Interim CFO

Our client, a national social care not-for-profit is looking for an interim CFO on a contract of around 9-12 months. They are a complex organisation, going through times of significant change and transformation. I am keen to speak with finance leaders who operate at a strategic level, but who are also happy to get involved with the detail when required. Some prior experience in social care or a similar area would be helpful. I am interested in hearing from people who are available immediately, or within the next 4-6 weeks.

The organisation is based in London, and would like to appoint someone who can be in the office at least one day a week. The role is likely to be 4 days a week with some flexibility and will be offered as a competitive fixed term contract.

Please get in touch asap for more details - interim@vbsearch.co.uk

Interim Head of Business Development

Our client, a large national social care charity is looking for an experienced Head of Business Development to join their leadership team for six months. The charity is large and well established, but keen to add capacity to their business development function. You will initially assess and evaluate current processes for retaining and winning contracts, before working with the team to improve all areas of business development.

The successful candidate will be appointed on a fixed term contract, the role is completely home based and could potentially be extended beyond the initial six months. You will need to have previous experience of developing business in a social care setting, you will understand how commissioners work and you will be a capable leader in a time of change.

For more information, please get in touch asap.

Interim Systems Implementation Project Manager

Our client, a large national social care charity is looking for an interim PM to help implement their new electronic quality and compliance system. If you have experience of system implementation or project management in social care, health or a similar area please do get in touch.

This is an immediate vacancy, mainly home based and could be outside ir35. Please get in touch asap for more details.

Interim Project Manager - Process Mapping (Social Care)

Our client on the south coast is a medium sized charity supporting older people. To be able to improve efficiency and to better measure and demonstrate impact they are looking to appoint an interim/consultant on a short-term contract (outside IR35).

The interim will spend time with their specialist services team, analyse their current processes and make recommendations to make them leaner and more successful. The ultimate aim will be to eradicate mistakes, make the service more customer friendly/focused and better at demonstrating impact.

It is likely that the interim will have had some exposure to social care, will have process mapping experience and will be able to work with colleagues to help them to understand and embrace a different way of working.

This is an immediate piece of work, around 15 days initially and outside ir35. Please get in touch asap for more details.

Interim Recruitment Project Lead

Our client, a large national charity is looking to appoint an interim to lead a project to drive efficiencies in their in house recruitment function. The aim of the project is to improve the quality of the support they are able to provide by significantly reducing their reliance on agency staff.

I am interested in speaking with people who bring significant expertise in high volume recruitment, some of which will have been gained in social care or a related area. This is an immediate vacancy, initial contract is likely to be for 6 months and could be either a fixed term contract or a daily rate. The role will be home based.

Trustees - ExtraCare Charitable Trust

Better Lives for Older People – join our Board and make a difference

ExtraCare is a registered Charity established in 1988. Our vision is better lives for older people and our mission is creating sustainable communities that provide homes older people want, lifestyles they can enjoy and care if it’s needed. We were the pioneers of supported independent living in the UK and our ambition is to remain innovators: providing best-in-class integrated retirement communities and advocating on behalf of older people. Our unique homes, lifestyle, care model is much admired and really does change people’s lives for the better.

We are focused on delivering our ambitious Corporate Plan (2022-27) which has a strong focus on Operations alongside a continuation of our journey to become greener and more digital, supporting our residents to live independently and our staff to operate more efficiently. As a Trustee you’ll have an opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of older people: We are ambitious and actively challenge the status quo.

We are looking for two new Trustees, one of who may also Chair our Development Committee. We are interested in your skills and experience but also your drive and passion. We are keen to speak to people from a broad range of sectors. One of the Trustees is likely to bring a good understanding of social housing management and housing regulation, ideally gained in an organisation which provides care and support. We are also keen to speak with people who can demonstrate the ability to understand business cases including an understanding and curiosity around opportunities, risks, and the related finances. This broad experience could come from any background and we are open minded as to where you may have gained your skills. Your approach as a strategic, values-driven leader is most important to us, whatever sector/s you have worked in.

