Chief Executive Officer

Job description

About

Penhaligon's Friends - Children's Bereavement Charity - CIO: 1189323

Chief Executive Officer

Full-Time; 37.5 hours

Contract; Permanent - subject to successful induction

Salary; £48,000 - £55,000 dependent on experience

Location; Office-based in Redruth with need to travel throughout Cornwall

Are you a compassionate, strategic and values-led leader looking for an opportunity to make a lasting difference to bereaved children, young people and families?

Penhaligon’s Friends is Cornwall’s dedicated child bereavement charity. For more than 30 years, we have provided support, guidance and hope to bereaved children, young people and families across the county, ensuring that no child has to face bereavement alone. Our vision is simple: that all bereaved children and young people feel supported, understood and not alone.

Following the planned retirement of our highly respected Chief Executive after 20 years of service, we are seeking an exceptional individual to lead the organisation into its next chapter. This is a rare opportunity to build on strong foundations, shape the future of an established and influential charity, and work alongside a passionate team of staff, volunteers, trustees, partners and supporters.

As Chief Executive, you will provide both strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the charity remains financially sustainable, well governed and true to its purpose. You will lead organisational development, strengthen partnerships, champion safeguarding, oversee income generation and fundraising activity, and ensure children, young people and families remain at the heart of everything we do.

We are looking for someone who can bring:

- Significant senior leadership experience with organisation-wide responsibility.

- Strong experience of governance, safeguarding, finance and risk management.

- A successful track record of leading teams, organisational development and change.

- The ability to build trusted relationships with partners, funders, communities and stakeholders.

- A compassionate, inclusive and authentic leadership style.

- A commitment to ensuring the voices of children, young people and families influence decision-making and service development.

You may come from the charity, public, health, education, social care or private sector. More important than your background is your ability to lead with integrity, inspire others, navigate complexity and deliver meaningful impact.

In the last year alone, Penhaligon’s Friends supported more than 1,300 children and young people and over 800 families across Cornwall through individual support, family visits, groups, training, education support and practical bereavement resources. Demand for our services continues to grow, making this a pivotal time to join the organisation.

If you are an inspiring leader who shares our commitment to children, young people and families, we would love to hear from you.

Closing date: 22 November 2026

Assessment dates: 2-3 December 2026

Follow-up interviews: 7 December 2026

Penhaligon’s Friends is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be subject to appropriate pre-employment checks, including an Enhanced DBS check with Child Barred List checks.

(For further information and an application pack, please select the apply button.)