Senior Management Team

NCB is managed by Chief Executive Paul Ennals, with the support of the Senior Management Team (SMT).

SMT's remit is to ensure the effective management and operation of NCB. Each Director contributes to the corporate and strategic operation of NCB and has responsibility for managing their own departments and ensuring all activities fit strategic business priorities for the organisation.

Sir Paul Ennals, Chief Executive

Sir Paul took up the post of NCB Chief Executive in 1998.

In 2009 he was appointed Chair of the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) when he also received a knighthood for services to children and young people in the Queen’s birthday list. Sir Paul is Vice Chair of the Children and Young People’s Inter-agency Group (CIAG), a national group of key statutory and voluntary agencies, and is accountable for the delivery of the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes (C4EO) in children’s services, which is hosted by NCB.

Barbara Hearn OBE, Deputy Chief Executive

Barbara heads up NCB’s Policy, Research and Information Department with additional responsibility for Northern Ireland, communications and the involvement of children and young people. She manages Clare Quarrell (communications); Ivana La Valle (NCB Research); Zoe Renton (NCB’s Policy Unit); Mandy Douglas (involvement and participation teams) and Celine McStravick (NCB Northern Ireland).

Barbara has a background in social work practice, organisation development and business management.

Sue Owen, Director, Practice Improvement

Sue is Director of Practice Improvement Department at NCB, which promotes the health and well-being of all children and young people. Previously Sue was director of the Early Childhood Unit.

Michael Chuter, Director, Organisational Support

Michael heads up NCB’s Organisational Support Department and has spent most of his working life in the commercial retail and consumer sectors.

Prior to joining NCB Michael was Head of Finance and Enterprise at the Foyer Federation and was the Chair of NHS Greenwich. He is a fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Internal Auditors.

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Our structure

At the core of our branding is a 'wheel' concept which is at the heart of our organisational structure and how we operate...

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New NCB Organisational Wheel

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