Shelter appoints new chief executive from membership organisation

She is credited for heading up NCVO’s policy and public affairs work during the Covid pandemic, which secured more than £950m for the voluntary sector. This was followed by £100m for charities during the peak of the cost of living crisis. 

Under Ms Elliot’s leadership, NCVO has been credited with improving the sector’s relationship with the government through the setting-up of the Civil Society Covenant, a landmark initiative designed to reset the relationship between the government and civil society.

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, Ms Elliot worked in local government and for the mayor of London.

Ms 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.”

Helen MacNamara, chair of trustees at Shelter, said: “After a highly competitive recruitment process, I am delighted that Sarah will be joining us to lead Shelter’s fight for home.

“Sarah brings with her such a wealth of passion and experience, particularly in bringing organisations and decision-makers together to create lasting change. Her unwavering commitment to challenging power, privilege and systemic inequality is a clear cornerstone of her leadership.

“Sarah is fearless and compassionate, and we are excited about what we will achieve together with Sarah in this critical period for housing justice.”