Head of planning, performance and risk

We’re looking for a strategic and forward-thinking head of planning, performance and risk to help shape the future of Sense and ensure we continue delivering life-changing support to disabled people.

This senior leadership role sits at the heart of our organisation, ensuring we remain focused, effective and resilient. You will lead the development and coordination of strategic planning, performance reporting, and risk management across Sense, turning our vision into action and data into meaningful insight.

You'll work closely with the chief strategy and governance officer, senior leaders and teams across the organisation — shaping our three-year plan, embedding performance measurement, strengthening enterprise risk management, and championing learning and accountability.

What you'll do

• Lead the development and monitoring of Sense’s three-year strategic plan.
• Design and embed organisation-wide performance frameworks and KPIs.
• Oversee enterprise risk management, ensuring strategic and operational risks are understood and managed.
• Produce clear, actionable performance and risk insight reports for senior leaders and trustees.
• Support organisation-wide planning and alignment, working across services and functions.
• Act as a trusted strategic adviser, providing evidence-based recommendations.
• Promote a culture of learning, transparency, and accountability.
• Support audit and assurance processes related to planning, performance and risk.

About you

• Significant experience in strategic planning, performance management and risk oversight in a complex organisation (charity or public sector experience an advantage).
• A proven ability to design and embed performance and planning frameworks.
• Experience engaging with senior leaders and supporting board-level reporting.
• Strong analytical ability and confidence working with data to drive decisions.
• Excellent communication skills — able to translate complexity into clarity.
• Leadership experience, with a collaborative and inclusive approach.
• Commitment to Sense’s mission and values, and to working alongside people with complex disabilities.

About Sense

We believe that every disabled person should have the opportunity to connect with others and be included in the world. We use our knowledge and expertise to deliver personalised, creative and flexible support at every stage of life. Sense is proud to be a disability confident leader.

Working at Sense can be incredibly rewarding; we offer the opportunity to work in a large, diverse and successful charity where people can develop their skills, knowledge and careers in a supportive and flexible environment. In addition, we have excellent training and development, the opportunity for you to join our Group Personal Pension scheme and a generous annual leave entitlement.

To apply

Please use the link below to complete your application. Managers will use your application to shortlist candidates for interview; in relation to the Personal Specification. Therefore, it is very important you complete this section thoroughly.  We would recommend that you read the job description and person specification before applying.

Please note to avoid disappointment, we advise you to submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close posts at any time.

No agency submissions please: any submissions without prior authorisation from the Sense Recruitment Team will be treated as our own and as such no fee will be payable.

If you require any further assistance, please contact the Recruitment Team on 0121 415 6735 or recruitment@sense.org.uk

Sense is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. Therefore, all offers of employment, where appropriate, are subject to a DBS check; level dependent on the nature of the role.

For this role we particularly welcome applications from candidates from underrepresented ethnic minority backgrounds and candidates with disabilities. Sense is committed to equality of opportunity, and to promoting and celebrating the diversity of staff, volunteers and the people we work with. Everyone's contribution is valued and we ensure they're given the opportunity to realise their potential. We welcome applications from talented people from all sections of the community who share our values and belief that no one, no matter how complex their disabilities, should be isolated, left out, or unable to fulfil their potential. For more information please visit:  https://www.sense.org.uk/jobs/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-in-recruitment/

Closing Date

16/11/2025

Apply now