Chief Executive Officer

A rare leadership role in a charity that genuinely changes lives. For over 40 years, Thames Valley Adventure Playground has been a place where children and adults with disabilities, neurodiversity and sensory impairments, and the families who love them, can play, learn, grow and simply be. Families describe us as a lifeline. Visitors describe the place as magical. Over 26,000 people came through our gates last year. We're now looking for our next Head of Charity / CEO to lead TVAP into its next chapter.

The moment we're in: Our long-serving Head of Charity has expressed his wish to retire. The Board of Trustees is refreshing TVAP's strategy, investing in infrastructure and staff, and building sustainable funding foundations for the years ahead. Projects already in the pipeline include a new space to support parents and carers, life-skills training for adults with additional needs, and a reimagined site layout. We need a leader who can hold two things at once: protect what makes TVAP special, the 'magic' that families, staff and beneficiaries describe, while modernising how the charity operates behind the scenes. Lead through a period of change with empathy, clarity and the ability to make tough decisions to ensure an evolution that meets the ever-changing needs of the community.

What you'll actually do: Working closely with the trustees and the internal team, you'll:

• Maximise TVAP's impact and reach in the community through a high quality service provision to meet the needs of today's and future visitors.
• Refresh and lead the charity's strategy for 2030 and beyond, with the Board, staff, families and funders, and manage a multi-year implementation plan.
• Lead, develop and inspire their dedicated team of staff and volunteers.
• Working alongside the Head of Fundraising, build a sustainable income stream particularly tapping into local business partnerships, corporate sponsorship and CSR initiatives.
• Raise TVAP's profile in the local community; we've been described as 'the best kept secret in Maidenhead' and we want that to change.
• Hold safeguarding, health and safety and governance to the highest standard - these are non-negotiable.
• Be present and visible on site with the team and parents/carers, out in the community with our partners, and with the Board.

Who we're looking for: You'll bring both the passion for what TVAP stands for and the management substance to lead it well. We're looking for a leader who can run a charity effectively and understand why this place matters so much to the people who use it. You will probably have:

• Proven leadership experience with real delivery to point to, ideally including a period of meaningful change or transition.
• A track record of leading high quality service provision.
• Experience of building, developing and motivating teams, including having the emotional intelligence to lead people through change.
• Strong financial understanding - enough to interpret data, shape funding strategy and speak credibly to a board.
• A track record of building relationships that both lead to profile raising in a community and/or income/resources generation, and inspire the internal stakeholders.
• A serious commitment to safeguarding and inclusive practice.
• Demonstrated capability to make difficult decisions with empathy, and to hold non-negotiable lines when they matter.

You will almost certainly be:

• A listener, someone who arrives asking questions, not giving orders.
• Comfortable being visible and accountable, at the front of the charity in the community.
• Resilient enough to lead through a transition where your predecessor will still be part-time on site until early next year.
• Lived experience of disability, neurodiversity or caring responsibilities, whether personal or through family, friends or previous work - is welcome and valued, though not essential. What matters is the empathy and judgement you bring.

The practicalities: Reporting to Chair of Trustees, accountable to the Board. Safeguarding: This role is subject to successful references and an enhanced DBS check. The centre is currently open Tuesday to Saturday, so weekend working is part of the role. This may change in line with the charity's operational needs, and a Monday to Friday pattern - with Mondays worked from home - might possibly become an option in future. TVAP is committed to the active promotion of inclusivity and equal opportunities as an employer and in the provision of its services and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

How to apply and what happens next: Thames Valley Adventure Playground is partnering with level= to run a fair, inclusive recruitment process using an anonymised, work sample task approach (no CV screening). When you register your interest, you'll automatically receive a candidate job pack with full details of the process and timelines. The process will include:

• Submit your CV to register interest by: Friday 8th May, 12pm noon. You'll receive an automatic email within 60 minutes with a link to the Job Pack (including full process details). If you have not received this, please reach out to us at:
• Complete the anonymised work sample tasks by: Monday 11th May, 12pm noon.