Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in England

Location: Worcester (minimum two days per week in the Trust’s office; travel across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and the West Midlands)

Salary: circa £75,000

Contract: Permanent, 35 hours per week

Are you a judicious, outward-looking leader who can sharpen strategy and raise the profile of a regionally rooted grant-maker with a significant endowment?

About The Eveson Trust

The Eveson Trust is a Worcestershire-based, place-focused grant-maker established from the bequest of Violet Mary Eveson. With an endowment of approximately £100 million, the Trust supports an annual grants programme of around £5–6 million and in 2022 modernised its legal structure by becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation while retaining strong local roots. We exist to relieve need and enhance quality of life across Worcestershire, Herefordshire and the West Midlands, prioritising support for people with disabilities, mental-health needs, children and young people in need, older people, those experiencing homelessness, and users of hospitals and hospices. Our next CEO will be central to translating stewardship into measurable local impact and sustainable grant practice.

As our next Chief Executive Officer, you will:

• Strategy & Impact: lead the development and delivery of a refreshed strategic plan and grant-making framework that focuses resources where they will make the greatest measurable difference.
• Governance & Finance: support and advise the Board and sub-committees, ensuring robust governance, high-quality committee papers and sound financial stewardship of the endowment.
• Operational Leadership: strengthen internal systems and processes, make effective use of Salesforce, and propose a right‑sized resourcing model to deliver the Trust’s ambitions.
• Income & Investment Oversight: work with the investment advisers and Trustees to balance spending policy, long-term capital protection and responsible investment principles.
• Community & Partnerships: build regional funder partnerships, increase reach in under‑represented areas and foster strong relationships with grantees and local stakeholders.
• Grants Quality & Safeguarding: ensure rigorous due diligence, proportionate monitoring and consistently high standards of safeguarding and risk management.
• Brand & Profile: establish and deliver a communications plan that raises the Trust’s visibility across urban and rural communities.
• Team & Culture: lead, mentor and develop a compact team and oversee high standards in HR, data protection and operational compliance.

Who you are

• A seasoned senior leader with demonstrable experience in grant‑making, philanthropy or a closely comparable mission‑driven setting.
• Financially literate and confident with investment reports, annual accounts, budgets and risk analysis.
• Experienced in modern grants processes, due diligence and impact‑focused monitoring.
• Comfortable advising and constructively challenging Trustees, producing concise, evidence‑based committee papers.
• A strong relationship builder with a track record of partnership development and external representation.
• Skilled in strategic analysis, clear judgement and using data (for example Salesforce reporting) to inform decisions.

Why The Eveson Trust?

• A rare leadership opportunity to steward a significant endowment and shape a strategic grant‑making approach across a diverse regional footprint.
• A respectful, detail‑focused Board and a compact, capable team who value proportionate, evidence‑based practice.
• The chance to expand the Trust’s presence in under‑represented boroughs and to develop meaningful funder partnerships.
• Competitive salary, defined‑contribution pension, flexible working and a supportive, mission‑focused culture.
• The role offers clear scope to design the team and systems needed to deliver a more impact‑focussed future for the Trust.

For full details of the role including how to apply, please download the full appointment brief. For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile which will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 2nd February 2026

As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever‑improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.