Interim Chief Executive Officer

Title: Interim Chief Executive Officer (Maternity Cover)
Annual salary: £65,000 £67,500
Hours: 40 hours per week over 5 days (occasional evening and weekend work)
Contract length: 12 months
Place of work: Hybrid working with weekly attendance at two sites in the South East

We are supporting a specialist charity providing refuge and accommodation-based support to survivors of domestic abuse.

The Board is seeking an experienced Interim Chief Executive Officer to provide confident and steady leadership. You will be accountable for a team of approximately 30 staff, reporting to a Board of seven trustees, and leading through three experienced direct reports (services, finance and fundraising).

This role combines organisational and people leadership with a strong and essential focus on legal and regulatory compliance.

The primary focus of the role is to ensure the charity remains fully compliant with all statutory and regulatory obligations. The Interim CEO will hold executive oversight of property compliance, health and safety, risk management, audit assurance and data protection (including acting as DPO). This includes ensuring robust systems across fire safety, gas and electrical safety, asbestos management, insurance, lease oversight and broader organisational controls.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Proven senior leadership experience, including working closely with a Board of Trustees
• Executive-level experience overseeing property portfolios and safety compliance
• Strong knowledge of housing/property legislation and health and safety regulations
• Experience embedding risk management frameworks and audit oversight
• Technical understanding of building maintenance and regulatory standards
• Preferably, relevant professional or health and safety qualifications (e.g. IOSH or equivalent)

Alongside technical capability, we are seeking a leader with high emotional intelligence, integrity and resilience, someone able to build trusted relationships across staff, trustees and external stakeholders, and provide a stabilising presence within a trauma-informed, survivor-centred environment.

Experience within domestic abuse or a commitment to learning about domestic abuse, coercive control and trauma-informed leadership is essential.

You must be available to commence by 1 May 2026.

Closing date for applications is Wednesday 25th February 2026.

Interviews for successful candidates will be held W/C 2nd March 2026.

Applications should be submitted via CV only through the Prospectus website. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early application is encouraged.
Candidates invited to interview will be asked to complete a short application form as a supporting statement.

Applicants will need to demonstrate a commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices. A full DBS check will be carried out for successful applicant.

Female applicants only, exemption under the Equality Act 2010 pursuant to Schedule 9, Part 1.