OXPIP - The Oxford Parent Infant Project
Chair of the Board of Trustees - Volunteer
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Chair of the Board of Trustees
We are looking for an exceptional Chair of the Board of Trustees to lead us through an exciting new chapter, building on our recent growth and our solid financial base. Areas of focus include expanding our training offer, diversifying our income streams and developing our workforce.
What difference will you make?
This is a rare opportunity to lead one of the UK's most respected parent-infant relationship charities at a pivotal moment in its development. As Chair of the Board of Trustees, you will play a critical role in ensuring OXPIP continues to transform the lives of babies and families through specialist parent-infant psychotherapy, workforce development and system leadership.
The impact of this role extends far beyond governance. By providing strategic leadership and supporting the charity's next phase of growth, the Chair will help ensure that more babies and families affected by trauma, parental mental health challenges, domestic abuse, poverty and other forms of adversity can access life-changing support. The quality of relationships formed in a child's earliest years has lifelong implications for emotional wellbeing, resilience and future outcomes, making this role an opportunity to influence lasting social change.
Working closely with the Chief Executive and Board of Trustees, the Chair will help shape the strategic direction of the organisation, foster a culture of collaboration and accountability, and ensure OXPIP remains focused on delivering meaningful outcomes for the families it serves. Through effective governance and strong leadership, the Chair will help safeguard the charity's long-term sustainability and reputation for excellence.
The role also offers the opportunity to be a powerful advocate for infant mental health. Through building relationships with funders, partners and stakeholders, and by helping to raise OXPIP's profile, the Chair can influence wider systems and secure the resources needed to expand the charity's reach and impact.
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For an individual with strategic leadership experience, a commitment to inclusive governance and a passion for improving outcomes for children and families, this role provides the chance to make a profound difference—not only to the future of a growing charity, but to the lives of babies whose earliest relationships will shape the rest of their lives.
What are we looking for?
You will bring senior leadership experience together with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for babies, young children and their families. Previous experience as a Chair or Trustee is highly desirable. Experience of fundraising, philanthropy, income generation, business development or building strategic partnerships would be particularly valuable as OXPIP continues to grow its impact and diversify its income. An understanding of infant mental health, parent-infant relationships or children’s services would be desirable.
Hybrid
What will you be doing?
We are looking for someone who can
- Provide inspiring strategic leadership.
- Champion excellent governance.
- Create an inclusive, engaged and high-performing Board.
- Support and constructively challenge our Chief Executive.
- Support fundraising, strategic partnerships and income generation, using your networks and influence where appropriate.
- Build strong relationships and act as an ambassador for OXPIP.
- Help us continue to grow our impact for babies and families.
Above all, you will share our values of compassion, inclusion and excellence and believe that every baby deserves the best possible start in life.
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Key Responsibilities
Strategic leadership
- Lead the Board in setting and reviewing OXPIP's long-term strategy.
- Support the charity through its next phase of development and growth.
- Help identify emerging opportunities, risks and challenges.
- Ensure the Board remains focused on delivering meaningful impact for babies and families.
Governance and leadership
- Chair Board meetings effectively, ensuring discussions are inclusive, focused and productive.
- Promote the highest standards of governance, accountability and decision making.
- Ensure trustees understand and fulfil their legal and regulatory responsibilities.
- Work closely with the Chief Executive to develop agendas and ensure the Board receives timely, high-quality information.
- Ensure decisions are implemented and progress is monitored.
Building an effective Board
- Foster a positive, collaborative and inclusive Board culture.
- Make the best use of trustees' diverse skills, knowledge and experience.
- Encourage open discussion, respectful challenge and consensus building.
- Ensure every trustee has the opportunity to contribute fully.
- Support trustee recruitment, induction, development and succession planning.
Supporting the Chief Executive
- Build a strong and trusted relationship with the Chief Executive.
- Provide encouragement, advice and constructive challenge.
- Conduct the Chief Executive's annual appraisal.
- Act as a sounding board on strategic opportunities and organisational challenges.
External leadership
- Represent OXPIP with credibility and enthusiasm.
- Build productive relationships with partners, funders and stakeholders.
- Use personal networks to create opportunities for the charity.
- Support fundraising and advocacy where appropriate.
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