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Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Job description

The Career Development Institute (CDI) is the UK-wide professional membership body for the career development sector, with a membership in excess of 4,700. We are independent of government, employers and commercial bodies.

Our purpose is to improve and assure the quality and availability of career development opportunities for all, through the promotion of public understanding; the development and maintenance of standards of professional practice and the provision of advice to policymakers, practitioners and other interested parties. We aim to be the UK-wide voice for all career development professionals.

The CDI provides a wide range of services to our members and has a key role to play in professionalising the sector; assuring quality; influencing strategic thinking and government policy, and promoting the economic and social benefits of high-quality career learning, career coaching, information, advice and guidance. We are a small organisation recognised for punching above our weight .

With the challenging economic outlook, there is a growing awareness of the importance of ensuring people reach their potential in their working lives and to foster a resilient, skilled and adaptable workforce. At the same time, demands on our sector will grow as this need is recognised and experienced career guidance and development professionals age out of the workforce. Our work has never been more important, and so we must ensure that the CDI continues to grow our resources, activities, membership, influence, and reach.

We are now looking for our next CEO to lead the CDI into this exciting next stage of our development, who can best use our resources to achieve our goals.

Key details
Job Title: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Salary: £65,000
Hours: Full time, with occasional weekend and evening work
Location: Home based with a requirement to have a regular/fortnightly presence at CDI's HQ in Stourbridge.

Amongst other criteria, the successful candidate will have a full understanding of the career development sector and be committed to the values of the Institute, as well has having experience of:

  • Providing effective leadership to optimise staff performance and business achievements.
  • Developing and achieving demanding corporate strategic objectives
  • Developing and maintaining high level relationships with key strategic partners, stakeholders and Board directors.
  • Identifying and developing new business opportunities
  • Managing a business or substantial department/project
  • Experience of producing and managing significant budgets

We encourage applicants who are from underrepresented groups with protected characteristics, as we value having a diverse pool of applicants to find the best candidate.

If you would like to receive an Information Pack for this role with details on how to apply, please send an expression of interest and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile in confidence to our consultant, Jenny Hills at executive@harrishill.co.uk.

For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny at the above address with your number and suitable times to speak.

Please note: responding to this advertisement will not in itself be considered an application. We will need a CV and a supporting statement addressing the full person specification included in the information pack.

Closing date for applications: 9am, Monday 22nd February