Job type
PermanentLocation
SwindonWorking Pattern
Flexible Working,Full-timeSpecialism
ExecutiveIndustry
Charities & Not For ProfitPay
£ Competitive local salaryClosing date
8 Jun 2025
To lead the charity in addressing food poverty as well as helping others to help themselves across Swindon.
Chief Executive Officer
Swindon Food Collective
Swindon, with flexible working
£Competitive local salary
Will consider candidates on either a 4 or 5 days a week basis.
Addressing Food Poverty
Swindon Food Collective is an independent charity that aims to help people in Swindon, or the surrounding area, who are suffering from financial hardship and finding it difficult to provide food for themselves, their family or dependents.
They receive donations of non-perishable, tinned or dried food and toiletries from churches, schools, local companies, community groups, supermarkets and individuals and currently feed nearly 10,000 people per year; one third of these are children.
They work with many approved organisations, schools, doctors and social workers who can refer people in crisis to us. As well as providing food to address food poverty, they also provide a friendly chat and try to signpost people for further help. Indeed, it is this ‘signposting’ or working with people to enable them to enhance their lives where they see their services evolving. Swindon Food Collective are also reviewing how they can best utilise short-life foods. They operate from a central warehouse and have 11 distribution centres around Swindon and surrounding areas where food parcels can be collected.
The charity is financially sound and has the resources to develop their service offering. They have recently hired a Finance Manager, created a new post as Business Strategy Manager and are also out to market to appoint an Operations Manager.
The role
To lead the charity forward, they are creating the role of Chief Executive Officer for the first time. They are seeking an experienced professional who can lead us not only in addressing food poverty but also to help others to help themselves through forging collaborative working arrangements with other organisations, perhaps even forming a co-operative. The charity is open to new ideas.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Be the face and voice of the charity - its principal ambassador, promoting and developing Swindon Food Collective’s work, raising the charity’s profile and maximising its reach.
- Lead the senior management team to lead, support and motivate all staff, aligning employees and volunteers with the charity’s aims, objectives and ambitions.
- Develop and propose a medium-to-long-term strategy for the charity and present it to the Board of Trustees for discussion and approval.
- Oversee the development and implementation of business plans in line with the agreed strategy and report to the Board on progress through agreed priorities & KPIs.
- Identify and assess strategic risks, issues and opportunities and take responsibility for initiating and leading associated changes.
- Maintain a long-term staffing and resourcing plan to underpin the agreed strategy and adopt best practice for the management, development and engagement of staff and volunteers.
- Seek out, develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant organisations and individuals to promote the work of the charity and facilitate the implementation of its strategic objectives.
- Work towards the achievement of long-term sustainability, developing the charity’s business model, ensuring effective use of assets and maximising income, for example, from fundraising, service contracts and earned income.
- Take executive responsibility for all functions including the warehouse, distribution, administration, finance, fundraising, marketing, communications, and IT.
Take executive responsibility for the overall financial health of the charity, ensuring financial resources are managed effectively, identifying risks and taking appropriate action.
- Liaise with the Board to ensure that the charity’s overall governance structure, policies and procedures are appropriate and effective, taking remedial measures and implementing changes as necessary.
You
Your background is not important. What is important is your passion and ambition to address food poverty in the Swindon region and support the population. Ideally, you will be an experienced General Manager / COO / CEO with experience of staff management and working in an environment where H&E is important.
Primarily, we are seeking a CEO who will be innovative and provide inspirational leadership both internally and externally.
To apply
The application is by CV and covering letter. Your letter, which should be no more than 2 pages in length, should explain both why you are interested in the post of Chief Executive Officer and why you think you would be an excellent candidate for Swindon Food Collective. Please apply by uploading your application via the apply button.
Further information
For an informal conversation about the please contact Laurence Wolahan on M 07985 443 826 or Laurence.wolahan@hays.com or Catherine Rowe-Kosary on M 07808 670 544 or E catherine.rowe-kosary@hays.com
All direct applications will be forwarded to Hays Executive.