You will need to bring experience of working at Board level, either as an executive or non-executive Director. That experience will have given you an ability to apply your commercial skills and behaviours to an organisation passionate about delivering its mission. Ours is a complex charity and we need Trustees who embrace and enjoy working with organisations which are multi-faceted, challenging to run, yet which deliver amazing and highly rewarding outcomes. We operate a unique model and that is what differentiates us. We ultimately wish to appoint Trustees who are excited by the prospect of doing something different to help create better lives for older people.

ExtraCare is committed to equity, fairness and transparency and we actively encourage applications from people with diverse experience and backgrounds who will bring to the Board the skills and commitment to help drive progress on diversity and inclusion.

For more information on these exciting roles, please click here or for an informal confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please call Rob Hilyer on 07952 316654 or by email at extracare@vbsearch.co.uk

Interim Operations Director

Interim Operations Consultant/Director - Social Care
Our client, a large social care charity is looking for an interim with solid turnaround experience at a time of change and transition. Interested in initial expressions of interest from people with a demonstrable ability to drive change at pace.
If this sounds like you, please get in touch - we are looking for someone to start quickly.

Interim Resourcing Consultant - Social Care

Interim Resourcing Consultant - Social Care
Our client is a national provider of support for adults with learning disabilities and autistic people. They are looking for a consultant on a short term basis to help them to assess the efficiency of their recruitment function.
The consultant will assess their processes for recruitment, onboarding, retention etc and will write a report to show them what they are doing well and what could be improved.
The appointed consultant is likely to have done something similar before and will bring in depth knowledge and experience of recruitment in social care or a closely related area.
The contract will be outside ir35 - for more information please get in touch asap - interim@vbsearch.co.uk

Dimensions - Group Board Member (remunerated)

Dimensions is a large and complex organisation supporting people with learning disabilities and autistic people, including those with complex needs. We enable thousands of people to have greater choice and control over their lives. The people we support, and their families are at the heart of everything we do, and we want every one of them to have a great life with excellent outcomes.

As part of our ongoing programme of Board rotation we are now looking to appoint a Full Group Board Member. As one of the largest providers of support in England and Wales, our Board Members play a crucial role in ensuring that Dimensions continues to thrive, and to deliver our strategy of Better Lives for More People. Operating in a highly regulated sector, our Board works in conjunction with our Executive Team to deliver our Vision and Strategy, they provide scrutiny and challenge and work hard to ensure that Dimensions adheres to its purpose and mission.

A key priority of our strategy is to continue to improve the quantity and quality of the homes that we can provide to the people we support. We are committed to the ongoing development of the properties that we own; we will also continue to work in partnership with housing providers to source accommodation which gives people a home that they can be proud of.

We are seeking a Board Member with a strong track record of successfully operating at a senior level in Social Housing. Your Board level experience (executive or non-executive) in a complex organisation will enable you to provide strategic expertise in areas relating to supported housing/care, social housing regulation, asset management, development and/or partnership working with other landlords.

Most importantly, you will share our values and commitment for providing high-quality, person-centred support. You will be driven to use the skills and experience you have developed both professionally and personally to play a key role in the leadership of Dimensions. You will join a talented and well-run Board and Leadership Team to help us to continue to ensure that the people we support are at the heart of all the decisions we make.

To reflect our ambition and commitment to be more representative at Board level, we particularly encourage and welcome applications from people with a disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and people from the LGBTQ+ community.  

For more information on the role, please click here, or for an informal, confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please call Rob Hilyer on 07952 316 654, or by email at dimensions@vbsearch.co.uk.

Interim Head of Governance

Our client, a large national provider of housing and care is looking for an interim Head of Governance for a contract of 6 months. Complex organisation, working in a heavily regulated sector. We are keen to hear from experts in charity governance, some experience of working in social housing would be a distinct advantage.
The contract will start in November, but will interview in the next week or so. The appointed candidate will be able to work remotely some of the time, but will need to spend at least one day a week at the head office in the Midlands.

