Chair of Trustees

Chair of Trustees

Posted for Emmaus Hampshire

Posted by Volunteer First

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Emmaus Hampshire is seeking a Chair of Trustees to provide strategic leadership at an exciting time for our charity as we prepare to deliver our strategic plan for 2026-2030.

Your role as chair

As Chair, you will lead the Board of Trustees in driving the strategic direction and long-term sustainability of the charity. Working in partnership with the Chief Executive and leadership team, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the organisation develops and delivers a robust income-generation strategy, creating diverse and sustainable revenue streams to support growth and maximise impact. This is an exciting opportunity to chair an ambitious and innovative charity as it enters the next phase of its strategic journey, balancing income growth, investment and financial discipline, while nurturing the talent, wellbeing and potential of its people, our companions and staff.

Emmaus Hampshire

We know that overcoming homelessness often means more than a roof over your head. That’s why Emmaus supports people to work their way out of homelessness, provides purpose as well as a stable home for as long as someone needs it. Over the past 15 years Emmaus Hampshire has provided a unique solution to combatting homelessness to over 100 Companions (residents) many of whom have complex needs. We continue to grow, evolve and develop the Emmaus Community yet face many challenges. Emmaus Hampshire is one of 29 Emmaus Communities in the UK and part of a worldwide movement.

Key Responsibilities

The Chair plays a pivotal role in providing leadership to the Board of Trustees and fostering a strong and constructive relationship with the Chief Executive and executive leadership team. Together, they ensure that Emmaus Hampshire remains true to its charitable purpose while delivering its strategic ambitions.

What skills do I need?

As Chair, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership to the Board, working closely with the Chief Executive to shape, oversee and deliver Emmaus Hampshire's vision and long-term strategy.
• Ensure the organisation operates with strong governance, financial stewardship and accountability, supporting the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities and monitoring progress against strategic objectives.
• Lead an effective and inclusive Board, chairing meetings, setting agendas in partnership with the Chief Executive, encouraging constructive challenge and ensuring the Board has the skills, diversity and experience needed to govern effectively.
• Support and appraise the Chief Executive on behalf of the Board, acting as a trusted partner while maintaining appropriate oversight and accountability.
• Champion the charity's long-term sustainability, supporting the development of diverse and sustainable income streams that will enable Emmaus Hampshire to grow its impact and achieve its strategic goals.
• Act as an ambassador for Emmaus Hampshire, promoting its work, values and mission while helping to build relationships with key stakeholders, partners, supporters and funders.

What We're Looking For

We are seeking an inspiring and values-driven leader who shares our commitment to supporting people affected by homelessness and who can help guide Emmaus Hampshire through its next phase of development and growth.

The successful candidate will bring:
• A genuine commitment to the vision, values and mission of Emmaus Hampshire.
• A passion for tackling homelessness and an understanding of the complex challenges faced by those experiencing social exclusion and disadvantage.
• Strong strategic thinking and the ability to see both the opportunities and challenges facing the organisation.
• An appreciation of the importance of sustainable income generation, financial resilience and long-term organisational development.
• A demonstrable understanding or experience of delivering within lean operational environments, recognizing that our small, dedicated staff team achieves major organisational goals with very limited resources.
• An understanding of, and commitment to, the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship and good charity governance.
• The ability to build effective relationships, inspire confidence and facilitate constructive discussions and decision-making.
• A collaborative leadership style, with the credibility, judgement and integrity to lead the Board and support the Chief Executive effectively.

Time commitment

This is a voluntary, unpaid role. In normal circumstances, each year you will commit to an average of 3 days per month including:
• Chairing 5 board meetings and AGM
• Chairing and attending up to 10 committee meetings
• Supervision meetings fortnightly with the Chief Executive