Commercial finance business partner volunteer roles
Are you passionate about helping older people to live well in later life? Are you able to give your time, expertise and skills as a Trustee to support our charity in its hugely important mission?
This is a fantastic opportunity to join the board of an impactful and influential charity, supporting older residents in Sutton by providing valuable advice and support services regarding health, finances and wellbeing.
A trustee role can be hugely fulfilling, as well as helping you to develop and utilise strategic leadership skills, and work with a diverse and dynamic team.
We are looking for trustees who can bring their own unique experience and expertise to support the effective governance of our charity, in particular in areas such as data and digital, commercial experience, and knowledge of the health and care sector. An understanding of charity governance, fundraising or an accountancy qualification would be beneficial.
Who are Age UK Sutton?
Age UK Sutton is a small independent charity dedicated to helping older people in our community to live well in later life. We are a network partner of Age UK, the influential national charity, and benefit from membership of a network of similar independent charities across the UK. We deliver a mixture of social and community activities while influencing strategy in Sutton. We provide vital information, expert advice and practical support. Our work enables older people to make informed decisions on finances, health, care, and wellbeing, and enables greater social connection and independence.
Location: Sutton, South West London (and online meetings)
Time Commitment:
- Quarterly Board meetings, three-hour Board meetings held virtually on Teams (twice a year), and alternately face-to-face meetings
- Quarterly Committee meetings (2-3 hours): Fundraising and Enterprise and / or Quality and / or Finance, Risk and Audit (most trustees are expected to attend 2 of the 3 standing subcommittees)
- Trustees with the capacity to do so also have the opportunity to support occasional projects or short-term working groups, supporting the CEO and wider leadership team.
Duration: A 3-year term (may be extended for two further 3-year terms)
Final closing date: Tuesday 1 April
Please download the full information pack. The covering letter should set out the following (in no more than 2 pages):
Why are you interested in a trustee role at Age UK Sutton?
How you would contribute to Age UK Sutton as a trustee?
Please highlight all relevant experience, and demonstrate how your skills match the specific requirements of the role as set out in the Person Specification.
Please note that we will focus on your demonstrable experience and potential in the above areas and do not expect candidates to have experience in all responsibilities outlined in the Job Description.
A Sutton where every older person lives well, feeling connected and valued with the confidence and support they need to thrive.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
As the Thackray Museum of Medicine looks to build on a period of bold strategic growth since our 2021 redevelopment, we are seeking an experienced, ambitious and community-minded Chair to lead our Board of Trustees. The Thackray is the UK’s largest independent medical museum: a dynamic, civic museum in East Leeds with a nationally significant collection of over 50,000 objects and a clear mission to inspire people with the passion and purpose of medicine and healthcare - past, present and future. Since reopening we have grown audiences, deepened community partnerships and developed an ambitious plan to be the UK’s leading medical museum by 2030.
Role: Chair of the Board of Trustees
Term: Minimum three years from 12th May 2026, renewable (maximum six years)
Commitment: Approx. 1–1.5 days per month (voluntary; reasonable out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed)
Your location: Ideally Leeds (nationwide considered); Board meetings four times a year (three may be hybrid; in-person presence preferred).
The Role:
The Chair will lead and steward an engaged, forward-thinking Board to support the CEO and senior team as the Museum consolidates recent gains and secures long-term resilience. You will ensure excellent governance, provide constructive challenge and support to the CEO, strengthen relationships with funders and partners, champion the Museum’s commitment to equity and community co-curation, and be an ambassador for the organisation locally and nationally.
Key responsibilities:
· Set strategic direction: Lead the Board in shaping, approving and monitoring delivery of the CEO’s strategy to meet the Museum’s mission and 2030 ambitions.
· Own governance & risk: Ensure high standards of governance, legal and regulatory compliance, and effective oversight of the risk register.
· Build board capability: Drive trustee recruitment, induction, appraisal and succession planning to secure the skills, diversity and lived experience needed.
· Partner with the CEO: Line-manage and support the CEO - offering constructive challenge, guidance on operations and people matters, and ensuring strong executive accountability.
