Appointment Brief MANAGING DIRECTOR
MARCH 2026
from our chair, Ben Wickham
WELCOME, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THE ROLE OF MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE HUMANE LEAGUE UK.
This is an exciting time to join this organisation as we enter a new strategic period and a new chapter in our work campaigning to end the abuse of animals raised for food. We have had many successes, sparing millions of egg-laying hens from cages and getting farmed fish welfare on the agenda of the Government. We have championed the 1.2 billion chickens raised for meat in the UK every year, campaigning to get companies to raise their standards and improve the lives of chickens in their supply chains by pledging to the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC). Today, we face the challenge of making those commitments a reality.
We have a small but highly effective and motivated team, a passionate and supportive Board, and a growing number of supporters who take action, attend protests, and donate money to help the animals. We are a young but established charity with a strong reputation. Thanks to our effectiveness, The Humane League has been named Top Charity by the independent evaluator Animal Charity Evaluators for every rating period since 2012. We collaborate with other organisations in the movement through our close working relationship with The Humane League in the USA, as well as being part of the Open Wing Alliance.
The other Trustees and I need to find the right Managing Director to lead the organisation into its next phase. This role could not be more crucial to the organisation or the animals we’re here for. We need someone who can lead strategically, passionately, and dynamically; someone who embodies our core values by being relentless, effective, nimble, inclusive, innovative and collaborative; someone who understands the challenge we’re up against, and the importance of continuing to advocate for the animals suffering in our food systems.
If this sounds like you, I hope you enjoy reading more about us and the role, and hope you’ll consider applying to join this truly amazing organisation and cause.
Ben Wickham, Chair of the Board of Trustees
ABOUT us
The Humane League UK is an animal protection charity that relentlessly works to end the abuse of animals raised for food by influencing the policies of the world’s biggest companies, demanding legislation, and empowering others to take action.
Our vision centres on ending the abuse of animals raised for food, because animals farmed for food are intelligent, playful, thinking beings who deserve our compassion and respect. All beings who can suffer deserve compassion, and freedom from unnecessary pain. A world where we ground our ethics in compassion for others, regardless of species, will be more just, more fair, and kinder towards all living creatures.
We work to hold the world’s largest corporations accountable to higher animal welfare. By influencing companies to create and implement meaningful animal welfare policies, we work to abolish the worst forms of abuse and reduce the suffering of millions of farm animals. We also work to enact laws that ban the confinement and inhumane treatment of animals.
We work to open people’s eyes to the horrifying ways in which animals are treated in typical factory farm environments, empowering communities and corporations to take action for the animals through activism and reducing or abandoning their use of animal products.
As part of a broader animal protection movement, we work to share helpful resources, train other non-profit organisations around the world, and build a welcoming, collaborative and change-making community.
We’re a mission-driven, energetic team focused on problem-solving and effective teamwork, and have grown significantly over the last few years.
CORE VALUES
Effective: We strategically focus our energy, resources and talent toward impactful actions that will reduce, and ultimately end, the abuse of animals for food.
Relentless: We are an indomitable force - with an unwavering commitment to our mission and endless determination to succeed.
Innovative: We constantly seek opportunities to improve, creating forward-thinking strategies and solutions to grow as a team and a movement.
Collaborative: We are a league of team players who lift each other up, share our knowledge, resources, and passion with others, and find strength in building an impactful and positive movement for all.
Inclusive: We welcome, respect, and empower others, appreciating the value that every individual brings to our organisation and our movement.
Nimble: We quickly and efficiently embrace whatever change is needed to be most effective in achieving our mission.
STRATEGY
This year marks the end of our 2024-2027 strategic cycle, offering the opportunity for our new Managing Director to work with the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to shape our strategy for 2027-2030.
We have ambitious plans to elevate the public profile of fast-growing chickens, as we know that these breeds have suffering hard-coded in their DNA, and yet this is the part of the BCC that we are facing the most resistance from the industry. We have already secured huge shifts in the industry, with the vast majority of supermarkets recently giving chickens in their supply chain 20% more space in line with the BCC. Our work this year, and in the coming years, will require us to break the lockhold on breed by powerful stakeholders.
