• Job Title: Chief Executive
• Salary: £53,000 p.a
• Location: Dundreggan Rewilding Centre, Dundreggan Estate, Glenmoriston, Inverness IV63 7YJ / Hybrid

Affric Highlands is the UK’s largest rewilding landscape, stretching across more than 200,000 hectares of the Scottish Highlands. It was established in September 2021 as the ninth member of Rewilding Europe’s network of large, iconic rewilding areas, building on three years of work under Trees for Life’s pioneering East–West Wild project.

After five years of development, Rewilding Affric Highlands is ready to enter the next phase and require a Chief Executive who can review strategy, develop delivery plans and ensure the right team is in place to scale impact for the long term.

The Board is open to appointing either an experienced interim Chief Executive for an initial six-month transformation project or a permanent Chief Executive who can lead both the immediate organisational transition and the longer-term strategic development of the charity.

In the first six months, the priority is organisational change and implementation rather than strategy. We are looking for a leader who can quickly assess the organisation, identify what is needed to strengthen delivery, and implement the changes required to create a resilient, high-performing organisation. 

Key priorities for the role include:

• Providing confident organisational leadership, bringing a pragmatic, delivery-focused approach to organisational development and operational improvement.
• Leading a programme of organisational change, identifying gaps, reshaping structures and processes, and ensuring the organisation is fit for its next phase of growth.
• Developing an organisational structure that is aligned with impact, accountability and effective delivery.
• Supporting and stabilising the team following a period of uncertainty and change, demonstrating empathy and strong people leadership in a fair, transparent and compassionate manner.
• Building the capability and capacity required for long-term success, ensuring the right people, skills and systems are in place.

For an interim appointment, proven experience of organisational transformation, change management and team leadership is essential.

For a permanent appointment, candidates will demonstrate the ability to think strategically, connecting immediate priorities with the long-term vision for Rewilding Affric Highlands. Candidates will be capable of translating strategic ambitions into practical delivery plans and leading the organisation through its next stage of development. 

Summary of experience required 

• An experienced organisational leader with the ability to bring clarity, stability and strong operational leadership, ideally gained within a complex or commercially focused environment.
• A hands-on change and organisational transformation leader who can quickly assess what is working, identify gaps and challenges, develop practical solutions and implement the changes needed to strengthen the organisation for the future.
• A strategic thinker who can translate long-term vision into clear priorities, ensuring day-to-day activity supports the organisation’s wider ambitions.
• A leader with experience of organisational design who can review structures, roles and ways of working, reposition resources where needed and create the right conditions for effective delivery, accountability and impact.

An empathetic and supportive people leader who can build trust, understand team dynamics and lead through change with care and transparency. Someone who can bring people with them, provide clarity where there is uncertainty, and work constructively with teams to address gaps, strengthen capability and develop a positive organisational culture.

We welcome applications from candidates interested in either the six-month interim appointment or the permanent Chief Executive role. We also recognise that some candidates may bring both the organisational transformation expertise required to lead the initial change programme and the strategic leadership needed to shape the longer-term future of Rewilding Affric Highlands. We would welcome applications from individuals with this combination of skills and experience.

 Further information and how to apply: https://awsexecutive.com/chief-executive-rewilding-affric-highlands/