Board of trustees volunteer roles in lilley, hertfordshire
Chair of Board of Trustees Recruitment
Founded in 1975, Rights of Women is the only charity dedicated to providing frontline legal advice to women experiencing all forms of violence against women and girls in England and Wales. We campaign for access to justice and safety for all women.
We are seeking a new Chair in our 50th anniversary year to lead our Board to replace Dr Annie Hedge, our long standing, inspirational, retiring Chair. Our new Chair will help us to build on our success and ensure that we continue to change women’s lives for the better.
We welcome applications from women* from diverse backgrounds whose skills and experience will complement our existing high performing Board, enabling us to stay at the forefront of women’s rights and legal policy debates.
We recognise the critical role that intersectional and structural discrimination play in society and welcome applicants with a strong commitment to addressing these issues throughout our work. We are keen to receive applications from Black and minoritised communities including refugee and migrant women, disabled women and women who have personal experience of the issues that are core to our work including domestic violence and abuse, insecure immigration status and workplace sexual harassment. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
Rights of Women is a national charity however given the specific demands of the Chair role and our office location in London it is important for the Chair to be able to travel to London regularly.
We are keen to recruit a Chair committed to our vision and values who has:
· Experience in governance, leadership, and strategic decision-making, ideally within a charity or public sector setting.
· Strong financial and risk management acumen.
· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively
· Experience in supporting organisational growth and development.
Commitment: Average 2 days a month
Full details can be found in our application pack.
To apply, please submit an up-to-date CV, a covering letter of no more than 2 pages and a short Essential Information Form (including details of referees). Shortlisted applicants will also be required to attend an in-person interview at our offices and meet the Director and staff.
Key dates:
Closing date: Thursday 31st July 2025 5pm
Interview dates: Anticipated as week commencing Mon 11th August 2025
First Board meeting: Wednesday 17th September 2025
*Occupational Requirement (Equality Act 2010, Schedule 16, Part I) applies
Please note: We kindly ask applicants not to use AI tools when preparing their application. We value your personal voice and perspective, and we’re keen to hear directly from you.
Our vision is to achieve equality, justice and safety in the law for all women.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Letchworth Foodbank is seeking an inspiring and strategic Chair of the Board to lead the next chapter of our growth.
We have a clear mission: the prevention or relief of poverty in Letchworth, Hitchin and Baldock in particular, but not exclusively, by providing emergency food supplies and financial support to individuals in need and/or charities or other organisations working to relieve poverty.
Receiving donations and grants of over £200,000 per annum, the Foodbank distributes over 40 tonnes of food and £50,000 of food vouchers every year to those that need it most.
Our strategy is not to stand still, but to increase our reach and impact, and we require a Chair that shares our ambitions and will help drive a clear strategy forwards with the Trustees, working closely with the Foodbank Director.
What are we looking for?
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A Chair with knowledge of and commitment to tackling and relieving poverty.
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Experience in leadership, governance, and board-level roles (charity or voluntary sector preferred).
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Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to inspire and unite people.
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An understanding of the challenges faced by small charities and grassroots organisations.
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A strategic thinker with sound judgment and an inclusive leadership style.
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An understanding of safeguarding, equality, and community engagement principles.
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Experience of financial management and a broad understanding of charity finance issues.
At Letchworth Foodbank, we champion diversity. We welcome applicants from all walks of life, valuing diverse perspectives that enrich our work.
#Chair #Leadership #Endfoodpoverty
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
This is an exciting time in our growth as we look to grow our governance systems, build on our successes and ensure we are a radical, dynamic organisation rooted in our anti-racist and anti-oppressive values. We are looking for a new Chair for our Trustee board, to join us and help lead and shape the future of the organisation.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
This is an opportunity to become Chair of a Charity which has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. If you are someone who is looking to make a “real difference” for mothers/birthing people and their families facing one of the most challenging and unexpected periods of their lives, then we would like to hear from you. We are also looking for a Chair who can lead and “harness” the range of skills present within our existing Board members, who come with a range of experience.
Now into our second decade as a charity, it is exciting time to join Mummy’s Star as the Chairperson. We have broadened the conversation about cancer and pregnancy nationwide, and internationally too despite our small stature. We now must sustain what we have built and help take the charity to that next level where we can elevate the voices of those we support, so that their needs are not only understood, but are also prioritised and used to inform policy and planning.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About Reall
Reall is an innovator and investor in climate-smart affordable housing for people living on low incomes in urban Africa and Asia.
