Chair of the Board of Trustees

Overview

As Chair of the Board of Trustees, you will lead East Street Arts through a strategic growth phase that includes a capital project in Keighley. You will work closely with the Executive Director and Artistic Director to shape governance, drive impact, and strengthen partnerships across the arts sector. You will champion our values, support fundraising, and ensure effective risk management and sustainability. This voluntary role offers an opportunity to influence national artistic development and community impact while guiding governance and strategic change.

Pay / Benefits

• reimbursed expenses

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to the Board and chair meetings and the annual strategy day
• Set agendas with the Executive Director and ensure decisions are implemented
• Oversee governance, trustee recruitment/induction, and succession planning
• Lead the appraisal of the Executive Director and maintain a constructive relationship with senior leaders
• Act as an ambassador to funders and partners and support fundraising and partnership development
• Develop and maintain relationships with stakeholders and oversee capital and development-related initiatives
• Support the Board’s four quarterly meetings plus an annual strategy day and manage 10–12 days of activity per year
• This is a voluntary position with reimbursement of reasonable expenses

Key requirements

• Previous Board or senior governance experience, including chairing boards or committees
• Strategic leadership experience with ability to support and constructively challenge senior executives
• Financial oversight and organisational sustainability experience
• Experience leading organisational change and engaging stakeholders
• Experience acting as an ambassador for an organisation
• Sound understanding of charity governance, trustees’ responsibilities, strategic planning and risk management

• stakeholder engagement
• ambassadorial style
• leadership and mentoring
• governance and risk management
• fundraising and partnership development
• financial oversight and sustainability

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