· Champion income & profile: Use networks to open doors to major funders, partners and donors, and actively raise the Museum’s profile.
· Ensure financial stewardship: Oversee budgets, reserves and trading activity with the Treasurer and Finance Committee, and scrutinise financial reporting.
· Lead effective meetings: Chair Board meetings, encourage robust discussion, ensure timely decisions and follow-through on agreed actions.
· Represent and advocate: Act as an ambassador to civic partners, funders, media and diverse local communities.
· Steward the estate: Support oversight of capital, maintenance and estate priorities for the Museum’s Victorian building.
Who you are:
· Seasoned governance leader: Experienced chair or senior trustee with sound knowledge of trustee duties, charity & company law and governance best practice.
· Strategic thinker: Track record of leading strategy in museums, heritage, culture, health or education - or in complex, stakeholder-facing organisations.
· Fundraising connector: Proven at building relationships with major funders, trusts, corporates or donors and supporting successful income-raising and profile activity.
· Financially literate: Comfortable with budget scrutiny, risk oversight and the commercial realities of earned income models or trading subsidiaries.
· Capital & estate experience: Practical experience of overseeing capital projects, estate stewardship or major building maintenance.
· ED&I and community champion: Committed to equity, inclusion and co-creation, with evidence of widening participation and diversifying leadership.
· Confident ambassador: Excellent interpersonal and public-facing skills; able to represent the Museum credibly to varied audiences.
· Supportive leader: Able to challenge and develop senior executives while fostering a collegiate, high-performing board culture.
· Local affinity desirable: A strong connection to Leeds or experience working in diverse urban communities is an advantage.
For full details of the role including how to apply, please download the full appointment brief . To apply, please send an up-to-date CV, a Supporting Statement (no more than two A4 pages) outlining your interest and relevant experience, in confidence to Jenny Hills at Harris Hill via the apply button.
For an informal and confidential conversation about this position, please contact Jenny Hills at Harris Hill with times to speak and (optional but appreciated) a CV or professional profile which will be treated with the strictest confidence. There is also the opportunity for suitable interested candidates to speak to The Thackray’s CEO in advance of submitting an application.
Closing date for applications: 11.59pm, Tuesday 31 March 2026.
First stage interviews: w/c 13 April 2026 (tbc).
Second stage interviews: w/c 20 April 2026 (tbc).
The Thackray is actively committed to promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. We are a Disability Confident employer (registration number DCS036392) and welcome applications from all sections of the community.
As leading charity recruitment specialists and a certified B Corp, Harris Hill is committed to high and ever-improving standards of equitable and inclusive recruitment. We actively welcome applications from all sections of the community regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion, sexuality and other protected characteristics.
Dear Applicant,
Thank you for your interest in joining our Board at this exciting and important time for The Young Foundation.
We are currently in the second year of our five-year strategy, and the recent appointment of our new Chief Executive, Dr Sue Griffiths, who joins us on 2 March, marks a significant moment for the organisation. Sue and the Board will work closely to ensure that The Young Foundation continues to deliver against its core purpose: building a just society in which everyone can participate and all contributions are valued.
At The Young Foundation, we know that inequality diminishes lives, corrodes community wellbeing, and reduces prosperity for society. Our mission is to create the conditions in which people and communities can flourish. Working in partnership with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector, as well as public and private sector organisations, we empower people to fulfil their potential and lead happier, more meaningful lives. Ultimately, our work seeks to unlock shared prosperity.
Very little about the future of society is inevitable. Bound by our shared humanity, we believe that we collectively hold the power to shape our communities and institutions. Drawing on over 60 years of research, innovation and incubation, we put proven tools and approaches into practice to drive meaningful and lasting change.
As an influential and pioneering organisation in our field, we are seeking new Trustees to help us build the strongest non-executive team possible. We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates from across the UK who can offer depth of insight, experience or influence in one or more of the following areas:
· Social innovation and community action
· Local or combined authorities
· Health
· Business and social entrepreneurship
· Higher education
· Political networks
· Finance (an accountancy qualification would be an asset)
· External affairs and influencing, including opinion formers
Our Trustees bring the full breadth of their professional expertise and lived experience into the Boardroom. While we have identified priority areas within our skills matrix, we are committed to building a genuinely diverse and inclusive Board. We welcome candidates who can bring varied perspectives and lived experiences, enabling us to make decisions informed by a complete and authentic picture of life across the UK.
