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For the first time, the Trustees of Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW) are extending their search for a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) beyond the 47 teams that make up MREW.
“Our current CEO, Mike Park, has a year of his five-year tenure to go but the plan has always been to recruit his replacement in 2025 so that there can be a period of working together and hand over before Mike steps down at the AGM in May 2026,” explained Chair of Trustees, Matt Dooley.
“We began this recruitment process back in January but have only one internal candidate at present. The interview panel put forward a number of recommendations to the MREW Board of Trustees to ensure a robust process. The Trustees considered these recommendations and agreed to extend the search beyond MR.”
“We’ve reached a stage where experience of change management and strategic leadership is just as important to the role, as well as charity governance and partnership working. Mountain Rescue needs to work effectively with commercial organisations, paid emergency services, government representatives, other voluntary rescue organisations, and its Royal Patron on a regular basis. In parallel, the CEO and Operations Director work together to lead the way on risk management, safety communications, the development of working practices, and the use of new technology.”
The CEO role will be voluntary, members of mountain rescue teams as well as officers and Trustees across the country are all unpaid volunteers. Direct experience of mountain rescue is not required but the right candidate will need to be available during the working day as well as evenings, just like MR’s operational volunteers. The role is backed up by a committed group of Trustees, three of them external to MR, a paid administration teams and experienced officers leading various key functions.
“The CEO’s role is a big challenge,” said Matt. “We’re looking for someone to lead an amazing service into the future with a commitment to the aims and ethos of Mountain Rescue and to its values of teamwork, caring, passion and excellence.”
Anyone with an interest in the role can obtain a fuller role description and advice on the application process from the Assistant Secretary, Julian Walden via office@mountain.rescue.org.uk. The deadline for applications is 5pm on Monday 5 May 2025.
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