RSPCA has started advertising for a new chief executive over six months after its last chief executive, Jeremy Cooper, left with immediate effect.
The advertisement comes following a story in the Times in October last year that claimed that the charity had started recruiting for the role. An RSPCA spokeswoman clarified at the time that this was not the case, and that the charity was instead looking to "engage an external recruitment firm" and had been "advised to wait until the new year" because that is "the best time" to find someone.
The job advert went live yesterday, and closes on 8 February. Recruitment firm Cadence Partners has set up a website specifically for the recruitment of the role.
High chief executive turnover
The role is based in its office in Horsham, West Sussex, and the salary is said to be dependent on experience and expertise.
On the website for the role it acknowledges recent issues around the charity’s leadership, it said: “Candidates may be aware that we have recently experienced higher than expected turnover in our management team, and a small number of internal issues have received public scrutiny.
“At the time, there was a degree of adverse impact on morale and employee engagement; and while many of the issues raised have now been resolved, candidates will need significant strengths in people strategy, organisational development and transformation.”
Governance review
The charity has also received scrutiny on its governance in recent years. A governance review suggested, amongst other recommendations, that the RSPCA needs to take swift action to address issues and widen the mix of skills on its trustee.
Michael Ward, who was the charity’s director of resources and chief operating officer, has been interim chief executive officer since June 2017, when Cooper left the charity.
Information on the role, including on how to apply, can be found here.
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