Appointing a first external Chief Executive is one of the biggest moments in the life of any charity, particularly when that charity has been led by its founders since the beginning. It calls for care, honesty and a very clear sense of what the organisation needs next. That was the situation at Strength & Learning Through Horses (SLTH), and I was proud to lead the search for their new Chief Executive.

What does Strength & Learning Through Horses do?

SLTH transforms the lives of vulnerable young people through equine-assisted therapy and education. It is a charity with a turnover of around £1 million, a powerful mission and high potential, and it was ready to grow.

The charity was looking for its first external Chief Executive to drive that growth, deepen its impact and shape the next phase of its development. The new leader would take over the strategic and operational leadership of the organisation from the co-founders, who would step into a newly formed senior leadership team. There, they could dedicate their focus to their areas of subject matter expertise.

A brave and thoughtful decision

It takes real self-awareness for founders to recognise that their charity needs a different kind of leadership for its next chapter, and to plan for it. Handing over the day-to-day running of something you have built is rarely easy, and it is a decision that deserves recognition.

From the outset, it was clear that the incoming Chief Executive would need to earn the trust of people who care deeply about the organisation. They would need to combine credibility with humility, and to respect what had been built while confidently taking it forward.

What would the new Chief Executive need to do?

The new Chief Executive would lead operations, grow and diversify income and strengthen governance. Reporting to the Board, they would also drive organisational development, oversee site development and oversee financial performance, planning and sustainability.

SLTH also needed an ambassador, someone who could build and manage partnerships with local authorities, funders and community stakeholders. For a charity of this size, those relationships are vital. A Chief Executive who can speak with authority to commissioners and funders, and with warmth to the community, can open doors that change what the organisation is able to do.

What experience did the ideal candidate need?

They needed senior leadership experience in charity, education, health, youth or social care. Our acquisition and engagement focused on securing candidates with significant experience of this kind. We looked for a strong background in operational excellence, strategy, governance and organisational development, alongside demonstrable financial stewardship.

We also sought candidates with working knowledge of day-to-day HR policies and processes, and an understanding of safeguarding responsibilities. For a charity working with vulnerable young people, safeguarding is not a box to tick. It sits at the heart of everything the organisation does, so a Chief Executive must understand it deeply and lead by example.

This is a wide brief, and it shows why executive search is so valuable at this level. Candidates with that breadth of experience rarely respond to a vacancy advert by chance. They are often in senior roles, and they need a thoughtful conversation about the organisation, its ambitions and the difference they could make.

Why prioritise a candidate with prior Chief Executive experience?

Because it brings immediate credibility to a complex role, with the Board and the wider team. Following a robust process, the successful candidate was selected. The Board and co-founders were keen to secure an experienced Chief Executive. With that core mission in mind, we were able to prioritise and ultimately secure a candidate with two prior substantive Chief Executive roles.

That track record matters. Moving from founder-led to externally led is a significant change, and it helps enormously when the incoming leader has already led an organisation through the pressures of the role. It means they bring immediate credibility to this complex leadership position, with both the Board and the wider team, and they can focus from the start on the organisation's future rather than on learning the basics of the job.

What other founder-led charities can take from this

Many charities reach a point where the founders' vision needs to be joined by a different set of skills. If you are approaching that moment, a few things are worth remembering. Be honest about what the organisation needs next and how the founders' own role will evolve. Set out the Chief Executive's responsibilities clearly, including governance, income and stakeholder relationships. Decide early how much previous Chief Executive experience matters to you, because it will shape the whole search. And choose a recruitment partner who understands your sector and your mission.

It was a pleasure to support SLTH through this important transition, and I wish the new Chief Executive, the co-founders and the whole team every success in the next phase of their story.

Can Charisma help with a leadership transition?

Yes, we can support your search for a first external Chief Executive, from brief to appointment. If your charity is preparing for a change in leadership, we would love to help. We have particular experience with organisations in our animal assistance specialism, and across the wider charity sector. Contact the team to talk about how we can support your search.