Reall seeks to improve the lives of under-served households in African and Asian cities by building and increasing access to green, resilient, affordable homes. We’re doing this because homes aren’t just a fundamental human right; they unleash unimaginable human potential to shape a future of gender parity, climate resilience, clean air, renewable energy, and socio-economic justice.
The Role
· To enter into an engaged and proactive relationship with Reall, providing strategic oversight and leadership across the housing, finance, and emerging markets sectors to drive the achievement of our ambitious goal.
You will have the following skills, knowledge, and experience:
· UK-based senior academic who can significantly enhance our credibility in data and evidence initiatives as well as our broader portfolio.
· Proven experience and success in areas such as climate, gender, financial inclusion,
· Senior academic research, along with a strong alignment with Reall’s values, vision, and mission.
· A minimum of three years’ relevant experience as a board member or trustee in a not-for profit organisation or social enterprise.
· At least three years’ relevant experience working at a senior level in one of the key skills areas identified.
· Experience working in the context of African and/or Asian markets.
· An understanding of and commitment to international development and social enterprise.
· An understanding of the requirements of good governance in a not-for-profit organisation such as Reall.
· An understanding of risk management principles and their applications in managing a business.
· An understanding of good HR and/or organisational development practice.
· An effective communicator to inspire people to engage with Reall’s work.
· An understanding of the impact of diversity and inclusion on corporate performance.
· A commitment to giving the necessary time and effort to engage effectively with the work of Reall.
The successful candidate will be expected to attend their first Board meeting on 22nd September.
Full details are in the job description, person specification and recruitment pack, which are available by clicking through to apply for this role. Please note that you must have the right to live and work in the UK to be eligible to apply for this role.
Candidates wishing to apply should submit a CV (including comprehensive details of key achievements and responsibilities) along with a covering letter which fully addresses the competencies outlined in the role description and person specification on our website.
The closing date for applications is 5.00pm on Sunday, 29th June.
We are building a clean green home for human potential




The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We seek a Chairperson to head our Board at Evolve Counselling who will guide our strategic direction in the provision of lowest cost mental health counselling for individuals and businesses.
Location: Cambridgeshire area of operations. Chair can be fully remote.
Voluntary: Reasonable expenses paid
Commitment: Initial term of 1 -3 years. Flexible hours per month
Closing date: Wednesday 2nd July 2025
Overview
For over 40 years Evolve Counselling has provided lowest-cost professional mental health counselling for adults in Cambridgeshire, Peterborough, Northamptonshire and beyond, through the skill and dedication of our team of 60+ BACP-registered counsellors.
The role
We are looking for a new Chair who understands the growing demand for our services and the challenges of competing as a medium sized charitable business at this time. We shall look to our new Chair to build trust and engagement with our CEO, the Trustee Board, our volunteers, and supporters, as we capitalise on great recent work to stabilise and find new opportunities for significant growth.
The new chairperson will ideally bring health and wellbeing experience and commercial skills, as well as a demonstrable empathy for charitable working and commitment to the Nolan Principles of public life.
The role of the Chair is hugely rewarding and the scope under the leadership of the current CEO for Evolve to grow and innovate is significant. You will have significant senior leadership experience to drawn upon as you take ultimate responsibility for directing and inspiring the Trustees, making sure we are financially sustainable, and well run for our clients. Our ethos is to look upwards and outwards as we strive for a leading position in mental health services for all, and your commercial acumen, professional contacts, and powers of persuasion in business will be a huge support for our ambitions.
Including quarterly board meetings, committee sessions (at present virtual), a face-to-face AGM event, plus away days, and regular meetings with our CEO and the trustees, we anticipate a flexible time commitment of around 2 - 5 days per month.
For further information or an informal discussion on the role, please contact Kevin Bottrell.
Application process: Expressions of interest in the first instance by email to our CEO Gordon Ackroyd.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Intelligent, influential, and focused Trustees wanted for game-changing yet embracing charity
A powerful campaigning organisation, Brain Tumour Research is the leading voice of the brain tumour community in the UK. Unique and much needed, we are the only national charity focused on finding a cure for all types of brain tumours. Our work focuses on campaigning to increase the national investment in research into brain tumours to £35 million per year, while fundraising to create a network of seven sustainable Brain Tumour Research Centres of Excellence, across the UK. Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer, yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease since records began in 2002. All of us at Brain Tumour Research are passionate about finding a cure for this devastating disease.
