CEO

CEO

The Role

Reporting into the Board of Trustees, we are seeking an inspirational CEO for the PDA Society, who can lead with humility and curiosity, empowering and supporting our staff along the journey. They will be responsible for the day-to-day management of the charity and its staff and volunteers, and will oversee the development of our training products, research and support services, whilst ensuring sustainable growth in impact and income.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a trusted enterprise within the PDA community with a strong mission and a committed, values driven team. The successful candidate will be passionate about improving the lives of PDAers and their families. You will be energetic, creative and bring new ideas for enhancing the charity’s reputation, through nurturing existing relationships and developing new ones to achieve the charities goals. Our ideal candidate will have lived experience of autism, PDA or other neurodivergence although this is not essential.

Key Responsibilities

Governance

• Leading governance to ensure charity complies with charity articles and regulation
• Working with the Chair and Trustee Board to ensure Trustees fulfil their legal obligations
• Working with the Chair and Trustees to recruit Trustees according to skills required, and that effective governance, subcommittees, safeguarding and Board development is in place
• Managing and mitigating operating and strategic risks
• Ensure effective operational policies, procedures and processes are in place, and that these meet legal, regulatory and best practice requirements including those for employment, technology, GDPR, safeguarding and Health & Safety

Strategy

• Setting and implementing the vision and strategy of the PDA Society, ensuring the financial security of the charity and playing a key ambassadorial role with funders and other stakeholders
• Leading the business plan and budget setting for approval by Trustees, and ongoing monitoring against objectives
• Strengthening the charities’ ability to improve the lives of PDAers and their families through:
  • high quality support services
  • trusted information and resources
  • professional training and education
  • effective advocacy through research and policy engagement

Fundraising

• Overseeing our fundraising strategy, developing a stable and diversified income
• Managing the execution of fundraising plans and initiatives
• Driving and overseeing effective partnerships
• Overseeing mechanics and systems used to collect and analyse data and building business case for investment as required
• Manage relationships with key supporters and donors

Financial Control

• Maintain effective financial management and control systems; ensure delivery within budgets and to performance targets and oversee production of management accounts, statutory accounts and annual reports
• Oversee the financial management of the charity ensuring all statutory obligations are met and monthly payroll is undertaken within agreed time periods

Key Responsibilities (continued) and Experience Required

Marketing and Communications

• Lead The PDA Society brand proposition and key messaging
• Oversee all content development ensuring excellent quality output including website, social media channels, training hub, podcasts, partner materials, PR and CRM
• Overseeing systems development ensuring simplicity and building business cases for investment as required
• Collaborating with internal stakeholders to drive employee engagement

Team Management

• Demonstrate strong personal leadership whilst building good team relationships and effective cross-team communication and working practices
• Responsible for ensuring continuous employee development, performance management and conflict resolution
• Oversee recruitment and new employee/contract offers ensuring agreed processes are adhered to
• Recommend team remuneration and benefits packages to the Board
• Identify risk and develop recruitment / succession plans to ensure team capacity is realistic and not over-stretched

Experience and Characteristics

• Leadership experience in a similar sized charity with experience working in organisations driven by social purpose, support services, community need or lived experience
• Experience working collaboratively with boards, trustees or equivalent governance structures
• Track record of growing sustainable income through creative and innovative approaches to fundraising, partnerships and income-generating services
• Experienced and comfortable in managing budgets, financial risk and organisational performance
• Proven experience in developing high performing, collaborative teams, inspiring trust and delivering results
• A positive, self-motivated, and driven leader who can energise the PDA Society and its staff through its next phase of development

• Experience how to get the most out of tech platforms that underpin the support we provide to our PDA communities (Facebook, email, online learning, online content, etc), including how we leverage AI would be a brilliant asset
• Excellent communication to a range of stakeholders with the ability to adapt to different audiences including: families, professionals, policymakers, corporate partners and supporters
• Knowledge of autism, neurodiversity or related field would be an advantage

Your Personality and Behaviour

• Motivated by results
• Comfortable with ambiguity
• Adaptable
• Strategic
• Evidence focused
• Respectful and supportive

Your Skills

• Strategic vision
• Digital and tech savvy
• Planning and organising
• Workflow management
• Creative problem solving
• Analysis
• Numeracy and budgeting

Compensation and Benefits

The role is a full-time role based on 38 hours per week. We are a remote working team but there is budget for in-person meetings and a good culture around connection and community.

The PDA Society is offering an attractive compensation package comprised of the following salary and benefits:

• £62k - £75k dependant on experience (negotiable for the right person)
• 38 hours a week over 5 days (flexible for the right person)
• 3 months’ notice
• Home-based with travel for events and meetings
• 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays
• 4% employers’ contribution to pension (up to 6% with increased employee contributions)