GatenbySanderson
Chair of the Council of Trustees
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Chair of the Council of Trustees
PDSA
Location: National, with access to Telford Head Office
Compensation: Unremunerated (reasonable expenses paid)
This job post will be advertised for a minimum period of two weeks on LinkedIn. After this time please apply directly to https://joinus-pdsa.gs-attract.com/ until the closing date of Tuesday 6th October 2026.
Help shape the future of one of the UK's largest and most respected charities.
For more than 100 years, PDSA has been helping people and pets when they need support most. As the UK's largest veterinary charity, we provide free and low-cost veterinary care to people experiencing financial hardship, ensuring that no one is denied the companionship, comfort and wellbeing that pets bring simply because they cannot afford treatment. Through our network of 45 Pet Hospitals and Clinics, we care for around 450,000 sick and injured pets every year.
Today, PDSA stands at an exciting point in its evolution. Significant organisational transformation has strengthened our operating model, clarified our strategic focus and enhanced our financial resilience. We have streamlined the organisation, embedded integrated business planning and established clear disciplines around income, expenditure and reserves. As we look to the future, we are seeking an outstanding Chair to lead our Council of Trustees and help maximise our impact, influence and sustainability.
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This is a nationally significant leadership opportunity.
As Chair, you will provide strategic leadership to the Council, ensuring robust governance, constructive challenge and effective oversight of strategy, performance, risk and financial stewardship. Working closely with the Director General, you will support the continued delivery of our mission while helping the charity respond to an increasingly complex operating environment.
Over the last four years, the organisation has refocused its strategy in order better to meet the needs of the people it serves. We are looking for a Chair who can complement the substantial progress made internally by bringing a strong external focus. You will act as a highly credible ambassador for PDSA, helping to increase national awareness, strengthen relationships with policymakers, partners and supporters, and enhance fundraising and income-generation opportunities. Your leadership will help ensure the charity remains sustainable and impactful for generations to come.
We are interested in hearing from individuals who have operated at the highest levels of leadership within a substantial charity, public body or customer-focused commercial organisation of comparable scale and complexity. You will bring experience of leading boards or chairing significant committees, together with strong commercial judgement, strategic insight and financial acumen.
You will also demonstrate:
- A track record of leading complex, multi-site organisations which deliver customer-facing services.
- The ability to build influential relationships across government, business, philanthropy and the voluntary sector.
- Experience supporting fundraising, partnership development and income diversification.
- Sound governance skills and the confidence to provide support and challenge in equal measure.
- Political awareness, ambassadorial credibility and excellent judgement.
- A collaborative and inclusive leadership style that brings out the best from trustees, executives and stakeholders alike.
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Above all, you will be motivated by PDSA's purpose. Whether through lived experience, professional experience or personal conviction, you will understand the realities facing people experiencing financial hardship and be committed to ensuring that pets continue to receive the care they need regardless of their owners' circumstances. We particularly welcome applications from candidates whose experiences bring valuable insight into the communities we serve.
This is an opportunity to lead a highly capable and committed Board, steward a nationally recognised charity and make a profound difference to the wellbeing of people and pets across the UK.
Closing date: Tuesday 6th October 2026
To find out more about this appointment, please click Apply.
PDSA is committed to building a diverse and inclusive Board and welcomes applications from all backgrounds and communities.
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