Chief Executive Officer in Stockton-on-Tees

Job purpose

To lead the work of Refugee Futures, working with its trustees, staff and volunteers, to implement its vision and promote an inclusive culture.

To be responsible for the implementation of Refugee Futures’ strategy, management and administration of the organisation, including its income generation and finances.

To work with the Trustee Board to review the strategy on a periodic basis, and fulfil its governance functions ensuring that it receives appropriate advice and information on all relevant matters.

To promote Refugee Futures externally and grow its impact and influence.

To develop and maintain productive and meaningful strategic and operational partnerships with other organisations working in Stockton-on-Tees.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Contribute to the on‑going development of Refugee Futures Vision, Mission & Values and Strategy working with trustees, staff, and volunteers; and implementation of the Strategy.
• Lead team of staff and volunteers, enabling them to have regular supervision and appraisals to facilitate their work and development, including through appropriate training.
• Embedding of an inclusive culture, internally and externally, with a commitment to listening to the voices of Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
• Oversee and manage Refugee Futures finances working as appropriate with the Chair, Trustee Finance Lead and Finance Administrator, including management accounts, audit preparation/financial reporting, to ensure that Refugee Futures remains financially healthy and complies with its legal obligations, Charity Commission requirements, and good practice.
• Lead and deliver Refugee Futures income generation activities, including building relationships with public sector commissioners, grant making trusts, donors and supporters, reporting on the use of funds given.
• Ensure organisational clarity on the impact we deliver and work with staff to maintain systems of monitoring and collecting data including recording outputs and outcomes so as to evidence this.
• Provide the Board of Trustees, and other stakeholders with timely, clear and comprehensive reports so they can monitor and evaluate Refugee Futures performance and governance.
• Develop and maintain productive and collaborative strategic and operational partnerships with other organisations, in all sectors, including our collaboration with Durham University.
• Develop and implement a communications strategy to promote Refugee Futures work externally developing links with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Undertake other relevant duties as agreed with the Chair and the Board of Trustees.

Person Specification

Essential experience

• Experience of leading teams of people, and promoting an inclusive culture.
• Experience of strategic planning and implementation working with a diverse Board of Trustees.
• Proven success in generating income from a variety of sources, including from trusts and foundations, as well as delivering and reporting on agreed outcomes and the evaluation of services.
• Management experience, including the management of staff, budgets, projects and volunteers.
• An aptitude for, and/or experience of, networking and communicating with a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Experience of working with partner organisations in the voluntary and other sectors.
• Understanding of, and commitment to supporting vulnerable people, particularly from within the voluntary sector.

Desirable experience

• Experience of being the leader of an organisation as Chief Executive or similar.
• Experience of managing contracted programmes of work, commissioned and funded by a public sector organisation.
• Experience of working with, and listening to the voices of, Refugees and Asylum Seekers.
• Experience of integrating research into setting direction, reflection and learning and evidencing impact.

Key Competencies

• A leader, effective manager and team builder who is dynamic, persuasive, and resilient to meet the demands of the role.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, enabling good relationships to be established and maintained with Trustees, colleagues, partners, and other stakeholders.
• An ability to embed and promote an inclusive culture for their organisation, and with partner organisations.
• A good level of written and spoken English.
• The ability to work creatively and flexibly in a diverse range of situations and with a wide variety of people and organisations.
• An ability to manage competing priorities and a challenging workload.
• Self‑motivated, used to working alone without the need for constant support/direction.
• An excellent role model, able to engender an environment of mutual trust and respect.
• An innovator and motivator, able to think creatively and effectively to solve problems.
• An effective team player, able to foster new partnerships, work collaboratively across boundaries and evoke high levels of commitment and performance from others.
• A persuasive speaker, capable of positively influencing a wide range of audiences.

How to apply

Please check our website for more information and email your CV, our EDI form (found on our website above), and a covering letter setting out how you meet the requirements for the post by 9am Monday 9 March 2026. Interviews for the post are likely to be held on Wednesday 25 March 2026.