Chief Executive Officer in Ely

The British Society for Plant Breeders (BSPB) is the representative body for the UK plant breeding industry, playing a central role in supporting innovation, protecting intellectual property, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of UK agriculture. With a strong heritage and credibility across industry, government, and the scientific community, BSPB now sits at a key inflection point. As the sector faces increasing complexity – driven by regulatory change, technological advancement, and evolving commercial dynamics – the organisation is looking to strengthen its strategic leadership, external voice, and long-term impact.

The Opportunity

We are leading the search for BSPB's new Chief Executive Officer, who will provide clear direction, visible leadership, and organisational cohesion at a pivotal stage in its development towards a more proactive, influential and strategically aligned future position. The CEO will shape and deliver a coherent long-term strategy, strengthen engagement across a wide (and often competing stakeholder) landscape, and ensure the organisation is equipped to respond to both immediate sector challenges and longer‑term industry evolution. This role will suit an individual either operating at CEO level or a senior leader ready to step into an Executive remit, who is motivated by the opportunity to lead an organisation through a period of purposeful change and sustained development.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Organisational Direction
  • Define and deliver a clear, cohesive strategy, aligned to member priorities and long‑term sector needs.
  • Provide decisive leadership, bringing alignment and pace to an organisation that has previously operated across fragmented leadership lines.
  • Position BSPB to respond effectively to changing market dynamics, including increased competition and evolving commercial models.
  • Lead the organisation towards a more proactive, forward‑looking approach.
• Stakeholder Influence & External Engagement
  • Act as the principal representative and spokesperson for BSPB across industry, government and the wider agricultural ecosystem.
  • Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, including government departments, regulators, trade bodies and farming organisations.
  • Operate credibly across a complex landscape, balancing differing and at times competing interests.
  • Shape and influence policy across plant breeding, innovation, intellectual property and regulatory frameworks.
  • Strengthen BSPB's external voice, ensuring the organisation is visible, relevant and impactful in industry discussions.
  • Move the organisation from a primarily reactive stance towards a more strategic and influential position.
• Membership & Governance
  • Work closely with the Board to support effective governance and informed decision‑making.
  • Build alignment across a diverse membership base, facilitating constructive dialogue and consensus where required.
  • Ensure BSPB delivers clear, tangible value to members.
• Operational Leadership
  • Oversee the effective running of a small, technically capable organisation.
  • Provide oversight of financial and commercial activity, including royalty collection frameworks.
  • Support and develop the existing team, ensuring accountability, clarity and cohesion.

Person Specification

• Experience & Capability
  • Senior leadership experience within agriculture, life sciences or other adjacent sectors. Experience within membership‑led organisations is advantageous.
  • Strong background in stakeholder engagement, public affairs, policy or advocacy.
  • Experience operating at, or alongside, Board level.
  • Commercial awareness and the ability to oversee financial and operational delivery.
  • The judgement and credibility to operate across complex and often sensitive industry challenges.
  • Knowledge of plant breeding, agriculture, agritech or a related field.
  • Experience of working within regulatory or policy‑driven environments.
  • Understanding of intellectual property or innovation‑led sectors.
• Personal Attributes
  • Visible and credible leader, able to build trust quickly both internally and externally.
  • Strategic but grounded, with the ability to translate direction into delivery.
  • Strong communicator, comfortable representing the organisation in high‑profile settings.
  • Collaborative and pragmatic, with the ability to navigate differing stakeholder perspectives.
  • Motivated by long‑term impact, with the commitment to build and evolve an organisation over time.

Additional Information & How to Apply

You will join a collaborative and highly engaged organisation, working predominantly from the Ely office (typically 3–4 days per week). Regular UK travel will be required, alongside occasional international engagement. Application deadline is 23:59, Tuesday 28th July. No cover letter required to apply at this stage, but please ensure all relevant experience is highlighted on your CV. Full UK right to work required.