Rachel Davies is a Managing Consultant at Peridot’s Not for Profit Practice. She is known for her client-focused approach and passion for people development. With a BSc and MSc in Sport & Exercise Science, Rachel’s career began as a Performance Lifestyle Adviser, advising elite athletes on their career transitions with the English Institute of Sport. More recently, she guided students as the Head of Careers at a private school.
For seven years, she ran a successful baby and toddler swimming business, where she balanced HR, finance, and delivery duties. In 2018, she earned the prestigious ‘Working Mums Franchisee of the Year’ award. Rachel’s diverse experience equips her to bring a unique, holistic perspective to her recruitment work.
At Peridot, Rachel has delivered executive and board-level placements for various organisations, where she’s helped match skilled leaders with impactful causes.
Rachel enjoys open-water swimming, cycling, and synchronised swimming in her spare time. She often combines her love of travel with international competitions, celebrating with a well-deserved gin & tonic afterwards!
Talk to Rachel about:
“Our experience with Peridot was exceptional—from the initial pitch to after the CEO’s appointment. They took an extremely supportive, proactive, friendly, and professional approach throughout the journey, going above and beyond at all times. As the main contact, I had continuous one-on-one support and fantastic, thorough communication throughout, offering a guiding hand wherever it was required. Rachel was particularly helpful throughout the candidate visits and final interview days. Her guidance and presence helped keep everything running smoothly, and her informal (yet professional) approach made her the perfect person to have around for the panel and candidates alike. Her insight from previous candidate meetings was thorough and non-biased, giving us appropriate feedback whenever required. It was an absolute delight to work with them – and made what could have been such an onerous task much more pleasurable, not to mention successful. Thank you once again.”
Deputy Chair - Board of Trustees, St Mary’s Hospice
Rachel's selected track record:
BBS UK | Chair
Camphill Village Trust | Resource Director
Central YMCA | Director of Business Development and Marketing
Compaid | Chief Executive Officer
Dreamflight | Chief Executive Officer
Galapagos Conservation Trust | Chief Executive Officer
Grace Eyre Foundation | Deputy Chair, Treasurer and 5 Trustees
Headway East London | Chief Executive
Isabel Hospice | Director of Finance and Resources
Oak Tree Animals’ Charity | Head of Operations
One Fylde | Housing Director
Playskill | Chief Executive Officer
QUBE – Oswestry Community Action | Chief Officer
Saint Francis Hospice | Chief Executive Officer, Chair and Trustees
Solent Mind | Chair, Treasurer, Chief Operating Officer and Director of People
Science Council | Chief Executive Officer
St Mary’s Hospice | Chief Executive Officer
The Bell Foundation | Trustee (Communications)
The Children’s Trust | Director of Finance, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Nursing and Quality
Voluntary Action Rutland (VAR) | Chief Executive Officer
“Peridot has been everything we hoped for in our recent recruitment process. The promotion of our vacancy was simply the best marketing I have seen within the charity sector, which resulted in more interest from quality candidates than we could have anticipated. Rachel at Peridot has been exemplary; communication was thorough, informative and timely. Her organisation and guidance through all steps of the process were on point. I was particularly impressed by Rachel’s balanced advice – she felt like part of our organisation in all she said and did and was valued as such. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Peridot and Rachel to anyone.”
Chair of Trustees, Dreamflight
Read some of Rachel's articles:
- Personal and professional benefits of becoming a charity trustee
- Being an internal candidate in the UK charity sector
- Write an inclusive job description to attract diverse candidates
- National Inclusion Week: The Power of Now
- How to ace your next job interview: reach for the STARs
- Transferable skills that make a great recruitment consultant