If you believe you have the knowledge, skills and experience to contribute to our work, we would be delighted to hear from you.
How to apply
To submit an application, please apply via CharityJob, where you will be asked to upload:
· A cover letter (maximum two sides of A4) outlining:
o Your motivation for applying
o The experience and insight you would bring to the role
o What you hope to contribute and gain from your time as a Trustee
· A CV (maximum two sides of A4)
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.
Join Richmond Foundation as a Trustee and help shape a fairer, healthier future for our community.
Richmond Foundation is a long-established local charity with a proud history of supporting residents through grant-making, property management, and community initiatives. We are seeking new Trustees to join our Board and contribute to our vision: Everyone in Richmond has opportunities to build healthy and fulfilling lives.
Who we’re looking for
We welcome applications from individuals who share our values of integrity, excellence, collaboration, agility, and ambition.
Our goal is to recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds, with different expertise, experience and knowledge. We want to make our committees more diverse and representative of the groups and people we support. You can read more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on our website.
We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and are happy to provide reasonable adjustments to support applicants at any stage. We will provide a buddy system for new trustees.
We are looking to recruit trustees who have experience and knowledge in one of the following areas:
- Charity Finance and Investment
- Our Grant Priorities
- Residential Property
We are also interested in expertise in:
- Safeguarding
- Social Housing
- Grantmaking (particularly within larger foundations)
- Managing grants from a range of funders
- Data and evidence
- Evaluation and impact reporting
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Communications and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Human Resources (HR)
As a Trustee, you will:
- Uphold Richmond Foundation’s vision, mission, objectives, and values.
- Provide strategic oversight and governance for the charity.
- Act in the charity’s best interests and manage resources responsibly.
- Attend at least four Board meetings per year (3 hours each) and join at least one committee (further 4 meetings per year 90 mins to 2 hours each).
- Prepare for meetings by reading all relevant documentation and reviewing minutes.
- Attend relevant training and at least one event hosted by a grant-funded organisation annually.
- Serve a four-year term, with the possibility of renewal for an additional two-year term.
- Champion high standards of conduct, including respect, inclusivity, accountability, honesty, and confidentiality.
- Declare and manage any conflicts of interest.
- Act in accordance with our Trustee Code of Conduct
- Support safeguarding and ensure the charity is accountable and compliant with its governing documents.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Not be disqualified under the Charities Act (including being disqualified as a company director, having unspent convictions for offences involving dishonesty or deception, being an undischarged bankrupt, having been removed as a trustee by the Charity Commission or a court, or being on the sex offenders’ register).
- Be willing to sign a declaration of eligibility upon appointment and annually thereafter.
How to Apply
If you are interested in making a difference in Richmond and can contribute your time and expertise to help us deliver our charitable objectives, we would love to hear from you.
Full details, person specification and requirements, and application instructions are available in the Trustee Recruitment pack.
The application deadline is 10:00am on Monday 13 April 2026
Richmond Foundation are hosting a Webinar and Q+A for interested applicants on 18 March 2026. This will be an opportunity to learn more from our CEO, Chair and Trustees and ask questions. Details can be found on our website.
Interviews: Scheduled in May/June 2026
Term Commences: September 2026
Our vision is that everyone in Richmond has opportunities to build healthy and fulfilling lives.
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.
Join Richmond Foundation as a Non-Trustee Grants Committee Member and help shape a fairer, healthier future for our community.
Richmond Foundation is a long-established local charity with a proud history of supporting residents through grant-making, property management, and community initiatives. We are seeking new Non-Trustee (volunteer) members to join our Grants Committee and contribute to our vision: Everyone in Richmond has opportunities to build healthy and fulfilling lives.
