Inclusive Boards is delighted to be supporting Oaklea Trust in their search for their next Chair of Trustees.
About Oaklea Trust
The Oaklea Trust is a charitable organisation whose purpose is to give vulnerable people the opportunity to live and work as independently as possible within their community. Established in 2002 and based in Cumbria, County Durham and Northumberland, we support disabled, disadvantaged and vulnerable children and adults. Our charitable work supports people of all ages who have Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Mental Health needs, and/or Dementia.
The Oaklea Group is made up of the charity, Oaklea Trust, and its commercial arm, Right2Work. Together, they support people and communities to learn, develop and thrive through person-centred care and support, learning opportunities, and pathways into employment.
This is a unique opportunity to help lead a values-driven organisation that supports people and communities across the North of England to learn, develop and thrive.
About the Chair opportunity
As Chair, you will energise and empower the Board and the Group as a whole. You will foster a culture of openness, collaboration, and constructive debate. You will inspire confidence and ensure the highest standards of governance, integrity and accountability.
You will also help shape the Group’s future impact, supporting our mission to reduce inequality and create opportunities for people and communities to thrive. Through your strategic insight and advocacy, you will help extend our reach, strengthen partnerships and ensure more people can access the care, support and opportunities they need and deserve.
The Chair of the Oaklea Board of Trustees will:
- Ensure the Board functions effectively
- Guide Oaklea Trust’s strategic direction
- Ensure governance oversight
- Represent Oaklea Trust internally and externally
- Evaluate and support the Chief Executive
- Champion the leadership of Committees
We are seeking a new Chair of Trustees who can bring the following experience and capabilities to the role. We recognise that lived experience can offer valuable insights that greatly enhance a role like this, especially when combined with professional expertise.
Experience/Background:
- Experience of strategic leadership and governance within an organisation of equivalent size and complexity to Oaklea Trust, ideally within a Group structure.
- A track record of driving growth and innovation, with the ability to apply insight to support the achievement of Oaklea Trust’s strategic objectives.
- Understanding of the challenges associated with leading and delivering regulated services and the management of the associated risks.
- Ability to constructively challenge and hold space for compassionate and constructive conversations.
- Financial and commercial acumen, including experience in financial planning, oversight, risk management, and the establishment and monitoring of systems of control and accountability.
- Ability to scrutinise and manage financial risk, ensuring long-term financial sustainability and safeguarding against fraud.
- Ability to open doors, build networks and maximise opportunities with a range of stakeholders, funders and partner organisations.
- Previous trustee and/or Chair/Vice Chair experience is desirable.
Recruitment Agency 
11 - 20
Thank you!
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Mind in Salford
Location: Salford / Hybrid
Contract: Voluntary Trustee position
Time commitment: Approximately 1- to 1.5-days per month
Would you like to use your leadership and governance experience to help shape the future of a charity making a lasting difference to the mental health and wellbeing of people across Salford?
Mind in Salford is seeking a new Chair of Trustees to lead its Board and support the charity as it builds on over 50 years of providing vital local mental health services.
About Mind in Salford
Mind in Salford is an independent, user-focused charity committed to ensuring local people experiencing mental health problems receive the support and respect they deserve.
The charity provides a range of services including advocacy, welfare rights and debt advice, mindfulness, mental health training and specialist support for the LGBTQ+ community through its Rainbow Mind programme.
With an experienced Senior Leadership Team and a Board that is going through a period of transition, this is an opportunity for a new Chair to strengthen Board effectiveness, support the development of new Trustees and help shape the charity’s next chapter.
About the Role
The Chair will provide strategic leadership to the Board, ensuring effective governance, sound decision-making and a clear focus on Mind in Salford’s charitable purpose.
In this role, you will lead and develop an effective, inclusive and high-performing Board, Chair meetings, build a strong, constructive relationship with the Chief Executive and represent the Charity and help develop relationships with key partners and supporters.
About You
They are looking for someone with senior strategic leadership experience and a strong understanding of charity governance, who can lots of emotional intelligence and sound judgement to the role.
You will bring:
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Experience of working with a charity Board or in a senior non-executive role.
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A strong understanding of the duties and responsibilities of charity Trustees.
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The ability to chair meetings effectively, build consensus and manage challenging conversations.
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Experience of providing strategic oversight of finance, risk and organisational performance.
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Strong relationship-building and influencing skills.
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A genuine commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
Knowledge of health and social care, or a related sector, would be valuable. A connection to Salford and its communities is also important.
Commitment
The Board meets every two months, alongside a Finance sub-committee which meets four times a year. Trustees are expected to prepare for meetings, review papers in advance and contribute actively to Board discussions. As Chair you will be expected to meet regularly with the CEO and provide support outside of the formal meeting structure.
This is a voluntary position, although reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed. The initial term is three years, with a maximum of three terms.
How to Apply
To apply, please click Apply Now below. You will need to include:
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An up-to-date CV.
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A covering statement of no more than two pages outlining how you meet the requirements of the role and the value you would bring as Chair.
For an informal conversation about the role, please contact our recruitment partners, Atkinson HR Consulting. Contact information can be found on the Candidate Information Pack and website.
Key Dates
Closing date: Tuesday 29 September 2026 at 12 noon
Interview date: Friday 16 October 2026 (in person)
