Job Description

At Esteem we're powered by young adults' voices and ideas.

Job Title

- Chief Officer

Accountable To

- Chair of Trustees

Based At

- Esteem office, Old School House, Shoreham-by-sea, with some options for flexible/hybrid working

Contract

- Permanent

Hours

- 37.5 hours per week (30 to 37.5 hours per week negotiable)

Pay

- 50,000 to 55,000 per annum (FTE) (Depending on experience)

Application Deadline

- 9am - Friday 15th August 2025

Interview Date

- Friday 12th September 2025

Start Date

- To be confirmed

How to apply

- If you would like to apply for this position, please visit our jobs page https://esteem.org.uk/esteem-jobs-board/ to view the full Recruitment Pack.

Contained within the recruitment pack is a downloadable application form, job description and person specification. Send the completed application with your CV to hr@esteem.org.uk

Please let us know if you would prefer to submit your application in another way, such as a video presentation.

When you apply, we'll be looking first at how your story meets the qualities in our

Person Specification and Recruitment Pack

The everyday Chief-Officer duties set out by the Charity Commission and NCVO still matter; we've adapted them below so you can see exactly how they translate into Esteem's participatory, values-driven context.

If you're excited by collaborative leadership, shared power and championing youth agency, we'd love to hear from you.

The incoming Chief Officer will be joining Esteem at a pivotal time of consolidation and potential growth, with opportunities and challenges that require both visionary and pragmatic leadership.

What success looks like

Dynamic, inspiring, and truly participatory leadership, nurturing Esteem's unique ethos and facilitating young adults and staff as co-creators in the organisation's mission and future, while upholding the strategic and governance frameworks set by the board of trustees. Together with the chair, enable the board of trustees to fulfil its duties and responsibilities for the proper governance of Esteem and to ensure that the board receives timely advice and appropriate information on all relevant matters

How you'll make it happen

To provide facilitative leadership to Esteem, working collaboratively with the Senior Leadership Team, and to be responsible for the management and administration of Esteem within the strategic and accountability frameworks laid down by the board of trustees and the Charity Commission.

1.1. Lead with purpose and a strengths-based approach

To lead, support, trust, and value staff and volunteers To assist the board in agreeing and upholding the values, ethos, vision and mission of Esteem To facilitate and embed youth voice and shared power throughout the organisation To lead the periodic review and development of a medium to long-term strategy for Esteem within its objectives, vision, and mission, and to obtain the approval of the board, young adults and staff teams To develop the work of Esteem in order to achieve the agreed strategic plan and its objectives, vision and mission and thus to ensure that Esteem is focused on achieving the strategic priorities in line with our stated values and approach To ensure that the Esteem's values, ethos and policies are relevant, fair and consistently implemented To develop an organisation that is constantly seeking ways to learn and to improve its performance To develop and maintain an environment that attracts and retains the best staff and volunteers

1.2. Make things work day-to-day

To be accountable to the board for the proper and effective management of Esteem To run Esteem efficiently and effectively by ensuring that Esteem has an appropriate management structure and management systems in order to fulfil its strategic objectives and to carry out its work To ensure that all management policies and decisions support the agreed vision, mission, values, philosophy and strategic priorities of the Esteem and have ownership of managers, staff and young adults To ensure that business, operational and annual plans to underpin the strategic plan are developed, agreed and implemented To identify appropriate methods for monitoring the performance against our co-produced strategy and to report back to the trustees on this, as well as Esteem's business, operational and annual plans, and against the annual budget as approved by the board To ensure that the recruitment, management, training and development of staff reflect good employment practice and are directed towards achieving Esteem's values and objectives To ensure that Esteem is aware of best practice and that it constantly works to achieve this within the constraints laid down by the trustees and resources available Take on the responsibility of Designated Safeguarding Officer if required, as part of Esteem's Designated Safeguarding Team.

1.3. Steward our resources and risk

To be responsible overall for the financial health of Esteem, including supporting the development and oversight of Esteem's comprehensive fundraising strategy, and playing a key role in cultivating and maintaining high-quality strategic relationships with funders, stakeholders and partners and securing necessary funding to ensure the organisation's financial resilience and development. To ensure that the major risks to which Esteem is exposed are reviewed regularly by the board and the senior leadership team. Systems have been established to mitigate these risks, and a risk analysis is automatically carried out when taking on new work or proposing new work to the board To ensure that there are effective mechanisms to ensure the robustness of external and internal controls (financial and non-financial)

1.4. Connect our community, inside and out

To foster excellent and inclusive communications throughout Esteem and externally To develop, as appropriate, Esteem's public profile and foster good relationships with government, statutory, voluntary and private bodies, and other external stakeholders To set up mechanisms for listening to the views of current and future young adults on the performance of Esteem, as well as on areas for future development To scan the external environment for changes (opportunities and risks/threats) that may affect Esteem, to advise the trustees proactively and to take necessary action

1.5. Safeguard Esteem's integrity

To ensure that Esteem fulfils all its legal, statutory and regulatory responsibilities Together with the chair, to enable the board of trustees to fulfil its duties and responsibilities for the proper governance of Esteem and to ensure that the board receives timely advice and appropriate information on all relevant matters.