For more information, please email interim@vbsearch.co.uk

Interim Consultant (Social Care)

Interim Consultant (social care, day rate outside ir35)
This is a genuinely exciting opportunity to work with a large social care provider on post merger project work. We are looking for an interim manager, with a proven ability to lead and develop supported living services for people with learning disabilities. The interim will help to assess the quality of the newly merged services, ensuring that they are compliant, delivering great outcomes but that they are also truly person centred.

The contract is likely to start at the end of September/early October (but with the appointment made asap) and will be on a 3 day week for up to 6 months. It will be on a daily rate (outside ir35).

Director of Dance - Royal Academy of Dance

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is a world leader in dance education and training. We have been teaching the world to dance for over 100 years and we believe in its power to transform lives for the better. Through an international network of trained dance teachers, we support, inspire and connect a global community of more than 400,000 students and dancers of all ages and abilities in more than 80 countries, making us a dance-force to be reckoned with.

With a new CEO at the helm the RAD is developing a growth-mindset driven by three main principles; creative innovation, customer centricity and social responsibility, underpinned by financial prudence and legal and regulatory compliance.

We are now looking to appoint a forward-thinking Director of Dance to ensure that we continue to grow and develop our offering globally. We are proud to be the leading specialist in the education and training of ballet, we also have exciting plans to diversify our offer by developing courses and qualifications in other forms of dance.

This is a broad, complex and exciting role which is absolutely critical to the future success of the RAD. Our new Director of Dance will oversee the development, quality and implementation of the organisation’s artistic vision and strategy. You will develop and deliver high-quality dance syllabi and CPD training programmes. You will play a major role in our ongoing passion for the promotion and advancement of dance education and training worldwide, inspiring and engaging with our global membership.

This is a significant leadership role at RAD, you will need to have a demonstrable ability to deliver outcomes through the teams you have led. You will combine extensive leadership experience from a high-profile and reputable dance organisation, with practical experience of performing dance at a professional level (including ballet). Your teaching experience and your passion for widening participation in all forms of dance will enable you to help us to continue to deliver world class programmes of education in ballet as well as other forms of dance.

We encourage and welcome applications from people with a disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.

For more information on this exciting role, please click here, or for an informal, confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please call Rob Hilyer on 07952 316 654, or by email at rad@vbsearch.co.uk.

Chair - National Star

National Star is a vibrant national charity providing high quality education, personal development, care, accommodation and support services for young adults with complex disabilities and learning difficulties. At National Star, we’re driven by our vision for a world in which people with disabilities are able to realise their potential as equal and active citizens in control of their lives. This sits at the heart of everything we do, from the personalised and world-class learning we provide via National Star College to training, specialist services and our work in the wider community. All of this is underpinned by both our passion to enrich people’s lives and by our moral and statutory responsibilities. 

Our Chair, Paul Styles is stepping down after a hugely successful term of ten years. During his tenure the charity has grown and developed, the work we do is more diverse than ever before. For more than 50 years we have supported people with complex disabilities, starting small we are now proud to work with more than 500 young people every year. Our new Chair will help us to ensure that we continue to evolve and grow, to support more young people and their families.

National Star is a complex organisation, with a turnover of c£36 million and more than 1,200 colleagues. We have multiple regulators in England and Wales, we are commercially strong but our margins are tight, so we have to ensure that everything we do is carefully monitored and evaluated. Every pound we spend must help us to deliver better outcomes for the people we support year after year. Social Care is an industry with many challenges and opportunities, our next Chair will help a strong Board and Leadership team to navigate the years ahead.

We are open-minded about your professional background. You are likely to have operated at a senior, strategic level in an organisation of significant scale. You will have been successful at Board level, understanding and believing in the value of good governance and the impact it can have on the success of an organisation. Knowledge of charity governance gained in either an exec or non-exec capacity would be undoubtably helpful, as would some understanding of the challenges faced by people with complex disabilities and their families. This could be from your professional or personal lived experience.