About the roles
We are looking to strengthen and complement our Board of Trustees with the addition of two Trustees with experience in (1) charitable fundraising/ income generation, and (2) marketing and communications, possibly with campaigning and policy experience. As a member of the Board of Trustees you will play a key role in ensuring sustainable growth of the charity, contributing to overall strategic direction and providing scrutiny to our processes and decisions as well as ensuring standards of governance are upheld.
This role is pro-bono with Board meetings held in person four times a year in Milton Keynes and Sub-Committees held three to four times a year online. You will attend the annual Board away day in person and join one or more sub-committees. Trustees are given the opportunity to work together through participation at our annual research workshops as well as receptions at our Research Centres and parliamentary events and undertake structured learning and development.
Appointment is for a 3-year term with the potential to serve 2 additional terms.
The Skills and Experience we are looking for
The ideal person will have a background at board or senior leadership level and will have significant experience in raising charitable income and/or campaigning and policy, ideally in the charity sector. You will be an effective communicator and be able to think creatively and strategically and work collaboratively with Board members, the Leadership team and key partners.
Closing Date: 8th August
We are looking for people who share our passion for finding a cure for brain tumours and who have the skills and experience to make a difference. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and ages. We believe that diversity enriches our organisation and helps us achieve our mission. We are committed to providing an inclusive and supportive environment where everyone can be themselves and contribute to our vision.
To find a cure for all types of brain tumours To increase the UK investment in brain tumour research

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Become a Trustee at Sunrise Multicultural Project
Are you passionate about making a difference in your community?
We are looking for dedicated, enthusiastic individuals to join our Board of Trustees and help guide the future of Sunrise Multicultural Project.
As a trustee, you will play a vital role in shaping our strategy, ensuring we stay true to our mission, and supporting the development of initiatives that promote inclusivity and integration. We are seeking individuals with a range of skills, backgrounds, and experiences – whether in community work, finance, governance, fundraising, or marketing – who share our commitment to empowering minority groups and fostering a more connected, diverse community.
If you are eager to contribute your time, expertise, and passion, we would love to hear from you!
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a rare, genetic neuromuscular condition causing progressive muscle wasting (atrophy) and weakness leading to loss of movement.
Our current chair has been in the position for 6 years and after serving their maximum term, we are seeking a new Chair to lead the charity and help us deliver our four year strategic plan ‘Building a future together’.
The chair provides a pivotal role in ensuring the charity has a well governed organisation, strong staff team and board with clearly defined roles and responsibilities, with one shared goal of working towards the organisational mission underpinned by our values and principles.
The chair will support the CEO and ensure that the board functions as a unit and works closely with the senior leadership team to achieve agreed objectives. From time to time the chair will act as an ambassador and the public face of the charity in partnership with the CEO. An effective chairperson is a key player in ensuring effective governance for the charity.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
ThinkForward exists to support young people to create better and brighter futures. We want them to be able to identify, realise and shape their aspirations, and be ready to make a successful transition into work.
Young people experiencing barriers such as challenging relationships, living in low-income households, or growing up in areas with a lack of access to opportunities can be confronted with hurdles. Without the right support, these barriers can lead to a high risk of unemployment and long-term effects on career and life chances.
There are more than 900,000 16-24-year-olds in the UK who are not at school or college, or don’t have a job or training place. Our ambition is to prevent young people becoming one of these statistics. In 2025, we will be supporting more than 1,500 young people.
We are looking for new trustees with skills and experience to:
• help to grow our income and support our development team
• help us raise our profile by turning our strong evidence base into policy and campaigns.
You will help drive the progression of successful evidence-based organisation that makes a positive impact on the lives of young people and their communities. We are looking for those who value the potential of young people, are passionate about their growth and development and understand the challenges that some face. An interest in ThinkForward’s work and approach are essential as well as an ambitious outlook for our future.
You will be well respected, have active networks in philanthropy, fundraising and statutory development or in policy and campaigning which has generated systemic change. You will have a proven track record of working at a senior and strategic level and will understand the governance and risk management requirements of the role.
