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Chair of the Board of Trustees

The Ripple Pond

Voluntary Position (reasonable expenses reimbursed)

Time commitment: Approximately 1-2 days per month, including four Board meetings per year, regular support to the CEO, occasional committee meetings and attendance at key events.

Closing date: 11 September 2026 (applications will be reviewed as they are received and interviews may take place before the closing date).

Help Shape the Future of Support for Military Families

The Ripple Pond is a national charity supporting more than 1,200 Armed Forces and veteran family members across the UK. Through peer support, advocacy and practical assistance, we help families affected by service-related physical and psychological injury feel seen, heard and supported.

We are seeking an exceptional individual to Chair our Board of Trustees and help guide the charity through its next phase of growth and development.

Working closely with our CEO and Board, you will provide strategic leadership, support strong governance and help ensure the charity continues to deliver meaningful impact for military families and carers.

What You'll Do

As Chair, you will:

• Lead and support the Board of Trustees.
• Act as a trusted partner and critical friend to the CEO.
• Oversee strategy, governance, risk and organisational performance.
• Champion safeguarding, inclusion and good governance.
• Support trustee recruitment and board development.
• Represent The Ripple Pond externally and help build strategic relationships.
• Help shape the future direction and sustainability of the charity.

Who We're Looking For

We're looking for a collaborative and values-driven leader with:

• Senior leadership, executive or board-level experience.
• Strong strategic thinking and decision-making skills.
• Experience of governance, finance and risk oversight.
• The ability to build partnerships and influence stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and ambassadorial skills.
• A genuine commitment to supporting Armed Forces families and carers.

Experience in the military, veterans, healthcare, public, charity or social care sectors would be beneficial but is not essential.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of military families across the UK.

You will work with a committed Board, an experienced CEO and a passionate community of Members to help strengthen support for families affected by service-related injury, influence wider understanding of their needs and guide a growing charity through its next stage of development.

Guild Care is seeking to welcome a new Trustee with experience in financial auditing to our Board.

Established in 1933, Guild Care has been supporting local people and their families for over 90 years. Our vision is for all people in need of care to live fulfilling, safe, and secure lives.

Each year, we support more than 3,000 people and their families through our diverse range of community services and three care homes. From tackling social isolation and supporting people living with dementia, to providing vital services for older people and those with learning disabilities, our work helps people feel connected, valued, and accepted for who they are.

A Trustee of Guild Care has a responsibility to ensure that the organisation applies its resources exclusively in the pursuit of the objectives of the charity.

As part of that responsibility a Trustee needs to actively contribute to the work of the Board by helping set the strategic direction and overall policy, monitoring organisational performance, and supporting organisational development.

The Board of Trustees are also responsible for providing challenges and scrutiny of the senior management team in a positive and supportive environment. 

• Commission-Based Model
• Remote/Global/Executive Leadership role
• 10hrs a week

About Project Yananai

Project Yananai is a global non-profit headquartered in the United Kingdom, with Affiliate Entities and Management Teams in India, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Our mission is to inspire and empower individuals and communities by fostering enduring relationships, enhancing sustainable skills, and delivering compassionate humanitarian aid. We are dedicated to nurturing resilient societies that are self-sufficient, spiritually fulfilled, and equipped to break cycles of poverty.

Strengthen Leadership. Enable Mission Continuity. Drive Global Impact.

Project Yananai is entering an exciting phase of growth. Registered in the UK, with operations across India, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, we are building an organisation focused on empowering individuals and communities, strengthening sustainable livelihoods and delivering compassionate humanitarian support.

We are now seeking an exceptional Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) to join our Global Executive Leadership Team and work in close partnership with the CEO.

This is a newly created role for a senior leader who can operate comfortably at both strategic and operational level — someone who can help turn ambition into execution, bring clarity across a growing organisation and provide confident leadership when the CEO is unavailable.

You will be much more than a traditional deputy. You will be a trusted partner to the CEO, a strategic integrator across the executive team and an ambassador for Project Yananai externally.

The opportunity

As DCEO, you will provide the leadership capacity and organisational resilience needed to support Project Yananai through its next stage of development.

You will partner with the CEO to translate our Strategic Growth and Impact Plan into clear priorities, ensure that those priorities are delivered across the organisation and help connect our executive functions around shared goals.

When required, you will step into the CEO's responsibilities, providing continuity of leadership and representing the organisation with confidence to donors, partners, government bodies, media and other key stakeholders.

This is an opportunity to have genuine organisational influence at a pivotal moment — helping shape how a growing international non-profit operates, leads and delivers impact.

What you will do

• Act as the CEO's senior deputy and assume executive responsibility during periods of absence, including strategic decision-making, external representation, oversight of programmes, finance and compliance, and leadership of the Global Executive Leadership Team.
• Turn strategy into execution
• Work alongside the CEO to translate organisational vision into practical priorities, milestones and actions — ensuring that strategic commitments become measurable results.
• Drive alignment across the executive leadership team, working across Advancement, People & Governance, Finance, Mission Operations and Communications to remove silos and ensure teams are working towards common objectives.
• Monitor organisational performance against KPIs and strategic objectives, identify bottlenecks and risks, and help ensure that plans are delivered effectively, on time and within budget.
• Represent Project Yananai with major donors, partners, government stakeholders and other external audiences. Build trusted relationships that strengthen our mission, reputation and fundraising potential.
• Work alongside the Chief People & Governance Officer and Global General Counsel to support strong governance, risk management and compliance across our international operations.
• Help create a culture of collaboration, accountability and innovation. Mentor senior leaders, support succession planning and champion diversity, equity and inclusion across the organisation.

