Tinnitus UK – Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer

February

About Tinnitus UK

Tinnitus UK, formerly known as the British Tinnitus Association since 1979, is the only charity in the UK dedicated solely to addressing tinnitus-related issues and is well respected worldwide. In early 2023, the charity underwent a rebranding initiative, relaunching under the new name Tinnitus UK. This new name puts tinnitus first, because taking on tinnitus is the main reason we’re here. Becoming Tinnitus UK is helping us to reach more people with tinnitus, be more visible and raise more awareness of this condition which can have a significant impact on people’s quality of life.

Our purpose first and foremost is to support approximately 7 million people in the UK living with the condition, alongside supporting research to achieve our mission to drive progress towards a cure. Our unique telephone, and web-based chat lines within our Support Services have now helped hundreds of thousands of people across the UK and beyond find great comfort from the assistance of our dedicated staff. Concurrently, following our rebrand, we revamped our website and introduced Axel, the world’s first free tinnitus chatbot. These enhancements facilitate easier access to information round-the-clock, thereby ensuring timely support. Complementing these technological advancements are our highly skilled staff and volunteers, who are now equipped to handle an increased volume of calls and webchats.

The prevalence of tinnitus in the UK has risen to 1 in 7 individuals, a notable increase from 1 in 8, particularly exacerbated by the pandemic. Moreover, as tinnitus emerges as a symptom of long Covid, the demand for our Support Services has surged significantly, reflecting a heightened need for our assistance.

As a research-led charity, Tinnitus UK empowers and spurs on the global scientific community to help us understand tinnitus, discover new ways to treat it and ultimately find a cure. We work with medical professionals to ensure people with tinnitus get the right information and advice. We also build awareness with government bodies and the public to raise funds and provide support. It is our mission to drive progress towards a cure and deliver excellent support to help people living with tinnitus, and our strategic goals are focused on what it will take to achieve this.

However, we need to do more. In order to address this, the Board recently commissioned an Advisory report across the charity, a pivotal step in driving the charity forward for the future to achieve significant growth and impact through setting ambitious goals and objectives.

To realise this vision, we are now actively seeking a visionary and strategic CEO who can build upon this review to shape our future

direction, provide strong leadership, possess a forward-thinking mindset, and adeptly navigate challenges whilst inspiring our team. This pivotal role, at a crucial time for Tinnitus UK, presents an opportunity to drive our charity towards remarkable expansion and positively influence the lives of individuals impacted by our cause.

We want; “A world where no one suffers from tinnitus.”

This is a powerful statement and one which we believe is achievable. If you are driven by a passion for effecting change and can guide the trajectory of our charity towards new heights, we extend a warm invitation for you to join us in fulfilling our mission.

Thank you.

The Role

Role: Chief Executive Officer

Reports to: Chair of the Board of Trustees

Responsible for: All staff. Direct line management of; Fundraising and Communications Director, Head of Finance, Head of Support Services, Outsourced H.R. Officer / Senior Administrator

Salary: £70,000 – £90,000

Working days: Full time

Location: Sheffield/Hybrid

Job Summary

Tinnitus UK (TUK) is recruiting for an exceptional Chief Executive to join us at a crucial time in the charity’s growth.

TUK is recognized as the UK’s leading and only charity, 100% dedicated to supporting Tinnitus sufferers. It enables research into finding a cure for this condition, which impacts 1 in 7 people in the UK. The charity is recognised worldwide as being the leader in this field.

However, TUK needs a reboot. The strategic overhaul of the organisation in 2020 and rebrand subsequently to ‘Tinnitus UK,’ marked a significant and exciting advancement for the charity after 44 years of operation.

Amidst the repercussions of the pandemic and notable management changes, the charity has encountered several challenges. Consequently, the board has initiated a thorough review encompassing; organisational structure, strategic direction, fundraising activities, and support service provisions. With this review to be finalised soon, we are now in search of a dynamic leader, capable of revitalising TUK’s operational capabilities, rebuilding a new team, and propelling us back towards a growth trajectory.

You will be a strategic thinker, with strong leadership skills, able to hire, train and inspire a team. You will be an excellent communicator, able to operate at senior levels in government, trusts, health professionals and be comfortable with media and medical professionals alike. This is an opportunity to lead the charity to exceptional growth and have a significant and positive impact on sufferers.

We are looking for someone with energy and passion for our cause. The successful candidate will recognise the need to be in our Sheffield office at least two days a week to build the right espirit de corps amongst the team, and to provide the necessary direct support for them. It is important that this person can work effectively unilaterally but more importantly can do so as part of a team.

Job Purpose

Responsible for leading, adapting and responding to the changing needs of TUK, to significantly grow the charities income stream, shaping and influencing the direction of the charity at strategic and operational levels. This role has responsibility for the line management of dedicated teams and individuals as well

as influencing partner organisations, medical professionals and the wider public to enable support for the work of TUK to be increased and developed. Representing TUK at all levels and participating in the capacity of Chief Executive, by attending meetings and presentations with Boards, Health Professional Bodies and other institutions.

Key Responsibilities

Based on the results of the independent review of the charity, agreed by the Board, the CEO will:

• Lead the strategic planning for TUK and deliver the agreed objectives

• Ensure that the charity is operating with strong operational controls across all aspects of good governance.

