Chair of Trustees

Job Description

Kent Sexual Assault & Abuse Service is dedicated to providing safe spaces where survivors of all forms of sexual violence across Kent and Medway, can access the high-quality, trauma-informed, specialist practical and therapeutic support that they need to recover from the impact of sexual violence and rebuild their lives. Having won and mobilised the Police & Crime Commissioner Kent Wide Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA)and Trauma Therapy contracts in April 2026, we are keen to extend our trustee board to ensure high quality, robust governance for our charity and support for the KSAAS team during this time of expansion.  We are seeking a Chair of Trustees to take over the leadership of the board when our current chair steps down in October.

KSAAS Chair of Trustees Responsibilities:

Leading the trustee board in providing robust, transparent and courageous governance for the charity, including ensuring the charity is fulfilling its mission, aims and values, setting the culture, strategic direction and strategic plan for the charity, approving the annual operations (business) plan, budget and safeguarding & risk management plans & monitoring these to ensure delivery, ensuring compliance to the ethical, legal, financial and safeguarding responsibilities of charities and trustees and ensuring compliance with contractual agreements and ensuring the charity holds itself accountable to its stakeholders and partners

Providing effective oversight of the Trustee Board through appropriate recruitment, screening, induction, training and support of trustees, ensuring trustee awareness and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, ensure that the trustee board annually reviews its structure, effectiveness, delegations and key policies, and implements agreed changes as necessary.

Ensuring effective strategic and operational leadership of the charity by working with the Board to approve a scheme of delegation and appraisal of the CEO, supporting, positively challenging and holding the CEO to account through line management processes, liaising with the CEO to arrange meetings and chairing Board meetings to ensure these are well run and focussed on delivering the charity's work, provision of appropriate training, support and wellbeing opportunities for staff & volunteers.

Act as a representative and spokesperson for the charity in collaboration with the management team and other trustees.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential: Leadership & management experience and experience of working in a charity or having a trustee or a similar role is essential.  Experience of one or more of the following is also essential: charity or business management, charity law or criminal law, ISVA work, counselling or therapy, data protection and management, equity and inclusion, financial management, fundraising or commissioning, governance, human resources, information technology, health and safety, marketing and communications, monitoring and evaluation, research and evaluation, strategic planning, sexual violence or VAWG work.

Commitment

The time commitment of a KSAAS trustee is estimated at 12 hours per month, comprising:

• Supervision and support for the Chief Executive Officer
• Six 2 hour board meetings per year (normally online in the evening, but some in person in Canterbury with prior arrangement)
• Annual general meeting (AGM) preparation & Attendance
• Time to read and reflect on reports and papers for meetings
• Attending an annual trustee away day and occasional training sessions
• Attending subcommittees when required

If you are interested in becoming a trustee with KSAAS, please see further details about the role and application process in the attached recruitment pack. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

The KSAAS Trustee Board