Who We’re Looking For
We want to add Non-Trustee members to our Grants Committee to increase the breadth of knowledge and to provide different fresh perspectives into our grant making. We welcome applications from individuals who share our values of integrity, excellence, collaboration, agility, and ambition.
We are aiming to have six members of the Grants Committee with at least one being a non-trustee member, who will participate alongside our Trustees.
Our goal is to recruit people from a wide range of backgrounds, with different expertise, experience and knowledge. We want to make our committees more diverse and representative of the groups and people we support. You can read more about our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion here.
We are keen to receive applications from people who:
- Are aged between 16 and 35
- Are from lower-income socio-economic backgrounds
- Have lived experience relevant to our work
- Are disabled or have a long-term health condition
- Are from communities experiencing racial inequity
We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and are happy to provide reasonable adjustments to support applicants at any stage.
The role of a Non-Trustee Grants Committee Member
This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with the Richmond Foundation team to participate in important decisions around awarding funding and to influence policy and strategic direction.
Terms of appointment
Appointments will be for a two-year term, with the possibility of renewing for an additional two-year term.
You will need to:
- Uphold Richmond Foundation’s vision, mission, objectives, and values
- Attend at least four Grants Committee meetings per year at our central Richmond location (1.5 hours from 5:00pm to 6:30pm)
- Prepare for meetings by reading all relevant documentation and reviewing minutes
- Attend relevant training and at least one event/visit hosted by a grant-funded organisation each year
- Attend our annual AGM meeting in November
Responsibilities include:
- Provide strategic direction and expert guidance on our developing grants portfolio
- Maintain oversight of grant giving activities to ensure: it is in line with our strategic objectives and within agreed budget; grant giving practices are in line with agreed policy, legislation and good practice
- Receive and feedback on impact and other reporting
- Provide support and challenge to the Grants Director and team
- Occasionally attending internal briefings and training and other relevant external events on behalf of Richmond Foundation
- Contribute relevant specialist experience
General experience:
- Contribute to the discussions and decision-making that take place during meetings from a general point of view, as someone who has knowledge and experience relevant to the work of the committee
- A keen interest and understanding of the charitable sector
- An understanding of, and commitment to, safeguarding and diversity, equity and inclusion in the charitable sector and how this relates to grant-making
- Ability to take an independent view which varies from that of other committee members
- Relevant knowledge, perspective, insight, and understanding gathered through lived experience
To support you, we will:
- Provide background information to be discussed in an introductory session and supported by the Trustee and Committee Member Handbook
- Give initial training about Richmond Foundation and our grantmaking, with further training and support to enable you to fully take part in committee meetings
- Ongoing annual training and access to document library
- Link you with a Richmond Foundation Trustee who will act as a buddy. Before each committee meeting, they will offer support with preparing for the meeting and discuss any key issues with you
- Cover reasonable childcare, carer and travel costs if these are required to enable you to attend committee meetings
How to Apply
If you are interested in making a difference in Richmond and can contribute your time and expertise to help us deliver our charitable objectives, we would love to hear from you.
Full details, person specification and requirements, and application instructions are available in the Non-Trustee Grants Committee Member Recruitment pack.
Richmond Foundation are hosting a Webinar and Q+A for interested applicants on 18 March 2026. This will be an opportunity to learn more from our CEO, Chair and Trustees and ask questions. Details will be posted on our website.
The application deadline is 10:00am on Monday 13 April 2026
Interviews: Scheduled in May/June 2026
Term Commences: 23 September 2026 (with a short induction period beforehand)
Our vision is that everyone in Richmond has opportunities to build healthy and fulfilling lives.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Inclusive Boards is delighted to support Health Sciences University in their search for two Independent Governors.
Health Sciences University (HSU) stands at the forefront of health and care education, research, leadership and practice. Formed in July 2024 through the merger of AECC University College and the University College of Osteopathy, HSU brings together a proud legacy of innovation and global leadership in health education, spanning over a century.
