Director at Reaching Families

Community Base; England; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote/home flexible working

Job summary

Reaching Families in West Sussex is seeking a Director to lead the charity, set its strategic direction and secure long-term sustainability. You will oversee staff, volunteers and services, and drive fundraising and partnerships to expand impact on families affected by SEND.

The role offers remote/home flexible working with some travel, and requires strong governance, financial stewardship and people leadership to guide the organisation through its next growth phase.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of charity law and best practice in fundraising and charity management.
• Commitment to improving life chances for children and families affected by SEND.
• Strong leadership, strategic thinking and ability to drive change in a growing charity.
• Excellent writing, editing and communications skills across fundraising, reporting and impact.
• Experience of managing staff and volunteers through organisational change.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and leadership to Reaching Families.
• Oversee governance, fundraising strategies and financial sustainability.
• Lead and develop staff and volunteers through growth and change.
• Represent the charity with partners, funders and stakeholders.
• Ensure high-quality services that meet families' needs and deliver impact.

Skills

Charity law knowledge

Fundraising

People management

Strategic thinking

Writing and editing

Interpersonal communication

Volunteer leadership

Flexible working

Trusts & foundations fundraising

Non-profit sector experience

Degree or equivalent

Education

Degree or equivalent

Job description

Are you passionate about improving the life chances of SEND families? Do you have the skills and experience to lead a rapidly growing grassroots voluntary organisation?We are looking to recruit a highly skilled and experienced Director to lead our Charity. The successful candidate will have overall responsibility for the management, strategic direction and sustainability of Reaching Families.

Director – Reaching Families

Salary £50,000 FTE (actual salary £30,000 for 3 days pw)
21 hours per week, 6.6 weeks holiday
Remote/home flexible working with some travel across West Sussex

Reaching Families was established by parent-carers in 2008 to empower, inform and support parent-carers and families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in West Sussex. We achieve this through the delivery of a range of services including information, training, benefits advice and peer support.

The charity offers support to families that they desperately need but are often unable to find elsewhere. Since Covid the charity has grown exponentially and today provides services to over 3,000 families across West Sussex. However, there is still so much more to do.

This is a crucial time for us as we look to appoint a new Director. We are seeking a passionate candidate who shares our vision and values and has the skill to lead our committed team into the future.

At Reaching Families we put families first by responding to the needs they tell us they care most about. Our team is our greatest asset and all our staff have lived experience of caring for a child with SEND. We are committed to delivering high-quality services at the best possible value to optimise the number of families we can support.

We welcome applications from all members of the community and value diversity in the organisation.

Requirements (essential)

• Up to date knowledge of charity law and best practice in fundraising and charity management
• Passionate about improving the life chances of children and young people with SEND, their parent-carers, siblings and extended family
• A highly motivated self-starter with a flexible approach to working life
• A strategic and creative thinker with the vision to lead Reaching Families through the next phase of its development
• Excellent people management skills and the ability to inspire and lead staff and volunteers through a period of change
• Ability to manage a diverse and highly demanding workload
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and comfortable working with people from a wide variety of backgrounds
• Excellent writing and editing skills applied in a number of different mediums including fundraising, communications and impact reporting
• Extensive experience of fundraising in particular from charitable trusts and foundations, the national lottery and statutory grant makers
• Experience of managing services in the voluntary and community sector preferably gained in a small to medium sized charity
• Experience of business planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting against strategic objectives
• Educated to Degree level or equivalent

£50,000 FTE (Actual salary £30,000 for 3 days pw)

Closing date for applications: 30th November 2026

Interviews: Two-stage interviews commencing from 7th January 2027

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK