CEO

Lead a Grassroots Organisation Powering Community Change in South London

Chief Executive role

Location: Community embedded, Lambeth (with flexibility)
Salary: £60,000 full time equivalent (pro rata for part time)
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 4 days per week

About the organisation

They are a deeply rooted, community led charity working to improve lives in one of Lambeth's most diverse and unequal neighbourhoods. Since its inception in 2012, it has grown from a volunteer led grassroots group into a trusted local organisation delivering impactful projects across play, food, environment, employability and community connection.

The charity exists to empower and unite local people through bold social action. The work is grounded in participation, lived experience and inclusion - ensuring that those most affected by inequality are central to shaping solutions. With an annual income of c.£600k, a committed staff team, and strong local partnerships, they punch well above their weight and play a vital role in the social fabric of Loughborough Junction.

The organisation is now entering a pivotal new phase. Core systems and structures have recently been stabilised, and the Board is seeking its first permanent Chief Executive to help embed this transition, reconnect people and projects, and lead them confidently into its next chapter.

What You Can Look Forward To

As Chief Executive, you will shape the future of a grassroots organisation with deep local trust and ambitious social purpose.

You will:

• Lead them through the next stage of organisational maturity, embedding new systems while safeguarding culture, warmth and humanity
• Set a clear, optimistic strategic direction that reconnects teams, strengthens collaboration and builds shared purpose
• Champion community empowerment and equity, ensuring the charity remains rooted in lived experience and local voice
• Strengthen financial sustainability, diversifying income and building confidence with funders, partners and commissioners
• Build and nurture a healthy, inclusive organisational culture, where people feel safe, valued and supported to do their best work

Why This Role Matters

• The charity is a trusted, visible force in a neighbourhood facing deep structural inequality
• They have reached a critical transition point - this role shapes what comes next
• You will lead with real proximity to community
• The Board is committed, reflective and supportive
• Your leadership will have tangible, everyday impact on people's lives

About You

The charity is seeking a CEO who leads with clarity and humanity. This role requires emotional intelligence, presence and trust building alongside strategic and operational capability.

Skills and Experience

• Senior leadership experience, ideally as a CEO or in a comparable role within a charity, community organisation or values led environment
• A strong track record of leading change, embedding new ways of working alongside trustees and staff.
• Confidence operating at Board level and managing governance relationships
• Sound operational knowledge, including safeguarding, people management, compliance and systems development
• Experience of fundraising and income diversification (grants, partnerships, trading or commissioning)
• Ability to communicate impact clearly and compellingly to funders, partners and stakeholders

Sector background is less important than values alignment, judgement and transferable leadership skill.

Personal Attributes

• Emotionally intelligent - and self aware
• Approachable and visible across our projects and sites,
• Grounded and authentic
• Clear and confident, able to set boundaries, delegate and make decisions
• Resilient and adaptable, comfortable holding complexity and navigating challenge
• Deep commitment to equity, inclusion and community led practice

Recruitment Timeline

To ensure fairness, transparency and equitable access to information, the charity will host a candidate Q&A webinar in place of individual informal conversations with the Chair or Trustees. We encourage all interested candidates to submit questions in advance, which will be addressed during the session. Please register your interest in attending this webinar on Tuesday 21st April 2026 and we will send you a link.

Application Deadline: 5pm Wednesday 6th May
First Interviews: w/c 18th May
Final Interviews: w/c 25th May

How to Apply

Charity People Ltd is acting as recruitment adviser to the charity on this appointment. To apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (or alternative format) to and request a candidate pack in the first instance.

For an informal conversation about the role or if you have further questions prior to applying, please contact Fabrice Yala on or

We are committed to making this process inclusive and welcoming. If you require any adjustments or would like to apply in a different format, please let us know so we can support you fully.

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability, and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so we can help make the application process work for you.

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.