Lead the creation of Cruse’s new commercial strategy, turning innovation into sustainable impact for bereaved people across the UK.
Who we are
Cruse is the UK’s leading bereavement charity, supporting people through one of the most difficult experiences of their lives. For over 65 years, Cruse has provided compassionate, expert and accessible support to individuals, families and communities affected by grief.
Operating across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, Cruse delivers a range of services including bereavement counselling, national helplines, digital support and training. The organisation is deeply values-led, with kindness, inclusivity and compassion at the heart of everything it does, alongside a growing commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Following a period of organisational change, Cruse now has a new strategy and a clear ambition to strengthen its long-term financial sustainability through the growth of unrestricted, commercial income.
About the role
Cruse is now seeking an entrepreneurial, commercially astute and values-driven leader to establish and lead its new commercial function at a pivotal moment in the organisation’s evolution. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, the Commercial Development Lead will play a central role in shaping Cruse’s long-term financial sustainability by designing and delivering a clear and impactful commercial strategy
This is a genuinely rare opportunity to build a function from the ground up. You will identify and assess new income opportunities, develop robust business cases and lead agile, test-and-learn pilots that translate strategy into operational reality. Working closely with colleagues across income generation, services and finance, as well as key volunteers and external partners, you will ensure that commercial activity is fully aligned with Cruse’s mission, brand and values, while delivering strong return on investment and measurable impact.
The role offers significant autonomy, influence and visibility. You will bring commercial thinking into the heart of organisational decision-making, help embed a culture of innovation and support Cruse to move to a purposeful, sustainable and strategically driven commercial model. Alongside this, you will ensure that governance, compliance and ethical standards are upheld and that all commercial activity strengthens trust with bereaved people, supporters and partners .
Who we are looking for
Cruse is seeking a leader who combines strong commercial credibility with genuine emotional intelligence.
You might come from a charity, social enterprise or commercial background. What matters most is your ability to operate effectively in a values-led environment and to translate commercial thinking into meaningful, ethical impact.
You will bring a proven track record of developing and implementing commercial strategies in complex, values-led environments alongside demonstrable experience in building robust business cases and making sound, pragmatic investment decisions. You will be excited by the opportunity to create and grow sustainable income streams while working collaboratively across organisational boundaries and bringing colleagues with you on a journey of change. In addition, you will instinctively balance compassion with commercial discipline, understanding that both are essential in a mission-driven organisation.
Our Commercial Development Lead will be resilient, credible, innovative, and people-focused; comfortable operating in ambiguity and motivated to build something new with purpose.
Initially offered as a 12-month fixed-term contract (with strong potential for extension), this post provides the chance to create something meaningful in an organisation whose work supports thousands of people every year. The role is fully hybrid, with flexible and part-time working welcomed, and a salary of around £65,000 FTE depending on experience.
For the right individual, this is an opportunity to combine commercial leadership with genuine social impact, leaving a legacy that will shape Cruse’s future for years to come.
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 or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Lucy Mavers | lucy@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07947 935068
Welcome from the Chief Executive
Dear Candidates,
Welcome to Cruse Bereavement Support. We are a national charity supporting people across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Cruse has been providing expert bereavement and grief support for over 65 years. We have national services, over 80 local branches and a website attracting over 1 million visitors annually. We have recently launched our new strategy, so it is a particularly exciting time to join us and be part of shaping and delivering growth and increased impact.
Our employees and volunteers are the backbone of our work. Through our incredible team of employees and 3,300 volunteers, we provide specialist support and information online, by phone and in person. But this is only possible with the income we raise each year to fund our services.
This is a new role, reporting to the CEO, with a remit to develop a new commercial strategy for Cruse. You will identify and assess opportunities for commercial income, build business cases for investment and pilot new opportunities. You will also review our current activities and advise on opportunities for growth. Our initial priority is reviewing and identifying opportunities to charge for services. A key element of our new strategy is to diversify our income streams and develop our unrestricted income. You will play an important part in the development of this journey, leading our efforts to explore, test and grow new commercial activities and products that align with our mission and values. This role would suit someone who enjoys blending entrepreneurial thinking with the needs and values of a charity committed to delivering impact.
In this microsite, you can find out more about Cruse, the work we do and the details of this role. I hope you will feel inspired to join our team and be part of supporting people, so they are not alone in their grief.
Lucy Harmer, Chief Executive
About Cruse Bereavement Support
At Cruse, we believe bereaved people should not be alone in their grief. We provide specialist support and information online, by phone and in person for bereaved adults, children and young people across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. Our services include our website information, the national Cruse Helpline, group and one-to-one bereavement support sessions, delivered nationally and locally by our trained bereavement volunteers.
Bereavement and grief can have a wide impact on family, friends, colleagues, professionals, and communities. We deliver expert specialist training, working with companies, private and public sector organisations, groups and individuals to improve the support and services they provide to bereaved people, including colleagues and customers.
We are here to equip and empower society to show people the respect and kindness they deserve following a bereavement. Our wide-ranging activities and experience include sharing people’s stories and experiences through our website and social media, raising awareness of the impact of grief and bereavement and the information and support available. We also work with organisations to upskill their staff.
“I went from absolute depths of despair, I really couldn’t see a way out of the hole I was in … to complete relief, and an ability to think rationally. It was a godsend. I honestly think Cruse saved my life.”
Feedback from an adult supported by Cruse.
Our Vision
Our vision is that we live in a world where everyone grieving is supported, respected and understood.
Our mission
Our mission is that we support people through one of the most painful times in life – with bereavement support, information and campaigning.
Our Values
Values are crucial to the culture of any organisation. Our values underpin everything we do. Whether we’re talking to a client or to a member of our own team, we always strive to be kind, inclusive, ambitious and genuine.
We are kind
Kindness underpins how we communicate and treat each other. Much like with grief, we have no idea what another person’s journey is or what they are dealing with, so we approach and respond with kindness.
We are inclusive
Grief does not discriminate and neither do we. Everyone’s experience of a bereavement is different, and we honour everyone’s differences.
We are ambitious
We encourage and stretch each other. We are a highly motivated, passionate, professional and determined team. The more we succeed in our ambitions, the more we move towards our vision.
We are genuine
We are honest, open to real conversations, tackling difficult subjects. We respect the courage it takes to be vulnerable when seeking support and speaking up. We learn from mistakes, and we feel safe to be challenged. We bring our whole selves to our roles.
Learn more about Cruse Bereavement Support
- Cruse Bereavement Support website
- Strategy
- Organisation Structure
Accessibility
We understand that different members of the community have different access needs and are committed to making our recruitment process as inclusive and accessible as possible. We welcome conversations about reasonable adjustments and encourage you to speak with Peridot about any support you may require, so we can ensure the process works well for you.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Lucy Mavers | lucy@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07947 935068
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Job Description, Person Specification, and Candidate 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: Cruse Bereavement Support—Commercial Development Lead” 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:
Lucy Mavers | lucy@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07947 935068
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 get in touch with the advising consultant. 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 23rd February 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Late PM Monday 2nd March 2026
First stage Interviews: Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th March 2026
Informal staff discussions: w/c Monday 16th March 2026
Second stage Interviews: Thursday 19th March 2026
Given the urgency of the role, we may close and move to interviews sooner should we receive enough suitable interest ahead of the deadline. We want to provide everyone with the opportunity to apply, so if you are concerned that this role may close before you are able to do so, please contact our advising consultant to discuss your options.
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Cruse Bereavement Support 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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