Meanwhile, we must also ensure key companies fulfil their cage-free commitments for egg-laying
hens, whilst maintaining strategic pressure on the UK government to ban cages once and for all. With 4/5 hens now free from the confines of a cage, and the majority of the public being in favour of a ban, the future looks promising.
We are also working to ensure England and Scotland are on track to passing stunning regulations for farmed fishes by anticipated elections in 2029. This would be the first ever species-specific legislation for farmed fish which could reduce the suffering of up to 77 million animals during the time of slaughter, sending a signal to the rest of the world that fish welfare matters.
Last but not least, we need to ensure the longterm viability of our organisation. This includes strategic goals to grow and extend our supporter power and secure and grow our fundraising pipeline in the UK.
equity, DIVERSITY and INCLUSION STATEMENT
THE HUMANE LEAGUE UK IS AN EQUAL-OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.
We are committed to furthering equity and inclusion, and we value diversity. We seek people from a wide range of backgrounds who will bring a fresh perspective to the team, not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it makes us stronger.
We make employment decisions by matching our organisational needs with the skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, neurodiversity, age, or veteran status.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer, demonstrating our commitment to recruiting, retaining, and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, based on their skills and talent.
You can read more about how The Humane League UK is working on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion here.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, please contact Prospectus and we will be happy to discuss, via email or telephone, reasonable adjustments that you may require throughout the process.
FINANCES
In 2026/27, we aim to raise £1.686m from a range of sources, including grants, major giving, corporate income, and individuals. Our expenditure budget for this year is £1.671m. Roughly three quarters of our expenditure is related to staffing costs.
£1.6M
INCOME 2026/27 YEAR ON YEAR FINANCIAL HISTORY
Grants Other Corporate
Individual Giving
Major Giving
Total Gross Income
Total Expenditure Expenditurecharitable activities
ORGANISATION chart
MANAGING DIRECTOR
role DESCRIPTION
JOB TITLE: MANAGING DIRECTOR
Salary: Starting at £84,078 or £92,486 for Inner London
Weighting
Location: Remote, UK based
Reporting to: Chair of Board of Trustees
Direct reports: Head of Communications, Head of Development, Head of Operations, Head of Programs
Purpose: The Humane League UK (THL UK) is seeking a strategically-minded individual to lead our organisation. Responsible for the overall vision and mission of THL UK, the successful candidate will be passionate and knowledgeable about our mission of ending the abuse of animals raised for food. Proven experience as a senior visionary strategic leader with an understanding of animal protection and/or food systems is essential, with experience in campaigning and/or influencing highly desirable.
key RESPONSIBILITIES
Leadership:
• Collaborates with the Board of Trustees (BOT) and Chairperson of the Board, and leads the Leadership Team, to create overarching multi-year organisational priorities and goals, working with Heads of Department to align these to more specific department level strategies.
• Working with the Leadership Team and the BOT, set the annual budget and forecast fundraising priorities for the future.
• Shapes the overall long-term strategic direction, priorities, and success of the organisation. Anticipates future challenges and growth needs in a timely way and positions the organisation to thrive in a competitive charity landscape so it can deliver meaningful improvements for farmed animals.
• Manages the relationship with the BOT, ensuring the Trustees are adding value to THL UK. Co-creates the agendas for Board meetings with the BOT Chair and works with the Senior Leadership Team to provide the Board timely and critical updates to inform the organisation’s risk management, governance, and strategic effectiveness.
• Coordinates our relationship with THL in the US, acting as a primary contact and intermediary between US and UK leadership.
• Acts as a public face of the organisation in the UK through speaking events, the media and through THL UK publications.
• Builds and strengthens high-level collaborative relationships with animal protection groups and other stakeholders.
• Builds a culture of effectiveness, relentlessness, innovation, collaboration, inclusivity and agility, through leading by example and creating the right policies and processes.
• Actively models inclusive leadership, setting the tone for a culture of equity, psychological safety, and belonging across the organisation. Champions equity and inclusion at every level and holds leaders accountable for modelling inclusive leadership.