You will also be keen to act as a representative, spokesperson and cause leader creating and identifying donors and business opportunities for ThinkForward.
If this role sounds like a good fit for you, then read the job pack and specification attached to this listing for more details before applying via CharityJob with your CV and cover letter.
As part of our ongoing commitment to strong and effective governance, we are actively seeking passionate and dedicated individuals to join our Board of Trustees. This is an exciting opportunity to play a vital role in shaping our organisation’s future and making a meaningful difference for children and young people with cancer and their families.
CCLG is a leading children and young people’s cancer charity, funding research and supporting families. We are also the professional association for those working in children and young people’s cancer in the UK and Ireland.
We’re looking to expand our Board of Trustees, increasing the overall number and planning for the future as a number of longstanding members of the Board approach the end of their terms of office.
It’s an exciting time to be joining us as we have just launched our new brand and a new bold and innovative research strategy, and we’re just getting to work on developing our next organisational five-year strategy.
Our Board of Trustees has an important part to play in helping us to achieve our ambitions of creating a brighter future for children and young people with cancer. If you join our Board of Trustees, you’ll have the opportunity to make a real impact and be part of our success story.
CCLG is committed to providing an inclusive, supportive and flexible environment. We would very much welcome applicants from all backgrounds and as our current Board is not as diverse as the communities that we work in, we would be particularly interested in applications from underrepresented groups.
We're looking for individuals who can bring their skills and experience to support the governance and strategic leadership of CCLG, whether those are professional skills and experience that relate to our main areas of activity, or to organisational governance and leadership, or lived experience of children and young people's cancer.
For more information about the role of a Trustee at CCLG, please download the information pack below.
We are CCLG, a charity dedicated to creating a brighter future for children and young people with cancer
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Women's Aid Luton is seeking a visionary and dedicated Chair of the Board to lead and support the transformation and growth of our small yet impactful charity.
Women’s Aid Luton supports over 800 of society's most vulnerable women and children each year, helping them escape horrific abuse and violence. We provide a safe haven across our five refuges in Luton, operate a helpline, and offer bespoke assistance for families. Our services include access to legal advice, mental health support, employment assistance, and resettlement aid.
One of our refuges is dedicated to women from South Asian communities, with staff who speak Punjabi, Bengali, and Urdu. We also have a refuge for single women with complex support needs, such as mental health issues and drug and alcohol dependencies, often stemming from the trauma of domestic violence and abuse.
In addition to our direct support services, we focus on prevention and intervention by working with schools to raise awareness of domestic abuse. We are committed to disrupting exploitative and abusive relationships to prevent loss of life and reduce the long-term economic and social costs to society. Our services contribute to creating a safer, more compassionate community, supporting women and children from diverse socio-economic, religious, and cultural backgrounds, including those with complex needs.
With the current challenges facing our sector, we are focused on creating financial sustainability and resilience within the organisation, focusing on a robust funding strategy and a dynamic response to risk.
Our current Chair will come to the end of their term next year, and therefore we’re seeking a new Chair to support the charity in delivering our vital work.
The Chair of Trustees is a pivotal role within our organisation. Your leadership and dedication will be instrumental in ensuring we not only maintain but also expand our vital support and services for those in need. By guiding our strategic vision and fostering a culture of compassion and excellence, you will directly impact the lives of countless vulnerable women and children, helping them rebuild their lives and find hope for the future. Your commitment will drive our mission forward, creating lasting change and a safer, more supportive community for all.
What are we looking for?
EXPERIENCE
- An understanding and passion for the violence against women and girls sector
- Significant experience as a non-executive
- An understanding of UK charity governance and working with or as part of a Board of Trustees
- Experience of operating at a senior strategic leadership level
- An ability to network with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Sensitivity and discretion in dealing with staff and service user issues.
- Significant experience and success in leading groups of people in either a professional or voluntary capacity to achieve results.
- Experience of chairing meetings.
- Significant experience of managing, motivating, and developing people.
- Strong experience of developing, deploying, and evaluating strategic plans with a view to maximising impact and benefit.
- Experience of financial management and a broad understanding of charity finance issues
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Exceptional leadership skills; able to cultivate effective collaboration but also comfortable in taking responsibility for difficult choices.
