Chair Designate – Role Description

Chair Designate – Role Description

Overview of the role

The role of the Chair is to lead and develop the Board of Trustees (‘Board’), ensuring that it fulfils its governance and oversight responsibilities of NCVO, a registered UK charity.  This will involve working closely with the Vice Chairs and Honorary Treasurer. The Chair will champion and bring the voice of members and the sector to the organisation. The Chair will support and enable the Chief Executive to drive forward NCVO’s new strategic plan and deliver an ambitious transformational agenda, and on behalf of the Board, hold the Chief Executive to account for NCVO’s performance. The Chair will act as a NCVO ambassador and support the Chief Executive both internally and externally.

Chief Executive - Role Description

The role of the Chair is to lead and develop the Board of Trustees (‘Board’), ensuring that it fulfils its governance and oversight responsibilities of NCVO, a registered UK charity

Strategic Leadership

  • Provide leadership to the Board in setting NCVO’s strategic direction, ensuring the organisation delivers maximum impact for its beneficiaries and operates within its charitable objectives and all relevant legislation or regulations
  • Foster a ‘can-do’ culture, enabling the Board to coalesce around a shared vision and new strategy

Governance

  • Steward a review of the current governance arrangements, ensuring they are robust and effective, and the Board is equipped with the right mix of skills, experience and behaviours

  • Chair Board meetings with impartiality, purpose and clarity, ensuring decisions are well-informed, collectively owned, and aligned with NCVO’s long-term interests

  • Lead annual Trustee appraisals, fostering a culture of openness and continuous improvement

Relationship with the Chief Executive

  • Build a strong, open and supportive working relationship with the Chief Executive, operating on a mutual ‘no surprises’ basis

  • Work closely with the Chief Executive to shape Board agendas, ensure meetings are purposeful, and monitor the implementation of decisions
  • Coach, support, challenge and hold the Chief Executive to account for achieving agreed strategic objectives and conduct an annual appraisal in consultation with other Trustees

External Relations

  • Act as an ambassador for NCVO, supporting the Chief Executive (who is the face/primary spokesperson for the organisation) to represent the charity at external events, influencing policy makers, and building strong partnerships and stakeholder relationships