Overview
Literacy Pirates is a literacy charity working to ensure that children who are falling behind in class due to socio‑economic disadvantage develop their reading and writing skills, confidence and perseverance so they can succeed at school and beyond. The organisation is values‑driven, evidence‑led and uses a distinctive volunteer‑powered model that combines rigour and joy. It delivers a “Virtual Ship” service that allows us to reach children beyond London, and we are scaling nationally to serve 3,000 children annually by 2030.
Role Purpose and Key Responsibilities
* Lead Literacy Pirates through its next phase of growth by scaling the Virtual Ship nationally in line with the 2030 strategy, maintaining impact while improving the organisation’s economics, building partnership, income and organisational capacity, and protecting culture, values and quality.
* Strategic leadership and scale
o Lead delivery of Literacy Pirates’ 2030 strategy, translating long‑term ambition into a clear, disciplined growth plan.
o Drive national scale through the digital Virtual Ship model, ensuring growth is evidence‑led, financially sustainable and operationally credible.
o Work with the SLT and Board to identify the major choices, risks and milestones required to move from the current phase to the next.
o Ensure the organisation remains focused on the right strategic priorities and digital development, and does not become distracted by competing demands.
* Growth, partnerships and momentum
o Build and steward the partnerships that will drive the next phase of scale, including schools, MATs, funders, corporate & digital partners and other strategic allies.
o Strengthen the organisation’s external profile and reputation as a rigorous, joyful and increasingly scalable digital literacy charity.
o Bring energy, pace and clarity to the organisation’s growth agenda.
o Work with the team to build repeatable approaches to growth, not just one‑off wins.
* Income growth and financial sustainability
o Lead, with the Head of Development and wider team, an ambitious income strategy across trusts, foundations, corporates and major donors.
o Personally cultivate a small number of high‑value strategic funders and partners.
o Ensure resources are aligned to strategy and that growth improves long‑term sustainability.
o Work closely with the Director of Finance and Board to ensure robust budgeting, forecasting and decision‑making. Bring discipline to the relationship between impact, scale and cost.
* Leadership, culture and organisational development
o Ensure young people and the communities we serve continue to shape the organisation’s thinking and priorities.
o Lead and develop the SLT, building clarity, accountability and confidence across the organisation.
o Support the organisation through change in an empathetic and ambitious, humane and performance‑oriented way.
o Protect and evolve Literacy Pirates’ values‑led culture as the organisation grows and changes.
o Inspire staff, volunteers and stakeholders with a clear and compelling account of where the organisation is going and why.
* Governance, safeguarding and risk
o Build a strong, high‑trust relationship with the Chair and Board.
o Provide clear, timely reporting on strategy, impact, finance and risk.
o Ensure robust safeguarding, compliance and risk management across the organisation.
o Help the Board navigate the next stage of growth with confidence and clarity.
Person Specification
Essential Experience
* Significant senior executive or CEO‑level experience in a scaling organisation.
* Experience leading, or being a central part of, substantial organisational growth, ideally from around £1–2m to £5m+.
* Experience growing a digitally enabled service, programme, platform or organisation.
* Strong track record of leading teams through growth, change and increasing complexity.
* Experience in a purpose‑led or social impact charity or organisation.
* Demonstrable experience of building partnerships and opening up growth opportunities.
* Credible experience of income growth, strategic fundraising or commercial‑style partnership development.
* Strong financial literacy, including budgets, forecasting, sustainability and value for money.
* Experience using data, insight and evidence to drive performance and decision‑making.
* Experience working effectively with a board or equivalent governance body.
Essential Capabilities
* Strong strategic growth instinct: able to turn ambition into practical priorities and momentum.
* Able to lead a scaling organisation with discipline, pace and judgement.
* Strong outward‑facing presence: compelling with funders, partners, schools, corporates and other stakeholders; able to inspire, align and challenge teams.
* Strong people leadership: able to build trust, clarify accountability and lead through change.
* Belief in Literacy Pirates’ digital‑first strategy and the judgement to evolve it rather than reset it.
* Deep mission alignment and intellectual curiosity to understand, own and champion Literacy Pirates’ model, even if not from the education sector.
* Values‑led leadership with a strong commitment to inclusion, respect and diversity.
Essential Personal Qualities
* Warm, credible and emotionally intelligent.
* Ambitious for children and for the organisation.
* Resilient, adaptable and calm under pressure.
* Curious, thoughtful and evidence‑led; able to bring people with them whilst maintaining momentum.
* Comfortable being an intentionally incomplete CEO who works through and with a strong SLT.
Desirable
* Experience in education, literacy, children’s services, tutoring or youth sector.
* Experience with volunteer‑powered or volunteer‑intensive models.
* Experience of regional or national partnership development.
* Experience working with communities affected by socio‑economic disadvantage.
Benefits of Working at Literacy Pirates
• 25 days annual leave (increasing with service), plus bank holidays and 3 additional days off between Christmas and New Year.
• Flexible hybrid and remote working where possible.
• Paid volunteering time each year.
• Enhanced maternity and adoption pay, paid paternity leave, and paid time off to care for a sick child.
• Automatic enrolment and contribution into a workplace pension scheme.
• 24‑hour access to qualified counsellors for self and immediate family via the Wellbeing Solutions Employee Assistance Programme.
• Reimbursement of annual flu vaccinations and eye tests for screen users.
• Save up to 39% on a commuter bike and accessories through Cyclescheme.
• Invite to work in a pirate ship virtual environment.
How to Apply
To apply for the position, complete the online application form and upload a CV by midday Mon 20th April 2026.
All employees are required to complete an Enhanced DBS check prior to starting work. You can review our policy on employing those with a criminal record here.
Should attending interviews involve loss of earnings or childcare costs, we are happy to compensate you. Details will be shared when invited to interview.
Interview Dates
Phone interviews: Mon 27th April, 9 am to 12 pm.
In‑person interviews (Dalston, London): Thur 14th and Fri 15th May, 12 pm to 6 pm.
Final interview with Board of Trustees: Thur 21st May, 6 – 7 pm.
Notification of shortlist: Fri 24th April.
Open Evening
* Tue 7th April at 6 pm
* Fri 10th April at 12:30 pm
* Fri 17th April at 1 pm
To book a place, email ahoy@literacypirates.org.
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment practices are accessible to and inclusive for all prospective candidates. If you require any reasonable adjustments to accessing our recruitment materials or attending interviews, please let us know by emailing admin@literacypirates.org.
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