Chief Executive Officer

Job description

Job responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) St Kentigern Hospice

Location: North Wales

Accountable to: The Board of Trustees

Purpose of the Role

As the principal ambassador for the Hospice the Chief Executive Officer will provide decisive, values-driven leadership to transform and ensure sustainably of the hospice at a time of significant financial challenge. As such a core function of the role is to lead and personally champion income generation. The organisation requires strong financial, commercial, and strategic leadership to ensure financial resilience, strengthen governance and accountability, and enable high-quality hospice care to meet the needs of patients, families, and communities across North Wales. The post holder will ensure that the corporate strategy and financial plan are tightly aligned to delivery, performance management, and regulatory expectations and that opportunities for efficiencies are optimised. The CEO will lead within the frameworks of the Charity Commission, Welsh Government, NHS Wales, and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), ensuring the hospice consistently delivers safe, effective, and compassionate care while maintaining public trust and confidence.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

Lead the ongoing development and delivery of a clear, realistic, and financially sustainable corporate strategy aligned to the hospices charitable purpose and values.

Horizon scan to identify emerging trends, risks, policy changes and opportunities that may impact service delivery. Including artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.

Translate strategic objectives into robust delivery plans with measurable outcomes, milestones, and accountability.Ensure organisational priorities reflect the needs of patients, families, staff, volunteers, funders, and commissioners across North Wales.

Financial Leadership & Business ManagementTake overall responsibility for the financial health of the hospice, leading long-term financial sustainability.

Take overall responsibility for the financial health of the hospice, leading long-term financial sustainability.

Develop and deliver a credible financial improvement plan, including cost control, income generation, and efficiency improvements.

Strengthen financial planning, budgeting and forecasting, management.

Drive optimisation of income streams, including fundraising, retail, grants, partnerships, and statutory funding.

Organisational Transformation

Lead and manage organisational restructuring to ensure the hospice has the right structures, skills, and capacity to deliver its strategy.

Ensure roles, responsibilities, and decision-making authorities are clear and effective.

Manage change sensitively and transparently, maintaining staff and volunteer engagement while delivering necessary improvement.

Governance, Risk & Accountability

Act as the Registered Responsible Individual under Health Inspectorate Wales regulations.

Work closely with the Board of Trustees to strengthen governance, assurance, and accountability arrangements.

Ensure clear reporting frameworks, performance dashboards, and risk management systems are in place and effective.

Support the Board to fulfil its statutory and strategic responsibilities.

Ensure compliance with all relevant legal, regulatory, and charity governance requirements including the charity objectives laid out in the Hospice Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Act as the Senior Information Risk Owner (SIRO)

Act as the Anti Money Laundering Officer and as such be registered with the Gambling Commission.

Ensure effective risk management, health and safety and audit systems are in place.

Performance Management & Delivery

Embed a strong performance management culture across the organisation, with clear objectives, key performance indicators, and regular review.

Ensure clinical, operational, and corporate performance is monitored, challenged, and improved.

Hold the senior leadership team to account for delivery against agreed plans and outcomes.

Leadership & Culture

Provide visible, inclusive, and compassionate leadership that reflects the hospices values and mission.

Maintain a high performing senior leadership team with clear accountability and collective ownership of results.

Foster a culture of openness, learning, and continuous improvement across staff and volunteers.

External Relations & Partnerships

Act as the principal ambassador for the hospice, building strong relationships with commissioners, health partners, local authorities, funders, and the wider community.

Represent the hospice across regional and national networks, particularly within health and social care in Wales.

Strengthen the hospices reputation, influence, and impact across North Wales.

Values & Approach

Combine financial rigour and strategic discipline with empathy, integrity, and respect for the hospices mission, people, and communities, keeping patient care and dignity at the heart of every decision.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Strong alignment with hospice values and commitment to inclusion and compassionate high-quality care
• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Evidence of continuous professional development including a management qualification
• 3 yrs senior leadership experience
• A proven track record of strong financial management, or organisational transformation
• Strong commercial and business acumen, alongside a deep appreciation of charitable purpose and public benefit
• An understanding of the opportunities and risks presented by AI and digital technologies
• Strong understanding of governance, risk management, and accountability frameworks.
• Experience of working with boards and within robust governance and regulatory frameworks
• The ability to align strategy to delivery through disciplined performance management
• In depth knowledge of income generation including fundraising and charity retail, with a proven understanding of how to maximise and diversify revenue streams within a charitable environment
• Confidence working with healthcare regulators and partners, including inspection and assurance processes
• Outstanding leadership, influencing, communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Ability to travel

Desirable

• Experience within the hospice, healthcare, charity, or public/third sector environment.
• Senior leadership experience within both large and small organisations
• Knowledge of the Welsh Health and Social Care System
• Masters level Degree
• Welsh language skills or a commitment to learning Welsh.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Evidence of continuous professional development including a management qualification

Desirable

• Masters level Degree

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

St Kentigern Hospice

Address

Upper Denbigh Road

St Asaph

Denbighshire

LL17 0RS

Employer's website

http://www.stkentigernhospice.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)