Chief Executive Officer

The Wildlife Trusts; Wales; Hybrid; GBP 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading conservation charity in North Wales seeks a Chief Executive Officer to provide strategic leadership and ensure organizational effectiveness. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in organizational leadership and financial management in the charitable sector. Responsibilities include shaping and implementing strategic plans and managing diverse stakeholders. Competitive salary up to £75,000 with a hybrid working model and excellent benefits.

Benefits

Discretionary relocation package up to £10k

Discretionary bonus scheme up to 10%

32 days of holiday increasing with service

Salary Exchange Pension scheme

Life Assurance

Welsh language learning support

Qualifications

• Experienced senior manager with a degree.
• Background in organisational leadership within financially accountable organisations.
• Proven commercial strategy and business experience.
• Experience with diverse stakeholders to achieve programme aims.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership.
• Manage finances and human resources effectively.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships.
• Oversee governance and fundraising activities.

Skills

Organisational leadership

Commercial strategy experience

Strong data and IT abilities

Public speaking skills

Project management experience

Understanding of environmental issues

Education

Degree or equivalent qualification

Job description

Chief Executive Officer

Salary: Circa £75,000 + Relocation Package & Bonus

Location: North Wales (Bangor or Aberduna office locations) hybrid

Employment: Full time, Permanent

Closing Date: 30th September 2025

Are you a visionary leader? Would you be able to enhance a compelling future for the North Wales Wildlife Trust?

We're keen to hear from those who can provide strategic and operational leadership that ensures the Trust fulfils its charitable objectives and delivers its mission effectively and sustainably while continuing to grow. This includes shaping and implementing the strategic plan, managing people and resources, maintaining financial health, and building strong relationships with its membership, other stakeholders, funders, and the wider community.

You'll be ultimately responsible for the governance, fundraising, public trust and social impact of North Wales Wildlife Trust. An important part of this role is to ensure we play our part as an active member of the federation of Wildlife Trusts to help secure wins for wildlife beyond our border. The role will be hybrid (after settling in period) and ideally you will be based in North Wales as we have office facilities available in Bangor or Aberduna. There will be regular travel to off-site meetings.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership to fulfil the Trust's charitable objectives and deliver its mission effectively and sustainably.
• Shape and implement the strategic plan; manage people and resources; maintain financial health.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with membership, stakeholders, funders, and the wider community.
• Governance, fundraising, public trust and social impact management.
• Represent the Trust as an active member of the federation of Wildlife Trusts to secure wins for wildlife beyond our border.

Qualifications and Experience

• An experienced senior manager with a degree (or degree-equivalent qualification).
• Experience of organisational leadership within a financially accountable organisation (charitable, public, or private sector).
• Proven commercial strategy / business experience with the ability to generate and manage diverse income streams (partnerships, grants, trading, or other business activities).
• Experience with a wide range of stakeholders and partners to achieve programme aims.
• Strong data and IT abilities.
• Good public speaker with strong presentational skills.
• Excellent project management experience.
• A strong understanding of environmental issues with a broad overview of ecology, conservation, agriculture, fishing, climate change and other environmental pressures.

Welsh language skills are not essential but are highly desirable. The successful candidate, if not already fluent, should be committed to learning Welsh and demonstrate a strong understanding of and support for Welsh culture, which is integral to our work in land management and nature recovery.

Benefits

• Discretionary relocation package up to £10k reimbursement against receipts for moving expenses.
• Discretionary bonus scheme of up to 10% of salary per annum, based on achieving agreed long-term performance targets.
• 32 days of holiday per year, including statutory Bank Holidays, increasing by one day per year of service up to a maximum of 38 days.
• Salary Exchange Pension (6% employer contributions, 6% employee contributions).
• Life Assurance (2x salary).
• Learn Welsh on us.

Who we are

North Wales Wildlife Trust is an independent charity and one of 46 Wildlife Trusts working across the UK to protect wildlife for the future. We are always looking for passionate, dedicated and resourceful people to join us. If you have an interest in nature conservation issues and a passion for the values of The Wildlife Trusts, we would love to hear from you!

With the support of our members and volunteers, and our funders and partners, we work to restore nature, empower people to take action for nature, and create a society where nature matters. We manage natural landscapes in North Wales, including over 750 hectares of land and 35 nature reserves. We also protect the important coastal waters of North Wales and collaborate with landholders, businesses, organisations and individuals to create, improve and connect habitats in North Wales. We provide planning and other professional services to local authorities, businesses and individuals.