Jobs Board

Role Profile

The Chief Executive reports to the Chair of the Board and is responsible for executing the overall strategy as agreed with the Board. The role leads the Management Team, ensuring that Forces Support delivers the maximum possible impact in line with its purpose, agreed strategy and within budget.

The CEO leads the Management outward facing activity, carrying responsibility for managing and maintaining productive links with the military charity sector, the wider charity sector.

The role ensures the effective management of all employees and is responsible for setting an inclusive and psychologically safe culture within Forces Support.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the charity’s strategic plan, including long-term goals, annual plans and budgets.
• Promote The Forces Support’s mission and vision to the wider community, raising awareness of the charity’s work and impact.
• Be a leader in the charity sector, helping to develop new working relationships with other charities to ensure that veterans get the very best help at the time they need it most.
• Maintain strong links with key stakeholders by engaging externally at all levels, and across all sectors, to ensure Forces Support’s influence, credibility, and reputation enables it to fulfil its aspirations.
• Effectively manage company performance against clear accountabilities and measures so that performance standards are met, and resources utilised effectively.
• Oversee Forces Support’s communication strategy and activity, including web and social media presence.
• Oversee the production of management information to enable the Board to provide oversight and assurance of all organisational activity. Contribute to Board debates as required, ensuring that operational matters are fully understood.
• Lead and manage the Management Team to drive effective leadership of the Charity’s activities.
• Contribute to the continued development of the charities partners by building long term relationships with both current and future charitable partners
• Oversee the effective management, maintenance and marketing of Forces Supports properties within the UK to maximise income generation.
• Maintain an organisational culture where all people are valued and respected and ensure that Forces Support is exemplar of employment best practice.
• Set and execute the organisational strategy to deliver on the overall Board purpose and wider strategy for Forces Support
• Provide support to Forces Support Board, working groups and individual Managers as required. Work closely with the Chair and trustees to ensure the skills of trustees are fully utilised.
• Manage the Charity in accordance with all relevant regulations and statutory reporting requirements, including annual audit.

Person Specification

Previous charity and/or military experience or knowledge would be advantageous but is not essential. What is key are your leadership skills, both in managing and leading teams and the proven ability in building and developing productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to deliver results. Alongside excellent interpersonal skills and a pragmatic approach, you will also be able to demonstrate financial literacy and strategic thinking.

Knowledge and Experience

• Successful track record at senior management level, ideally as CEO or Executive Director in a comparable organisation.
• Track record of effective engagement with partner organisations and stakeholders.
• Demonstrable experience of leading and developing senior management teams
• Strong understanding of governance relevant to Charities.
• Be able to identify trends and has experience of using data and insight to build support and drive change.
• Strong experience of leading through change.
• Strong financial acumen, with experience of managing budgets and ensuring financial stability.

Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrable commercial acumen, able to set the agenda, monitor and report on deliverables.
• A confident communicator, able to act as an effective ambassador for Forces Support
• Ability to lead by example, inspiring and maintaining a positive, values led working culture that delivers high performance.
• Ability to turn visionary thinking into actionable plans with measurable outcomes.
• Highly effective interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire, engage, and influence the wider sector.
• Proven ability to build, manage and develop key stakeholder, partner and donor relationships.

Personal Style and Attributes

• Experience of, or empathy with and a desire to learn about, the issues that are important to meet the veterans needs in association with our current and future partners.
• Creative and innovative thinker, with strong analytical skills.
• Inclusive and empowering management style, creating a safe and inclusive working environment.
• Comfortable managing risk at different levels.
• A self-starter, proactive and flexible in an ever-evolving external context.
• Positive outlook, resilient and tenacious in approach to challenges.
• Comfortable working in a diverse environment.
• Passionate about the mission of Forces Support

Benefits, Terms and Conditions

Forces Support aims to be a model employer and offers competitive terms & conditions of employment and a range of enhanced benefits, as outlined below:

Salary:  The salary for the role dependent on expereince.  All our salaries are benchmarked based on the requirements of the job description and comparable roles in the charity sector.   Salaries are subject to annual review.

Hours of Work:  Full time, 37.5 hours each week. Due to the nature of this role, weekend or evening work may be required. 

Location:    Forces Support, Willow Tree House, Station Lane, Witney, Oxfordshire OX28 4BH.  Hybrid working arrangements are in place.

Contract:   Permanent

Pension:  Staff will be auto enrolled into the Forces Support occupational pension scheme offered by Peoples Pension Contribution rates on auto-enrolment are 5% Employee and 3% Employer

Annual Leave:  Full time staff entitlement is 28 days per year Inclusive of Bank Holidays with 2 day’s additional leave on completion of 5 years’ service, plus another 3 additional days on completion of 10 years’ service

Employee Assistance Programme:  24 hour/365 days confidential service offering a wide range of advice and support.

How to Apply

To apply for this position please prepare your CV and a covering letter clearly outlining how you meet the essential criteria in the person specification as set out above and submit via email to boardsecretary@forcessupport.uk  You may address your covering letter to Ronald Spurs, Chair of Trustees.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact boardsecretary@forcessupport.uk