CEO
BBC Children in Need
CiN HQ in Salford, with travel to other BBC / CiN sites as required
A competitive salary in line with the BBC Senior Leaders (SL) reward framework
BBC Children in Need believes that every child should have the chance to thrive and be the best they can be. For this to happen, we want every child to have someone they can turn to for help or support to overcome challenges they face. That’s why we fund people and projects in communities across the UK – so that wherever a child lives, there’s someone they can turn to.
Our ambition is for all children and young people have the opportunity to thrive and be the best they can be. And our purpose is to create positive and lasting change for children and young people across the UK who need us the most.
We seek to realise our charitable ambition by supporting, promoting and publicising work that addresses the challenges that children and young people face, and that builds up their skills and resilience. We act where the need is greatest and aim to create positive and lasting change across the UK for the children and young people who need us most by funding, enabling and advocating positive relationships in children’s lives.
Together with the BBC and our partners, we aim to inspire the nation and unite communities to support us in our work, supporting children in the communities where they live.
THE ROLE
We are seeking a Chief Executive who will build on our current position and increase our reach and income. We are looking for confident, values-led leadership; someone who can inspire trust internally and externally, strengthen operational delivery, and continue to build a constructive, mutually beneficial partnership with the BBC. We are not looking for reinvention for its own sake. Rather, we are seeking a leader who will harness the charity’s strengths to deepen and evidence our impact, ensuring that Children in Need continues to play a distinctive, unifying, and forward-looking role in improving life chances for young people across the UK.
Above all, we are looking for someone who believes passionately in the life chances of children and young people – someone who understands that fundraising is not the end goal, but the engine that enables lasting, measurable change in communities.
This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the UK’s most recognised charities at a pivotal time. If you are motivated by impact at scale and the chance to shape the future of support for children and young people, we look forward to learning more about your leadership.
INFORMATION
Download the candidate brief to find out about the role.
DOWNLOADHow to apply
To make an application, please click on the apply now button below, with the following prepared:
- Your CV (no more than three sides).
- A covering letter that sets out your motivation for the role and describes the specific experience you can bring to the appointment.
We would also be grateful if you would complete the Equality and Diversity monitoring form on the online application process. This form is for monitoring purposes only and is not treated as part of your application.
Recruitment timetable
Closing date: Sunday 19th April 2026 (midnight)
Preliminary interviews with Starfish: 4th-15th May 2026
Final Panel interviews: Early June 2026
Apply