Muscle Help Foundation
Chair of Trustees for Small Charity - Volunteer
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A Rare Opportunity to Lead a Respected Charity
A rare opportunity to lead a respected charity at a defining moment in its evolution. With a proud history of supporting young people with muscular dystrophy, MHF is now entering a new phase - establishing a refreshed mission that responds to today’s needs while staying true to its values.
What Difference Will You Make?
- Leadership and Commitment: Your leadership and commitment to the role will ensure MHF continues to provide much-needed support and services via its Muscle Dream initiatives.
- Governance Contribution: You will contribute to the governance of our small national charity that's respected across the UK and well known by the broad muscular dystrophy community.
- Strategic Progression: You bring your skills in helping the ongoing strategic progression of the charity as it transitions to a new mission.
- Storytelling/Advocacy: You will act as a storyteller/advocate in promoting the charity's work across your network.
- Training and Support: You will receive induction, support and Chair training if needed.
- Lived Experience: You will have an opportunity to bring your lived experience, in using (and further developing) your leadership skills for the benefit of others.
- Team Leadership: In your role as Chair, you will not only energize and bring the team together, but you will also harness your passion and skills in helping to move the charity forward.
What Are We Looking For?
Key Criteria:
- Fundamental Belief: A fundamental belief in our cause.
- Compassionate Leadership: A compassionate leadership style.
- Team Player: Good team player with proven experience and understanding of governance, strategy and oversight.
- Principles of Public Life: Underpinned by the Principles of Public Life (known as the Nolan Principles) of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
- Charity Values Commitment: A commitment to the charity’s values and in your role as Chair, you will bring enthusiasm, understanding and a passion for our work, underpinned by great communication skills and finally, a desire to want to make a difference to the lives of our beneficiary community.
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Additional Expectations:
- Trustee Engagement: The Chair will also ensure that Trustees make an effective contribution and are engaged, fully involved and invested in the charity in discharging their responsibilities.
- Risk Management: To ensure that major risks to which the charity is exposed are reviewed regularly, as required, and systems are established to mitigate these risks.
- Muscle Dream Programs: Ensure that whenever practicable, Trustees commit to attending some of MHF’s Muscle Dream programmes, providing opportunities to not only meet the CEO but also the charity’s beneficiaries, their families, and the incredible volunteers that support MHF’s ongoing work.
Ideal Candidate Attributes:
- Strategic Purpose: A keen sense of strategic purpose, underpinned by an inclusive and compassionate style of leadership.
- Confidentiality: Ability to maintain confidences and a relationship of trust with the CEO.
- Collaborative Environment: Ability to foster a collaborative board environment.
- Advocacy: Advocate MHF’s work through personal networks and other channels.
- Responsiveness: Being responsive – as a small charity, things sometimes ‘come up’ that require the Chair to advise, support or authorize. MHF is seeking a Chair that’s available and responsive.
- Context Understanding: Understanding of the context in which MHF works and a commitment to its values, which adds to public confidence and trust in the charity.
- Communication Skills: Strong communication, listening and interpersonal skills.
- Professional Experience: Professional or relevant business-related experience and knowledge and/or the ability to demonstrate the necessary skills needed to support MHF’s professional interests.
- Passion and Dedication: Passion, enthusiasm, and time to dedicate to this key role.
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What Will You Be Doing?
Small multi award-winning family-centred charity uniquely tackling the isolating and debilitating muscle wasting disease Muscular Dystrophy (MD) for children, young people and young adults (8-28yrs). Our vision is a world of hope, purpose, inspiration and empowerment for all children with MD. We deliver highly personalised interventions (in-person & virtual) in the UK called Muscle Dreams that provide powerful physiological and psychological benefits from improving emotional and mental wellness to boosting confidence.
Experience And Charity Governance…
As the charity moves into its 24th year of operation, we have an exciting opportunity for someone to bring their leadership and communication skills to the fore. Previous trustee experience and charity governance are essential.
Main Duties for MHF’s Chair
- Leadership and Support: You will work closely with and support the charity’s founder and CEO but you will also lead the trustees in strategy, good governance, and policy development.
Other Duties Will Include
- Constructive Challenge: When necessary, ensure the Chair and Trustees challenge the CEO constructively and only in the best interests of the charity as ‘critical friends’.
- Liaising and Drafting: Liaising with the Charity Secretary, and the CEO with drafting agendas and supporting papers for Trustee meetings, ensuring provision of timely information and sharing with all.
- Meeting Efficiency: Ensure charity business is covered efficiently and effectively in meetings.
- Leadership Role: Undertake a leadership role to ensure that board members fulfil their governance responsibilities and that trustee decisions are acted upon.
- Board Renewal and Succession Planning: Maintain trustees’ commitment to board renewal, succession planning and trustee performance reviews, in line with MHF’s governing document.
- Performance Reviews: Ensure board and trustee performance is reviewed annually. Ensure the performance of the CEO is reviewed annually.
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