Help Bipolar UK reach more people affected by bipolar, strengthen the support available to them and build the organisation that can make that possible.
Who we are
Bipolar UK is the only national charity dedicated to building a better world together for everyone affected by bipolar disorder. For more than 40 years, peer support has been at the heart of everything we do. Through our support services, research and campaign work, we empower thousands of people a month to stay well and we have the ambition to reach many thousands more.
About the role
Our next Chief Executive will lead Bipolar UK through this next stage, building on strong foundations while strengthening how the organisation works. You will drive collaboration, clearer accountability and confident decision-making across our organisation.
Financial sustainability will also be important. We have healthy reserves and have invested significantly in fundraising capability. As our new CEO, you will work with colleagues and trustees to strengthen and diversify sustainable income, develop external relationships and ensure our resources can support greater reach and impact.
You will work closely with our Chair and trustees, building an effective relationship between Board and executive leadership. You will also represent Bipolar UK externally, developing partnerships and increasing understanding of bipolar while ensuring lived experience continues to shape our voice and decisions.
Who we are looking for
You will bring substantial senior leadership experience and the ability to lead across people, resources, strategy and delivery. Previous CEO experience would be valuable given the breadth of the role, although we remain open to leaders who can demonstrate comparable organisation-wide responsibility.
You will understand financial sustainability and income development, know how to build an effective senior team and be comfortable working with an engaged Board. You will bring sound judgement, an inclusive leadership approach and the ability to build trust with different communities and stakeholders.
Experience within charities, mental health or health would be valuable, although we welcome different backgrounds. Direct or indirect lived experience of bipolar or mental health challenges is welcomed, but is not a requirement. What matters is your ability to listen, understand and lead authentically within an organisation shaped by lived experience.
If you connect with Bipolar UK’s work and believe your leadership could help us reach and support many more people, we would be pleased to hear from you.
To access the job information pack for this position, please follow the instructions on the ‘How to Apply’ page.
Following this, should you like to have an informal conversation, you can email our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Clare Chesworth | clarec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07904 158737
James Hunt | james@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07711 405444
Bipolar UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (No. 293340).
Welcome from the Chair
Dear Candidate
Thank you for your interest in becoming the next Chief Executive of Bipolar UK.
Bipolar UK exists for everyone affected by bipolar. Our vision is for everyone living with bipolar to be able to live well and fulfil their potential. We provide support, bring people together, contribute to research and campaign for change, with lived experience running through how we work and the decisions we make.
There is still much more to do. Too many people wait years for a diagnosis, struggle to navigate fragmented services or find that support only becomes available when they reach crisis. Families and friends can also be left trying to work things out for themselves. We believe people affected by bipolar deserve better.
We have spent considerable time listening to our community and thinking about where Bipolar UK can make the greatest difference. Our new strategy focuses our work across four areas: Engage, Support, Research and Advocate, alongside strengthening the charity itself and working in partnership with others. It gives our next Chief Executive a clear direction while leaving space for them to bring their own experience, judgement and ideas.
Our ambitions are significant. We want to reach people who are currently missing out on support, help people navigate the system and stay well, put lived experience at the heart of research, and use our evidence and voice to improve the way bipolar is understood and treated. We also need to strengthen and diversify our income so that these ambitions are sustainable.
The Chief Executive will work closely with our Board, senior leadership team, staff and volunteers to turn those ambitions into action. They will lead the organisation, develop our income, strengthen our partnerships and represent Bipolar UK with government, healthcare, funders, researchers, employers and the wider public. They will also ensure we have the culture, resources and organisational foundations needed to support our work well.
How that leadership is exercised matters greatly to us. Bipolar UK is led by lived experience. It runs through our staff, volunteers and trustees and shapes how we support and empower people affected by bipolar. Our values also ask us to be compassionate, innovative, inclusive and trustworthy.
We therefore want a Chief Executive who listens carefully and understands the responsibility that comes with leading a lived-experience-led organisation. You may bring personal lived experience yourself, although this is not essential. What matters is your ability to work authentically alongside our community, ensure different voices influence decisions, and lead with empathy and integrity.
You will also need ambition for Bipolar UK and the practical leadership experience to turn that ambition into sustainable progress. We are open to different professional backgrounds and routes into the role, and I hope you will consider applying if our mission and the challenge ahead speak to you.
Thank you again for your interest. I look forward to hearing more about what you could bring to Bipolar UK.
Yours sincerely,
Guy Paisner
Chair of Trustees
Bipolar UK
About Bipolar UK
Why we do what we do:
Bipolar is one of the biggest mental health challenges of the 21st century:
- More than one million people in the UK have bipolar (1 in 50 people)
- having bipolar increases the risk of suicide by at least 20 times
- it takes an average of 9.5 years to get a diagnosis of bipolar
- 56% of people living with bipolar get no treatment or support for the condition
- People living with bipolar need specialist support and services
- Supporting a loved one with bipolar has a huge impact on families and friends
Our vision: Everyone living with bipolar is able to live well and fulfil their potential.
Our mission: To deliver trusted, lived experience-led support, research and campaigns that empower people to manage bipolar across their lives, not just in crisis.
Our values: Our values define who we are and how we work. We are…
Led by lived experience | Lived experience runs through our staff, volunteers and trustees and is a defining strength in how we support and empower people affected by bipolar.
Compassionate | We communicate with respect and respond with empathy to everyone we support and work alongside.
Innovative | We explore bold ideas and technology to work in ways that last and can grow, shaped by the different perspectives of our community.
Inclusive | We value difference and make accessibility a priority, removing barriers so more people can get the support that’s right for them.
Trustworthy | We act with integrity, honesty and transparency and are accountable for our impact.
Learn more about Bipolar UK
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Job information pack.
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 response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Bipolar UK — 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.
Following review of the candidate information pack, should you like to have an informal conversation, you may email our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Clare Chesworth | clarec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07904 158737
James Hunt | james@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07711 405444
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 Clare Chesworth. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Applicants with disabilities are welcome to contact us in confidence at any stage of the recruitment process to discuss any reasonable adjustments or support that may be required to ensure fair and equal participation.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable
Closing date: By 9 a.m. Monday 5th October
Candidates informed of outcome: By COB, Tuesday 13th October
First stage interviews (virtual): Wednesday 21st October
Second stage interviews (in person, London): Tuesday 27th October
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Bipolar UK 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.
The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018.
The information provided does not form part of the decision-making process and will not affect your application. Learn more about why we collect this data here.
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