New chief executive will take up the role in July
A quango executive is to take up one of the highest paid jobs in Scotland’s third sector.
Kirsteen Campbell is to leave her post as director of corporate services at Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to become chief executive of the Scottish SPCA.
The post has remained vacant since former chief executive Stuart Earley stood down last year amid revelations he had received a salary of around £210,000 the previous year.
Earley, 59, resigned in November with a six figure payoff citing he wanted to pursue a new challenge after nine years at the helm of the organisation.
The Scottish SPCA has an annual income of around £15 million, the vast majority of which comes from donations and legacies and boasts a membership of more than 53,000.
Although insiders say the salary package will be considerably less than Earley’s bumper pay award, publicly available accounts show Campbell is leaving a salary and pension package which cost SDS, all told, £135,000 in 2016.
Harry Haworth, chairman of the Scottish SPCA, said of the appointment: “Kirsteen is still a salaried employee of her current employer, out of respect, the Scottish SPCA will not be discussing the salary for this position.
“However, the charity believes that it has been able to appoint an extremely talented and experienced professional as chief executive to lead the Scottish SPCA at a time when demand for its services has reached an all-time high.”
Campbell will become only the second female chief executive in the animal welfare charity’s 178-year history when she takes up the role in July.
She said: “I have long been impressed by the work of the Scottish SPCA and I've been lucky to meet a number of the team over the last few weeks. I've been inspired by the enthusiasm, passion and commitment that every single person – staff, society members and supporters - have shown for the Society and the work done across Scotland.
“There remains a growing demand for the vital services of the Scottish SPCA, and I really look forward to adding my support to such an invaluable service.”
Prior to her nine years at SDS, Campbell worked with Aegon, Guardian Royal Exchange and Multiply, a creative agency based in Edinburgh.
