CEO

Reports To: Board of Trustees.

Salary: £45,000 - £52,000 FTE.

Hours: 0.8 FTE (negotiable), primarily on-site with occasional home working.

Pension: 5% matched employer contribution.

Enhanced annual leave and sickness benefit policies. 

About Victoria Hall Harrow

The Victoria Hall Harrow charity started in 1888, with the aim of building a high quality venue for the people of Harrow to come together and to build community. Since then our venue Victoria Hall has been rebuilt twice, the most recently it reopened to the public in Summer 2021. We also created a new charity some years back (a CIO), transferring the assets of the old charity over. For this reason our Charity Commission listing below is not representative of our current financial position and our assets. 

For around 140 years Victoria Hall has provided space for rent to local residents and groups. It has been used for every possible purpose - parties, events, activities, conferences and much more. 

More recently the trustee board have embarked on a renewed strategy process, and we are now relaunching the charity as a partnership-first community centre, that identifies local needs and uses our assets to best meet those needs, working with a wide range of partners to serve the local diverse communities. 

In June 2024 we agreed our new Vision and Mission. We are still now working through the overall draft of our strategy, which we will be happy to share with you as soon as it is ready in 1st draft form. 

Our Vision

A connected and inclusive Harrow, where people and communities thrive.

Our Mission

We facilitate connections, providing space and support for activities and services to identify and meet the needs of Harrow’s diverse communities. 

We collaborate with local residents, groups and organisations, using a partnership-first approach.

In order to achieve our new Vision and Mission we now need to recruit our first ever CEO. We thank you for your interest in the role, and we look forward to receiving your application. 

Role Summary

As our first CEO, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Victoria Hall. You will be responsible for leading the organisation through this exciting transition, working closely with the Board of Trustees, staff, partners, and the wider community. This is a unique opportunity to build on our rich history and create a vibrant community hub that makes a real difference in people's lives.

The charity is in a solid financial position, which will enable us with the correct leadership in place to make real progress in our Vision and Mission. Our premises are new and extremely high quality, and very well located. There is a serious lack of high quality community space in Harrow, and we know already that there is significant demand and interest from a whole range of groups who serve the local diverse community. 

You will lead us in identifying what the most important and pressing needs are in our local community, and how best to meet those using our resources. You will create effective and impactful partnerships with local residents, community groups and charities, plus businesses and the statutory sector, to meet the needs identified. 

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement Victoria Hall's strategic vision, ensuring alignment with our mission and values, with a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Operational Management: Oversee the day-to-day operations of the community centre, including financial management, fundraising, marketing, and facilities management.

• Partnership Development: Build strong relationships with a diverse range of local organisations, businesses, and individuals to create a network of support for Victoria Hall's programs and services.

• Community Engagement: Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment at Victoria Hall, ensuring that our programs and services meet the needs of diverse community members.

• Staff Management: Provide leadership and support to the Centre Manager and other future staff, fostering a positive, collaborative, and diverse work environment.

• Governance: Work closely with the Board of Trustees, ensuring that we are effective and develop together. Provide regular reports and updates on Victoria Hall's progress.

Person Specification

Essential

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.

• Proven experience in a senior leadership role, ideally within the charity or community sector.

• Experience of managing staff and/or volunteers. 

• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills.

• Ability to oversee our legal obligations, with regards to risk management and mitigation, charity law and more. 

• Good IT skills, able to ensure that our charity uses technology effectively. 

• Financial acumen, with experience in budget creation and management. 

• Experience in successful income generation. 

• A passion for community development and social impact.

• A commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• The ability to inspire and motivate others.

Desirable

We do not expect any candidate to have all of these desirable attributes. They are simply a list of the many attributes which we think would be of value in the role. 

• Coaching experience and/or qualifications. 

• Experience working in a partnership-based model.

• Knowledge of the Harrow community, local organisations and residents. 

• Experience in marketing and communications, with a focus on reaching diverse audiences.

• Experience leading an organisation through a period of change or transition.

• Fluency in languages spoken in the Harrow community.

• A background in community work or community organising.

• Knowledge of AI and how to utilise in a small charity or business. 

• A clean driving license. 

We want to ensure that we build a team here that reflects our local diverse community. If you believe that you can succeed in this role working with our local community, then we look forward to receiving your application, explaining how you will meet the requirements of the role.

If there are any adjustments that would be helpful for you, and would help you to show us your best, then please do let us know. Our Chair of trustees Gus Alston is happy to speak about this at any point, or you can include with your application.

Interviews

Interviews will be held on Monday 12th August. The interview will consist of a task, and then questions from us, followed by an opportunity for more conversation and questions, including any from you. The whole process will take around two hours on the day. We will provide a £100 shopping voucher to all candidates who attend an interview, as recognition for the time you commit to this process. If you have a preference for timings on Monday 12th August, let us know when you apply. 

Victoria Hall is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We strongly encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented groups.