Pastures new after four years in the role

Shelter has announced NCVO boss Sarah Elliott will become its CEO in September, after spending the past four years at the umbrella organisation.

She will succeed Tim Gutteridge, who has served as interim chief executive officer of Shelter since the departure of Polly Neate in March after seven years in the role.

Elliot is tasked with leading the charity through the next phase of its 10-year strategy to end the housing emergency, including by campaigning for a new generation of social homes and continuing to fight for the right to a safe home for all.

Dr Priya Singh, chair of NCVO, said: “I would like to thank Sarah for her outstanding leadership and the exceptional role she has played in connecting, convening and collaborating to ensure that the needs of the voluntary sector are not only heard, but truly understood and addressed.”

The incoming Shelter boss has more than 15 years of senior leadership experience in the non-profit sector, including as chief executive of The Neurological Alliance and director of strategy and external affairs at the Epilepsy Society. Prior to that, Elliot worked in local government and for the mayor of London.

Elliott said: “Home is a fundamental human right. It’s the foundation upon which people can build their families, succeed in education, find and maintain work and feel a sense of belonging within their community. Yet, the housing emergency is the most urgent societal challenge we face today.

“Fighting social injustice has been my driving force throughout my two-decade career in the charity sector. It is crucial that we tackle the root causes head on – we need political will and system-wide change to fix the broken housing system.

“I have spent most of my career working to make the world a fairer place. I am proud of what the NCVO team has achieved over the past five years, and it is a privilege to be taking on this role at one of the most influential change-making organisations in the sector.”