London United Chair
Location: London
London United, created in October 2012, is a Co-operative consisting of the Community Trusts of the 15 Professional Football clubs in London. The Trusts have over 20 years’ experience and collectively engage 65,000 young people each week with a combined investment of £20m per annum. ‘London United’ was established for clubs to work together across key social agendas facing London, including Health, Disability, Crime, Education and Community Cohesion.
We are looking to appoint an inspirational leader into this role to act as a figurehead. Using the unique appeal of Professional Football, the aim will be to build mutually beneficial relationships with key stakeholders including the Greater London Authority, Sport England and pan-London funders. The Chair will also become the lead member for engagement with the media where appropriate.
It is anticipated that the role will initially be two days per month (to be reviewed as the Co-operative develops).
London United are now entering an exciting stage of development with a fee structure that ensures an organisation, Substance (http://www.substance.net/), can be hired to develop project bids and assist the management of projects run by London United.
Chair of London United
In addition to the general responsibilities of a board member, duties of the chair include the following:
General
• Providing leadership to the organisation and the board by ensuring that everyone remains focused on the delivery of the organisation’s purposes in order to provide greater public benefit
• Chairing and facilitating board meetings
• Giving direction to board policy-making
• Checking that decisions taken at meetings are implemented
• Representing the organisation at functions and meetings, and acting as a spokesperson as appropriate
• Bringing impartiality and objectivity to decision-making
• Addressing conflict within the board and within the organisation
With the person responsible for administration:
• Planning the annual cycle of board meetings and other general meetings where required, for example annual general meeting
• Setting agendas for board and other general meetings
• The vice-chair acts for the chair when the chair is not available and undertakes assignments at the request of the chair
With the agency appointed to assist project bids and development (currently Substance)
• To identify and assist in the development of bids for London United projects
• To ensure that monthly frameworks are in place and that the impact of programmes is assessed
Person specification
The chair should have the following:
• Leadership skills
• Experience of committee work
• Tact and diplomacy
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Impartiality, fairness and the ability to respect confidences.
In most circumstances, it would also be desirable for the chair to have knowledge of the type of work undertaken by the organisation and a wider involvement with the voluntary sector and other networks.
How to apply
For an informal conversation about this role please contact Sir Stuart Etherington, the current chair, by email: stuart.etherington@ncvo.org.uk
Interested candidates should send a covering letter and CV to Sharon Leader: SLeader@westhamunited.co.uk
Closing date for applications is 12 noon Friday 23 February 2018
