Director – UK Charity

Hours: Part-time, approximately 2.5-3 days per week 

Reports to: The Board of Trustees 

Works closely with: The CEO/co-founder during handover, the Chair and trustees, and the Schools/Programme team 

About

iheart is a registered charity that supports children and young people, schools and educators through mental health education, resilience and wellbeing programmes. Our aim is to help young people uncover their innate resilience and mental wellbeing so they are better equipped to meet life’s challenges and thrive. We deliver programmes in schools and through partner organisations, alongside training for teachers and school staff. Having built a strong programme base and growing evidence of impact, iheart is now looking for a Director to lead the charity’s next stage of development.

The role

The Director will take responsibility for the day-to-day leadership of iheart, succeeding the current CEO and co-founder in that capacity. This is a part-time senior role for a practical, entrepreneurial leader who can turn a strong mission and programme offer into sustainable income and wider reach. Income generation and fundraising is central to the brief. The successful candidate will be able to build relationships, open doors and convert opportunities across trusts and foundations, major donors, commissioners, schools, strategic partners and other suitable income streams.

Following the handover, the current CEO and co-founder will join the Board of Trustees, strongly supporting the transition to the new Director and remaining active in fundraising, stakeholder management and governance.

Main responsibilities

Income generation and growth

• Develop and deliver a focused income-generation plan that supports both current operations and future growth.

• Build a strong pipeline of funders, commissioners, donors, schools and strategic partners.

• Lead high-quality proposals, pitches and funding applications, and follow opportunities through to a decision.

• Strengthen existing funder and partner relationships and build new ones.

• Test and develop new routes to income, including specialised programme offers and commissioner-led models.

• Set clear targets and report regularly to the Board on pipeline, income and progress.

Leadership and delivery

• Lead the charity’s day-to-day work, priorities and resources.

• Take responsibility for the charity’s day-to-day administration and the effective operational management of its activities. (iheart currently has no administrator or office manager, so confident hands-on administration behind the scenes is an important part of the role.)

• Work with the Schools/Programme team to ensure high-quality delivery and a clear link between impact, demand and growth.

• Keep the charity focused, financially disciplined and responsive to opportunities.

• Contribute to and help sustain the current positive, accountable, strong working culture which is suited to a small charity.

Strategy, impact and governance

• Work with the Board to shape and deliver iheart’s next-stage strategy.

• Use the charity’s theory of change, evaluation work and impact evidence to strengthen its case for support.

• Give the Board clear and timely information on performance, risks and decisions.

• Ensure appropriate governance, safeguarding, compliance and financial controls are maintained.

• Represent iheart credibly with funders, schools, commissioners, partners and other stakeholders.

About you

You are likely to bring:

• A strong record of generating income for a charity, social enterprise or purpose-led organisation. This should include experience of grant writing and donor management.

• Evidence of turning relationships and opportunities into funding, partnerships or contracts.

• A genuine connection with iheart's mission and preventative approach to young people's mental health, including a real understanding of and commitment to the Resilience Framework – iheart's own proprietary model, which underpins everything we do.

• Senior leadership experience in a small or growing organisation.

• The ability and temperament to move comfortably between fundraising, strategy and hands-on delivery.

• Strong communication, influencing and relationship-building skills.

• Commercial judgement, persistence and a clear focus on results.

• Confidence working with a proactive Board, which includes the charity’s founders. 

It would be useful, but not essential, to have:

• Experience of children’s services, education, mental health or wellbeing.

• Experience of selling or commissioning services into schools, local authorities or public bodies.

• An established network across philanthropy, trusts and foundations, education or commissioning.

First-year priorities

The Director’s early priorities are expected to include:

• Agreeing a practical income-generation plan with the Board.

• Converting the strongest current opportunities and building a healthier future pipeline.

• Clarifying the best routes for scaling iheart’s existing and specialised programme offers.

• Embedding the charity’s developing theory of change and evaluation evidence into fundraising and partnerships.

• Completing a smooth handover from the current CEO/co-founder.

How to apply

The recruitment process is being managed by Work Avenue. Closing date to be confirmed.

For more information about the role, or to receive a personal recommendation, please contact our recruitment team. Melissa – melissa@theworkavenue.org.uk or Yael – yb@theworkavenue.org.uk

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