Counties.

This is a senior, influential role for an experienced leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy and operational delivery, and who is motivated by impact, partnership and purpose.

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will be accountable for the strategic and operational leadership of Marie Curie’s caring services within your place, ensuring services are high quality, financially sustainable and responsive to the needs of patients and communities.

You will lead performance, planning and partnership development, translating national strategy into local delivery while identifying opportunities for growth, innovation and improved outcomes.

Salary: £77,000 - £85,500 per annum

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time – 35 hours per week

Base: Hybrid – Home + a minimum of 1 day per week in our London Head Office

Application Process

• • Close date for applications: 22nd April 2026
  • Interview Dates:
    • Stage 1 – 6th May 2026
    • Stage 2 – 12th May 2026
  • As part of your online application, you will be asked for a CV.  Please review both the advert and job description and outline your most relevant skills, experience and knowledge for the role. 

Please click here to view the full job description

What you’ll be responsible for

As a senior leader within Marie Curie, you will:

• Lead the planning, performance and delivery of services, holding accountability for quality, patient outcomes, financial control, income and contract compliance.
• Drive financial and operational sustainability and commercial performance, delivering balanced budgets and growing place based revenue in line with agreed targets.
• Build and sustain strong partnerships with commissioners and system partners, developing and negotiating proposals that expand service reach and impact.
• Lead service improvement and innovation, testing new models of care, responding to unmet need and sharing learning across the organisation.
• Provide visible, values led people leadership, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement across large, geographically dispersed teams.

We’re looking for a leader with the credibility, judgement and drive to operate at a senior level in a complex healthcare environment.

You will bring:

• Extensive senior leadership experience in healthcare, ideally across multisite or place based services.
• A strong track record of operational delivery alongside strategic transformation, including service redesign and improvement at scale.
• Confidence in financial leadership, including budget management, income generation and commercial decision making.
• Proven ability to influence and partner with commissioners and system stakeholders across complex landscapes.
• Highly developed people leadership skills, with the ability to engage, motivate and develop senior leaders and large workforces.
• A strong understanding of quality, regulation and patient experience, using insight and evidence to drive improvement.
• A professional healthcare qualification is desirable, or equivalent experience in a health related field, alongside leadership or management qualifications (Master’s level desirable).

This is an opportunity to shape services that truly matter, working at scale, with autonomy and influence, in an organisation driven by compassion, collaboration and excellence.

You’ll join a senior leadership community committed to innovation, partnership and delivering meaningful impact for people at the end of life.

At Marie Curie, our values are central to everything we do. They guide how we care for people, how we work together, and how we make decisions every day. We are committed to creating a workplace that is safe for everyone — staff and volunteers alike — supportive, inclusive and rewarding.  We take stringent steps to ensure that anyone who joins our organisation are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. We actively consider our impact on the planet, embedding sustainability into everyday decisions to create a lasting, positive difference for the individuals we care for and the world we share.

We believe everyone should have the opportunity to thrive and fulfil their potential. Marie Curie is deeply committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, recognising both the social justice imperative and the strength a diverse workforce brings.  We actively encourage applications from people of all cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We are happy to make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process. If you require any support, please contact us at .

Every application we receive is personally reviewed by a member of our Talent Acquisition team, and in return, we ask that your application authentically reflects you — your experience, perspective and voice.

Age UK Kensington & Chelsea (AUKC) is a vibrant, values led local charity dedicated to helping older people live well — staying connected, independent and fulfilled at every stage of life. We work alongside our community to codesign and deliver impactful services that promote wellbeing, tackle loneliness, influence local policy and ensure dignity and independence for people across the borough. 

As we look to the future, we are focused on innovation, growth and lasting impact. Building on the success of resecuring our two largest contracts in 2025 (for three and up to nine years respectively) we are seeking to strengthen our partnerships, diversify the ways we deliver support, and create new approaches to have even greater impact for older people in Kensington & Chelsea.

This is an exciting time to join a charity widely recognised for its compassion, quality and influence with a strong reputation among NHS, local authority and community partners.

We are now seeking an exceptional Director of Services & Deputy CEO to join our leadership team and help shape the next stage of our journey. 

Director of Services & Deputy Chief Executive Officer 

Kensington & Chelsea, London (hybrid working) 
Circa £75,000 FTE for 4 days per week (circa £60,000 for 4 days) 

The Opportunity 

This is a rare and exciting leadership role for someone who is passionate about community impact and aspires to become a CEO in the future. 

As Deputy CEO, you will work closely with our Chief Executive to provide inspiring, values driven leadership across the charity. You will help develop and deliver our new three-year strategy, steer organisational priorities, strengthen our culture, and ensure we continue to grow and thrive — as well as deputising confidently for the CEO when required. 

As Director of Services, you will lead our Health, Wellbeing and Community Services, ensuring they remain high quality, evidence based and financially sustainable. You will champion innovation, drive integration across programmes, and make sure our work delivers measurable outcomes for older people. 

A key part of your role will be building strong relationships with commissioners and partners, developing compelling proposals, and supporting the growth and diversification of our services. You will also lead our impact and quality agenda, embedding a culture of learning, continuous improvement and accountability. 

If you are an ambitious, strategic and collaborative leader who thrives on variety and purpose — and who is energized by working alongside communities — this is an exceptional opportunity. 

About You 

We are looking for a confident and compassionate leader who brings: 

• Significant senior leadership experience in the voluntary, community or public sector. 

• A strong track record of developing and delivering health, wellbeing or community services. 

• Expertise in impact measurement, quality assurance and evidence driven service design. 

• Experience of business development, including securing grants, contracts or new partnership opportunities. 

• Excellent relationship building skills across health, care, local government or community sectors. 

• A leadership style that is collaborative, inclusive and aligned with our values of kindness, respect and integrity. 

• Experience working within integrated care systems or commissioning environments

What We Offer 

• A rare career development opportunity for someone who may be aspiring to become a CEO. 

• A supportive and ambitious organisation committed to innovation, inclusion and impact. 

• The chance to shape high quality services that make a real difference to people’s lives. 

• Competitive salary, pension and ongoing professional development. 

How to Apply 

If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please contact our retained advisors Anna Gardet or Erica Ritchie at Prospectus. 

Recruitment Timetable 

Deadline for applications: Sunday 12th April 2026 

Interviews with Prospectus:  20-24th April 2026 

First stage interviews with Age UK Kensington & Chelsea:  7th May 2026

Second stage interviews with Age UK Kensington & Chelsea:  12th May 2026