Chair of Trustees

About the job

As GoodWork enters an exciting stage of growth and increasing impact, we are delighted to invite applications to the voluntary position of Chair of Trustees. This is an opportunity to lead a committed and diverse Board in steering a fast-growing London-based youth employment and social mobility charity.

Key Info:

• Remuneration: voluntary, reasonable travel expenses can be reimbursed.
• Location: candidates must be based in the UK. While much of this role can be performed remotely, the Chair will be required to visit our London HQ regularly.
• Time commitment: approximately 10-20 hours per month, flexibly.
• Term: Three years from appointment, renewable with Board approval.
• Appointment is subject to Enhanced DBS Check. GoodWork operates in line with safe recruitment practices and adherence to our Safeguarding Policy is essential.

About the Role

Background

Our outgoing Chair, Dale Graham, has supported GoodWork since its inception as a Community Interest Company through to our transition to a registered charity in July 2025. Following a successful three-year tenure, Dale stepped back at the end of 2025 and Abu Sayed is serving as Interim Chair while the Board recruits externally for a new Chair of Trustees.

This recruitment process follows a period of sustained organisational growth, during which we have strengthened our Board with broader expertise, lived experience and sector insight. You can learn more about our current Board and staff team on our website.

Strategic leadership and governance

• Ensure GoodWork delivers effectively against its strategy, mission and charitable objectives. GoodWork’s existing Board and team are in the process of developing a new three year organisational strategy, which we expect to finalise in early 2026.
• Uphold robust governance proportionate to our scale, ensuring compliance with Charity Commission expectations and all legal and regulatory obligations.
• Lead Board stewardship of risk management, safeguarding, impact and evaluation, fundraising and financial oversight.

Board leadership and effectiveness

• Lead and inspire the Board, ensuring it functions as a high-performing, inclusive and collaborative team.
• Chair quarterly Board Meetings and the annual Away Day, ensuring clear agendas, effective decision-making and constructive challenge.
• Support the development of Trustees through periodic 1:1 check-ins (1-2 per year), enabling continuous improvement, accountability and a positive Board culture.
• Ensure Board succession planning, diversity and capability to meet the charity’s evolving needs.

Executive support and accountability

• Build a strong, supportive and constructive partnership with the CEO.
• Facilitate monthly 1:1 meetings with the CEO, providing guidance, challenge and mentorship.
• Ensure appropriate delegation to the staff leadership team while maintaining clarity of responsibilities between governance and operations.

External engagement and advocacy

• Act as a credible ambassador for GoodWork, representing the charity at external events.
• Support fundraising efforts through advocacy, relationship-building and strategic introductions. Role modelling and holding other Trustees to account for their role in supporting GoodWork's income generation activities.
• Champion GoodWork’s mission, ensuring our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is embedded in all aspects of governance and external engagement.

Future vision and impact

• Contribute to the shaping of long-term goals that align with our “north star”: ensuring all young people have the freedom to shape their lives.
• Support the Board and leadership team in evaluating opportunities for growth, transformation and innovation, with our organisational values and commitment to championing youth voice in mind.

What we're looking for:

GoodWork is a rapidly growing charity, requiring Trustees – and particularly the Chair – to balance strategic oversight with practical, hands-on support. We are seeking a Chair who demonstrates:

• Deep commitment to GoodWork’s mission, values and impact, with a strong understanding of the importance of equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Leadership experience, ideally with prior Board-level experience in the UK charity sector or a related mission-driven environment.
• Strategic thinking, with the ability to balance long-term vision with short-term priorities.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, bringing tact, empathy and the ability to offer constructive challenge.
• Sound judgement and analytical capability, including the ability to engage confidently with financial information, organisational risks, and plans for growth.
• Flexibility and a proactive, problem-solving mindset, comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Commitment to safeguarding and alignment with GoodWork’s broader policies and procedures.
• Enthusiasm for being an active ambassador, championing our work with employers, partners and supporters.

We work with a diverse group of young people from underserved communities. We particularly encourage applications from minoritised ethnic candidates and those who have lived experience relevant to our programme, particularly non-graduates and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.

Application process:

• Apply via our application form by 12pm on Wednesday 28 January. You’ll need to submit your CV and answer the following questions in no more than 1,700 characters (about 250 words) each.
• Why are you a good candidate to be Chair of Trustees? Please tell us about your relevant personal and/or professional experience.
• Why do you want to support GoodWork’s mission?
• Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an initial 45 minute online interview with two of our existing Trustees between 9 and 13 February 2026.
• Following this, candidates will be invited to a further 30 minute online conversation with two additional Trustees between 23 and 27 February 2026.
• At the final stage, candidates will be invited to visit GoodWork’s offices on Monday 16 March to meet the team and for a final interview with our Interim Chair, Abu Sayed, and CEO, Felicity Halstead.
• Following an extraordinary meeting of the Trustees, we expect to confirm an appointment by the end of the day on Friday 20 March. Appointment will be subject to reference checks and the satisfactory completion of an Enhanced DBS check.
• We expect the new Chair to be in post by the end of April 2026.

If you require adjustments to this process, please let us know by emailing us as soon as possible.