With a diverse community of around 2,500 students and over 400 staff, HSU offers more than 30 courses across allied health, sport and exercise sciences, psychology and mental health, chiropractic, osteopathy, and healthcare leadership and management. HSU’s commitment to lifelong learning is reflected in their growing portfolio of apprenticeships, accredited CPD, and masterclasses, supporting the health and care workforce across the UK and internationally.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the strategic direction and governance of our university, ensuring we continue to thrive in a rapidly changing higher education landscape.
About the Governor Opportunities:
We are seeking to appoint two new Independent Governors who have significant senior level expertise in finance, accountancy and risk. In addition to their Board roles, candidates will join either our Finance and Performance Committee or our Audit and Risk Committee as a result of existing members retiring at the end of their terms of office.
We anticipate that to demonstrate the required competencies for the role, suitable candidates will have experience of
- Working at a senior level in a complex, regulated environment with multiple stakeholders and
- Hold a professional financial qualification such as CIMA, ACCA and ACA (ICAEW)
Candidates will:
- Provide strategic oversight into how the University can strengthen its long-term financial resilience and prepare effectively for future opportunities and risks.
- Help the Board to critique and articulate the commercial value and strategic implications of potential growth, capital investment appraisals, diversification opportunities, mergers and acquisitions.
- Maintain a strategic perspective while interrogating risk management processes, decision making and financial assumptions.
- Contribute to the development of institutional strategy and provide informed oversight of progress against agreed objectives and measures of performance.
- Demonstrate a genuine commitment to the University’s vision, mission and values and the wider social purpose of health sciences education and clinical services.
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.
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!
About The Big House
The Big House Multibank exists to improve lives and build a more sustainable Scotland by reducing waste, maximising resources, and supporting families facing hardship. We do this by redistributing surplus goods from corporate partners to frontline organisations, schools, social workers, health visitors and community groups who support families in crisis.
Based in Fife, with satellite hubs in Dundee, Perth and Edinburgh, and expanding across Scotland, we combine environmental action, social justice and community partnership to tackle poverty, reduce pollution and strengthen local support systems.
Our work supports families to stay together, children to thrive, and communities to flourish while diverting significant volumes of surplus goods from landfill.
Our Ambition
Our 2026 Business Plan sets out an ambitious growth agenda, including:
- Doubling the volume of goods distributed
- Expanding into the Glasgow City Region
- Introducing digital inventory and tracking systems
- Embedding wrap-around care pathways for families
Strengthening our circular economy and environmental impact
Increasing fundraising, communications and corporate partnerships
To deliver this, we are strengthening our Board to ensure excellent governance, strategic leadership, and a clear focus on impact, purpose and people.
Purpose of the Role
To provide strategic leadership and governance, ensuring The Big House fulfils its charitable objectives, operates effectively, and remains sustainable, accountable and impactful.
Key Responsibilities
- Set and uphold the strategic direction of the charity
- Ensure legal, regulatory and financial compliance
- Provide oversight of risk, safeguarding and organisational performance
- Support and challenge the executive team constructively
- Act as an ambassador and advocate for The Big House
Legal Duties
Trustees share collective responsibility for:
- Acting in the best interests of the charity
- Managing resources responsibly
- Ensuring accountability and transparency
- Complying with charity law and governance best practice
Skills & Experience We Are Seeking
We are seeking individuals with senior-level expertise in one or more of the following areas:
- Safeguarding & Social Care - senior experience in social work, education, health, early years or family support services, with strong safeguarding expertise.
- Supply Chain, Logistics & Warehousing - experience in logistics, operations, warehousing, fulfilment, or supply chain transformation.
- Digital Transformation & Data Governance - experience delivering digital systems, data governance, cyber security or operational technology.
- Circular Economy & Environmental Leadership - background in sustainability, reuse, recycling, environmental strategy or circular economy innovation.
- Corporate Retail, FMCG & Surplus Partnerships - senior experience within retail, manufacturing or FMCG, particularly in surplus, ESG or supply chain partnerships.
- Social Enterprise & Scale-Up Leadership - experience growing mission-led organisations, trading models or hybrid charities.
