Chair of the Board of Trustees

We are at an exciting time in our development and are seeking to recruit a Chair of the Board of Trustees who will be an ambassador for Arts Network, and who can help to maximise the potential of our charitable aims and to lead the organisation in this next stage of its development – including our growth across Southwark.

As Chair, your commitment to Arts Network (AN) will include chairing Board of Trustee meetings (usually four a year), an annual Trustee strategy session and the Annual General Meeting. AN actively encourage all of our Trustees to visit our programmes and to meet members (our beneficiaries), volunteers and staff in order to build their understanding of their work and to increase their visibility within the organisation. In addition to your responsibilities as a Trustee, the Chair has a leadership role in ensuring that the Board of Trustees fulfils its responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity.

Principal responsibilities of the Chair

Strategic leadership

• Provide leadership to the charity through its Board of Trustees, ensuring that the charity has maximum impact for its members and other beneficiaries.
• Ensure the charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction, and is focused on achieving this.
• Ensure regular contact with the CEO of AN and maintain an overview of the Charity’s affairs, providing support as and when necessary. Governance
• Ensure that AN complies with charity law and with the requirements of the Charity Commission as regulator – in particular to ensure that the charity prepares appropriate reports on what it has achieved and Annual Returns and Accounts as required by law.
• Ensure that Arts Network remains true to its charitable purpose and objectives.
• Act with integrity and avoid any personal conflicts of interest or misuse of charity funds or assets.
• Ensure that AN has a governance structure that is appropriate to a charity of its size/complexity, stage of development and its charitable objects, and keep this under review.
• Ensure that any major risks to which AN is exposed have been reviewed and that systems have been established to mitigate these risks.
• Ensure the Board of Trustees is periodically refreshed through clear procedures of election and inclusive and diverse recruitment, to incorporate the right balance of skills, knowledge and experience, with adequate training and induction.
• Establish any appropriate sub-committee structures if needed.
• Sit on appointment and disciplinary panels if needed.
• Represent the charity at external functions, meetings and events.

This role description is intended a guide to the work you will initially be required to undertake. It summarises the main aspects of the role but does not cover all the duties that you may have to perform. It may be changed from time to time to meet changing circumstances.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

• Demonstrate a strong and visible passion and commitment to the charity and its strategic aims and objectives. Foster and promote a collaborative team environment.
• Exhibit strong inter-personal and relationship-building abilities and be comfortable in an ambassadorial role.
• Demonstrate empathy, compassion and sensitivity in regard to working with diverse community groups and people with mental health support needs.
• Strong networking capabilities that can be utilised for the benefit of the charity.
• Demonstrate a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to duties as Chair and a Trustee. Experience
• Experience of operating at a senior strategic leadership level in an organisation.
• A proven track record of effective governance, including significant experience of chairing meetings and events.
• Broad knowledge and understanding of the Third sector and the issues affecting it.
• Strong leadership skills and ability to motivate Trustees, the management team, staff and volunteers and bring people together.
• Good understanding of charity governance and finance.
• Strategic awareness of marketing, communications and public relations.

This list is by no means exclusive and does not necessarily pre-determine the profile of successful candidates. Those who can bring other skill-sets and new perspectives are also welcome to apply.

Arts Network recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equality and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We aspire to have inclusive working experiences and an environment that reflects the audience we serve, where our people have equal access to career development opportunities, their voices are heard and they can contribute to our future.

Arts Network particularly welcome applications from people who identify as disabled, of the Global Majority and/or people from a lower socio-economic background, as these people are currently under-represented throughout the arts and mental health sector and reflect our community.