Job title: Chief Strategy & Impact Officer
Department/Team: Strategy & Impact
Reporting to: CEO
Salary: £120,000-£140,000
Purpose of Job
Comic Relief is a charity that harnesses the power of entertainment, creativity, and collaboration to drive positive change. Through innovative fundraising, impactful grant-making (which we call “funding”), and strategic partnerships, we work towards a just world free from poverty.
As Chief Strategy & Impact Officer (CSIO), you will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering our strategy, ensuring Comic Relief maximises its impact while staying innovative, future-focused, and financially sustainable.
Key Responsibilities
The CSIO leads the Strategy & Impact Department, which covers funding, fundraising, partnerships, and public engagement. This is a wide-ranging remit that spans how Comic Relief makes change happen through funding locally-led organisations; how donors’ money makes a difference; how Comic Relief engages audiences; and different ways in which Comic Relief raises money. You will be responsible for developing and executing strategic plans that align all aspects of the organisation to achieve our charitable mission. You will work closely with the CEO, leadership team, Board, and external partners to drive growth, effectiveness, and culture.
This is a highly visible and influential role that requires deep strategic expertise, strong leadership, and a collaborative approach.
Strategy, Impact and Planning (Core Priority)
- Lead the development and execution of Comic Relief’s strategy and long-term vision in partnership with the CEO and leadership team.
- Conduct horizon scanning and scenario planning to anticipate trends, risks, and opportunities for growth and impact.
- Ensure that strategic goals are aligned across funding, fundraising, commercial partnerships, public engagement, and strategic communications; and that all of these areas are working within one holistic model and approach towards the same ultimate aims.
- Oversee Comic Relief’s impact framework and measurement, ensuring clear objectives, outcomes, and performance indicators are in place.
- Lead a team of directors to identify and develop new opportunities for innovation, income generation, and impact to further Comic Relief’s mission and vision.
Leadership & Organisational Culture (Core Priority)
- As part of the Executive Leadership Team, work with the CEO to provide leadership in developing, communicating and delivering the strategic vision and direction of Comic Relief.
- Work closely with other members of the Executive Leadership Team to ensure effective cooperation and collaboration across the organisation in support of Comic Relief’s operative objectives.
- Provide strategic leadership to the Strategy & Impact Department, fostering collaboration across teams.
- Champion Comic Relief’s values and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) commitments, embedding them in ways of working.
- Build a high-performing, motivated, and engaged department through strong planning, prioritisation, and communication.
- Act as a key organisational leader, influencing culture, ensuring cross-functional alignment and guarding against siloed working.
External Engagement & Partnerships
- Serve as a key spokesperson and ambassador for Comic Relief, representing the charity at external forums, partnerships, and media engagements.
- Develop and strengthen relationships with corporates, trusts, foundations, government bodies, and peer organisations to enhance collaboration and funding opportunities.
- Act as a thought leader, engaging in sector-wide debates, and innovation in fundraising and social impact.
Commercial & Communications Strategy
- Oversee the development of commercial opportunities, spanning partnerships, public fundraising and new income development. Identify future commercial opportunities as well as plans to pursue them.
- Own and drive Comic Relief’s brand, audience, and communications strategies, ensuring clarity of purpose and alignment with impact and fundraising objectives.
- Lead strategic planning across fundraising and communications efforts to maximise revenue and engagement, ensuring a clear cross-organisation plan is in place across all fundraising campaigns and communications activities.
Governance & Financial Oversight
- Represent the Strategy & Impact function at Board and Committee level, serving as a key liaison for trustees.
- Ensure governance priorities are met and that strategic decisions are backed by clear analysis and evidence.
- Oversee budgets for the directorate, ensuring financial sustainability and cost-effectiveness.
- Know, follow, and help establish, the organisation’s governance, policies, benefits, and processes.
- Alongside the rest of the Leadership team, hold accountability for achieving the organisation’s strategy, objectives, and board-level KPIs.
People Management
- Provide strong line management to Directors across funding, fundraising, partnerships, and strategic communications, ensuring performance, collaboration, and impact.
- Proactively undertake business planning, prioritise activities and ensure clear and realistic objectives based on capacity, expertise and aspirations are set across the Strategy & Impact Department.
- Provide balanced, constructive feedback, undertake effective performance management to embed accountability, and proactively support the professional development and growth of staff within the Strategy & Impact Department.
- Maintain regular two-way communication and dialogue with direct reports, ensuring information is cascaded and escalated as needed.
- Model an enabling, inclusive, empowering leadership style that builds a values-based culture throughout the organisation.