- Effective strategic communicator: able to articulate Women’s Aid Luton’s vision and engage and inspire others both within the organisation and externally.
- Highly effective relationship and alliance building abilities.
- Sound judgement with high capacity for self-reflection.
- Capacity to support both Board and Executive development.
- An ability to work within the realistic expectations and limitations for the Charity
ATTRIBUTES
- Dynamic leadership style that guides and inspires the Board and Executive to fulfil their respective responsibilities.
- A strong personal commitment to improving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.
- Collaborative approach with excellent interpersonal skills.
- A strong personal commitment to Women’s aid Luton’s vision and mission replace with: Demonstrate a strong and visible passion and commitment to the charity, its strategic objectives and cause
- Demonstrate tact and diplomacy, with the ability to listen and engage effectively
- Strong networking capabilities that can be utilised for the benefit of the charity
- Ability to commit time to conduct the role well, including travel and attending events out of office hours
TERMS OF APPOINTMENT
The initial appointment is for a three-year term but can be extended for one further term for a maximum of six years.
“Joining Women’s Aid in Luton as a Board member has enabled me to use my professional expertise in a way that gives back to the community. I know that all the energy and time I give is helping to strengthen the organisation and ultimately the women and children it seeks to support. Joining the Board has been immensely rewarding and I highly recommend it as a valuable way to volunteer your time for a good cause.” – current Board Trustee at Women’s Aid in Luton.
Due to the sensitive nature of this role, we will be considering female volunteers only for this post in accordance with the provisions of the Occupational Requirement (Equality Act 2010, pursuant to schedule 9 part 1). Applicants will be required to have a satisfactory enhanced disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service.
We actively encourage applications from women from a variety of backgrounds, and with a range of skills and experiences. We are particularly interested to hear from women from Black, Asian and minoritised communities and women who have personal experience of domestic abuse.
If you have some time, energy and interest in the domestic abuse sector and believe you can make a difference to Women’s Aid Luton, we would love to hear from you.
We aim to reduce the devastating impact of gender-based abuse/exploitation on all women and children, through safeguarding, empowerment and education.
Active Humber trustee vacancies
Support us to encourage people across the Humber to benefit from an active lifestyle
Due to the four-year term ending for a number of our trustees, Active Humber are looking to recruit to the following Board vacancies:
- Chair of the Board
- Senior Independent Director
- Welfare and Safety Director
- Non-Executive Trustee
These are crucial roles for our Board, and we are looking for people who share our passion and energy to work with us to create a happier, healthier and stronger community across the Humber. To achieve our goals, we need a board of trustees who are as diverse as the people we are trying to reach.
Active Humber is a registered charity and is one of 42 nationwide Active Partnerships who are funded by Sport England to improve lives through physical activity and sport.
Our vision is that the Humber is a place where everyone, everyday is physically active.
Our mission is to get the most physically inactive to be active.
Our role is to help people think differently about physical inactivity.
What is it like to be a Board Member at Active Humber?
The Board at Active Humber is integral to what we are trying to achieve in the Humber. If you join us as a trustee you will help to lead Active Humber to achieve their mission and purpose - you might ask questions to challenge us to think differently, make suggestions to move things forward, or act as a sounding board for ideas.
To learn more about Active Humber and what we have achieved and what we are hoping to achieve, please explore our website.
What we’re looking for:
We’re seeking individuals who are enthusiastic about our vision and have the time and skills to contribute to the board. We are particularly looking for expertise in one or more of the following areas;
- Experience of chairing a Board
- Knowledge of Safeguarding and Welfare, in relation to Children and Young People and/or Adults at Risk
- Experience of governance matters, or legal issues
- Experience within environmental sustainability matters
- An understanding of equality and inclusivity
Application Process
Each of the vacancies has its own areas of responsibility, and there are role descriptors for each of the roles that we are advertising. We also have a recruitment pack giving more details about the expectations of being an Active Humber trustee, which is relevant to all the roles.
This information is available via our vacancies pages. Please read these documents fully to support you in making a decision about whether to apply. You should also consider which role suits your skills and experience so reading each of the role descriptions is recommended.
We would suggest an informal chat with our CEO, David Gent or our Chair, Richard Smith as the first step in your application. Please email the hr email address and we would be happy to arrange this.
If you then wish to go ahead and apply, please send the following information:
- A covering letter expressing which role you are applying for.
