Chief Executive Officer

Harris Hill Charity Recruitment Specialists; Chertsey; Hybrid; GBP 68,000 - 83,000; Full time

Job summary

White Lodge in Chertsey seeks a Chief Executive Officer to lead the charity, oversee strategy and governance, and drive growth for services supporting people with disabilities and their families. The role is hybrid, with a minimum of three days in the office, and carries a circa £75,000 salary.

You will work closely with the Board, manage senior teams, and shape the organisation's future in a changing funding environment while pursuing new opportunities and tenders.

Qualifications

• Seasoned senior leader with strategic thinking and measurable outcomes.
• Experience in complex organisations, preferred in charity/health/public services.
• Strong governance, financial, operational, and commercial understanding.
• Experience working with Boards, funders, commissioners, and strategic partners.
• Inclusive, empathetic leadership fostering trust and clarity.

Responsibilities

• Deliver strategy and translate ambitions into measurable outcomes and impact.
• Lead and develop a diverse workforce with an inclusive, values-led culture.
• Partner with the Board to ensure strong governance, financial sustainability and risk management.
• Ensure high-quality, person-centred services and effective organisational systems.
• Diversify income and build relationships with commissioners, funders and NHS partners.
• Champion customers' voices and strengthen the charity's profile and advocacy.
• Ensure safeguarding, regulatory compliance and ethical leadership across the organisation.

Job description

Chief Executive Officer - White Lodge

Location: White Lodge, Chertsey, KT16 0FA (hybrid, minimum 3 days a week in the office)
Salary: circa £75,000
Contract: Permanent, full time, 37.5 hours per week

Could you lead a charity with deep roots and a strong sense of community into its next chapter - creating greater opportunities for people with disabilities and/or neurodiversity to thrive?

About us

White Lodge is a leading charity supporting children, young people and adults with disabilities and their families. With more than 60 years' history, we support over 2,500 people across Surrey and beyond through specialist services and facilities in Chertsey.

White Lodge is a community as much as a service provider, built around our values of ENABLE: Equity, Nurture, Advocacy, Belonging, Language and Empathy. Our Active Plan #removed# sets four ambitions: Enhance accessibility and social opportunities; Champion customers' voices in health and social care; Transform local attitudes; and Strengthen its resources.

With strong systems, governance and a diversified income base, White Lodge is well placed for its next phase. The new CEO will provide continuity while bringing strategic, operational and entrepreneurial leadership to respond to a changing funding environment and pursue new opportunities, including a children's services tender.

As our next Chief Executive Officer, you will:

• Strategy & Impact: Deliver White Lodge's strategy, translating ambitions into measurable outcomes and impact.
• Leadership: Lead and develop a committed workforce, fostering an inclusive, accountable and values-led culture.
• Governance & Finance: Partner with the Board to ensure strong governance, financial sustainability and effective risk management.
• Operations: Ensure high-quality, person-centred services and effective organisational systems and performance.
• Income & Partnerships: Diversify income and develop relationships with commissioners, funders, NHS partners and the wider community.
• Influence & Advocacy: Champion customers' voices, strengthen White Lodge's profile and help transform attitudes towards disability.
• Safeguarding & Compliance: Ensure high standards of safeguarding, regulatory compliance, equality and ethical leadership.

Who you are

• A seasoned senior leader with significant experience in a complex organisation, ideally within charity, health, care or wider public services.
• Experienced in leading substantial teams and complex services, with strong financial, operational and commercial understanding.
• A strategic thinker with a track record of organisational change, sustainable growth and measurable outcomes.
• Experienced in working effectively with a Board, commissioners, funders and strategic partners.
• An emotionally intelligent, inclusive and entrepreneurial leader who builds trust, creates clarity and brings people with them.
• A compelling communicator and ambassador, committed to equity, inclusion, dignity, safeguarding and ensuring lived experience shapes decisions.
• Experience of disability, social care, children's services or another regulated service environment would be advantageous, as would commissioned services or significant tender experience. Previous CEO experience is desirable but not essential; exceptional Directors or Deputy CEOs ready to step up are encouraged to apply.

Why White Lodge?

• Help create a world that is inclusive to all, regardless of ability.
• Lead an established charity with a committed team, strong systems and strengthened governance.
• Del