Chief Executive Officer Earthwatch Europe

Chief Executive Officer Earthwatch Europe Earthwatch Europe seeks a Chief Executive to lead its people, partnerships and profile through a new strategy

• Location: Hybrid / Remote with travel to Oxford

Earthwatch Europe connects people with nature, using citizen science to help communities, schools, farmers and businesses take practical action on the environmental challenges around them. The charity is now looking for a Chief Executive to lead the delivery of an ambitious new ten-year strategy.

We're looking for a confident ambassador and relationship-builder who thrives with donors, funders and partners and can raise Earthwatch Europe's profile and income in equal measure. You'll also need to lead with warmth and clarity internally, giving a talented team clear direction to implement and nurture the strategy.

Who we are At Earthwatch Europe, we believe people and nature can thrive together and that everyone has a part to play in making that happen. We bring science to life by connecting communities, schools, businesses and researchers with practical ways to protect and restore the natural world.

Our work focuses on the places where action can have the greatest impact: the towns and cities we live in, the rivers and freshwater habitats we depend on and the farming landscapes that help sustain us. Through citizen science, education and collaboration, we help people understand the environmental challenges around them and give them the confidence and tools to take action.

Together, we are building stronger connections with nature and working towards a healthier, more resilient planet.

About the role Earthwatch has evolved a great deal in recent years, moving from an organisation once known for international expeditions and a handful of corporate funders, to one with a much broader income base and a sharper focus on citizen science that puts real tools in the hands of local communities. It's more stable and sustainable than ever and ready to build on that foundation.

We're looking for a Chief Executive who can be the public face of that journey: someone who thrives in front of donors, funders and partners and who sees income generation and brand-building as central to the job, not a side note. You'll set the vision and bring the energy to make it real, working closely with the Board, the Executive team and our wider network to deliver our strategy.

Day to day, that means you'll:

• Provide the vision and inspiration to lead Earthwatch Europe staff to create meaningful and lasting impact through our mission and strategy
• Act as our principal ambassador, building relationships with donors, funders and partners and developing new income and opportunities
• Raise Earthwatch Europe's profile and reputation by networking and championing our work publicly, putting us in front of the right audiences and delivering impact
• Lead organisational direction, growth and long-term financial planning
• Grow our national and international network of partners and collaborators
• Lead with strength and warmth internally, giving a talented team a steady hand and a clear sense of direction
• Work in partnership with Trustees, so they're equipped to fulfil their role in governing the charity
• Keep a close eye on risk, resources and compliance, so the organisation stays on a firm footing

Additional Benefits:

• Flexible working, 25 days annual leave increasing to 28 after three years (exclusive of bank holidays)
• Group personal pension with 5% employer contribution
• Life assurance equivalent to 3 x annual salary
• Free Will Service with the Guardian Angel Network
• Employee assistance programme offered by from Unum
• Voluntary health cash plan with Healthshield

Who we are looking for This role calls for someone energised by external relationships: comfortable in rooms with major donors and funders, skilled at building partnerships and confident in telling Earthwatch Europe's story to win support and open doors. You'll be the organisation's principal ambassador, so a track record of income generation and profile-raising is key.

You'll bring:

• Experience successfully leading a medium-sized environmental NGO/civil society organisation/charity/social enterprise through a period of growth (impact and financial)
• Proven success generating income and building relationships with donors, funders and partners, ideally across corporate, government and philanthropic audiences
• A natural ambassador's instinct, comfortable networking, presenting and championing an organisation's work publicly to build its brand and reputation
• A passion and understanding of the nature or environmental science world, ideally with a network to match
• Confidence operating as the public face of an organisation and able to influence and negotiate at the highest levels across the UK and Europe
• Strong internal leadership with the ability to lead and motivate a talented team with clarity and confidence
• Commercial instincts and a proven ability to grow income and build a sustainable business model
• A belief in the power of citizen science, and the energy to champion it, inside and outside the organisation
• Strong relationships with your Board, built on trust and an experienced Chair who expects to be a real partner in the work

Above all, we're looking for someone who leads from the front: an ambassador and strong leader who can bring stability and direction to the organisation's next chapter.

Accessibility information We understand that different members of the community have different access needs and have made some modifications to the way we do business to accommodate people from diverse communities and abilities.

We offer the following amenities:

• Step-free access to the building, all key meeting rooms and bathrooms, and an accessible workstation
• Accessibility dogs are welcome
• Interviews can be held in meeting rooms that support hearing loops
• Papers and materials can be presented in different formats
• A sign language interpreter can be accessed for the interview
• Working patterns and locations can be adjusted

As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.

Applicants with disabilities are welcome to contact us in confidence at any stage of the recruitment process to discuss any reasonable adjustments or support that may be required to ensure fair and equal participation.

Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.

About Earthwatch Europe Earthwatch Europe has deep roots in environmental science and a long history of turning research into action. Its work spans towns and cities, farmland and freshwater habitats, and its reach is international, running from the UK into Europe, Oman and Africa. What sets it apart is the combination of rigorous science, a model built around equipping local communities to lead change themselves and a small, highly capable and committed team.

The environment the charity operates in is demanding. Alongside the well-documented decline in biodiversity and climate stability, many governments and large businesses are stepping back from the commitments they made on nature and climate. Earthwatch Europe sees this as exactly the moment its approach is needed most and it is responding with a new strategy that rethinks how it works and where it puts its energy.

Earthwatch has evolved considerably over recent years. Once largely known for international science expeditions and a small number of corporate funders, it now has a much more diverse income base and a sharper focus on citizen science that puts practical tools directly into communities' hands. The organisation is on a firmer financial footing with a clear sense of purpose and real momentum behind its new strategy.

That sense of purpose is grounded in four values that shape how the organisation works, not just what it does:

• Being driven by people: treating colleagues, volunteers and partners with genuine warmth and respect. In a polarised world, we're proud to build a friendly movement of local groups, schools, scientists and businesses. Everyone's voice is welcome and valued.
• Being powered by science: it's science that makes us powerful. We champion findings collected by people at the grassroots to spark change in our neighbourhoods and at the highest levels of government. We're committed to debate, openness, honesty, listening and always learning.
• Connecting with nature: Disconnection from nature is at the heart of the ecological crisis. Connection drives change. So let's get our boots - and our hearts - muddy. With smiles on our faces, we inspire people to get out into nature, have fun, discover what we all stand to lose and take action.
• Fighting for the planet: The environmental crisis is relentless. We, too, never give up. Each day we fight for our fragile earth, not through protest but through practical science. From planting Tiny Forests to protecting the world's freshwater habitats, our evidence-based solutions are the seeds of our planet's survival.

The incoming Chief Executive will play a central role in what comes next: delivering the ten-year strategy . click apply for full job details