Chief Executive Officer KidsOut
Posted 1 hour 55 minutes ago by Peridot Partners
Permanent
Full Time
Executive Jobs
Bedfordshire, Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom, LU7 1EE
Job Description
Become the new CEO of Kids Out and provide positive experiences for the UK's most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
KidsOut's vision is for a society in which every child who has experienced domestic abuse has the chance to experience joy, hope and the simple pleasures of childhood. We bring fun and happiness to the lives of children living in refuge. As Chief Executive Officer (CEO), you will lead the implementation of the new 2030 strategy and work with a dedicated Board and staff team to achieve this by offering unwavering support for children in refuge across the UK.
Who we are KidsOut's mission is to bring moments of joy, fun and hope that aid the healing and recovery of children impacted by domestic abuse.
We provide passionate and unwavering support for children in refuge across the United Kingdom and create joy-filled experiences that empower each child to overcome adversity, unlock their full potential and flourish in a nurturing and inclusive environment. Through dedicated efforts, we aspire to be a beacon of hope, cultivating brighter futures and fostering a community where every child feels valued, loved and equipped to gain the positive future they deserve.
KisOut has been supporting disadvantaged children for over 35 years. We started in 1990 when the first-ever Children's Day Out took place, and since then, over one million disadvantaged children have experienced a day out.
Last year we:
It is an exciting time to join KidsOut as we shape and implement our 2030 Strategy with a dedicated internal team of Board and staff, and with the external community of stakeholders that work alongside us.
Who we are looking for You will be a compassionate, collaborative and experienced leader with a track record of dynamic and positive growth in a charity or relevant child-centred organisation. Someone who will value and motivate both staff and board members and our community of external stakeholders. You will be a leader with significant experience in growing strong stakeholder relationships with partners, families, young people and a community of staff, volunteers, funders and supporters.
As CEO, you will ensure compliance whilst also having the commercial skills to grow KidsOut's income to a stronger financial position. As a strategic and hands on individual, you will inspire others and grow impact and value as an ambassador and role model. With a track record as a thoughtful and impactful leader, you will bring equity, inclusion and an appreciation of the importance of children and their well being and safeguarding, which is at the heart of KidsOut.
Above all, you will uphold KidsOut's mission of helping to rebuild children's lives after trauma.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the 'How to Apply' tab above, fill in your details and download the job pack. For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
If you would like to know more about this role please contact Marie McQuade
Thank you so much for your interest in joining KidsOut.
As someone famously once said, 'Children are the future'. But for many children, the future is less bright and more than just a little uncertain. Children represent a group of very important people that a great many charities care deeply about and look to help. And one of the fundamental entitlements that EVERY child should feel safe and have life enhancing experiences that help them experience fun and happiness. It should be a natural part of growing up - it comes with the territory of being a child. And we all know that happier children make for happier, well rounded adults. But many children don't have the same experience as perhaps we did when we were growing up. For them, the world is very different.
One of the things that makes the plight of children in refuge so heartrending is that it isn't their fault. They didn't choose to have an abusive parent or adult, which meant they had to flee their home, friends, school and leave any semblance of normality behind, ending up in a women's refuge at the other end of the country with nothing but the clothes on their back. Yet the impact of this hugely traumatic event can cast a long shadow not only over their childhood but often over their entire future too.
KidsOut is a unique organisation, because we help children at a time when their world is quite literally torn apart. We focus on delivering experiences and toys for children that provide happiness, an experience that every person craves. For us, the measurements of success are smiles, happy memories and hope. We want the children we serve to know that someone cares. Helping them create memories that will last a lifetime can make all the difference. And that hope is crucial - children knowing that there is happiness out there, priceless.
We appreciate that happiness is transitory, so we work with other charity partners who help to deliver longer term solutions too. Whether that relates to mental or long term health, or disability issues, our focus is not solely on the short term. We want the children we help to reach a place where they can be happy in the long term.
It's a very interesting time to be joining KidsOut. We're about to sign off on a new strategy taking us to 2030, and our new Chief Executive Officer will help us set, embed and deliver our priorities. The economic context is challenging, and like most charities, our margins are tight. But you will be able to utilise your unique skills to help the board and executive team leverage their combined creativity and experience to make KidsOut resilient for the future. This is an amazing opportunity to help reshape a nationwide children's charity for the next decade and take the breadth and scope of what KidsOut is able to deliver to a whole new level.
We look forward to discussing the CEO role further with you.
Many thanks,
Ian Child
Trustee (and part of the founding family of KidsOut)
To access a full job description and application details,
please fill out the form below.
First name
Last name
Email address
Phone number
Your current job title
Where did you hear about this opportunity?
LinkedIn URL
I agree to Peridot Partners contacting me about this role and other potential positions relevant to me: Yes No
I agree to Peridot Partners contacting me about business services, events, or sector articles relevant to me: Yes No
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to , inserting "Application: KidsOut-Chief Executive Officer" into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
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.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact Marie McQuade. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 26th January 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Friday 30th January 2026
First stage Interviews: Tuesday 3rd February 2026
Second stage Interviews: Friday 13th February 2026
Peridot and KidsOut are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions.We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
. click apply for full job details
KidsOut's vision is for a society in which every child who has experienced domestic abuse has the chance to experience joy, hope and the simple pleasures of childhood. We bring fun and happiness to the lives of children living in refuge. As Chief Executive Officer (CEO), you will lead the implementation of the new 2030 strategy and work with a dedicated Board and staff team to achieve this by offering unwavering support for children in refuge across the UK.
