Emerging Futures works nationally with people affected by addiction, encouraging them to make positive changes to their lives.

This is an exciting and pivotal moment to join our organisation. As a key member of our Executive Leadership Team, you’ll play a vital role in shaping our future.

About the role

This is a pivotal leadership role, supporting the Chief Executive and Board with organisational development, risk oversight, and the consistent delivery of high-quality, person-centred services.

This executive leadership role shapes the strategic direction of Emerging Futures, overseeing HR, Quality, Safeguarding, and Performance functions. It drives organisational strategy across people, culture, innovation, and service delivery, ensuring alignment with the charity’s values and sector trends in substance misuse and homelessness.

Key responsibilities include leading HR strategy—covering recruitment, workforce development, staff wellbeing, inclusion, and compliance—and overseeing quality assurance, clinical governance, and safeguarding to ensure robust risk management and continuous improvement.

The role also leads the development of outcome measurement frameworks, promotes data-driven decision-making, and collaborates with operational leaders to support service innovation and performance. Externally, it represents the organisation in strategic forums and partnerships, while internally fostering integration and supporting cross-functional initiatives.

This role is home based, however as you are leading remote teams across the country, very regular travel to EF sites/offices will be required.

About you

You will have proven senior leadership experience in HR (ideally at Head of HR or Director level) in the voluntary, housing, health, or social care sector. You should also have:

• Level 7 CIPD Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management or equivalent, plus relevant experience
• Strategic understanding of workforce, service delivery, and governance issues in substance use, homelessness, or complex needs sectors.
• Demonstrated success in embedding quality and assurance frameworks across complex, dispersed services.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding, regulatory compliance, risk management, and performance improvement frameworks.
• Track record of driving organisational culture change and operational excellence.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing, and stakeholder engagement skills, including Board-level reporting.