Campaign dates:
Closing date: 8th June 2025
Preliminary interviews: Mid-June 2025
Formal interviews: End June 2025
The above dates are subject to change.
Swindon Food Collective
Swindon, with flexible working
£Competitive local salary
Will consider candidates on either a 4 or 5 days a week basis.
Addressing Food Poverty
Swindon Food Collective is an independent charity that aims to help people in Swindon, or the surrounding area, who are suffering from financial hardship and finding it difficult to provide food for themselves, their family or dependents.
They receive donations of non-perishable, tinned or dried food and toiletries from churches, schools, local companies, community groups, supermarkets and individuals and currently feed nearly 10,000 people per year; one third of these are children.
They work with many approved organisations, schools, doctors and social workers who can refer people in crisis to us. As well as providing food to address food poverty, they also provide a friendly chat and try to signpost people for further help. Indeed, it is this ‘signposting’ or working with people to enable them to enhance their lives where they see their services evolving. Swindon Food Collective are also reviewing how they can best utilise short-life foods. They operate from a central warehouse and have 11 distribution centres around Swindon and surrounding areas where food parcels can be collected.
The charity is financially sound and has the resources to develop their service offering. They have recently hired a Finance Manager, created a new post as Business Strategy Manager and are also out to market to appoint an Operations Manager.
The role
To lead the charity forward, they are creating the role of Chief Executive Officer for the first time. They are seeking an experienced professional who can lead us not only in addressing food poverty but also to help others to help themselves through forging collaborative working arrangements with other organisations, perhaps even forming a co-operative. The charity is open to new ideas.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Be the face and voice of the charity - its principal ambassador, promoting and developing Swindon Food Collective’s work, raising the charity’s profile and maximising its reach.
- Lead the senior management team to lead, support and motivate all staff, aligning employees and volunteers with the charity’s aims, objectives and ambitions.
- Develop and propose a medium-to-long-term strategy for the charity and present it to the Board of Trustees for discussion and approval.
- Oversee the development and implementation of business plans in line with the agreed strategy and report to the Board on progress through agreed priorities & KPIs.
- Identify and assess strategic risks, issues and opportunities and take responsibility for initiating and leading associated changes.
- Maintain a long-term staffing and resourcing plan to underpin the agreed strategy and adopt best practice for the management, development and engagement of staff and volunteers.
- Seek out, develop and maintain effective working relationships with relevant organisations and individuals to promote the work of the charity and facilitate the implementation of its strategic objectives.
- Work towards the achievement of long-term sustainability, developing the charity’s business model, ensuring effective use of assets and maximising income, for example, from fundraising, service contracts and earned income.
- Take executive responsibility for all functions including the warehouse, distribution, administration, finance, fundraising, marketing, communications, and IT.
Take executive responsibility for the overall financial health of the charity, ensuring financial resources are managed effectively, identifying risks and taking appropriate action.
- Liaise with the Board to ensure that the charity’s overall governance structure, policies and procedures are appropriate and effective, taking remedial measures and implementing changes as necessary.
You
Your background is not important. What is important is your passion and ambition to address food poverty in the Swindon region and support the population. Ideally, you will be an experienced General Manager / COO / CEO with experience of staff management and working in an environment where H&E is important.
Primarily, we are seeking a CEO who will be innovative and provide inspirational leadership both internally and externally.
To apply
The application is by CV and covering letter. Your letter, which should be no more than 2 pages in length, should explain both why you are interested in the post of Chief Executive Officer and why you think you would be an excellent candidate for Swindon Food Collective. Please apply by uploading your application via the apply button.
Further information
For an informal conversation about the please contact Laurence Wolahan on M 07985 443 826 or Laurence.wolahan@hays.com or Catherine Rowe-Kosary on M 07808 670 544 or E catherine.rowe-kosary@hays.com
All direct applications will be forwarded to Hays Executive.
Campaign dates:
Closing date: 8th June 2025
Preliminary interviews: Mid-June 2025
Formal interviews: End June 2025
The above dates are subject to change.
