Jill Murray has stepped down as chief executive of Launchpad for a well-earned retirement, after leading efforts to transform the charity that supports homeless Armed Forces veterans.
Murray, a former president of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), returned to Launchpad in August 2024. She had originally proposed the veterans housing scheme in Byker in 2012, while chief executive of the housing association that owned the Grade II* Byker Estate.
Having first retired in 2021, she came back to lead the charity – which supports veterans across the North East of England and Liverpool – through what it has described as the most significant period of transformational change in its history.
Under her “Agenda for Change” programme, Launchpad introduced a new risk and assurance framework, strengthened its financial management, launched a quality and safety scorecard, and improved operational performance.
The charity also developed its five-year strategy to 2030, co-created with residents, staff, trustees, and partners. The programme was funded in part by the Veterans’ Foundation.
Murray said: “Launchpad has been part of my life since 2012, when my idea for this charity first took shape in Byker. Coming back to lead it through this period of transformational change has been both extremely challenging and rewarding at the same time.
“I leave the charity knowing that I have achieved what I came here to do, and that was to prepare the organisation for the future, and to put it on a stronger financial footing, with a clear strategy and a talented team of dedicated staff. Our veterans deserve nothing less.”
Ian Dormer CBE, chair of the board, said: “Jill’s contribution to Launchpad cannot be overstated. She has been part of this charity from its very beginning, and her return in 2024 came at exactly the moment we needed her most.
“In two years she has transformed our governance, our finances, and our strategic direction, and she leaves us in an exceptional position to support even more veterans in the years ahead. On behalf of the board, staff and residents, we thank her for everything that she has done for Launchpad.”
Launchpad was founded in 2012 and has since supported hundreds of veterans through the transition from military to civilian life, providing supported housing and practical help to move on to independent living.
Main image: Jill Murray, retired chief executive, Launchpad
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