- Your covering letter should explain why you are interested in being an Active Humber trustee, and how your skills and experience meet the criteria set out in your preferred role and person specification.
- A copy of your current CV.
Applications should be submitted by 9th July 2025.
Interviews will be held in person at the Aura Centre on 23rd or 24th July 2025.
If you have any queries about the role or the application process, please do not hesitate to email HR who will be happy to help.
Active Humber is committed to promoting physical activity and sports across the Humber region.




The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Somebody goes missing in the UK every 90 seconds. Missing People exists to ease the heartache experienced by those missing someone, and to help people who are away from home find their way back to safety.
What will you be doing?
Missing People's vision is for every missing child, adult and family left behind to find help, hope and a safe way to reconnect. We are a non-judgemental, highly skilled team of staff and volunteers working for everyone who needs us. We provide free, confidential support, help and advice by phone, email, text and live chat.
In our 30th anniversary year, The Trustees and Executive launched a new 2023-2028 Strategy 'From Crisis to Hope' in consultation with people with lived experience and key stakeholders. The three key goals are:
- Going missing is understood as a crisis that can be a matter of life or death
- All missing people and their loved ones get the right help at the right time
- Fewer missing people come to harm.
The new Chair of Trustees must be passionate about Missing People, its purpose and its values. We are looking for a new Chair of Trustees who brings valuable experience, skills and expertise. This might relate to the issue of missing (including personal experience of going missing), senior financial experience, charity experience, policing, legal experience and safeguarding. We are keen to further broaden thinking and perspectives and welcome applications from all areas of the United Kingdom, from all communities, which is important as missing touches every community. We believe diversity is important, and we aim for our board to have a mix of people, talents and backgrounds..
What are we looking for?
We are looking for a new Chair of Trustees who brings valuable experience, skills and expertise. This might relate to the issue of missing (including personal experience of going missing), senior financial experience, charity experience, policing, legal experience and safeguarding.
You will need to be aged over 18 and have:
- A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to your duties as the Chair of Trustees - approximately 2-3 days per month
- Leadership, strategic vision and creative thinking
- Ability to manage a trustee board and take decisions for the good of the charity
- Ability to chair board meetings effectively and manage diverse perspectives
- Strong communication, interpersonal and networking skills
- Independent judgment and be willing to speak your mind
- The ability to read, understand and question reports including financial plans and information
- The ability to follow the rules of governing documents and any professional advice
- The ability to work effectively as a member of a team and encourage team working
- A commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion policies and practices
- Prior experience of committee / trustee work (desirable)
- Knowledge of the type of work undertaken by the charity (desirable)
- Wider involvement in the voluntary sector (desirable)
What difference will you make?
Our Chair of Trustees is integral to the mission and purpose of the charity, holding the Board and Executive Team to account for delivering the mission and achieving our ambitious goals. The Board of Trustees is made up of an experienced team of individuals who bring breadth of background, a range of deep skill sets, lived experience of the issue of missing and demonstrable empathy and passion for the work of Missing People. The Chair of Trustees will be responsible for the effectiveness of the Board of Trustees, planning and guiding meetings to ensure broad dialogue, good decision-making and clear actions.
Our Chair will work closely with the CEO and the Board to develop the charity’s strategy and to oversee its implementation and progress against its business plan. As part of this the Chair will provide support and challenge to the CEO and their senior team.
As the Chair of Trustees at Missing People you will be driven by a powerful mission to be a lifeline when someone disappears. You will work closely alongside the Board, Executive team and Chief Executive in a collaborative way to lead the charity. The role provides a good opportunity to be involved in strategic planning in an organisation grounded in the issue of missing with a diverse group of committed and motivated Trustees.
Trustees meet quarterly at online and in-person meetings (usually in London). The Board has dedicated Committees for Finance, HR, Ethics, and Safeguarding, and Advisory Groups representing people with lived experience of the issue of going missing, policing, fundraising and policy. The Chair will attend and be a member of other committees or working groups and ensure that the governance arrangements are working in the most effective way for the charity.
Before you apply
Please apply through Reach or the application form on the Missing People website, attaching your CV and a supporting statement (maximum 2 A4 pages) that demonstrates how you meet the criteria listed in the role description attached.
