Hospice Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

NHS; Dacorum; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading charity hospice in the UK is seeking a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead its mission of providing compassionate care. The CEO will drive strategic direction, oversee operations, and ensure financial stability while advocating for the needs of the community. The ideal candidate will have proven executive leadership experience in healthcare or nonprofit settings, strong financial acumen, and the ability to navigate complex environments. This role offers a competitive salary and the chance to make a meaningful impact.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Benefits package

Qualifications

• Proven experience in executive leadership, ideally in a healthcare or nonprofit organization.
• Strong track record in developing income-generating commercial operations.
• Ability to navigate changes and lead through complexity.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic direction and long-term growth.
• Oversee clinical and commercial operations.
• Ensure financial stability and governance compliance.
• Lead and inspire the management team.

Skills

Executive leadership experience

Financial acumen

Strategic planning

Compassionate care commitment

Stakeholder engagement

Job description

At The Hospice of St Francis, every day is about making a profound difference - helping people live well at the end of their lives and supporting families through their most challenging times.

We are seeking an exceptional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to lead our organisation into an exciting future.

Main duties of the job

This is more than a leadership role. Its an opportunity to shape the vision of a much-loved hospice, ensuring we continue to deliver outstanding care while innovating to meet the evolving needs of our community. You will inspire a dedicated team, work closely with a committed Board of Trustees, and act as a powerful advocate for our mission.

Your Impact

• Set the vision: Drive strategic direction and long-term growth in a changing healthcare landscape.
• Lead with heart and skill: Oversee clinical and commercial operations, ensuring excellence and compassion in everything we do.
• Secure our future: Build financial resilience through innovative income generation and strong governance.
• Champion our values: Be the face of the hospice, forging relationships with donors, partners, our community and other key stakeholders across the healthcare space.

About us

Based in beautiful surroundings just outside Berkhamsted,The Hospice of St Francisis a charity which helps 2,000 local people andtheir families, in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, to live their preciouslives well.

Improving symptoms, achieving personal goals and helpingthem to feel safe.

Defined by each persons need, our free care for peoplemanaging, or recovering from, serious illness has many forms care at theHospice, at Home, or in our Health and Wellbeing Centre which offers courses,workshops, clinics and therapies.

We are also here for family, friends and carers. We offeradvice for those worried about a loved one which could mean recommending groupactivities, supporting children through a close relatives illness or providingpractical support and advice when someone special is no longer here.

We are using Gatenby Sanderson to source our new CEO, therefore to apply or for more information please go to the job details via their website: www.gatenbysanderson.com/job/GSe127944/CEO/

Job responsibilities

Main Responsibilities

Working with the Board of Trustees the postholder will:

• Initiate and facilitate the development of strategy for approval by the Board including withreference to the threats and opportunities presented by the external environment.
• Ensure appropriate presentation and reporting to the Board on the progress of the organisationagainst its programme plans, on its financial performance and budgets, on its achievement ofperformance objectives and on all other matters relevant to the discharge by the Board of itsresponsibilities.
• Support the Board fully on a day-to-day basis in its collective responsibility to operate withfinancial regularity and propriety, proposing the budget and spending priorities reflecting theoperational needs and circumstances to meet statutory responsibilities and service demands.
• Develop policy proposals for discussion and decision
• Support the Chair of Trustees in ensuring the continuing engagement and involvement of allmembers of the Board
• Advise on the composition of the Board of Trustees and of any sub-committees, and on theprocess of training and development, ensuring that the Board of Trustees collectively possessesthe qualities required properly to discharge its responsibilities.
• Ensure that there is an annual Board Calendar and that all meetings are duly called, held andminuted.

Leading and Managing The Hospice of St Francis the postholder will:

• Provide corporate and strategic leadership working effectively with the Board of Trustees andwith the Executive Team, promoting good working relationships and effective coordinationthroughout the organisation
• Work to develop the capacity, direction and reputation of the Hospice of St Francis and workflexibly with staff, volunteers and other stakeholders to ensure that the aims and objectives ofthe organisation are delivered.
• Lead the development of the organisations strategy and business planning both short-term andlong-range and provide budgets to support strategic business goals.
• Be responsible to the Board of Trustees for the overall financial health of the Hospice by ensuringfinancial stability, by developing, supporting and implementing new commercial and fundraisinginitiatives, and by maintaining an adequate level of reserves
• Provide leadership to direct reports, inspiring, developing and empowering them to perform totheir best and appraise their work through the agreeing and monitoring of annual performanceobjectives.
• Develop a high personal profile and reputation with external partners and stakeholders, formingeffective relationships at the most senior level
• Enable the Charity to articulate its Vision, Mission and Values and ensure that these are appliedconsistently across the organisation.
• Ensure that appropriate delegation is in place and that all managers and staff understand theextent of their respective authority.
• Have responsibility for governance, quality assurance and compliance requirements. Ensurecompliance with legal and statutory responsibilities and ensure that robust risk managementprocesses are in operation.
• Negotiate, as required, and deliver contracts for resources and services in accordance with theHospices plans, aims and values.
• Ensure that the Hospice has the resources necessary (human, material, facilities, equipment, ITand financial) to operate effectively and efficiently and to meet the demands of agreed plans.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Proven experience in executive leadership. It would be desirable that this includes leadership experience within a complex, CQC-regulated healthcare or nonprofit organisation/company.
• Strong financial acumen; a demonstrable track record of developing commercial operations to successfully grow income.
• Strong financial and strategic planning skills.
• Deep commitment to compassionate care and ethical leadership and a track record of creating and nurturing positive organisational culture
• Strategic thinking with the ability to navigate change and uncertainty and lead through complexity.
• Demonstrated success in strategic stakeholder engagement and influencing.
• Experience of positively managing the relationship with the board.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Depending on experienceCompetitive Salary and Benefits