Who we are looking for

We are looking for a seasoned executive, rather than simply an experienced functional leader.

You will ideally bring 10–15+ years of senior leadership experience within the non-profit, international development or humanitarian sector, together with a track record of leading organisations through growth, transformation or complexity.

You will be able to demonstrate:

• Experience operating at executive or enterprise leadership level.
• A proven ability to deputise for a CEO or assume full executive responsibility when required.
• Experience leading across multiple countries and cultures, ideally with exposure to Africa and/or South Asia.
• Strong strategic and operational leadership, with the ability to move seamlessly between big-picture thinking and execution.
• A sophisticated understanding of governance, risk and compliance within an international non-profit environment.
• Strong fundraising and partnership instincts, with the credibility to engage senior donors and high-value partners.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including experience overseeing budgets of £5m+.
• Exceptional communication, influencing and stakeholder-management skills.
• The emotional intelligence and resilience to lead through uncertainty, change and organisational growth.
• Experience with French, Portuguese or relevant local languages would be advantageous.

The leadership qualities that matter

• Beyond experience and credentials, we are looking for someone who brings judgement, humility and integrity.
• You will be comfortable making difficult decisions, calm when circumstances are challenging and able to bring people with you through change.
• You will be a natural mentor and coach — someone who invests in developing other leaders rather than simply directing them.
• Most importantly, you will have a genuine commitment to community-led development, breaking cycles of poverty and creating lasting peace and prosperity, together with alignment with Project Yananai's values and mission.
• A bachelor's degree is required; an advanced degree such as an MBA, MPA, MPhil or equivalent is desirable.

Why Project Yananai?

This is not an opportunity to simply inherit an established structure. You will help build it!

You will join at a pivotal stage in Project Yananai's development, working directly with the CEO, Global Executive Leadership Team and Board to strengthen the organisation and prepare it for its next phase of growth.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Shape organisational strategy and its execution.
• Work across an international, multi-country organisation.
• Influence the development of a growing executive leadership team.
• Represent Project Yananai with significant external stakeholders.
• Strengthen organisational resilience, governance and performance.
• Contribute directly to programmes and initiatives designed to create lasting social impact.
• Work remotely with international travel as required.
• Develop your own executive leadership experience within a growing global organisation.

Project Yananai is an equal opportunity organisation. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures. Project Yananai is a UK registered charity number 1209060.

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.

Position Description 
This is an exciting time to join the Heart of the City trustee board. You will join a small but ambitious Charity with strong foundations and networks across the public and private sector. This is an opportunity to shape the next chapter for the Heart of the City, with a strong focus on developing a robust, sustainable three-year Strategy. The Strategy will be supported by work to further diversify funding streams, that provide greater financial resilience without compromising our mission to support SMEs to become responsible businesses and play a full role in responding to the Climate Emergency.

The incoming Chair will support the team to develop a three-year Strategy to support the growth of the Charity.

The plan will explore:

• The Mission of the Charity and how it should grow
• Diversifying and securing new sources of funding
• Broadening our programmatic offer to SMEs
• Defining the strategic relationship between Heart of the City and the City of London Corporation

Unlike most small charities, Heart of the City has an extensive network and governance structures with prestigious organisations. The Chair will help manage key relationships with the Bank of England and Corporation of London, as well as key Council Members. The Chair will be instrumental in managing an effective and focussed set of Trustees to help shape, scrutinise and deliver the Charity’s mission.

By the end of the three-year period as Chair, you will have supported the development and implementation of a Strategy, which meets the vision of the Charity, helped develop a sustainable and resilient funding model, ensured that the Charity is making an impact and reporting on its achievements and maintains effective relationships with key strategic partners.

Typically, the Chair will:

• Hold regular fortnightly meetings with the Managing Director.
• Attend quarterly Trustee Board meetings (usually lasting around two hours and held during the working day).
• Participate in a strategy half-day with Trustees and staff.
• Attend Council meetings (up to two per year).
• Support introductions to potential members, partners and stakeholders.
• Attend and occasionally speak at Heart of the City events on an ad hoc basis.

The Chair will contribute to ad-hoc requests including:

• Sharing their views on responsible business in interviews for our newsletter, social media or webinars
• Championing our work at other external events and meetings, on social media and on their own biographical profiles

About you
We do not expect one person to fulfil all specifications but would welcome applications from individuals who are able to demonstrate most of the following:

Experience & Knowledge

• Senior Executive experience in the Corporate, Charity or Public sector.
• Strong understanding of SMEs, their motivations and challenges.
• Strong commitment to sustainability and responsible business practices.
• Proven track record of setting strategic direction and leading senior teams.
• Well-connected senior network across businesses.

Skills & Attributes

• Excellent chairing, facilitation and sound judgement in complex situations.
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to align resources to long-term mission and impact.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to engage audiences from SME leaders to senior stakeholders.
• Strong ambassadorial and relationship-building skills.
• Excellent listening, questioning and consensus-building abilities.

Commitment

Commitment to Heart of the City’s mission, values and responsible business agenda. Willingness to devote the time and energy required to fulfil the role effectively.

Closing application date
Midnight on 27 September 2026

Interviews
Trustees aim to meet with the candidates in the week commencing 12 October 2026.