• Increase income across all channels, including trusts and foundations, corporate, legacies and donations

• Lead on the development and implementation of the TUK’s flagship project – a tinnitus biobank

• Build a strong team, who feel inspired, supported, valued and unified around clear goals and ambitions.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities will include:

• Work with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to oversee the evolution and implementation of the strategy and measure impact

• Work with the Board of Trustees to develop the strategy and continue to develop and execute a growing and diversified, fundraising plan.

• Work with the HR and Finance sub-committees of the board (to be appointed) to ensure good financial and HR Governance

• Set the agenda for Trustee meetings and provide appropriate information for reporting

• Sound leadership and direction of TUK including strategic and operational responsibility for its management, finances and administration

• Lead the SLT and team members, to continue to develop their skills, understanding of the tinnitus community and effective delivery of support and information services

• Positively promote TUK’s skills and knowledge base with the multiple stakeholders in the public and private sectors, leveraging opportunities where possible to support the strategic aims of the Charity

• Seek to influence national government policy and advocate on behalf of the tinnitus community

• Lead on the development and implementation and evaluation of the business plan

• Agree new Terms of Reference for the TUK Advisory Committee (PAC), its Patron of Honorary Presidents with the Board and implement accordingly

• Shift the operating culture to be run like a business to ensure that we can meet our growth targets.

Operational Leadership across the BTA

• Oversee the effective development and execution of the services, communications and fundraising strategies via

effective line management

• Support all functions to deliver agreed measurables, ensuring continuing growth and development

Governance

• Deliver the appropriate management of governance arrangements, providing advice and support to the Board

• Lead the continuous improvement of the governance framework and structures, ensuring that these continue to meet the business needs and statutory/regulatory requirements, matching or best practice.

• Act as Company Secretary, servicing the Board and committees

• Ensure mandatory and legal compliance with regulatory bodies as a registered charity and company limited by guarantee

• Lead on maintaining the risk register and disaster recovery plans

• Ensure the probity and reputation of the organisation is protected through the development of appropriate policies and procedures and that all Board members and colleagues are aware of their responsibilities to achieve these

• Develop and maintain an effective working relationship with the Board of Trustees, ensuring full and open regular communication

General Responsibilities

• To act as the primary spokesperson for TUK

• Lead on embodying and communicating the vision, mission and values of TUK

• Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned in line with the broad remit of the position

• Maintain and improve competencies through continuous professional development

• Abide by organisational policies, codes of conduct and practices

• Support and promote diversity and equality of opportunity in the workplace

Person Specification

Experience and Knowledge

• Demonstrable senior leadership experience

• A strategic thinker, able to demonstrate collegiate working at executive level

• Relevant, recent and substantial experience of working at a senior level in operations and business support, including: finance; HR; and governance, preferably in the not for profit sector

• Working with, preparing and presenting financial and business reports and strategy to boards of trustees

• Management and delivery of strategic organisational objectives, including income generation and diversification, across a number of income streams

• Proven track record of developing and leading a high-performing team to achieve their objectives, whilst also ensuring individuals are engaged, motivated and empowered

• Experience of working with contracted providers of professional services

Skills and Abilities

• Analytical skills with a good attention to forward planning and achieving strategic objectives combined with proven ability to manage procedures, including quality assurance

• Adopt a solution-focused approach and make decisions effectively and in a timely manner

• Interpersonal and strong spoken and written communication skills which engage audiences, encouraging understanding and participation

• Able to understand detail and relate it to the bigger picture for others

• Ability to troubleshoot difficult situations, and deal with them calmly, efficiently and effectively

• Able to plan effectively and deliver on results

• Ability to engage and motivate others

• Self-motivated with the confidence to work alone but can also work co-operatively and flexibly as part of a team

• Ability to stay focused and efficient in the face of changing priorities.

Personal Attributes and Other Requirements

• Flexible and able to travel and work outside regular hours on occasion

• Works well in a team with a flexible approach to work

• Personal resilience and the ability to stay focused in a rapidly changing environment

• Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities. An ability to apply awareness of diversity issues to all areas of work

Annual Leave: 25 days per annum plus Bank Holidays. Increasing by 1 day per year for a maximum of 5 years.

Pension: TUK will match an employee’s contribution to an approved pension scheme up to a value of 5%.

How to Apply

All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter as two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process. The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.

The document should be saved in PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last

Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-022024-TinnitusUK or Pat-JonesCoverLetter-022024-TinnitusUK.

Timeline

Closing Date: 5th April

First stage interviews: 22nd April

Final interviews: Week of 13th May

Selection Process

All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder.

Equality Statement

Equality and diversity are at the core of Tinnitus UK’s values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.

Queries

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information or support, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email at tinnitus-uk-ceo@ oxfordhr.com in the first instance.

About Oxford HR

Exceptional leaders can inspire change and propel purpose-led organisations towards reaching their world-changing goals. Finding such leaders can be a challenge; and yet their transition into leadership is vital to an organisations mission and success.

Oxford HR is a global leadership consultancy dedicated to searching for and supporting remarkable leaders and teams in purpose-led organisations.

We understand the nuances of purpose-led leadership because we’ve worked in organisations across the breadth of the sector ourselves. We’ve also worked with such organisations since 1995; so we appreciate just what benefits impactful people can bring.