Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

St. Andrew’s Children’s Society Location: Edinburgh Contract: Full-time

Salary: £66,541 - £76,494

Closing Date: 28.04.26

About Us

St. Andrew’s Children’s Society is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families through high-quality adoption and fostering services. We are committed to delivering compassionate, professional, and child-centred support across all aspects of our work.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Chief Executive Officer to lead the organisation’s strategic direction, operational excellence, and long-term sustainability. The CEO will drive innovation in family placement services, strengthen our financial position, and champion a positive, inclusive organisational culture.

Reporting to the Board of Trustees, the CEO will represent the Society externally, ensure outstanding service delivery, and position the organisation as a forward-thinking leader in children’s social care.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and execution of the Society’s long-term vision and strategy.
• Identify opportunities and respond proactively to developments in children’s social care, particularly in adoption and fostering.
• Demonstrate a strong record of delivering professional, child-focused services.

Financial Performance

• Oversee profit and loss, cash flow, and capital allocation.
• Drive sustainable income growth while maintaining integrity and transparency.
• Ensure financial resilience in a changing external environment.

Stakeholder & Market Engagement

• Serve as the organisation’s ambassador to service users, partners, and the media.
• Build strong, trusted relationships through clear and credible communication.

People & Culture Leadership

• Develop and support a high-performing leadership team with effective succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, openness, inclusion, and innovation.
• Promote staff development and engagement across the organisation.

Operational & Digital Excellence

• Ensure consistently high-quality service delivery across all teams.
• Strengthen governance, quality assurance, and operational systems.
• Lead digital transformation, including the use of AI-enabled tools to enhance service efficiency and insight.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Proven senior leadership experience within the adoption or fostering sector.
• Strong understanding of financial management and realistic budget setting.
• Recognised social work qualification.
• Management training to at least SVQ Level 5.

Key Competencies

• Visionary leadership with the ability to inspire and influence.
• High emotional intelligence and cultural awareness.
• Decisive, solutions-focused, and adaptable under pressure.
• Exceptional communication and mediation skills.
• Innovative mindset with openness to new technologies and approaches.

Success Measures

• Year-on-year revenue and margin growth.
• High service-user satisfaction.
• Low staff turnover.
• Consistently positive Care Inspectorate reports.

Benefits

• Competitive salary.
• Membership of Lothian Pension Fund
• Opportunity to lead a progressive, impactful children’s charity.
• 32 days’ annual leave (plus six public holidays).
• Professional development support.