CharityComms, the thriving membership network of more than 750 UK charities made up of almost 12,000 communications professionals seeks a Chair to lead their team of Trustees.
We work with our members and the wider communications community to raise the standard of charity communications, to enable them to deliver their world-changing missions more effectively. From our range of services and events to our best practice guides, reports, support for professional development and web and social media content, we represent, support, inspire, connect and inform our members and the wider charity communications community.
Our vision is for effective and inspiring communications to be at the heart of every charity’s work for a better world. Our purpose is to improve the standard of communications and champion its role in the sector. We represent, support, inspire, connect and inform our members and the wider charity communications community.
Background to the roles
We are seeking a Chair to lead our team of high-performing Trustees. The new Chair will work closely with the CEO and other board members to navigate the evolving and increasingly complex landscape of comms and ensure the continued success of the organisation.
We are open to a Chair from either the private, public or third sector, as we believe there are benefits to having a wide lens. The ideal candidate would have in-depth experience of the comms world, whether that be PR, social media, or marketing. They will also have a strong understanding of the strategic role comms can play for organisations. The candidate may also have a strong understanding of membership organisations and how to successfully grow a membership base.
However, this does not mean you must be directly from a senior comms or membership role! We are open to talking to a wide range of candidates and finding someone with the right level of experience, passion and commitment. You must be willing to invest time in building relationships, developing the Board and understanding the unique opportunities and challenges we and our members face.
Main Responsibilities
The key responsibility of the Chair is to provide support, direction and leadership to the board and Chief Executive, to ensure that the board is effective in its task of overseeing both conformance and performance.
The Chair will:
- Provide leadership to the board, the CEO and staff team. Developing the Board and ensuring the skills and interests of the trustees are used effectively to support and guide the charity, and that trustee’s individual goals as a trustee are also achieved
- Offer direct support and challenge to the Chief Executive, ensuring personal objectives are set and reviewed regularly, development and training supported, and annual performance reviews undertaken
- Offer advice and guidance to the Chief Executive and staff in pursuing CharityComms’ objectives, as appropriate to the Chair’s governance role but also based on their own professional or sector experience.
Person Specification
- Visionary leadership: ability to set and communicate a clear strategic vision for CharityComms
- Governance expertise: good understanding of governance principles and practices, including compliance, accountability, decision making and best practices in board management
- Strategic thinking: ability to think strategically about the organisation’s long-term goals and how to achieve them, especially as CharityComms delivers its new business plan and strategy
- Effective communication: strong verbal and written communication skills, able to articulate ideas clearly and persuasively
- Active listening: excellent listening skills to understand different perspectives and build consensus
- Financial literacy: good understanding of financial management principles, including budgeting, financial reporting, and business development
- Sector knowledge: previous trustee experience and a good understanding of the charity sector, including key trends, challenges, and opportunities affecting it and communicators working in it.
Overview and terms of appointment
- Location London/Remote. Board meetings are held online each quarter in the early evening. Any other meetings are usually held virtually. However, there are likely to be three or four face-to-face meetings/events in London per year
- Term of office: The Chair usually serves a first term of up to three years and is eligible for reappointment for another term of up to three years.
Diversity and inclusion
At CharityComms, we’re committed to creating an inclusive culture, internally and in the wider charity sector, where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential. We value lived and learned experiences of social issues, justice and change.
We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures and we will do our best to support you to upskill because we want to recruit, retain and develop the best talent available.
If you would like a call to discuss the role in more detail, please email Lucinda at [email protected] to arrange a convenient time. Having a call of this kind will not influence the success or otherwise of your application. If you feel you may not meet all the criteria, please don’t rule yourself out. We encourage you to get in touch with Lucinda to explore your questions and concerns.
We want anyone who believes they meet the Person Specification to feel comfortable and confident in applying. It is our responsibility to make the application process accessible, and to give you the information you need to decide whether you are going to apply.
If you require the pack in a different format or have any questions before you apply, please get in touch with [email protected].
If you’d like a phone call with our current Chair about whether this role might be right for you, please get in touch via Helen on [email protected] who will arrange a call.
Please download and read the Candidate Pack before making your application.
