Values-led and committed to improving outcomes for veterans, families and carers.
Collaborative, inclusive and emotionally intelligent.
Calm and resilient when dealing with pressure, complexity or sensitive circumstances.
Transparent and accountable, with high standards of personal and professional integrity.
Practical and adaptable, with the willingness to remain visible and engaged within a relatively small organisation.
Politically astute and diplomatic, with the ability to navigate differing interests, build consensus and maintain trusted relationships in complex partnership environments.
Safeguarding
All VOS employees have an individual responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of those who use its services. The successful candidate will be expected to complete appropriate safeguarding training and comply fully with VOS’s safeguarding policies and reporting procedures. Appointment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including references and a DBS check.
Data protection and confidentiality
The postholder will comply with UK data protection legislation and VOS’s requirements for information governance, confidentiality and records management. Particular care will be required because of the sensitive personal, welfare and mental health information held by the charity.
Health and safety
The Chief Executive will hold day-to-day executive responsibility for ensuring that VOS provides a safe environment for service users, staff, volunteers, partners and visitors and complies with relevant health and safety requirements, while providing the Board with the information and assurance it needs to discharge its ultimate governance responsibilities.
Equity, diversity and inclusion
VOS welcomes applications from candidates from all backgrounds and is committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. It seeks to ensure its services, employment practices and volunteering opportunities are accessible, respectful and responsive to the diverse experiences of the Armed Forces and Merchant Navy communities.
The skills and competencies and personal qualities listed below are essential requirements for the role.
Leadership: Able to understand the wider context, establish priorities and translate ambition into deliverable plans.
People: Able to inspire, support and hold others accountable while fostering trust, inclusion and shared ownership.
Financial and organisational judgement: Financially literate and able to make timely, evidence-based decisions using budgets, forecasts, risk and performance information.
Governance: Able to provide trustees with clear and balanced advice while respecting the distinction between governance and executive management.
Partnerships and influence: Skilled at building trust, navigating differing interests and creating productive collaborations.
Communication and representation: A credible and diplomatic communicator, able to make complex information clear and represent VOS confidently with varied audiences.
Experience in a charity, mental health, health, social care, welfare, veterans’ service or similarly complex environment.
Experience of working with a Board, governing body or comparable non-executive structure.
Knowledge of, or the ability to develop an understanding of, the needs and experiences of Armed Forces and Merchant Navy veterans, their families and carers. Candidates without this knowledge will be expected to demonstrate their ability to develop it.
Experience of securing or managing significant grants, contracts or commissioned services.
Experience of leading partnerships, programmes or networks involving multiple organisations.
Leadership experience, including responsibility for leading or overseeing a whole organisation, or a significant organisational function, department or area of delivery, together with an understanding of the wider organisational context.
Experience of contributing to organisational strategy and translating it into clear plans, priorities and measurable outcomes.
Experience of leading and developing teams through change, growth or service development.
Experience or a strong understanding of budget management, forecasting, organisational risk and long-term sustainability.
Experience or a strong understanding of income generation through fundraising, commissioning, business development or related activity.
Experience of building effective partnerships and/or representing an organisation externally.
Experience or a strong understanding of service quality, performance and impact measurement.
A sound understanding of governance, legal and regulatory compliance, and safeguarding.
The skills and competencies and personal qualities listed below are essential requirements for the role.
Leadership: Able to understand the wider context, establish priorities and translate ambition into deliverable plans.
People: Able to inspire, support and hold others accountable while fostering trust, inclusion and shared ownership.
Financial and organisational judgement: Financially literate and able to make timely, evidence-based decisions using budgets, forecasts, risk and performance information.
Governance: Able to provide trustees with clear and balanced advice while respecting the distinction between governance and executive management.
Partnerships and influence: Skilled at building trust, navigating differing interests and creating productive collaborations.
Communication and representation: A credible and diplomatic communicator, able to make complex information clear and represent VOS confidently with varied audiences.
Personal qualities
Values-led and committed to improving outcomes for veterans, families and carers.
Collaborative, inclusive and emotionally intelligent.
Calm and resilient when dealing with pressure, complexity or sensitive circumstances.
Transparent and accountable, with high standards of personal and professional integrity.
Practical and adaptable, with the willingness to remain visible and engaged within a relatively small organisation.
Politically astute and diplomatic, with the ability to navigate differing interests, build consensus and maintain trusted relationships in complex partnership environments.
Safeguarding
All VOS employees have an individual responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of those who use its services. The successful candidate will be expected to complete appropriate safeguarding training and comply fully with VOS’s safeguarding policies and reporting procedures. Appointment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks, including references and a DBS check.
Data protection and confidentiality
The postholder will comply with UK data protection legislation and VOS’s requirements for information governance, confidentiality and records management. Particular care will be required because of the sensitive personal, welfare and mental health information held by the charity.
Health and safety
The Chief Executive will hold day-to-day executive responsibility for ensuring that VOS provides a safe environment for service users, staff, volunteers, partners and visitors and complies with relevant health and safety requirements, while providing the Board with the information and assurance it needs to discharge its ultimate governance responsibilities.
Equity, diversity and inclusion
VOS welcomes applications from candidates from all backgrounds and is committed to fair and inclusive recruitment. It seeks to ensure its services, employment practices and volunteering opportunities are accessible, respectful and responsive to the diverse experiences of the Armed Forces and Merchant Navy communities.
Experience in a charity, mental health, health, social care, welfare, veterans’ service or similarly complex environment.
Experience of working with a Board, governing body or comparable non-executive structure.
Knowledge of, or the ability to develop an understanding of, the needs and experiences of Armed Forces and Merchant Navy veterans, their families and carers. Candidates without this knowledge will be expected to demonstrate their ability to develop it.
Experience of securing or managing significant grants, contracts or commissioned services.
Experience of leading partnerships, programmes or networks involving multiple organisations.
Leadership experience, including responsibility for leading or overseeing a whole organisation, or a significant organisational function, department or area of delivery, together with an understanding of the wider organisational context.
Experience of contributing to organisational strategy and translating it into clear plans, priorities and measurable outcomes.
Experience of leading and developing teams through change, growth or service development.
Experience or a strong understanding of budget management, forecasting, organisational risk and long-term sustainability.
Experience or a strong understanding of income generation through fundraising, commissioning, business development or related activity.
Experience of building effective partnerships and/or representing an organisation externally.
Experience or a strong understanding of service quality, performance and impact measurement.
A sound understanding of governance, legal and regulatory compliance, and safeguarding.