A programme for those about to lead large charities or advise others towards leadership. It offers practical application skills for now, and insight and resilience for the future.
Three-day leadership development course designed for employees in upper management positions within large charity organisations who will transition to CEO/Leadership role within 1 to 3 years.
Never has there been a more important time to ensure that leaders of large charity organisations have the skills, insights and resilience that will ensure success. As Lucinda Godfrey, CEO of Charity Leadership Scotland (CLS) states:
"Taking on the role of CEO in a large charity is a big step. The breadth of the role can be daunting and it is difficult to find development opportunities that cover all the requirements. This new executive programme has been designed for aspiring charity CEOs to understand and prepare for the challenges involved in leading a large charity."
What will I learn?
The course provides a scaffolded approach to knowledge development through a core resources pack, practical presentations from experts, as well as case studies and scenario activity.
After completing the course, you be able to:
- Appraise leadership style and development needs for leadership in the context of a large charity organisation.
- Identify and critically evaluate internal and external factors in a large charity organisation.
- Evaluate organisational effectiveness and resilience factors for the large charity organisation.
- Identify and critically assess communication strategies and tactical responses for a range of scenarios.
The programme includes:
- investigation of principal tasks, regulatory expectations, and management needs
- ways to support peers
- navigation skills for risk factors
- practical application and critical reflection on stakeholder engagement, governance and collaboration
- effective leadership and organisational resilience
- communication skills and scenario frames
Who will teach me?
Our team of experts includes:
Dr Martin Robertson (The Business School, Edinburgh Napier University), Dr Martin Crewe (Director, Barnardo’s Scotland), and guest speakers.
Entry criteria
The course offers a bespoke programme for those currently in upper management roles in large charities, ie. those with an annual account of £2-10 million.
Course dates and duration
This course is delivered over three days.
Dates for 2026: Monday 18 May, Tuesday 19 May, and Monday 1 June 2026.
Delivery mode
The course is delivered in-person at Edinburgh Napier University's Craiglockhart Campus.
During the duration of the course, we will enhance your learning by providing you with supporting and reference material on Moodle, Edinburgh Napier University's Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This will include copies of PowerPoint slides, learning activity information and links to readings and relevant websites.
The course provides a scaffolded approach to knowledge development through a core resources pack, practical presentations from experts, as well as case studies and scenario activity. Participants will have online access to other specific resources and tools.
Cost
Three-day course inclusive of course resources, access to online learning resources, lunch and two breaks per day with refreshments: £950.00 per person.
An Early Bird price of £875.00 per person is available, closing date: 24 April 2026.
Additional information
How will I be assessed?
The course is not credit bearing and does not involve examinations or other formal assessment
What will I get after completion of the course?
Participants will receive certificate of completion at the end of the programme.
Enquiries and Discount Code before 24 April 2026
Enquiries about the course can be made to the course lead, Dr Martin Robertson (m.robertson2@napier.ac.uk) or to Dr Martin Crewe (martin.crewe@napier.ac.uk).