The Loneliness of Charity Leadership: Why CEO Wellbeing Must Be a Priority

In the charity sector, we often talk about burnout, resilience, and resource gaps, but less frequently do we address the very real, often invisible weight carried by charity CEOs – the loneliness of charity leadership. As recruiters and advisors to leaders in the sector, we’ve heard time and again that being a charity CEO can be incredibly lonely.

Why Is Charity Leadership So Isolating?

Unlike in larger corporate settings where a CEO might have an executive team, personal assistant, or chief of staff to share the burden, charity CEOs – particularly in small to mid-sized organisations – often wear every hat going. Strategic leader, HR lead, communications head, crisis manager, and occasional IT fixer.

Add to this the emotional toll of leading a cause with deep human impact, and the personal stakes are high. Many CEOs told us they are the ones the board, team, funders and beneficiaries all look to for answers. As one person put it: “You need to have your A game on for everyone, and some days, it’s just not there.”

When There’s No Space to Be Vulnerable

Several leaders reflected on how difficult it can be to be open about challenges, even with trusted colleagues or their board. A number of current and former CEOs shared that while they may have a supportive Chair, maintaining professionalism often limits how much they can truly “let go” or admit when they’re struggling. Friendships within the organisation can be complicated too, with many saying they are seen more as mentors or figureheads than peers.

This “always on” dynamic creates a pressure cooker. As one CEO put it: “When things go wrong – and they do – you often can’t confide in the people around you, because they’re the ones you’ve asked to support the mission.”

What Helps? The Power of Peer Support

Despite the challenges, many CEOs are finding ways to protect their wellbeing and stay resilient. Time and again, one solution came up: peer networks.

From regional women’s leadership circles to national support from ACEVO, CEOs told us how transformative it was to connect with others in the same role. Spaces where they could be honest, offload without judgement, and simply talk to someone who gets it.

Coaching, mentoring, and even therapeutic supervision were also mentioned as invaluable, especially when those relationships offered both honesty and challenge.

One leader shared: “It took me a while to figure out what I needed, but now I have a mentor, a coach, and a day off a week that’s totally for me. It clears my head and helps me show up as the leader my organisation needs.”

Boards Have a Role Too

A theme that came through strongly was the role of the Board, and particularly the Chair, in supporting CEO wellbeing. When Chairs are actively supportive, check in regularly, and create space for real conversations beyond KPIs, it sets a culture that values the human being behind the role.

Some organisations are going further, integrating non-managerial supervision or pastoral support into the CEO’s experience – something that still isn’t standard, but arguably should be.

We Need to Normalise Support for Charity CEOs

The takeaway? CEOs shouldn’t have to build their support systems from scratch or carry the weight alone. In a sector that relies so heavily on passion and purpose, it’s vital that we invest in the people who lead.

We need to normalise therapy, coaching, honest peer conversations, and sustainable working patterns, including 4-day weeks or 9-day fortnights as valid leadership tools, not signs of weakness.

As one CEO said: “We’re just people, like everyone else. We have good days and bad days. As long as we have more good ones, we’re winning.”

Final Thoughts

At Charity Recruit, we understand the complex, demanding nature of charity leadership. It’s one of the reasons we take care to support our candidates and clients beyond the recruitment process.

If you’re a CEO, aspiring leader, or trustee looking to build a healthier leadership culture in your organisation, we’d love to be part of that journey.