CEO in Alnwick, North East

Location: North East UK

Reporting to: Board of Directors

Package: Circa £90k Car Allowance Benefits Equity Options

Our client is a well-established, independent provider delivering high-quality community-based health and social care services. Their mission is to support some of the most vulnerable members of society, empowering individuals to achieve greater independence and reach their personal goals through expert, person-centred support. Operating in close partnership with statutory bodies, they specialise in providing community-based alternatives to inpatient services, including supported living, respite, and intensive community support.

The Opportunity

The Board is seeking an exceptional and values-driven leader to serve as Chief Executive Officer. This role is suited to a career professional within the adult social care or health sector who understands that regulatory compliance is the baseline, but the true measure of success is the quality of life and outcomes experienced by the individuals we support. You will lead the organisation through its next phase of development, balancing sustainable growth with a complex regulatory landscape, while ensuring that our person-centred ethos and evidence-based support models remain deeply embedded in every aspect of the operation.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Vision: Develop and execute the long-term strategy, ensuring alignment with the organisations mission to empower vulnerable individuals. Identify opportunities for sustainable growth within the specialist community services sector across the North of England. Champion the organisations core support methodology, ensuring its principles are embedded operationally and culturally across all services.
• Governance & Regulatory Compliance: Act as the Accountable Officer, ensuring full compliance with all relevant legislation and regulatory standards, including CQC fundamental standards. Lead the organisations preparation for and response to regulatory inspections, positioning the organisation as a partner and leader in quality improvement. Ensure robust clinical governance and quality assurance frameworks are in place to safeguard service users and staff.
• Safeguarding & Quality: Foster a culture of openness and transparency where safeguarding is viewed as everyones responsibility. Ensure safeguarding practices are deeply integrated into the daily lives of individuals, protecting their right to choice, control, and autonomy. Oversee the management of complex safeguarding issues, working collaboratively with local authorities and safeguarding boards.
• Financial Stewardship & Growth: Ensure the long-term financial viability of the organisation, managing resources effectively within a system of high demand and increasing complexity. Build and maintain strong commercial relationships with commissioners and local authority partners. Mitigate risks associated with market changes or provider instability by ensuring a resilient and diversified service portfolio.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships: Act as the public face of the organisation, building trust with families, advocates, and multi-disciplinary teams. Strengthen partnerships within regional transformation programmes to continue providing viable community-based alternatives to institutional care. Work collaboratively with the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) to enhance prevention and personalisation agendas. Inspire and lead a dedicated workforce, ensuring they feel valued, supported, and equipped to deliver outstanding care. Champion recruitment and retention strategies that stabilise the workforce and promote innovative approaches to attracting talent. Embed the organisations core values across the employee lifecycle, from recruitment to retention.

Essential Experience & Knowledge

• Sector Expertise: A proven track record of senior leadership within the adult social care, health, or specialist community services sector.
• Regulatory Leadership: Deep, working knowledge of the regulated environment, with direct experience leading organisations through CQC inspections and leveraging regulatory frameworks for continuous improvement.
• Safeguarding Leadership: Significant experience in managing risk and leading on complex safeguarding issues within a person-centred framework.
• Public Sector Interface: Demonstrable experience working in partnership with, or within, Local Government, the NHS, or the VCS, with a clear understanding of commissioning cycles and integrated care systems.
• Authentic Leadership: Ability to lead from the front with strong interpersonal skills, building authentic rapport with staff and stakeholders to inspire trust and confidence.
• Strategic Problem Solver: A proven ability to quickly identify challenges and develop a clear vision to address them, effectively selling that vision to the organisation.
• Team Builder: A track record of building and developing high-performing leadership teams that work cohesively toward shared goals.
• Financial Acumen: Experience managing budgets in a system of high demand while maintaining a focus on workforce investment and service quality.
• Passionate: Genuinely driven by a desire to enable people to live fulfilling lives, focused on outcomes rather than outputs.
• Integrity-Driven: Decision-making is guided by a strong ethical foundation, aligned with values of honesty, integrity, equality, and respect.
• Innovative: Continuously seeks creative and effective ways to meet the unique needs of those supported by the organisation.