Our Next Chair

Introduction

The primary role of the Chair is one of long-term stewardship. The Chair will provide the kind of leadership that ensures the charity evolves, flourishes, and has on-going impact. to the NSPCC, Working closely with the Board of Trustees and establishing a close and constructive working relationship with the Chief Executive, the Chair will make sure a strong, clear, actionable strategy is in place and through a mix of support and challenge, is being delivered. . The Chair has a legal obligation to act in accordance with the Royal Charter and charity law and in the best interests of the NSPCC. The Chair acts as an advocate, ambassador and promoter of the NSPCC and its work with, and for, children and young people. The Chair is supported by two Vice-Chairs who deputise and provide assistance as required.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Ensuring the proper governance of the charity, paying attention to the provisions within our Royal Charter, Charity Law and related legislation, and the Charity Code of Governance and ensuring that the Board of Trustees fulfils its legal, financial and regulatory responsibilities.
Ensuring that the interests and voices of children and young people are central to every aspect of the work of the NSPCC and are properly heard and represented.
Working in partnership with the Chief Executive to achieve the mission of the NSPCC and to optimise the direct relationship between the Board of Trustees, its committees, the Chief Executive and the Executive Board. This includes leading their annual appraisal.
Role modelling and driving an inclusive culture where equality and diversity are valued and embedded in the Society.
Advising and supporting the Chief Executive as required to maximise their leadership role and impact, holding them for the effective management of the charity and delivery of the NSPCC’s strategic aims and objectives.
Acting as an ambassador for the Society when required, championing its objectives at a senior level, developing connections with external stakeholders and assisting in raising and safeguarding the reputation and profile of the Society with organisations, individuals of profile and influence, and potential donors and beneficiaries.
Promoting effective relationships and communication between Trustees and the Executive Board, ensuring that the Vice-Chairs exercise any of the Chair’s responsibilities when she/he/they is/are absent.

In addition, the following responsibilities are also important for best practice:

Chairing the Nominations and Governance Committee to ensure the Board contains relevant skills, while considering diversity, renewal and succession planning, in line with best practice. This also includes ensuring that all Committees of the Board are properly established and operate in accordance with agreed terms of reference.
Liaising with the Head of Governance and Chief Executive to agree the agenda and supporting papers for Board meetings, ensuring that the business is covered efficiently and effectively in meetings.
Participating in any Board induction, training and evaluation, as an individual trustee and as part of the Board, ensuring that the performance of the Board, its Committees and individual Trustees, is evaluated on an annual basis.

Chair role profile

We are looking for a Chair:

Who understands good governance and is experienced in working with, and leading, a diverse and experienced group of trustees and/or executives in a complex organisation;
With a commercial mind set who can drive the organisation forward during potentially challenging times, whilst keeping the voice of the child central;
Who is brave, willing to take measured risks to ensure that the NSPCC is there for every child – not only in terms of protection but also to champion, listen to, support, and promote the agency of children and young people ;
Who can demonstrate experience of voluntary sector governance and leadership whilst also being able to evidence an understanding of marketing, branding, and income generation within a context of financial complexity, to place the organisation on a stronger commercial footing;
Prepared to challenge the status quo to move the organisation forward and have an appetite for taking risks and demonstrating impact on the lives of children and young people;
To step up and represent the organisation in public forums, engage diverse audiences and not be overly self-promotional, balancingthe organisation’s needs with their own ambitions and demonstrate a passion for keeping children safe and preventing cruelty to children;
Able to differentiate the NSPCC from other children’s charities in the political and campaigning space;
Who can demonstrate a broader perspective and not necessarily be London/metropolitan centric;
Who recognises the value of Trustees from all walks of life in relation to enabling difference, respect, and psychological safety;
Who balances the need to provide stability and support in an organisation disrupted by internal change, with motivating Trustees and others to embrace a shift in ways of being, doing and thinking in service to children and the prevention of child abuse.

Person Specification

The Chair should be an experienced leader with a demonstrable, proven and successful track record of:

Leading complex organisations through change by empowering and galvanising colleagues and staff, while applying core principles of quality assurance, risk management, and internal/external audit
Chairing well-managed, inclusive meetings, ensuring all members views are taken into account and that consensus and clarity of outcomes are achieved – an exemplar of good governance.
Working with a board as a Chair, Non-Executive Director or Trustee. Experience as a Chair in a comparable organisation would be advantageous.
Providing advice and guidance at senior levels, working collaboratively on the strategic development of the organisation’s ambitious agenda, while monitoring performance and ensuring accountability and transparency
Deploying strong, strategic business acumen in a context of substantial budgetary accountability and a complex decision-making environment
A track record of developing long-term relationships across sectors, organisations, and stakeholders including government, corporates, and other charities

Style

A high degree of personal and professional credibility and integrity, engendering trust and confidence with diverse audiences across the public, private, and voluntary sectors
An articulate and effective communicator, committed to and able to represent the NSPCC’s values at all times
High energy, able to create a dynamic and thought-provoking environment in which diverse voices are encouraged and listed to
Objective and open minded, with the capacity to convene and curate broad discussion even on the most complex or challenging subject matter, and able to achieve alignment and successful decision-making
Data driven, with the clarity of thought that enables them to guide the NSPCC forward with regards to impact, income, and influence
Politically astute