Chief Executive Officer

Dorest Community Foundation; Poole; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Dorset Community Foundation in Poole is seeking a Chief Executive to lead the charity with vision and impact across Dorset. The role focuses on strategic direction, governance, fundraising, and partnership development to sustain growth of endowment and grantmaking.

You will work with the Board, staff, and stakeholders to ensure robust governance, financial oversight, and effective representation across sectors.

Qualifications

• Proven track record in strategic leadership within the charitable or grant-making sector.
• Experience developing and implementing long-term strategy and managing change.
• Strong understanding of governance, charity regulation, and stakeholder management.
• Exceptional relationship-building and influencing skills across sectors.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to Dorset Community Foundation, ensuring sustainability, growing the endowment, and impact across the county.
• Lead the Board and team, setting direction and ensuring robust governance.
• Develop strong partnerships, advocate externally, and represent the Foundation to stakeholders.
• Oversee operational and financial performance and risk management.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Governance

Stakeholder management

Relationship-building

Change management

Job description

Who: Dorset Community Foundation

Title: Chief Executive

Where: Hybrid/ at least once a week from Head Office in Poole, with expectation of visible presence across Dorset.

Hours: Full time/37.5hrs a week, Part time hours also considered for the right candidate

Salary: Circa £60,000

About the Foundation:

We work with individuals, companies and other organisations to assist in delivering their charitable aims and develop longer‑term strategic giving programmes. This work enables us to distribute grant funding to Dorset based community groups and charities that provide services and support to people and communities within Bournemouth,Poole and across Dorset.

About the role:

Provide strategic leadership to Dorset Community Foundation, ensuring its sustainability, grow the endowment, and impact across the county. The Chief Executive is responsible for providing hands on leaderships to the Board and the team. They will lead the organisation's strategic direction, produce a three‑year strategy and develop strong partnerships, ensuring robust governance, and enabling the team to deliver DCF's charitable objectives effectively and efficiently.

You will have overall responsibility for:

• Strategic leadership and governance
• Philanthropy and relationship management
• Operational and financial oversight
• Board & stakeholder engagement
• Advocacy and external representation

Person specification to include:

• Proven track record in strategic leadership within the charitable or grant‑making sector.
• Experience of developing and implementing long‑term strategy and managing change.
• Strong understanding of governance, charity regulation, and stakeholder management.
• Exceptional relationship‑building and influencing skills across sectors.