Richard Kramer, a charity sector veteran, is making preparations for his retirement as the Chief Executive of Sense after six and a half years on the seat. As he celebrates his birthday this January 2024, Kramer hopes to use the opportunity to mark the end of his career in charity which spanned over three decades.
He also plans to move to Cornwall, where he will be working on a part-time basis as a non-executive director at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust while focusing more on his partner and “dancing with life”
Fostering inclusive leadership
Kramer began his journey into the charity as a schoolboy, volunteering at Harperbury Hospital. That first experience coupled with his personal connection to disability through his brother, brought about the inspiration to spend his career life empowering disabled individuals.
After he worked with organizations like Mencap and Turning Point, Kramer joined Sense as the deputy CEO in 2013 and later became the CEO in 2018.
During his tenure, Sense successfully expand its focus from deafblindness to supporting individuals with other complex disabilities, bolstering its brand, and also weathering threatening challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic as well as cost of living crisis. These are experiences that require innovative measures, flexibility, and active listening Kramer said.
“A good leader fosters inclusive cultures where people feel they belong,” he noted while reflecting on how simply creating a sense of belonging had been central focus to his approach.
Despite his numerous progress, Kramer still expressed a deep regret on his inability to invest more in Sense’s technology and data systems during his time.
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Richard Kramer stresses collaboration over competition
Kramer disclosed a significant challenge he observed in the charity sector: A culture of competition among the organization and leaders.
He criticized the apparent lack of genuine collaboration among the charities noting that many of them prioritize their own interest over a common goal.
“We talk about collaboration, but often it’s just a conversation. True collaboration is hard, it means sharing resources and working towards a common goal,” he explained.
He referred to the Disabled Charities Consortium, where Sense and other organizations put their individual goals aside and pooled resources to support 25,000 families, as a successful example of collaboration in action amongst the sector.
As he hands over to his successor, James Watson-O’Neill, Kramer continues to express concern over the sector’s financial pressures, including the rise cost and underfunded partnerships with the government commissioners. He also emphasized the urgent need for a simpler funding models that will allow charities to focus more on the quality of service rather than Prolonged negotiations.