There are some organisations whose work stops you in your tracks. Canine Partners is one of them. A registered charity that transforms the lives of people with physical disabilities by partnering them with trained assistance dogs, their impact is profound, practical and deeply personal.

Their dogs help people living with conditions including multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, muscular dystrophy and many others. For each person they support, an assistance dog can mean the difference between dependence and independence, between isolation and connection. It is meaningful work, and it deserves meaningful leadership.

That is where Charisma came in.

A long-standing partnership built on trust

Charisma has worked with Canine Partners since 2021, and over the years that relationship has grown into something genuinely collaborative. We have supported them in securing a Director of People, a Director of Finance and Resources, and a Director of Income Generation and Marketing, each appointment made through careful executive search and a thorough understanding of what Canine Partners needed at each stage of their growth.

So when it came to recruiting for their most senior roles, the CEO and Chair of Trustees, it was natural that they turned to Charisma again. These were not straightforward campaigns. They required the kind of reach, rigour and relationship-building that only comes from years of experience in the charity sector.

Getting the campaigns right

For appointments at this level, there is no room for a one-size-fits-all approach. Charisma ran robust, fully public campaigns while simultaneously working in close collaboration with Canine Partners' internal Talent Team. The goal was simple: leave no stone unturned.

That meant reaching out to both warm and cold candidates, drawing on our extensive database of sector professionals as well as proactively approaching individuals who might not have been actively looking. It meant thoughtful, targeted direct approaches and genuine conversations about the organisation, its mission and the opportunity ahead.

Strong engagement followed, and with it came strong shortlists. Every role was filled successfully.

Why leadership matters so much in the charity sector

It might seem obvious, but it is worth saying: the quality of leadership in a charity directly shapes the quality of its impact. For an organisation like Canine Partners, where the work is as complex as it is compassionate, having the right people at the top is not a nice-to-have. It is everything.

A Chief Executive who understands both the operational demands and the emotional weight of this kind of work. A Chair of Trustees who can provide strategic oversight while championing the charity's values. These are not roles that can be filled by anyone. They require candidates who are not only experienced and capable, but genuinely aligned with the mission.

Finding those people is exactly what Charisma does best.

What the client said

We are always proud when the work speaks for itself, but it means a great deal when clients take the time to say so.

"I would like to thank you again and the entire team at Charisma for an excellent campaign. You provided us with outstanding candidates."

Chair of the Search Committee, Canine Partners

That kind of feedback reminds us why we do what we do.

The Charisma difference

What sets Charisma apart in charity recruitment is not just our database or our processes, though both are excellent. It is the fact that we genuinely care about the organisations we work with and the causes they serve. We take the time to understand not just the job description, but the culture, the challenges and the ambitions of each client.

For Canine Partners, that meant understanding a charity in a period of real momentum, one with a strong track record of impact and ambitious plans for the future. It meant finding leaders who could meet that moment.

We are proud to have been part of that journey, and we look forward to continuing to support Canine Partners as they grow.

Ready to find your next great leader?

If your organisation is facing an important appointment, whether it is a CEO, a Chair, a Director or another senior role, we would love to hear from you. Charisma specialises in charity and not-for-profit recruitment, and we bring the same care and commitment to every search we take on.

Get in touch with the Charisma team