Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officer The Opportunity

Many Tears Animal Rescue is at an exciting stage in its development. We rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome thousands of animals each year, and are now seeking an experienced, practical leader to guide our next chapter. You will build on our legacy, strengthening our foundations and securing our long‑term sustainability. This role is for someone who can help us grow our reputation while giving our staff and volunteers the support they need to continue providing the best possible care for our animals.

You will guide the charity's strategy and drive a period of transformation, ensuring our operations are effective, fully compliant, and set up for long‑term sustainability. Your leadership is about ensuring that our strategy, finances and operations all serve to give our animals the best possible chance of recovery and a loving, forever home.

To achieve this, the role is structured around three key areas of focus:

• Work with the Board of Trustees to develop and deliver a strategic vision with animal welfare at its heart.
• Provide the Board of Trustees with accurate, timely, and insightful reports on risk management and performance. These updates will ensure the Board has the clear visibility they need for effective oversight and strategic planning.
• Champion a culture of transparency, accountability, and excellence in governance. Build strong, positive relationships with our regulators and key partners, including contributing to our statutory and regulatory filings to ensure we maintain full compliance with all external obligations.
• Lead the development of our internal policies and processes, ensuring every policy and process is fit‑for‑purpose, compliant with regulatory expectations and the highest standards of animal welfare, and are regularly reviewed to help the team work safely and effectively.
• Ensure strict adherence to all animal welfare legislation, Charity Commission standards, and sector best practices, maintaining the reliable framework our team needs to focus on the animals in our care.
• Proactively monitor and adapt to evolving Welsh animal rescue licensing regulations, ensuring our practices always reflect the highest welfare standards in Wales.
• Oversee the integrity of our operational and governance records, maintaining full transparency and auditability across the charity.

• Work with the Board of Trustees to develop and implement a financial strategy that puts the controls and oversight in place to secure our future and direct resources to where our animals need them most.
• Lead a long‑term income generation strategy, focusing on sustainable, diverse streams including legacy giving, grant‑making trusts, and community fundraising, to support our rising operational costs.
• Implement and monitor strict internal financial controls to ensure all charity resources are used exclusively for approved charitable purposes.
• Oversee data governance and digital integrity, ensuring robust data protection compliance.

• Take responsibility for the charity's safeguarding culture, ensuring that all policies are embedded, staff and volunteers are trained, and that all incidents are investigated and reported with transparency, to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our people.
• Foster an inclusive and supportive culture while providing strategic oversight of the modernisation of our HR practices, digital systems, and infrastructure. Ensure we are positioned to support our team's wellbeing, growth, and development – including our volunteers and fosterers – through structured engagement and retention strategies.
• Act as the charity's lead ambassador, building relationships with the press, local authorities, other neighbouring and notable charities, and animal welfare professionals to enhance our external reputation.
• Oversee our operational planning, including the day‑to‑day management of staffing rotas and fleet resources. Provide direct line management to the senior leadership team, making sure everyone has the support they need to work effectively.
• Monitor…