Scotty’s Little Soldiers – Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

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Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a UK-based charity dedicated to supporting military children and young people (0 to 25 years) who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces. Founded in 2010 by Nikki Scott following the death of her husband, Corporal Lee Scott, the charity offers a unique blend of emotional, practical, and educational support to over 700 young people, and we have big ambitions to support over 1,000 children annually by 2030.

We are proud of our vibrant, non-traditional culture, which puts the needs of bereaved children and young people at the heart of everything we do. We embrace innovative approaches, are committed to creating smiles and believe in the power of community, resilience, and connection.

Now, we are looking for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who can lead Scotty’s Little Soldiers through its next growth phase. The right leader will be someone who can harness our unique strengths while driving forward our commercial and fundraising strategies to ensure we can deliver even greater impact to the families we serve.

Role Mission

As CEO, you will be responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of Scotty’s Little Soldiers. You will work closely with the Founder and the Board of Trustees to develop and implement strategies that expand our reach, strengthen our sustainability, and increase our impact on bereaved children and young people.

While safeguarding our culture and values, you will play a critical role in building and executing a robust fundraising and commercial strategy, growing our income streams, and forming strategic partnerships that will underpin our long-term goals.

Key Accountabilities

1. Lead the development and execution of Scotty’s long-term strategic plan, ensuring alignment with our vision of supporting 1,000+ bereaved military children annually by 2030.
2. Oversee the commercial and fundraising strategy, ensuring income growth from corporate partnerships, individual giving, and other revenue streams to secure our financial future.
3. Cultivate relationships with key stakeholders—including donors, partners, government bodies, and the Armed Forces community—to expand Scotty’s support base.
4. Ensure Scotty’s remains compliant with all regulatory requirements while fostering a safe and welcoming environment for our team, volunteers, and beneficiaries.
5. Act as a key ambassador for the charity, representing Scotty’s at external events, with the media, and in the wider Armed Forces and charitable sectors.

Responsibilities

1. Provide strong, values-led leadership to a diverse, talented team, ensuring the continued development of a high-performing, passionate team.
2. Develop impactful fundraising strategies, and secure significant corporate partnerships to meet annual income targets.
3. Work closely with the Board to develop financial models, KPIs, and performance measures that ensure long-term growth and sustainability.
4. Protect and nurture the unique Scotty’s culture, balancing the needs of beneficiaries with the goals of the charity.
5. Ensure that all aspects of charity governance, risk management, and safeguarding are maintained at the highest standard.
6. Oversee Scotty’s communications strategy, ensuring the charity’s voice is consistent, impactful, and resonates with both existing and new supporters.

Person Specification

We are looking for someone who is both a visionary leader and a hands-on part of the team. Able to help us see the path ahead but willing to roll-up their sleeves and contribute. You will be entrepreneurial, with a track record of leading organisations through periods of growth, and you’ll have a deep understanding of the charity sector or equivalent sectors where stakeholder engagement and fundraising play a critical role.

Essential skills and experience:

1. Proven and significant leadership experience at an executive or senior management level, preferably within the charitable sector or a related industry.
2. Strong experience in fundraising, corporate partnerships, or commercial strategy, with demonstrable results in growing income streams.
3. Excellent relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage a wide variety of stakeholders, including donors, corporate partners, and policymakers.
4. A track record of driving operational excellence, with experience in managing high-performing teams.
5. Exceptional communication and public speaking skills, comfortable acting as a spokesperson for the charity.
6. A passion for the mission of Scotty’s Little Soldiers, with a commitment to making a difference to the lives of bereaved military children.
7. As CEO you will, at times, be working directly with bereaved children and their families. Safeguarding is central to our work, and all employees will be required to have an enhanced DBS along with regular safeguarding training.
8. Experience in the Armed Forces community or working with children and young people.
9. Lived experience or a proven understanding of military bereavement or childhood bereavement.
10. Familiarity with leading a remote-first or hybrid working environment.
11. A history of working within a purpose-driven organisation with a strong cultural ethos.

The Scotty’s Way

At Scotty’s, our personal performance is only 50% of what success looks like. Our culture is equally important. When you join our team, you sign up to The Scotty’s Way, rooted in our four core values:

1. Families Come First
2. Everyone a Supporter, Every Supporter a VIP
3. Love What You Do
4. Remember, Every Day

Our values are further supported by our four non-negotiable behaviours of Show Respect, Speak Up, Embrace Change and Actively Collaborate. We are looking for a CEO who embodies these values and behaviours and brings with them the humility, empathy, and professionalism that characterise the Scotty’s team.

To Apply:

Please submit your CV, along with a covering letter detailing your experience and what excites you about leading Scotty’s Little Soldiers, to: by 23 December.

Thank you for your interest in joining our team, we are an equal opportunities employer, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees are treated with respect and given equal opportunities for employment and advancement.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other protected characteristic.

We encourage all qualified individuals to apply for employment within our charity and we are dedicated to providing a fair and inclusive recruitment process for all candidates.

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