Most importantly, you will share our values and commitment for providing high quality, person centred support and learning. You will be driven to use the skills and experience you have developed both professionally and personally to play a key role in the leadership of National Star.  You will lead a talented and stable Board and Executive Team to help us to continue to ensure that the people we support are at the heart of all the decisions we make. 

To reflect our ambition and commitment to be more representative at Board level, we particularly encourage and welcome applications from people with a disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and people from the LGBTQ+ community.  

For more information on the role, please click here, or for an informal, confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please contact Rob Hilyer on 07952 316 654, or by email at nationalstar@vbsearch.co.uk

Chief Housing & Commercial Officer

Dimensions is a large and complex organisation supporting people with learning disabilities and autism, including people with complex needs. We enable thousands of people to have greater choice and control over their lives. The people we support, and their families are at the heart of everything we do, and we want every one of them to have a great life with excellent outcomes.

In line with our determination to develop and grow Dimensions, we are looking to appoint a Chief Housing and Commercial Officer to our Executive Team. We are one of the largest providers of support in England and Wales, our executive team plays a crucial role in ensuring that Dimensions continues to thrive, and to deliver our strategy of Better Lives for More People. Operating in a highly regulated environment, our Executive Team works in conjunction with our Board to develop and deliver our Vision and Strategy.

This is a broad leadership role which takes ultimate responsibility for Housing, Business Development, Marketing, Communications, and Public Affairs. Dimensions is committed to ensuring that the people we support have homes they can be proud to live in. Our desire to grow is entirely driven by a desire to support more people and to deliver great outcomes in high quality homes.  To support more people, we need to retain existing contracts and win new ones by having a high functioning business development team. In line with our values, we aim to be exemplar and a leader within the sector. We work hard to develop a ‘Louder Voice’, enabling the people we support and their families to raise the issues that matter to them and to add value to the sector beyond our boundaries. The teams you will lead in Marketing, Communications and Public Affairs play a key role in making this happen.

You will take the executive lead with the Regulator of Social Housing (RSH), and will also need to understand, embrace and be excited by the provision of supported living and person-centred support. You will have a detailed understanding of how business is retained and developed in social care. You are likely to have experience of leading large multi-disciplinary teams, in a complex organisation. You won't necessarily have led all of these functions before but will understand their strategic importance in a large social care provider. As a leader you will manage and develop the careers of your teams, ensuring that they are highly competent and able to deliver in all areas.

Most importantly, you will share our values and commitment for providing high-quality, person-centred support. You will be driven to use the skills and experience you have developed both professionally and personally to play a key role in the leadership of Dimensions. You will join a talented, focused and determined Leadership Team and help us to continue to ensure that the people we support are at the heart of all the decisions we make.  

To reflect our ambition and commitment to be more representative at a senior  level, we particularly encourage and welcome applications from people with a disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and people from the LGBTQ+ community.  

For more information on this exciting opportunity, please click here, or for an informal, confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please call Rob Hilyer on 07952 316 654, or by email at dimensions@vbsearch.co.uk.

Director of Examinations - Royal Academy of Dance

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is a world leader in dance education and training. We have been teaching the world to dance for over 100 years and we believe in its power to transform lives for the better. Through an international network of trained dance teachers, we support, inspire and connect a global community of more than 400,000 students and dancers of all ages and abilities in more than 80 countries, making us a dance-force to be reckoned with.

With a new CEO at the helm the RAD is developing a growth-mindset driven by three main principles; creative innovation, customer centricity and social responsibility, underpinned by financial prudence and legal and regulatory compliance.

We are now looking to appoint a forward-thinking Director of Examinations to ensure that we continue to grow and develop our offering globally. We are proud to be the leading specialist in the education and training of ballet, we also have exciting plans to diversify our offer by developing courses and qualifications in other forms of dance.