Overseeing and supporting strategic functions:
• Oversees the programmatic work in the UK. This will also involve working closely with the Open Wing Alliance and THL US’ Executive Team.
• Champions a campaigning culture, by attending protests, supporting campaign actions and leading by example.
• Raises the profile of THL UK to key audiences through media and speaking engagements, and by utilising social media channels, such as LinkedIn, to show themselves as a sector leader, and THL UK as a leading animal protection charity.
• Supports the Head of Development in securing funds to achieve our fundraising targets, both short and long-term, which
could include identify new funding prospects, making direct asks, drafting and submitting funding applications, supporting the creation of cases for support, and reporting progress to funders.
• Stewards and cultivates key donors and funders, including attending meetings, as identified by the Head of Development.
• Maintains a strong working knowledge of relevant developments in subject areas the organisation is engaged in.
Governance, finance, and risk management:
• Works with the BOT, the Operations department, Leadership Team and outside counsel to reduce risks and holds overall responsibility for risk management across the organisation. Works with the Head of Communications in crafting emergency communications when necessary.
• Work with staff and the BOT to prepare a comprehensive annual budget (currently £1.6 million for 2026-27), and to devise longer-
term three-year budgets, in line with our strategic cycles.
• Supports the BOT to maintain charitable status, ensuring all charity laws are followed and that charity documents are managed and filed in a timely manner.
• Approve expenditures within the authority delegated by the BOT.
Personnel management:
• Manages and leads the team to achieve agreed objectives and to encourage the professional development of individual team members.
• Sets/clarifies job expectations and provides regular feedback and guidance.
• Supports Heads of in strategies and staff management.
• Manages Time Off requests from direct line managed staff.
• Signs off expenses of direct line managed staff.
person SPECIFICATION
Essential:
• You will have knowledge and understanding of the animal protection and/or food systems sectors, including an understanding of the key stakeholders, challenges, and strategic priorities.
• You have a strong ability to conceptualise, communicate, and manage strategic initiatives to further THL UK’s mission, making sure our day-to-day activities support those initiatives.
• You can manage high-level strategic discussions and decisions, creating a sense of unity among the Leadership Team, whilst engendering trust across the wider organisation.
• You’re a natural problem-solver with the ability to deal with the present while foreseeing and addressing future issues.
• You’re a confident spokesperson and advocate of THL UK’s mission.
• You’re able to make challenging decisions that best serve THL UK’s long-term objectives and handle difficult prioritisation questions about how to spend our limited resources.
• You deeply believe in THL UK values, building a culture of effectiveness, relentlessness, innovation, collaboration, inclusivity and agility, leading this from the top.
• You’re well-organised and efficient, and can multi-task effectively. You can effectively use technology to manage a varied and diverse workload, and maintain communications with your staff and key stakeholders.
• You’re a great listener, and this informs your decision-making.
• You are able to build and motivate strong teams, fostering an environment where staff
feel empowered to take bold and impactful actions, and make effective decisions.
• You can maintain strong internal communications, maintaining clarity across the organisation, even in complex situations.
• You will have excellent interpersonal, communication, and networking skills, with the ability to engage diverse audiences.
• You have the ability to assess and foresee key major risks to the organisation, and to plan and mitigate these accordingly to ensure the long-term viability of THL UK.
Desirable:
• You will have experience of successful income generation, whether that be direct experience of grant funding applications and reporting, stewarding and making major donor asks, or more generally supporting wider fundraising functions to ensure longterm financial viability.
• You have strong financial acumen and experience in budget management and reporting.
• You will have proven experience in governance and regulatory requirements in the UK charity sector, as well as in building productive, collaborative relationships with a Board of Trustees.
• You will have an understanding of our key audiences and supporters, such as the Effective Altruism community.
• Experience of high profile media and speaking engagements, with the ability to think on the spot and communicate effectively under pressure.
key COMPETENCIES
Leadership: Has a clear, strategic vision for the organisation and rallies the team toward realising that vision. Balances and coordinates the interests of different departments. Leads with integrity and mutual respect, and inspires trust and confidence with a wide range of people representing various backgrounds and levels of experience. Believes firmly in promoting a healthy work culture, leading by example and building a culture of effectiveness, relentlessness, innovation, collaboration, inclusivity and agility.
