Chief Executive Officer

Scottish Renewables is the industry body representing the renewable energy sector in Scotland, advocating on behalf of companies involved in wind, hydro, marine, solar, and green hydrogen. It works with government, industry, and communities to support policy development, investment, and the growth of Scotland’s clean energy economy.

This role reports to the Board and has the following Direct Reports:

• Director of Public Affairs & Communications
• Director of Energy Transition & Supply Chain
• Director of Offshore
• Director of Finance and Reporting
• Strategic Advisor (Interim Role)
• Executive Assistant

To provide strategic leadership and vision to advance the mission of Scottish Renewables.   

To lead Scottish Renewables through a critical period of organisational reset and renewal. 

• Providing clear strategic direction to the organisation and industry 

• Building trust, engagement and organisational culture  

• Ensuring sustainable delivery aligned to resource and priorities  

• Maintaining Scottish Renewables’ position as a credible and influential voice in Scotland and at Westminster. 

This role requires a leader who combines external credibility with strong internal leadership, with a particular emphasis on strategy, culture and organisational effectiveness. 

Strategic Leadership  

• Set and communicate a clear, focused organisational strategy  

• Align priorities with available resource and capacity  

• Ensure delivery is sustainable, measurable and impactful  

• Work closely with the Board to translate strategic goals into operational plans  

Financial and Operational Oversight 

• Work closely with the Board to ensure effective governance and compliance with all regulatory requirements.  

• Provide regular updates to the Board on the organisation’s progress, challenges, and opportunities.  

• Ensure adherence to legal, ethical, and financial standards and best practices. 

• Ensure strong financial stewardship and sustainability  

• Align investment decisions with strategic priorities  

• Ensure appropriate controls and risk management are in place   

• Be the responsible person for Health and Safety across the organisation. 

Culture, People and Engagement  

• Lead a visible reset of organisational culture, building trust and psychological safety  

• Create an environment where employees feel, heard, valued and able to speak up 

• Embed a people first leadership approach across the Senior Leadership Team  

• Champion wellbeing, inclusion and sustainable ways of working  

• Partner closely with the Fractional People Director to implement cultural and organisational improvements 

Leadership and Team Effectiveness 

• Build and lead a high performing, collaborative Senior Leadership Team  

• Ensure clarity of roles, responsibilities and accountability  

• Develop leadership capability across the organisation acting as a coach or mentor when appropriate 

• Foster a culture of ownership, empowerment and accountability 

Communication and Transparency 

• Establish clear, consistent and transparent communication across the organisation  

• Ensure staff understand strategic priorities, key decisions and organisational direction  

• Create regular and meaningful opportunities for employee engagement and feedback 

External Representation and Influence 

• Act as the primary spokesperson and ambassador for Scottish Renewables  

• Maintain and strengthen relationships with Governments, Industry Stakeholders and Members.  

• Ensure Scottish Renewables continues to be a respected and influential voice in the sector  

Change and Transformation Leadership 

• Lead organisational change in a structured, inclusive and transparent way  

• Balance pace of change with employee capacity and wellbeing  

• Ensure change initiatives are embedded and sustained over time 

Essential:

• Proven experience in a senior leadership or CEO level role. 

• Demonstrable success in leading organisational or cultural transformation. 

• Demonstrable experience of working with or reporting to a Board. 

• Experience of leading multi-functional teams, through periods of ambiguity and change, inspiring performance and collaboration across different disciplines. 

• Strong track record in financial management, including budget development, income generation, and financial sustainability. 

• Experience in risk management, compliance, and ensuring robust operational controls. 

• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills 

• Proven ability to build effective external partnerships and represent an organisation with credibility and influence. 

• Evidence of leading strategic change, growth, or transformation, balancing ambition with operational reality. 

• Ability to think strategically and translate vision into action 

• Ability to prioritise and make difficult decisions where required

Desirable:

• Experience of organisational culture development, particularly around wellbeing, inclusivity, and engagement. 

• Background in membership organisations, policy, public affairs or similar sector experience. 

• Credible, authentic and approachable  

• Calm under pressure with sound judgement  

• Values driven and aligned to Scottish Renewables Vision and Mission  

• Be committed to creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing culture 

• Possess a people centred leadership style with high emotional intelligence  

• Have the ability to build trust quickly and authentically  

• Show a collaborative and inclusive approach to decision-making  

• Demonstrate strong listening skills and an openness to being challenged  

• Show consistency, fairness and transparency in leadership behaviours 

• Measurable improvement in employee engagement and trust  

• Clear and communicated organisational strategy and priorities  

• Improved workload alignment and delivery focus  

• Reduced staff turnover and improved retention  

• A visible, consistent and effective leadership culture  

• Continued or enhanced external reputation and influence