On the 'Work for Us' page of the Missing People website you will also find a Letter to Applicants detailing more information about the role and the charity.
Missing People is the only UK charity dedicated to reconnecting missing people and their loved ones.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Since 2002, we’ve delivered a structured, high-impact, programme of mentoring, a paid internship, skills masterclasses, and workplace visits for young people from under-represented backgrounds.
Our programme empowers them with new-found skills, confidence, aspirations, and support networks, boosting their life outcomes. It also enables employers to engage with and shape future talent, adding value to their organisation, and make a positive difference in their local communities.
Our values
Our people are committed and passionate about changing the lives of young people. Our organisational values underpin how we work and are at the core of everything we do.:
· Trust
· Bravery
· Collaboration
· Empowerment
· Inclusion
We have 40 colleagues across the UK, and strong collaboration across a remote working environment is critical to our success. We champion flexibility and wellbeing, and strive to be a positive place work, both in terms of our mission and our culture.
Our impact and growth
Across the UK in 2024 we supported 4,238 young people across our two programme cohorts, with 4,395 volunteers supporting them. We worked with 374 employers to provide mentors and summer internships in 2024 and have 194 school and college partners.
Thanks to the support of our network, we’re able to have the following impact for young people:
· 99% of programme graduates go into higher education, apprenticeships or work
· 90% of students said they felt more confident than before the programme
· Career Ready alumni have a professional network twice the size of their non-programme peers
· 90% of students rated their career skills a strength following their paid internship
Following a challenging couple of years in the charity sector and wider economy, we have just closed the 2024/25 financial year in a more positive position. We are set to embark on a new 2025-30 strategy which focuses around 4 key pillars:
· Income sustainability
· Digital enablement and adoption
· UK programme alignment
· People & Culture
We are looking for further brilliant people to join our Board of Trustees and help us excel our new strategic focus.
About the role
Role purpose
As a Trustee you will make a significant contribution to creating empowering opportunities for young people from under-represented backgrounds.
The role of the Trustee is to ensure that Career Ready is carrying out its purpose, as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association, and that it complies with the law.
Trustees must always act in the best interests of Career Ready, with reasonable care and skill, whilst also ensuring it is accountable. They must also ensure that Career Ready manages its’ resources effectively and sets the forward direction of the organisation.
Main responsibilities and accountabilities
· Ensuring that Career Ready functions within the legal and financial requirements of a Charitable Company
· Account for the work of Career Ready to Companies House, The Charity Commission, OSCR, funders
· Managing risks, protecting assets (reputation) and people
· Ensuring that Career Ready strives to achieve best practice in all aspects of its work
· Determining the overall policy and direction of the Charity
· Fixing the annual budgets and approving accounts
· Recognising and dealing with conflicts of interest
· Appointing the Chief Executive Officer when required
· Agreeing strategic and work plans
· Collaborating with members of the senior management team in the development of strategic plans
· Hearing membership appeals against the decisions of the Chief Executive Officer
· Ensuring that Career Ready maintains and complies with a policy of equal opportunities in respect of staff, members and stakeholders
· Act as a champion and ambassador for the work of Career Ready
Person Specification
We are looking for 3-4 Trustees who have:
· A commitment to the mission of Career Ready
· An understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship
· Integrity
· Sound judgement
· Strategic vision
· A willingness to contribute ideas and challenge
· Willingness to actively participate in developing the senior leadership team through sharing of skills and expertise
As part of this recruitment exercise, we aspire to have greater Trustee representation from the following sectors/areas of expertise:
· Digital/technology/systems
· Comms/marketing
· Fundraising
· Finance
· Government/Policy
· Operations
In addition, we welcome applications from individuals from underrepresented groups, to align with the diverse range of young people we serve, for example, lived experience of social mobility.
Commitment
We’re looking for trustees who aren’t just interested—they’re invested. Our ambitions are big, and we need people who have the capacity and motivation to engage with us in achieving these.
At least four meetings per year plus AGM. Usually held in person in London/other locations with opportunity to join remotely.
Up to three-year initial term.
Invitation to join Career Ready team at annual All-Colleague event.
Encouraged to support and participate in Career Ready events.
Opportunities to join and influence other projects and governance committees.
Timetable
Applications close at 5pm on Thursday 31st July.
Please note that the closing date may be brought forward if we receive strong applications.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.