2.1. Shape the future together

In partnership with the chair, to ensure that the trustees work with young adults and the staff team to set the values, ethos, vision, mission, strategic objectives and strategic priorities for Esteem

2.2. Champion good governance

Draw the board's attention to matters that it should consider and decide To ensure that the board receives all necessary advice, guidance and information on matters relating to current performance, the short- and long-term future of Esteem, regulatory and legal compliance, and other appropriate issues; and making sure that such advice, guidance and information are timely, honest, balanced and relevant To ensure that staff understand and support the governance role of the board and that there is a positive and constructive working relationship between the board and the Senior Leadership Team To ensure with the chair that the board of trustees regularly reviews Esteem's governing instruments and governance structure, and to assist with the board's assessment of its own performance In partnership with the chair, to ensure that the authority delegated by the board is recorded in writing and understood fully by staff and volunteers, and that all agreed reporting procedures are followed To work closely with the board to ensure that the board has on it the skills it requires to govern Esteem well, and that the board has access to relevant external professional advice and expertise To assist the chair in ensuring that there is a systematic, open and fair procedure for the recruitment or co-option of trustees, future chairs of the board and future chief executives To work with the chair to ensure that all members of the board receive appropriate induction, advice, information and training (both individual and collective), thus getting the best thinking and involvement of each member of the board

2.3. Board Collaboration

To ensure that the board is given the information it needs to perform its duties In partnership with the Chair and Secretary to the Board, to develop an annual programme of board and committee meetings and board away-days In partnership with the Chair and Secretary to the Board, to ensure that the right and appropriate items reach board agendas and that high-quality papers support each item on the agenda To assist the Chair and Secretary to the Board in ensuring that the board focuses on its governance role by making sure that the board agenda and papers do not draw the board away from governance and into the realm of operational and unnecessary detail and management issues To work with the SLT to report quarterly to the board of trustees on the performance of Esteem, progress towards the strategic priorities and the achievement of board policies To submit high-level policy proposals for the approval of the board or assist the board in the development of these policies, and to be responsible for the efficient and effective achievement of these policies To implement board decisions

Relationship with the Chair of Trustees

To have regular supervision and where appropriate, one-to-one meetings with the Chair at which the Chair and Chief Officer can talk openly, discuss progress and problems, agree expectations of each other, plan the board's annual programme together and prepare together for meetings In close consultation with the Chair and the SLT, to agree respective roles in representing Esteem and acting as spokesperson at public functions, public meetings and to the press/media

Person Specification: Chief Officer, Esteem

Esteem is a special organisation and we need a special individual to help us take it forward into the future. The role requires a deep respect for youth agency and a commitment to enabling young people as leaders within Esteem.

This person specification outlines the essential qualities we require for the Chief Officer role. We will use these criteria at different stages of the recruitment process on your completed Application (A); at Interview (I) and in some instances through an Exercise (E) or Presentation (P).

Essential Criteria:Experience:

Proven leadership experience within a participatory, values-driven organisation. (A, I) Demonstrated success in building and maintaining high-quality strategic relationships with funders, stakeholders, and partners, including high-net-worth individuals. (A, I) Experience of working within a safeguarding framework, with a thorough understanding of best practices and legislative requirements as part of a contextual safeguarding approach. (A) Experience leading or managing a multidisciplinary team of staff and volunteers. (A)

Skills and Abilities:

Strong decision-making and problem-solving skills, combined with strategic thinking (A, I, E). Ability to lead collaboratively, enabling young adults and staff to exercise agency and co-create solutions and contribute meaningfully to the organisation's mission. (A, I) Knowledge of organisational governance and collaborative strategic planning in a small-to-medium-sized organisation. (A, I) Excellent organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and foster an intentional environment which promotes a work-life balance. (A) Skilled in managing transitions and change, ensuring stability while fostering collective agility, innovation and growth. (A) Strong financial management and analytical skills, understands the income & expenditures statement, balance sheet, forecasting and cashflow (A, I, E).

Values and Leadership Style:

A fundamental commitment to Esteem's values and participatory approach. (A, I) A strong commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and to promoting an organisational culture of trust, respect and belonging. (A, I) A foundational understanding of the importance of wellbeing for all in the organisation. (A, I) Open to feedback and reflective practice, with a strong commitment to personal and organisational learning. (A) A collaborative and facilitative leadership style that builds consensus and nurtures relationships across the organisation.(A, I)

Desirable

Familiarity with a range of program delivery methods, digital engagement strategies and online platforms that promote inclusion and remove barriers to participation for young adults, and foster community building and organisational strengthening. (A) Knowledge of diverse impact measurement and evaluation methodologies, particularly relevant to young adult development programs.(A) Advanced facilitation skills for engaging diverse groups, including young adults, in co-creative processes and discussions.(A, E) Experience in writing successful grant applications and developing compelling funding proposals. (A) Experience of challenges faced by young people and underrepresented groups is highly valued (A,I)
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 50,000.00-55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Bereavement leave Casual dress Company pension Cycle to work scheme Discounted or free food Employee discount Health & wellbeing programme Sick pay Store discount Work from home
Schedule:

Flexitime
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Shoreham by Sea BN43 6PA

Application deadline: 15/08/2025
Reference ID: Chief Officer