Location: Flexible; this role can be home-based or hybrid at one of our offices in London or Kettering. There will be travel required for meetings and events as required.
Reports to: Director of Membership & Professional Development
Closing Date: 27th March 2026
About the role:
Are you a builder of movements, not just a manager of lists?
At CMI, we believe that great management and leadership change lives. But brilliant leaders shouldn't work in silos. We are looking for a visionary Head of Communities to bring together our 200,000+ members, our CMI Companions, and our dedicated UK Regional Boards to further our mission.
This is a brand-new, high-impact role. You won't just be "managing" a community; you will be the architect of our new community ecosystem, turning professional engagement into a powerful engine for advocacy and employer partnerships.
The Challenge
As our first-ever Head of Communities, you will have the opportunity to:
* Launch the Future: Lead the rollout of our brand-new online community platform, creating a "digital home" for managers across the globe.
* Engage Strategic Leaders: Act as the strategic partner to our CMI Companions—C-suite leaders and industry titans—integrating their expertise into the heart of our mission.
* Empower the Regions: Provide strategic direction to our UK Regional Boards, ensuring local passion aligns with our national vision.
* Drive Advocacy: Turn members into overt brand ambassadors who unlock doors to new employer partnerships.
About you:
We are an inclusive employer and welcome all diverse backgrounds, where individuality is celebrated, creating both a forward-thinking team and a supportive space for everyone in the CMI team. We actively invite applications from diverse cultures and experience.
* We are looking for someone who can enhance our culture and align with our core values. We want someone who is ‘Passionate’ in making a positive difference to the skills of managers and leaders, ‘Practical’; with the ability to make quick and smart decisions, ‘Progressive’ about creating a better future and maintaining a ‘Professional’ code of conduct, through being accountable and ethical in everything that we do.
* You are a "connector" who understands the psychology of belonging. You are as comfortable presenting to a room of CEOs as you are navigating the backend of a community platform.
* A Strategic Architect: You’ve built or scaled professional communities before and know that success is measured in impact, not just "likes."
* A Change Agent: You can navigate complex stakeholder environments, bringing legacy structures on a transformational journey to advocacy.
* A Leader: You know how to inspire a team and a wider network of volunteers to pull in the same direction.
* Digitally Fluent: You understand community tech stacks and how to use data to prove the ROI of human connection.
Why CMI:
Are you looking to join a dynamic and ambitious organisation? At CMI, new leadership and management strategies are at the fore-front of what we do. We know the importance of fresh ideas and encourage new perspectives. We are a not for profit, Sunday Times Best Company To Work for 2024, with a Platinum Accreditation with Investors in People. We offer an engaging, flexible and collaborative culture with a wealth of opportunity for professional development.
It doesn’t stop there. We believe we are only as good as the people that work at CMI and in turn offer a competitive benefits package for all employees:
* Flexible working - our expectation is 2 days a week in the office, to suit you. We are not a traditional 9 to 5, we are flexible with what hours you work and when you work. Our offices in both London and Corby provide comfortable collaboration spaces for team get-togethers
* 21 days’ holiday + 8 days’ Bank Holiday + 4.5 days allocated for CMI holiday over Christmas and New Year period - with annual leave days increasing with length of service and the opportunity to buy and sell holiday
* Wellbeing and mental health - in-house mental health first-aid trainers and BUPA Employee Assistance for 24 hour support
* Inclusion at our core - Our colleague-led Inclusion Hubs for Ethnicity, LGBTQIA+, Menopause, Age, Disability and SocioEconomic are open for anyone to join
* CMI membership - take advantage of our amazing courses and become a Chartered Manager. Plus, CMI will pay your professional membership to one additional organisation of choice
* Rewards and Recognition scheme - cash prizes awarded to employees throughout the year
* Pension - we add an extra 6% of your gross salary to your pension pot every month after 3 months
About us:
The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) sets the Professional Standard in Management and Leadership. We have worked with businesses and education providers to inspire people to unleash their potential through qualifications, apprenticeships and training to become skilled, confident and successful managers and leaders, resulting in Chartered Manager status - the ultimate management accolade, which is proven to boost individuals’ career prospects, management capability and impact in the workplace.
Personal data which you provide through your application will be used for recruitment purposes only. For further details, see our privacy policy on our website. By submitting your CV/application, you are agreeing for your data to be used this way.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than advertised should we receive a high number of suitable applicants.
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