During the pandemic we had to significantly adapt the way we worked globally as an organisation. We are committed to continuing progress in the digitisation of the delivery of our exams. Our new Director will need to be committed to and experienced in digital transformation. We believe that better use of the latest technology will both help us to deliver more courses to more people globally whilst helping with our aim to reduce the RAD carbon footprint.

The Academy is a forward-thinking, open-minded employer. This could be a great role to develop your existing career in an arts/dance based organisation, but it could also be an exciting opportunity to bring your expertise into a new sector. You may have already had total responsibility for a programme of examinations in current or previous jobs, or this could be your first chance to create, shape and improve a syllabus as the Ofqual responsible officer.  

We are keen to see applications from leaders who can demonstrate a commitment and ability to growing and developing a large team. You will combine a passion for the continuous improvement of our existing products with an ambition to help us to diversify our business into new areas. You will be committed to and knowledgeable about the use of technology to help deliver qualifications on a global basis. You are likely to have worked in an international organisation, you may or may not have worked in a not for profit before, but you will need to share our values.   

We encourage and welcome applications from people with a disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and people from the LGBTQIA+ community.

For more information on this exciting role, please click here, or for an informal, confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please call Rob Hilyer on 07952 316 654, or by email at rad@vbsearch.co.uk. Please note that we are assessing applications on receipt and reserve the right to change the closing date so please get in touch ASAP.

Interim Director of Support (Social Care)

We are delighted to be partnering with a well known not for profit provider to find an interim Director of Support. The organisation is well established with services around the South of England supporting adults with disabilities.

The organisation is flexible about your location and is happy to consider people on a part time contract if that is more attractive. Great opportunity to provide leadership whilst a permanent successor is found.

If you would like to hear more details, please get in touch asap as interviews are scheduled to take place quickly.

Interim Service Improvement Consultant

Our client is a well known national charity which runs counselling services across England and Wales. They are experts in their field, with a long successful history, but they are keen to improve the way they deliver their services.

We are looking for an interim who can help them to improve their processes for booking clients and make it more efficient. We want someone to analyse current ways of working, recommend and initiate improvements whilst helping their colleagues to understand the changes and the benefits they will bring to their clients.

We are interested in hearing from people who have a demonstrable ability to improve service delivery, probably in a charity or similar. We don't expect to find anyone who has done this before (although that would be nice), but we do want an interim who can quickly add value.

This will be a day rate contract, (remote working) outside i.r.35. The client is keen to meet people quickly so if you think this could be you please get in touch asap. If you think others in your networks could be tempted please do feel free to share.

Director of Business Development & Innovation - Brent, Wandsworth & Westminster Mind

Brent, Wandsworth and Westminster Mind is a leading community-based organisation dedicated to providing outstanding mental health support and interventions across London. Our experienced clinically led teams are focussed on directly addressing a range of mental health needs in our communities. We combine innovative solutions with decades of local community knowledge to empower people to live the life they choose.

To support our continuing growth and development, we are now looking for a dynamic leader to take on the role of Director of Business Development and Innovation. We have a successful business model, our services are well respected, and our outcomes are proven, however we work in a challenging sector which is constantly changing. Our new Director of Business Development and Innovation will have a broad role, working closely with the CEO and leadership team to ensure that we continue to evolve. Our aim is to expand, with continued growth in existing and new areas our organisation will become stronger, more importantly we will be able to provide more people with the level of support they need and deserve.

We are interested in receiving applications from leaders who share our passion for the provision of high quality, outcomes focussed mental health services. It is likely that you will bring significant experience of working in a business development environment (or related area), but this could be your first Director level role. You may well have spent much of your career working in social care but we are open to suggestions. We are London based, experience of working in the capital would be useful but not essential. We are flexible on your location as long as you are able to attend meeting in London from time to time.

To reflect our ambition and commitment to be more representative at executive level, we particularly encourage and welcome applications from people with a disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and people from the LGBTQ+ community.  