Who we are KidsOut's mission is to bring moments of joy, fun and hope that aid the healing and recovery of children impacted by domestic abuse.
We provide passionate and unwavering support for children in refuge across the United Kingdom and create joy-filled experiences that empower each child to overcome adversity, unlock their full potential and flourish in a nurturing and inclusive environment. Through dedicated efforts, we aspire to be a beacon of hope, cultivating brighter futures and fostering a community where every child feels valued, loved and equipped to gain the positive future they deserve.
KisOut has been supporting disadvantaged children for over 35 years. We started in 1990 when the first-ever Children's Day Out took place, and since then, over one million disadvantaged children have experienced a day out.
Last year we:
- Supported over 20,000 children who are in refuge fleeing domestic violence.
- Delivered over 15,000 Toy Boxes and over 150,000 toys.
- Took over 57,000 children out on Fun Days.
- Delivered over 340 enriching workshops through a diverse range of partners and programmes.
- Donated 175 digital devices to children in refuges, to help them with their schoolwork.
- Offered over 5,500 food vouchers during school holidays so children can stay nourished during the holidays.
It is an exciting time to join KidsOut as we shape and implement our 2030 Strategy with a dedicated internal team of Board and staff, and with the external community of stakeholders that work alongside us.
Who we are looking for You will be a compassionate, collaborative and experienced leader with a track record of dynamic and positive growth in a charity or relevant child-centred organisation. Someone who will value and motivate both staff and board members and our community of external stakeholders. You will be a leader with significant experience in growing strong stakeholder relationships with partners, families, young people and a community of staff, volunteers, funders and supporters.
As CEO, you will ensure compliance whilst also having the commercial skills to grow KidsOut's income to a stronger financial position. As a strategic and hands on individual, you will inspire others and grow impact and value as an ambassador and role model. With a track record as a thoughtful and impactful leader, you will bring equity, inclusion and an appreciation of the importance of children and their well being and safeguarding, which is at the heart of KidsOut.
Above all, you will uphold KidsOut's mission of helping to rebuild children's lives after trauma.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the 'How to Apply' tab above, fill in your details and download the job pack. For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
If you would like to know more about this role please contact Marie McQuade
Thank you so much for your interest in joining KidsOut.
As someone famously once said, 'Children are the future'. But for many children, the future is less bright and more than just a little uncertain. Children represent a group of very important people that a great many charities care deeply about and look to help. And one of the fundamental entitlements that EVERY child should feel safe and have life enhancing experiences that help them experience fun and happiness. It should be a natural part of growing up - it comes with the territory of being a child. And we all know that happier children make for happier, well rounded adults. But many children don't have the same experience as perhaps we did when we were growing up. For them, the world is very different.
One of the things that makes the plight of children in refuge so heartrending is that it isn't their fault. They didn't choose to have an abusive parent or adult, which meant they had to flee their home, friends, school and leave any semblance of normality behind, ending up in a women's refuge at the other end of the country with nothing but the clothes on their back. Yet the impact of this hugely traumatic event can cast a long shadow not only over their childhood but often over their entire future too.
KidsOut is a unique organisation, because we help children at a time when their world is quite literally torn apart. We focus on delivering experiences and toys for children that provide happiness, an experience that every person craves. For us, the measurements of success are smiles, happy memories and hope. We want the children we serve to know that someone cares. Helping them create memories that will last a lifetime can make all the difference. And that hope is crucial - children knowing that there is happiness out there, priceless.
We appreciate that happiness is transitory, so we work with other charity partners who help to deliver longer term solutions too. Whether that relates to mental or long term health, or disability issues, our focus is not solely on the short term. We want the children we help to reach a place where they can be happy in the long term.
It's a very interesting time to be joining KidsOut. We're about to sign off on a new strategy taking us to 2030, and our new Chief Executive Officer will help us set, embed and deliver our priorities. The economic context is challenging, and like most charities, our margins are tight. But you will be able to utilise your unique skills to help the board and executive team leverage their combined creativity and experience to make KidsOut resilient for the future. This is an amazing opportunity to help reshape a nationwide children's charity for the next decade and take the breadth and scope of what KidsOut is able to deliver to a whole new level.
We look forward to discussing the CEO role further with you.
Many thanks,
Ian Child
Trustee (and part of the founding family of KidsOut)
To access a full job description and application details,
please fill out the form below.
First name
Last name
Email address
Phone number
Your current job title
Where did you hear about this opportunity?
LinkedIn URL
I agree to Peridot Partners contacting me about this role and other potential positions relevant to me: Yes No
I agree to Peridot Partners contacting me about business services, events, or sector articles relevant to me: Yes No
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to , inserting "Application: KidsOut-Chief Executive Officer" into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
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.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact Marie McQuade. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 26th January 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Friday 30th January 2026
First stage Interviews: Tuesday 3rd February 2026
Second stage Interviews: Friday 13th February 2026
Peridot and KidsOut are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions.We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
. click apply for full job details