Interim Chief Executive Officer, The Ubele Initiative

The Interim CEO will provide immediate, focused, time-bound leadership to drive through an extended period of organisational change, ensuring that Ubele’s existing strategy and transformation plans are implemented effectively, consistently, and at pace.

As Ubele has just produced a new 5 year strategy (April 2026 - March 2030) this is not a role to redefine strategy, but to deliver against it - bringing structure, clarity, and momentum to implementation across the organisation. The Interim CEO will focus on:

• Embedding systems, processes, and consistent ways of working
• Strengthening leadership accountability, line management, and performance oversight
• Improving organisational coordination, decision-making, and operational effectiveness
• Providing visible, steady leadership to support confidence and cohesion across teams
  
  
  

Working closely with the Advisory Board and Executive Chair, and Senior Leadership Team, the Interim CEO will support Ubele to move from a prolonged period of transition into a more stable, aligned, and effectively operating organisation.

Leadership & strategic delivery

• Lead the implementation of Ubele’s strategy, ensuring it is clearly prioritised, understood, and translated into deliverable plans across the organisation.
• Provide consistent and visible leadership, aligning teams around shared priorities and maintaining focus on delivery.
• Build and maintain a cohesive and accountable Senior Leadership Team, with clear expectations for collaboration, behaviour, and performance.
• Work closely with the Executive Chair to ensure continuity of values, culture, and legacy while progressing organisational change.
  
  
  

Organisational stability and change delivery

• Drive delivery of Ubele’s transformation programme, ensuring that plans are implemented with clarity, pace, and discipline.
• Bring structure and coordination to change initiatives, ensuring clear ownership, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
• Identify and address delays, barriers, or areas of ambiguity, ensuring momentum is maintained.
• Support the organisation to move from a prolonged period of transition to a more stable and consistent operating environment.
• Ensure change is embedded into day-to-day practice, not remaining at the planning or design stage.
  
  
  

Operational leadership & management

• Provide strong operational leadership across all areas of the organisation, including programmes, partnerships, consultancy, training, enterprise development, and community asset management.
• Ensure clarity of roles, responsibilities, and decision-making across the organisation.
• Line manage the Senior Leadership Team, holding them accountable for delivery, team management, and performance within their areas.
• Embed consistent performance management practices, including clear objectives, regular review, and timely intervention.
• Strengthen internal systems, processes, and ways of working to improve coordination, efficiency, and organisational effectiveness.
• Ensure policies and procedures are actively used, understood, and adhered to across teams.
• Oversee the development and use of high-quality data, reporting, and management information to support decision-making and track performance.
  
  
  

Governance & advisory board relations (CIC)

• Work closely with the Chair and Advisory Board to ensure strong and compliant CIC governance.
• Provide clear and timely reporting on organisational performance, finances, risk, and progress against strategic priorities.
• Support the Advisory Board to maintain effective oversight and fulfil its strategic and fiduciary responsibilities.
• Ensure appropriate governance structures and processes are in place and operating effectively.
  
  
  

Finance, risk & sustainability

• Provide oversight of financial performance, ensuring robust budgeting, forecasting, and financial controls are in place.
• Hold the Head of Finance accountable for financial accuracy, compliance, and reporting.
• Ensure clear visibility of financial position, risks, and sustainability planning.
• Work with the Advisory Board and SLT to support income diversification and long-term financial resilience.
  
  
  

Funding, partnerships & external relations

• Maintain and develop relationships with funders, commissioners, social investors, and strategic partners.
• Act as a credible and confident external representative for Ubele.
• Support the organisation to navigate a complex funding environment with clarity and focus.
• Ensure external partnerships align with organisational priorities and capacity.
  
  
  

Legal, regulatory & safeguarding compliance

• Maintain overall accountability for safeguarding, compliance, and organisational risk.
• Ensure appropriate systems, policies, and practices are in place and actively implemented.
• Hold SLT members accountable for compliance within their areas.
• Ensure regulatory requirements (CIC, employment law, contracts, data protection) are met.
  
  
  

Person Specification

We recognise this is an interim role with a specific organisational mandate. We are seeking a leader who can quickly assess, prioritise, and act, rather than someone looking to reshape the organisation over the long term.

Leadership & change

• Significant experience leading organisations through implementation phases of change, with a clear focus on delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to bring structure, pace, and discipline to complex transformation programmes.
• Experience stabilising organisations during or following periods of uncertainty or extended change.
• Confidence in making decisions, setting direction, and maintaining momentum.
  
  
  

Operational & leadership capability

• Track record of line managing senior leaders and holding teams to account for delivery and performance.
• Highly developed operational skills, with experience strengthening systems, processes, and organisational effectiveness.
• Experience embedding performance management frameworks and improving accountability.
• Ability to balance strategic oversight with close attention to operational detail.
  
  
  

Governance & organisational leadership

• Understanding of CIC governance, regulatory requirements, and Advisory Board relationships.
• Experience working closely with a Chair and Advisory Board on strategy, performance, and risk.
• Experience leading organisations of comparable scale and complexity (£3–4m turnover)
  
  
  

Funding & external environment

• Experience working within complex funding environments, including grants, contracts, and partnerships.
• Ability to maintain credibility with funders, partners, and stakeholders.
• Experience supporting income diversification and organisational sustainability.
  
  
  

Cultural competency & values

• Strong understanding of racial justice, community development, and the experiences of African Diaspora communities in the UK.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion, and community empowerment.
• Ability to lead with clarity, emotional intelligence, and cultural awareness.
  
  
  

Operational, financial & compliance

• Experience overseeing organisational finances, risk management, and compliance frameworks.
• Strong understanding of performance reporting, data, and evaluation.
• Familiarity with safeguarding and quality assurance in community or social impact settings.
  
  
  

Additional Information

This is an interim leadership role with a clearly defined mandate to reinforce the organisations foundations, embed change, and strengthen operational effectiveness.

The focus of the role is on delivery rather than strategy development, and on ensuring that existing plans are implemented in a structured, consistent, and sustainable way.

As such, we are seeking someone who can work at pace, make decisions, and bring clarity and direction, while supporting the organisation through a period of transition.

A visible and consistent presence at Wolves Lane is essential to support leadership alignment, team cohesion, and organisational effectiveness.

This role involves responsibility for socially impactful and occasionally emotionally demanding work. A commitment to wellbeing, reflective leadership, and resilience is essential.

This job description may evolve as Ubele continues its organisational development.