Chair of the Trustee Board - Support Northamptonshire

Support Northamptonshire was formed to collaborate with all sectors and co-produce services with people who have lived experience. We are strongly mission-led, with a focus on addressing inequalities, transformation, change, and system leadership, rather than simply delivering services ourselves. 

We currently operate across Northamptonshire, delivering pro-active, preventative health and wellbeing support and working with communities, voluntary organisations and wider public sector partners to create lasting change. We occupy a distinctive and valued position with a strong reputation for collaboration, responsiveness to community needs and trusted partnership working.

We are looking for a new Chair to provide strategic leadership to Support Northamptonshire and its Board of Trustees, ensuring the organisation remains focused on its charitable purpose, strategic priorities and the communities it supports.

What will you be doing?

Working closely with the Chief Executive and fellow Trustees, the Chair will:

• Provide strong, inclusive and strategic leadership to the Board.

• Lead effective Board meetings, ensuring constructive challenge, good decision-making and equal participation.

• Work with the Chief Executive and Board to oversee delivery of the organisation's strategy, including progress against agreed priorities and KPIs.

• Build a strong, trusting and appropriately challenging relationship with the Chief Executive, acting as a sounding board and critical friend.

• Ensure effective governance, financial oversight, risk management and accountability.

• Support the ongoing development of the Board, including Trustee induction, appraisal and succession planning.

• Champion equality, inclusion and social justice across the organisation and its governance.

• Represent and advocate for Support Northamptonshire with partners, funders and other stakeholders.

• Support the organisation's ambition to influence wider systems and demonstrate effective, community-led approaches to tackling inequality.

The Chair will automatically be a Trustee and will have all the responsibilities and duties of a Trustee.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for an experienced and thoughtful leader who can provide strategic direction, strong governance and constructive challenge while working collaboratively with the Chief Executive, Trustees and wider organisation.

• Strong strategic leadership experience.

• Experience of organisational change, transformation or system change.

• Strong practical understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion, with a genuine commitment to social justice and tackling inequalities.

• Senior management experience, ideally within the voluntary, community or public sector.

• Experience as a Trustee or Board member or significant senior leadership experience as a charity Chief Executive, with a good understanding of governance.

• Strong judgement and the ability to operate strategically without becoming involved in operational detail.

• Excellent communication, listening and relationship-building skills.

• An inclusive leadership style and the ability to encourage constructive challenge and healthy debate.

• The ability to develop a strong and effective relationship with the Chief Executive.

• An understanding of the realities and challenges of leading a small-to-medium-sized charity.

• A commitment to the Nolan Principles of Public Life

In recruiting for this Chair role, we are particularly interested in candidates who share our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, understand the importance of tackling structural inequalities and will champion an inclusive culture across the organisation. We welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds and experiences and are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process where required. 

What difference will you make?

This is an important opportunity to help shape the next chapter of Support Northamptonshire. Alongside fellow Trustees, you will play a key role in strengthening our governance, supporting the implementation of our strategy and ensuring the Board has the capacity, skills and perspective needed to guide the organisation through its next stage of growth.

Time Commitment

The Board currently meets bi-monthly, with meetings lasting approximately two hours. There is also an annual Board away day and regular briefings with the Chief Executive. The expected commitment is likely to be less than two days per month, although the initial period may require additional time while the new Chair becomes familiar with the organisation, its strategy and current priorities. Meetings have traditionally been held online during the daytime, but Support Northamptonshire is open to discussing alternative timings to make the role accessible to people with different working and personal commitments.

HOW TO APPLY

The TrusteeWorks team at Reach Volunteering are supporting Support Northamptonshire with their Chair recruitment.

Questions, requests for pre-application informal conversations and applications should be submitted via TrusteeWorks.

To apply please submit your CV along with a Cover Letter (maximum 2 to 3 pages long) stating the following:

• Why are you interested in becoming Chair at Support Northamptonshire?

• Qualifications and Experience (as well as your professional work experience and qualifications please include specialist knowledge that you bring to the team from your life, interests and other voluntary roles. Please see both the Role and Person specification).

Please send applications and enquiries to trusteeworks@reachskills.org.uk

The closing date for applications is Friday 6th November 2026 by 5pm.