We also welcome candidates with strengths in:
- Finance, audit and risk
- Fundraising and philanthropy
- Communications, brand and public affairs
We are seeking Trustees who demonstrate:
- Strategic thinking and sound judgement
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Integrity, empathy and emotional intelligence
- Commitment to social justice and environmental sustainability
- Willingness to contribute time, expertise and energy
- Ability to challenge constructively and support collaboratively
We particularly welcome applications from individuals who:
- Bring lived experience of poverty or inequality
- Are underrepresented in charity governance
- Are at an earlier stage of their Board career
Timeline:
- We are recruiting Trustees on a rolling basis to allow flexibility and to ensure we appoint the right people at the right time as the organisation continues to grow.
- Applications will be reviewed as they are received, with interviews scheduled throughout the year.
- Appointments will be made on a rolling basis, with new Trustees formally ratified at the next appropriate Board meeting or Annual General Meeting (AGM), in line with our constitution.
- While we anticipate a number of appointments during 2026, we encourage early applications and expressions of interest at any point.
For more information, please download the job description attached in this advert.
A CV (maximum 3 pages) and a short supporting statement (maximum 2 pages) outlining:
• Your motivation to become a Trustee
• How your skills and experience align with our needs
• What you would bring to our Board
The Big House Multibank reduces waste and supports families in Scotland by redistributing surplus goods to families across the country.

The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Working Chance is a unique, pioneering, award-winning national charity that supports women with criminal convictions into employment. We support women to create independent purposeful lives through helping them to build careers, we break cycles of reoffending and we inspire employers to embrace inclusive hiring.
This is an exciting time for Working Chance as we start developing our new three-year strategy which will come into effect from 1 September. The new strategy will see us taking an ever bolder stance on speaking up for women with convictions, solidifying our position as a thought leader on how to improve the employment rate of these women, and moving into providing consultancy for employers seeking our guidance and input on their recruitment and employment practices.
We are looking for an inspiring and committed Chair of Trustees to lead our Board at this exciting point in our development. This is a unique opportunity to shape the strategic direction of a highly respected and impactful charity, while championing a mission that addresses inequality, social justice and economic inclusion.
As Chair, you will work closely with the Chief Executive and fellow trustees to ensure strong governance, clear strategic focus, effective oversight and financial sustainability, while acting as an ambassador for Working Chance and its values. Download the Appointment Brief to learn all about the role, the charity and the recruitment process, and if you think you might be the person we’re looking for, we’d love to hear from you.
Closing date: 9am on Monday 16 March
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Organisation
The 5% Club is a national dynamic movement of employers committed to “Earn and Learn” as part of building and developing the workforce they need for a socially mobile, prosperous and cohesive nation. We exist to help our Members and all employers increase further the number, quality and range of Earn and Learn opportunities across the UK. By joining The 5% Club, our Members aspire to achieve 5% of their workforce in Earn and Learn positions (including apprentices, sponsored students and graduates on formalised training schemes) within five years of joining.
The 5% Club now represents over 1250 organisations with 2m employees, of which almost 121,000 are in on-the-job training – an average, of more than 6?ross the movement. Our mission is rooted in employers taking a proactive role in addressing the UK’s critical skills challenges. It’s about developing people with the right skills to forge meaningful career paths and its members represent some of the gold standards of training and skills development.
We want roles such as apprenticeships, sponsored student placements, graduate programmes and upskilling to be accessible to all. By “all,” we mean the spectrum of Britain’s social diversity – racial, cultural, gender, age, background and more. The end goal is to drive up shared prosperity in the country by enlisting all manner of organisation sizes (from SMEs, for whom “5%” means one person – to FTSE100 household names employing tens of thousands) as Members, who then sign the Charter committing to building a workforce with at least 5% of their employees in Earn and Learn roles.
The 5% Club has strong connections to the Government, industry bodies and education partners and this plays a huge part in advocacy and change.
To find out more about what we do, visit our website.
The Role
The Chair of the Board provides strategic leadership to the charity, ensuring it is well governed, financially sustainable, and delivering meaningful impact for its beneficiaries. The role requires an experienced and collaborative leader who can support the Chief Executive, guide the Board, and uphold the highest standards of charity governance.
