Chair of Trustees

CharityComms is a thriving membership network of communications professionals working in UK charities. Our amazing community is made up of more than 750 charities, adding up to almost 12,000 people. 

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 Role

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.

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. 

How to apply

Eastside People is supporting CharityComms in the recruitment for this role. Please apply with the following: 

1. A supporting statement (ideally two pages maximum) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
2. Your up-to-date CV.

We will confirm receipt of your application by email. Data collected during our recruitment process will be treated as per Eastside People’s privacy policy. 

If you would like a call to discuss the role in more detail, please email Lucinda at Eastside People 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. 

The closing date for applications is 20 January 2025 with longlisting interviews with Eastside People taking place that week. The interviews with CharityComms will be a two-stage process, with a first stage informal meeting with the Chief Executive, and a second stage panel interview with competency and example-based questions. If you have any access needs for the interview, please let us know and we will meet them.

Key dates: 

Applications closing date - 20 January 2025

Invitations to interview - w/c 27 January 2025

Interviews (dates to be confirmed) - w/c 3 and/or 10 February 2025

First board meeting - Early March 2025

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 Lucinda.

If you’d like a phone call with our current Chair about whether this role might be right for you, please get in touch with Helen at CharityComms who will arrange a call.

And finally, we understand AI can be a helpful tool, but please use with caution and ensure your application is personalised and accurate. 

We look forward to your application!