Thought leadership: An informed opinion leader on the mission of THL UK and outcomes we’re seeking. You are the go to person to represent and advocate for THL UK, what our work means in the context of reducing suffering, and why it is so important.
Strategic thinking: Looks at consequences, implications, interdependencies, and indirect effects, all in both the short and longer-term. Looks beyond the immediate goal or issue and within the greater context, not just the context of the moment. Is able to think and act creatively in difficult situations.
Management: Builds a team of high-performing staff members, appropriately structures jobs so that staff members can succeed, develops and motivates staff members, and acts from the perspective of an organisational leader that empowers their team.
Tenacity: The ability to display confidence and relentlessness, especially when faced with confrontational or particularly difficult situations and interactions.
Decision-making: An active listener with the ability to critically think and evaluate. You can think quickly and make calculated decisions in both high-pressure situations and broader strategy discussions, consulting appropriate team members where necessary.
Problem solver: Identifies issues, effectively structures problems, analyses information to produce insights and generates wise, actionable recommendations. A forward-looking thinker who anticipates the needs of the organisation and Board.
Communication: Ability to write, present and speak clearly and effectively. You are an exceptional communicator and can adapt to different tones and styles. A confident public speaker, including on camera, and happy leading public campaign actions.
how to APPLY
To apply for the role, please upload your CV and answers to the questions below via the Prospectus website at:
https://www.prospect-us.co.uk/job/194350
1. To work for The Humane League UK, you need to have the right to work in the UK. Do you have Right to Work in the UK?
2. To work for The Humane League UK, you need to be based in the UK. Are you based in the UK?
3. What is your availability; when would you be available to start?
4. Why do you want to work for The Humane League UK? How do you align yourself with The Humane League UK’s mission of ending the abuse of farmed animals? (minimum 100 words - maximum 200 words)
5. Please describe your experience and understanding of farmed animal welfare, food systems, and/or animal protection. (minimum 100 - maximum 200 words)
6. What is your experience of leadership, particularly how you lead and inspire teams, build culture, and guide organisational direction? (minimum 100 - maximum 200 words)
7. Please describe evidence of how you shape ideas and influence thinking beyond the organisation, providing examples of where you have done this in the past, where possible. (minimum 100 - maximum 200 words)
8. Please provide an example of where you have had to deliver strategic thinking, which demonstrates your ability to plan, anticipate, and align activities with long-term goals. (minimum 100 - maximum 200 words)
9. Please describe how you have shown persistence and resilience in pursuing longterm objectives despite obstacles. (minimum 100 - maximum 200 words)
Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable. If you wish to apply using an alternative format please contact Prospectus on 020 7691 1920 or email: executive.admin@prospect-us.co.uk
At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire.
RECRUITMENT TIMETABLE
Deadline for applications: Sunday 19th April
Skills test: 24th – 27th April
First stage interviews with The Humane League UK: 5 – 6th May
Second stage interviews with The Humane League UK: 18th – 19th May
Final interviews with The Humane League UK: 26th – 28th May
QUERIES
If you wish to have an informal discussion about the opportunity, please contact our retained advisors Erica Ritchie or Anna Gardet at Prospectus on 020 7691 1920, or email: Erica.Ritchie@prospect-us.co.uk
Anna.Gardet@prospect-us.co.uk
• A fully remote work environment and team (all equipment is provided).
• A 4 day working week (30 hours over Monday to Thursday for full time staff) at full time pay.
• 20 days leave plus 8 days for bank holidays that can be used at a time of your choice.
• Flexible working hours.
• A workplace pension.
• An annual learning and development budget.
• Access to confidential online therapy via our external provider Spill. This can be a one off session, a course, written advice or use of self directed tools and exercises.
• Access to a wellness and perks platform that encourages wellbeing using gamification, as well as perks such as discounted gym memberships and online fitness / meditation apps.
• £25 per month reimbursement towards home working costs.
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