Associate Director of Community and Retail Full Time NEW

Location: Homebased with regular nationwide travel   

Work pattern: 35 hours per week

Salary: Up to £75,884.23 per annum

Contract: Permanent  

We are the UK’s largest cat welfare charity. All over the country, our passionate employees, volunteers and supporters are using their kindness and expertise to make life better for millions of cats and the people who care for them. 

Will you join us and make life better for cats? 

Responsibilities

Responsibilities of our Associate Director of Community & Retail  

• This role leads the strategic development of Cats Protection’s community, events, retail and e-commerce functions, all of which are undergoing significant transformation. It is responsible for delivering the vision of maximising grassroots community engagement while improving retail profitability, customer experience and overall value.
• The successful candidate will ensure these income-generating activities strengthen regional presence, align closely with service delivery teams and increase visibility in areas where the charity is less established. The role is accountable for realising both the financial and brand value of these activities, ensuring they work effectively together.
• As a senior position within the Marketing and Income Generation (MIG) Leadership Team, the role works closely with the MIG Director and peers to drive high performance, collaboration and excellence across the directorate. It also leads and supports cross-directorate initiatives to improve impact, integration and organisational outcomes for Cats Protection.

About the Community & Retail team: 

• We run a diverse portfolio of third party challenge events, mass participation events, a DIY fundraising programme and a sizeable community based income generation programme spanning both on and offline presence,
• We have a large network of versatile charity shops covering England, Wales and Scotland and a growing and diversifying ecommerce operation

What we’re looking for:

• Significant experience of the range of community fundraising disciplines and/or charity retail and trading
• Experience of working as part of a senior leadership team and a thorough understanding of how to develop strong and effective collaboration with a range of stakeholders
• Significant team management experience of large teams and ability to inspire and develop staff to achieve ambitious targets and overcome challenges
• A tenacious, confident and capable leader, able to deliver ambitious targets and work effectively
• Thorough understanding of strategy, planning, risk management and dependency planning
• Appreciative of Cats Protection’s vision, mission and values

What we can offer you: 

• range of health benefits 
• 26 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with length of service 
• Salary Finance, which empowers you to take control of your financial wellbeing 
• and much more, which you can learn about here 

Interested? Here’s how to apply: 

• Application closing date: 26th May 2026 
• Virtual interview date: 15th & 19th June 2026
• Second stage in person interview (location TBC): 7th July 2026

Please email recruitment@cats.org.uk if you require any adjustments to be made for you to complete your application or to participate in the recruitment journey