For more information on this exciting opportunity, please click here, or for an informal, confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please call Rob Hilyer on 07952 316 654, or by email at bwwmind@vbsearch.co.uk.

CEO - The Fostering Network

The Fostering Network is the UK’s leading fostering charity and membership organisation, bringing together everyone who is involved in the lives of fostered children to make foster care the very best it can be. We support foster carers to transform children’s lives and we work with fostering services and the wider sector to develop and share best practice.

Following the retirement of our CEO, we are now looking for a dynamic and exciting leader to take the organisation to the next level. The Fostering Network is a well-established organisation, with membership offerings for the “fostering community” across the UK.  We are well respected within the world of fostering and add real value to our members, but we are passionate about delivering more. By growing our presence and offer across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland we will continue to champion foster care to ensure society understands, values and recognises how foster carers transform children’s lives.

We are interested in receiving applications from leaders who share our passion for supporting foster carers and their families. You may or may not have been a CEO before, but you will need to be able to demonstrate a mixture of strategic and operational leadership skills. The experience you have gained in previous roles will enable you to help us to continue to transform and evolve The Fostering Network. You are likely to have spent a significant part of your career working in organisations which support the rights of children. Your understanding of the challenges and opportunities surrounding the world of fostering will combine with a proven ability to lead change.

To reflect our ambition and commitment to be more representative at Board level, we particularly encourage and welcome applications from people with a disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and people from the LGBTQ+ community.  

We currently have offices in London, Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff, we are working towards adopting a model of hybrid working.

For more information on this exciting opportunity, please click here, or for an informal, confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please call Rob Hilyer on 07952 316 654, or by email at tfn@vbsearch.co.uk.

Group Board Member and Chair of Human Resources Committee - Dimensions

Dimensions is a large and complex organisation supporting people with learning disabilities and autism, including people with complex needs. We enable thousands of people to have greater choice and control over their lives. The people we support, and their families are at the heart of everything we do, and we want every one of them to have a great life with excellent outcomes.

As part of our ongoing programme of Board rotation we are now looking to appoint a Full Group Board Member, who will also Chair our Group Human Resources Committee (HRC). As one of the largest providers of support in England and Wales, our Board Members play a crucial role in ensuring that Dimensions continues to thrive, and to deliver our strategy of Better Lives for More People. Operating in a highly regulated sector, our Board works in conjunction with our Executive Team to deliver our Vision and Strategy, they provide scrutiny and challenge and work hard to ensure that Dimensions adheres to its purpose and mission.

In addition to your role of Group Board Member, you will also Chair our Human Resources Committee. Recruitment and retention of people who work in social care is more challenging now than ever before. We must be sure that as an employer of around 7,000 people, we are providing our colleagues with the best possible experience, training, and career development opportunities. We must compete for the most talented people with other social care providers but also commercial organisations who are often able to pay higher salaries.

We are seeking an experienced Non-Exec Director, to continue with the great work already being done by the HRC and the Board. We are interested in people who bring Board level governance and/or management skills, ideally from a large and complex consumer facing-organisation. We are particularly interested in applications from people with experience or knowledge of the specific challenges relating to a 24/7 highly dispersed lower income workforce. Your career to date is likely to demonstrate a proven ability to lead and develop HR teams, whilst also taking on a broader leadership role.

Most importantly, you will share our values and commitment for providing high quality, person centred support. You will be driven to use the skills and experience you have developed both professionally and personally to play a key role in the leadership of Dimensions. You will join a talented and well run Board and Leadership Team to help us to continue to ensure that the people we support are at the heart of all the decisions we make.  

To reflect our ambition and commitment to be more representative at Board level, we particularly encourage and welcome applications from people with a disability, people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and people from the LGBTQ+ community.  

For more information on the role, please click here, or for an informal, confidential discussion with our recruitment partners at VBS, please call Rob Hilyer on 07952 316 654, or by email at dimensions@vbsearch.co.uk.