Chief Executive Officer - VSA in Aberdeen

VSA is the largest city social care charity in the UK, with over 150 years of experience supporting vulnerable children, adults, and families across Aberdeen and beyond. The organisation delivers life‑changing services through residential care and community outreach, promoting physical, emotional, mental, and social wellbeing. VSA supports individuals facing complex challenges, including mental health diagnoses, additional learning needs, addiction, isolation, and poverty, with a focus on empowerment, compassion, and enabling people to live the best lives possible.

VSA is seeking an outstanding Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation through a period of strategic transformation within the Scottish social care sector. This is a pivotal opportunity to shape the organisation’s future, building on a long history of high‑quality service delivery while responding to evolving policy, funding frameworks, and community needs.

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the CEO will provide overall leadership and direction for VSA, ensuring strong governance, effective risk management, and financial sustainability. They will work closely with the Executive Management Team to deliver the organisation’s strategic objectives, embed a culture of innovation and accountability, and maintain the highest standards of care for service users.

The CEO will represent VSA externally, engaging with government, regulators, and partners to ensure the organisation’s voice is influential in shaping the future of health and social care. Through effective advocacy and stakeholder management, the CEO will strengthen VSA’s position in the sector and secure opportunities for innovation and growth.

Candidates will bring significant senior leadership experience, ideally gained within a health and social care context, with a track record of leading complex, multi‑service organisations. They will demonstrate strong financial and commercial acumen, experience delivering sustainable change, and the ability to engage confidently with a wide range of stakeholders. Above all, they will be values‑driven, visible, and authentic leaders, committed to supporting staff and ensuring that service users’ needs remain central to decision‑making.

The successful CEO will guide VSA through this period of strategic transformation, ensuring the organisation remains resilient, sustainable, and well‑positioned to continue serving Aberdeen’s communities as it has for over 150 years. This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of a historic, mission‑driven organisation, leaving a lasting legacy and making a meaningful difference to the lives of the people VSA supports.

How to Apply: Please email us at recruitment@brucetaitassociates.com to request an information pack and job description. After reviewing the pack, prospective candidates are encouraged to arrange an initial, confidential conversation with our CEO, Bruce Tait, who is leading this search. This discussion provides an opportunity to explore the role in more detail and consider its scope and impact. You are advised to get in touch well in advance of the closing date to give us time to consider your application and pre‑interview the strongest applicants.

Closing Date: 12pm Tuesday 17th March 2026

Interview Date: Thursday 26th March in Aberdeen

This search is being conducted exclusively for VSA by BTA (Bruce Tait Associates). Our leadership team have all worked extensively in and with the voluntary sector and we use this experience to match organisations and individuals to create great appointments.