Interim CEO (maternity cover)

The Organisation
Together We Learn is a charity registered in England and Wales, working in close partnership with Together We Learn Ethiopia, a registered NGO in Ethiopia. Operating as two distinct legal entities, the organisations work as sister charities with a shared mission and vision: to enable disadvantaged children to access high-quality education. While Together We Learn in the UK leads fundraising, governance and international engagement, Together We Learn Ethiopia is responsible for implementing and delivering programmes on the ground. Our approach focuses on improving both access to education and the quality of education systems, while supporting the wider wellbeing of students, families and communities. We work in partnership with state education systems to deliver sustainable, long-term impact. By addressing educational needs both in and beyond the classroom, Together We Learn aims to create lasting change for children and communities across Ethiopia.

The Role
As CEO, you will lead the UK team of Together We Learn and work in close partnership with the Ethiopian team, providing guidance and support to enable them to deliver programmes to a high standard. You will provide overall leadership for the charity, with responsibility for fundraising and stakeholder engagement, oversight of programmes, and management of finance and operations. The annual turnover of Together We Learn is £350,000, and you will be responsible for line managing two staff in the UK and occasional interns, as well as supporting our Ethiopian partner, who has 15 programme and 8 support staff working across two regional offices: Gondar in the Amhara region and Addis Ababa in the Oromia region. The charity is managed by an experienced board of 5 trustees who meet quarterly and provide ad hoc support in their professional areas of expertise. The charity is in a stable position with funds secured for the current year and a fundraising plan in place for the year ahead. You will have a detailed handover to enable you to carry out the varied functions required by the role and will be supported in these by the Programmes Manager and Sponsorship Coordinator. You will report to the board on a quarterly basis. Our current three-year strategy focuses on building the capacity of our Ethiopian partner so that they can take a greater role in leading the organisation. This runs through our approach in all aspects of our work, and specific targets have been identified to help us achieve this goal over the strategic period. You will have the opportunity to advance our strategy using your unique skills.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership
  Line manage the Programmes Manager, Sponsorship Coordinator and interns. Collaborate with the Ethiopia Country Director and the staff of Together We Learn-Ethiopia on programme delivery. Deliver the organisational strategy.
• Deliver High Quality Programmes
  Monitor delivery of activity plans related to projects, sponsorship and school linking. Track programme finances against budgets. Support the UK staff in their programme roles.
• Finance and Operations Management
  Steward Together We Learn’s finances, including reconciling accounts, managing the finance database and tracking performance against the forecast and fundraising plan. Due diligence checks on Ethiopian partner finances. Prepare annual accounts for examination and develop the annual report for Charity Commission submission. Governance duties and other finance admin.
• Fundraising
  Reporting and applications to trusts and foundations. Stewardship of donors and fundraisers. Oversight of the annual online fundraising campaign.
• Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
  Quarterly supporter newsletters. Posting regular updates on our social media platforms. Maintaining the website content, including blog updates and basic SEO management.

The job of a CEO is hard to define, especially in a small charity, so the list above covers the key areas but is not exhaustive, and other duties may be required.

Person Specification
This role requires someone with excellent time management and interpersonal skills. The ideal candidate will have experience managing teams in a development or small charity environment, as well as significant experience managing finance systems, fundraising and having oversight of multiple programmes.

Essential Experience & Competencies

• Energetic and self-motivated individual who shares our mission.
• 3+ years of team leadership or experience in a senior management role directly responsible for staff and high-level reporting. Ability to provide positive, hands-on leadership to a small team of experienced and motivated individuals.
• 3+ years of financial management, including full-cost budgeting, tracking and reconciling finances, and reporting against forecasts and spending plans.
• 3+ years of proven experience in fundraising, a successful track record of securing and reporting on significant grants as well as maintaining positive funder relations.
• Experience working overseas in an international development or education context or working closely with overseas partners in the same sectors.
• A practical, collaborative and adaptable approach with good problem-solving skills.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Strong and adaptable communication skills, both written and verbal, to support sensitive cross-cultural working and inspire funders and supporters.
• Fluency with MS Office programs, Gmail and shared drives.

Desirable Experience & Competencies

• Lived experience of Ethiopia, or of a comparable context, such as the Horn of Africa or East Africa, or a strong personal or professional connection to Habesha or other African cultures.
• Degree or master’s in international development, or similar field of study.
• Office management experience.
• Project delivery or programme management experience, especially in a small charity, international development or education context.
• Experience reporting directly to board level.
• Experience increasing online engagement or driving new donor recruitment.
• Familiarity with a CRM system (e.g. Salesforce).

Equal Opportunities
We value the benefits of a diverse team and encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of the Ethiopian context, or from the African diaspora, for the knowledge and cultural insight they can bring to our work.

Flexible Working
Together We Learn operates a hybrid working style, where you will spend at least one day a week in the office. We find this regular face-to-face time beneficial as a small team, enabling positive collaboration, peer support and engagement with all areas of the organisation’s work. Other hours can be worked remotely or in the office according to individual preference. You will be responsible for your own time management but must complete the majority of your work within office hours to ensure consistent management and collaboration with colleagues. This includes staff from our partner charity in Ethiopia (time zone GMT+3/ BST+2). Ideally, we are looking for a candidate to work full-time; however we will consider an 80% part-time role or job share applications, for the right candidate. If you are applying for a job share, please clarify which responsibilities are best aligned with your abilities.

Please note that this post is subject to a satisfactory DBS check, and the successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK.

Application Process
To apply for this role, please submit a cover letter and CV by midnight on 8 March 2026. The cover letter should explain how your experience and skills meet the criteria required for the role. First-stage interviews will be held online during the week commencing 16th March, with second-stage in-person interviews at our London office during the week commencing 23rd March. Role to start date from 13th April 2026. We regret that we are not able to provide feedback on applications that are not shortlisted for interview.

Use of AI
We understand that AI may sometimes be useful in helping you clarify your ideas or check grammar. However, we want to learn about your voice and approach, so please ensure that the application submitted is written by you and a true reflection of your professional experience. We look forward to hearing from you!