Interim Chief Officer

Location: North Yorkshire – predominantly office based
Salary: Circa £60,000 FTE, pro rata for 3 days per week
Hours: 3 days per week
Contract: Initial 6-month interim contract
Reporting to: Chair and Board of Trustees

The Opportunity

We are working with a well-established local charity supporting older people to appoint an experienced Interim Chief Officer at an important point in its development.

This is a hands-on leadership assignment focused on stabilisation, financial sustainability and creating the right foundations for the future.

The organisation has been through significant change and now needs a confident, practical leader who can bring structure, strengthen financial oversight, support a committed team and give the Board confidence that the organisation is moving in the right direction.

The charity benefits from a lean staff team, more than 100 volunteers and a highly engaged Board. Morale has improved considerably in recent weeks and there is a real opportunity for the successful candidate to build on that momentum.

The Role

The Interim Chief Officer will take responsibility for the effective leadership and day-to-day management of the organisation.

You will quickly assess priorities, strengthen operational and financial control, improve communication and reporting, and provide visible leadership to staff and volunteers.

The Board is not looking for a micromanager. The aim is to create what they describe as “freedom within a framework” – giving people clear expectations, appropriate support and the confidence to make decisions within their areas of responsibility.

Key Priorities

Your initial focus will include:

• Providing visible, accessible leadership across the organisation.
• Strengthening budgeting, forecasting, cashflow management and financial reporting.
• Working with the Board to create clear, concise and meaningful management information.
• Supporting and developing a small, committed staff team.
• Improving accountability, communication and decision-making.
• Reviewing operations to identify what is working, what needs to change and where resources should be prioritised.
• Providing strategic oversight of fundraising and income generation.
• Supporting two specialist fundraisers currently focused on grants, trusts and emergency funding.
• Developing stronger relationships with external stakeholders, including local government, health organisations and community partners.
• Ensuring appropriate governance, risk, HR and compliance arrangements are in place.

The successful candidate will need to be comfortable getting into the detail when necessary while retaining the perspective expected of a senior leader.

What Success Looks Like

By the end of the initial six-month assignment, the Board would like to see:

• greater financial visibility and control;
• a realistic route towards improved financial sustainability;
• a more confident and well-supported staff team;
• stronger communication across the organisation;
• effective Board reporting;
• clearer accountability and management structures;
• a focused approach to fundraising and income generation;
• stronger external relationships;
• clear priorities for the organisation's next phase.

There may also be potential for the role to evolve beyond the initial six months as the organisation moves from stabilisation towards development and growth.

About You

We are interested in hearing from experienced Chief Executives, Chief Officers, COOs, Directors or senior leaders with strong general management experience.

Previous interim or turnaround experience would be particularly valuable.

You do not need to come from a fundraising background. The organisation already has specialist fundraising support in place, so broader operational and financial leadership experience may be particularly relevant.

You will ideally bring:

• significant senior leadership or general management experience;
• strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting and cashflow;
• experience leading through periods of change;
• confidence working with Boards or Trustees;
• strong people leadership and communication skills;
• experience creating clear reporting and accountability;
• understanding of charity income generation and fundraising;
• sound governance, risk and HR awareness;
• strong stakeholder management skills;
• the confidence to make decisions and provide constructive challenge.

Experience within the charity, voluntary, public or wider not-for-profit sector would be advantageous, although transferable experience from other sectors will also be considered.

Leadership Style

Cultural fit will be particularly important.

The organisation is looking for someone who is:

• visible and approachable;
• decisive but collaborative;
• financially and commercially aware;
• straight-talking and transparent;
• empowering rather than controlling;
• comfortable challenging and being challenged;
• practical, positive and willing to get involved.

Location and Working Pattern

The role is based in North Yorkshire and requires a strong on-site presence.

The successful candidate will work three days per week, with those days expected to be predominantly office based in order to build relationships, provide visible leadership and support the team effectively.

About Charity Recruit

Charity Recruit specialises in senior leadership and executive recruitment across the charity and not-for-profit sector. We support organisations with appointments across Chief Executive, Finance, Operations, Fundraising, People and wider leadership functions.

Our approach combines targeted market mapping, proactive search and our established charity leadership network. Every shortlisted candidate is personally interviewed and assessed before being introduced to our clients.

Because we work exclusively within the sector, we understand that successful charity leadership appointments are about far more than experience on paper. Leadership style, mission alignment, governance awareness, financial context and the ability to work effectively with Trustees all matter.

If this Interim Chief Officer opportunity sounds aligned with your experience, we would be delighted to hear from you.