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Role Description

Role of the Chair of Trustees

Leadership Responsibility

The Chair provides leadership and direction to War Child’s Board, enabling it to fulfil its responsibilities for War Child’s overall governance, strategic direction and effectiveness.

In particular, the Chair leads the Board in its responsibilities for:

Strategy
  • Ensuring that War Child develops, considers, adopts, delivers, monitors and reviews a strategy in support of War Child’s mission and values and the interests of its beneficiaries.
Financial
  • Ensuring sound financial oversight including review and approval of the annual budget.
  • Oversight of high standards of financial management.
  • Protecting the assets of the organisation – buildings, equipment, reputation.
Profile, Brand and Fundraising
  • Using personal and professional networks to support the executive with access to potential donors and supporters including governments, international bodies, corporates, trusts and foundations, NGOs, and individuals.
  • Advice and assistance in raising, maintaining and managing War Child’s brand and profile in the UK and internationally.

In those areas, the Chair safeguards proper governance relationships between the board and the executive.  On strategy, for instance, it is normally for the executive to identify, develop and propose a strategy, while the board tests, challenges, supports and ultimately approves, rejects or qualifies the proposal in agreement with the executive.

In addition, the Chair leads the Board in its responsibilities for:

Guidance and Support to the CEO
  • Managing the CEO’s contract and performance, and conducting regular appraisal.
  • Objective-setting for the CEO.
  • CEO appointment, dismissal, and succession planning.
  • Support and guidance to the CEO as needed on operations, including personnel management and senior management appointments.
Governance
  • High standards of governance, accountability and transparency, in order to safeguard the interests of War Child’s beneficiaries and stakeholders.
  • Compliance by the Board with the requirements of:
    • (i) The Memorandum & Articles of Association & governance documents.
    • (ii) Charitable status.
    • (iii) Companies House.
    • (iv) Relevant charitable, company and other regulation and legislation.
  • Best practice on the part of the Board, with regular evaluation and benchmarking of the Board’s performance, and addressing areas where practice falls short.
  • Proper delegation and a healthy relationship between the Board and the executive, so that the Board:
    • (i) Holds the executive to account.
    • (ii) Maintains good communication between trustees and staff without undermining the charity’s senior management team and its management of the executive.
    • (iii) Ensures that Board decisions are acted upon and War Child is managed in an effective manner in the interests of its beneficiaries and in accordance with strategy.
    • (iv) Supports the Treasurer and Finance Director in ensuring good financial management and fundraising in line with Board policies.
  • Ensuring good risk management.

Personal Responsibility

The Chair takes particular responsibility, either by personal action or through delegation agreed with the board, for:

  • The composition, balance and skills and experience of the Board, keeping it up to strength and ensuring proper trustee induction and development.
  • Chairing Board meetings and AGMs, liaison with the Secretary and CEO to settle agendas, and ensuring that the business is covered efficiently and effectively.
  • Maintaining a constructive and challenging relationship with the CEO.
  • Representing War Child at functions, with the media, and in chair-level dealings with War Child International, as appropriate and in discussion with the CEO.
  • Taking on, in consultation with the crisis management team, whatever responsibility is required in crises.
  • Acting between full meetings of the board in authorising action to be taken intra vires and signing cheques and legal documents.
  • Handling issues arising from the code of conduct for individual trustees, including attendance issues.
  • Handling issues that may arise from the exercise of the Chair’s prerogative as directed by War Child’s policies and procedures, e.g. disciplinary procedures or ethical fundraising cases.

The Chair works to ensure that each trustee contributes to the maximum of their potential, and leads individual trustees in their responsibility to:

  • Show commitment to their role as Trustee and to War Child’s values, upholding them personally and sharing War Child’s energy and drive.
  • Think strategically and identify big issues including those around War Child’s long-term sustainability and reputation.
  • Have a solid understanding of or interest in contemporary development issues.
  • Gain respect and support for War Child from various constituencies.
  • Work well with a board, communicating clearly and constructively.
  • Attend regular meetings in London and play an active role in a sub-committee.