Deputy CEO

The Wish Centre; Harrow; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused charity in Harrow is seeking a Deputy CEO to support the CEO in leading its mission to prevent self-harm and abuse among young people. The role involves strategic growth, operational excellence, and fundraising. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in senior management, funding bids, and partnership development. Flexible working arrangements are available, and the position is hybrid, combining office and remote work. Benefits include 28 days of holiday and pension contributions.

Benefits

28 days’ holiday increasing to 30 after 1 year

Pension scheme with employer contributions

Qualifications

• Experience in a senior management role with proven leadership abilities.
• Success in securing funding and developing partnerships.
• Strong commitment to mental health and youth support.

Responsibilities

• Support the CEO in operational excellence and strategic growth.
• Manage a small staff team and ensure compliance with safety standards.
• Lead fundraising efforts to secure essential funding.

Skills

Senior management experience

Funding bid writing

Collaborative partnerships

Leadership and communication skills

Problem-solving abilities

Job description

Deputy CEO

Help us to prevent self-harm and abuse so that every young person can lead a safe and fulfilled life free from the risk of serious harm from themselves or others.

Pay: £45,000 pro rata per year

Hours: Flexible working hours 3-4 days a week

Hybrid role 50: 50 in the Harrow office and remote

Reporting to CEO

Benefits

• 28 days’ holiday rising to 30 after 1 year (including public holidays)
• Pension scheme – Employer contributions 6%

Professional development opportunities

• Flexible Working – Right to request flexible hours or patterns
• Hybrid Working – Balance between office and home working
• Additional day of leave over the Festive period
• Hot drinks provided on site

The wïsh centre is a Registered Charity in London Borough of Harrow that helps young people to stop self harming so that they can live a life free from the risk of serious harm. Every year we support over 150 children and young people ages 12-25 years through long term psychotherapy and peer support groups. We deliver our work in schools and colleges and at our Centre in Harrow. We have a twenty year evidenced track record of success and a small and dedicated team.

We have a new three year strategy where we will focus on enhancing the capacity of wïsh Harrow so that we can support more young people and will continue to focus on partnership work with youth voice being central to, and informing, all that we do.

Purpose of the Role

The Deputy CEO is a new and exciting role that is pivotal in supporting the CEO in leading the charity, ensuring operational excellence, strategic growth, and sustainable impact. This role combines leadership, governance, income generation, stakeholder engagement, and quality assurance to help drive the charity’s mission forward.

The Deputy CEO will work closely with the CEO, enhancing capacity to recruit and retain staff and diversify sources of funding to ensure the sustainability of our service.

You will be responsible for creating new partnerships and commissioning opportunities and help us with income generation and the stewarding of funding relationships whilst keeping an overview of the quality of our services and how we communicate about our work.

You will be entrepreneurial and fast thinking, with skills of persuasion and strategy. Experience of working in the education, charity, mental health or social care field will be an advantage together with a genuine drive to improve life chances for young people.

Evidence of a track record in securing funding and commissioning is crucial.

Leadership & Governance

• Deputise for the CEO when required, ensuring continuity of leadership and decision‑making.
• Contribute to strategic planning and the implementation of the charity’s vision and values.
• Prepare board papers, coordinate board meetings, and take accurate minutes to support effective governance.
• Act as a member of the senior leadership team, contributing to high‑level decision‑making.

Fundraising & Stakeholder Engagement

• Support the CEO in securing funding through high‑quality bids and proposals to trusts, foundations, and corporate partners.
• Secure leads for commissioning with local schools and colleges and potential partnerships.
• Develop and steward strong relationships with funders, sponsors, local authorities, and other key stakeholders.
• Represent the charity at external events and meetings.

Operational & Team Management

• Manage and support a small staff team, including recruitment, induction, supervision, performance management and annual appraisals.
• Act as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) when required.
• Ensure all areas operate efficiently, meet compliance and safety standards, and support the charity’s purpose.

Policy and Monitoring and Evaluation

• Responsibility for Monitoring and Evaluation, including funder and impact reports
• Coordinate and manage policy development, risk management, and charity administration.
• Lead the creation and presentation of annual reports, impact evaluations, and other stakeholder funding reports and communications.
• Monitor KPIs and targets to ensure the charity meets its funding requirements and achieves positive outcomes.
• Support quality assurance processes

Data & Systems

• Maintain effective recording systems for both quantitative and qualitative data.
• Use management information systems to inform practice and identify trends.
• Ensure the website, social media and external communications are robust and effective.

Person Specification

Essential Skills & Experience

• Experience in a senior management role.
• Experience of writing successful funding bids and of commissioning.
• Track record of developing collaborative partnerships with other organisations.
• Understanding of, and commitment to the issues we work with and our values.
• Producing monitoring and evaluation and impact reports.

Desirable

• Strong leadership, influencing, and communication skills.
• Excellent organisational and problem‑solving abilities.
• Financial expertise in budgeting and financial management.
• Thorough understanding of the charity sector and business functions (HR, IT, finance).
• Experience in strategic planning and stakeholder engagement.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and quality assurance frameworks.
• Familiarity with regulatory bodies and compliance standards.
• Knowledge of marketing and communications including websites and social media.