Key responsibilities
Governance Leadership
- Lead the Board in ensuring the charity fulfils its mission, complies with its governing document, and meets all legal and regulatory requirements (including Charity Commission expectations).
- Ensure the Board operates effectively, with the right balance of skills, diversity, and experience. Lead regular Board effectiveness reviews and support ongoing trustee development.
- Uphold the principles of good governance, encouraging constructive challenge, accountability, and high ethical standards.
Strategic Oversight
- Work with trustees and the Chief Executive to set the charity’s long-term vision, strategy, and priorities.
- Ensure appropriate systems are in place to monitor performance, impact, and risk. Oversee the quality of impact reporting, ensuring the charity communicates its outcomes effectively.
- Champion organisational learning, innovation, and responsiveness to change in the external environment.
Supporting and Challenging the Chief Executive
- Provide support, guidance, and constructive challenge to the Chief Executive.
- Maintain a strong, transparent, and trusting working relationship with the Chief Executive.
- Undertake formal annual appraisal of the Chief Executive and ensure the Board supports their performance and development.
- Act as the Chief Executive’s point of escalation for urgent or exceptional decisions requiring Chair involvement.
Board Leadership & Culture
- Chair Board meetings effectively, ensuring inclusive and balanced discussions and clear decisions.
- Ensure committees function effectively and are properly delegated while maintaining appropriate oversight.
- Build a collaborative board culture, encouraging diverse perspectives and maintaining a focus on beneficiaries. Lead succession planning across the Board – and supporting Committees – and ensure recruitment reflects diversity and skill needs.
- Lead trustee recruitment, induction, and succession planning (except for the recruitment of a new Chair).
External Representation
- Act as an ambassador for the charity, representing it with key stakeholders, funders, partners, regulators, and the media (as appropriate).
- Support the Chief Executive and senior team in relationship-building with donors, sponsors, and strategic partners.
- Promote the charity’s reputation and influence within relevant sectors. Represent the Charity in policy, advocacy and employer-facing forums where appropriate.
Risk, Finance & Compliance
- Ensure robust financial oversight, including budgeting, audit, reserves, and investment policies.
- Oversee risk management and ensure the Board receives timely information to make informed decisions.
- Ensure the charity maintains high standards in safeguarding, health & safety, data protection, and other statutory areas. Provide assurance over internal control systems and review the annual report and accounts prior to approval.
The Person
We are seeking an individual with substantial senior leadership experience, ideally a current or former business leader within an employer organisation, and prior experience as Chair of a commercial company, non-profit organisation, or charity. Experience in environments involving policy engagement or multistakeholder representation would be advantageous.
Essential Experience
- Significant senior leadership experience in a business, employer organisation, or large operational environment.
- Prior experience as Chair of a commercial company, charity, or non-profit.
- Experience of organisational governance, strategic planning, and risk oversight.
- Experience supporting or overseeing a Chief Executive or senior leadership team.
- Demonstrable experience building high-performing boards or teams.
- Experience engaging with Government, regulators, or policy-influencing environments.
Desirable Experience
- Experience in the charity sector, voluntary or community work, or public service.
- Experience with fundraising, commissioning, or managing external partnerships.
- Knowledge of relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g., Charity Commission guidance, safeguarding,data protection).
- Experience within a membership organisation or skills/employability-focused sector.
Skills and Competencies
- Strong strategic thinking and the ability to translate insight into practical direction.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to chair meetings effectively and foster inclusive discussion.
- Integrity, independence of mind, and sound judgement.
- Ability to analyse complex information and make evidence-based decisions.
- Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
- Confidence in ambassadorial and stakeholder-facing roles, including ability to represent the organisation publicly, including handling media or public scrutiny if required.
Personal Attributes
- Genuine alignment with the charity’s mission and values.
- Collaborative, supportive, and low-ego leadership style.
- Ability to challenge constructively and hold others to account.
- Resilient, calm under pressure, and capable of navigating ambiguity.
- High ethical standards and commitment to trusteeship responsibilities.
- Comfortable operating in high-visibility environments and representing the charity in national settings.


