Join Cornerstone as Chair of the Board of Trustees and help guide the organisation through its next chapter of innovation, growth and sector influence.
Who we are
For more than four decades, Cornerstone Community Care has been supporting people across Scotland to live valued, independent and fulfilling lives. As one of Scotland’s leading social care charities, we provide high-quality, person-centred support to individuals with learning disabilities, autism and complex care needs.
Our culture is rooted in strong values, meaningful relationships and a commitment to putting the people we support at the centre of everything we do.
In recent years, Cornerstone has successfully strengthened its financial position, invested in digital innovation and built a highly engaged workforce that continues to outperform many sector benchmarks for recruitment and retention.
As we look to the future, we are ambitious about the role we can play not only within our own organisation but across the wider social care landscape, helping to shape solutions, share learning and strengthen the sector as a whole.
Read how we change livesAbout the role
Cornerstone is seeking an experienced and values-driven Chair of the Board of Trustees to lead its Board through an exciting new chapter. Having successfully navigated a period of recovery and transformation, the organisation is now in a position of strength, with a clear ambition to play a greater leadership role across Scotland’s social care sector.
Working closely with the Chief Executive and Board, the new Chair of the Board of Trustees will help shape the future direction of the organisation, ensuring that the people Cornerstone supports remain at the heart of every decision. This is an opportunity to provide strategic leadership to a high-performing Board, support innovation and growth and help influence positive change across the wider sector.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking an experienced and compassionate leader who combines strong governance credentials with a genuine commitment to improving outcomes for people who access social care services.
You will bring the confidence to lead at board level while creating an environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed, constructive challenge is encouraged and relationships are built on trust and respect. We would particularly welcome candidates who can demonstrate senior executive or board-level leadership experience within health and social care or a closely related field.
We are seeking an individual with experience of chairing boards, committees or other senior decision-making forums, who understands how to foster productive relationships while providing an appropriate balance of support, challenge and accountability.
You will be an effective ambassador, able to build credibility with a wide range of stakeholders and represent the organisation confidently both internally and externally.
You will bring strong strategic judgement, financial awareness and an appreciation of the opportunities that digital innovation and transformation can create. You will demonstrate a collaborative, inclusive and values-led leadership style, alongside a good understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing Scotland’s social care sector.
Above all, we are looking for a Chair of the Board of Trustees who shares Cornerstone’s commitment to putting people first and who is excited by the opportunity to help shape the organisation’s future at a pivotal moment in its journey.
The time commitment for this role will be approximately 2 – 3 days per month.
The role involves occasional travel to Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee to attend meetings as required.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the candidate pack.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Lucy Mavers | Lucy@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07947 935068
Anish Patel | Anish@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07932 557505
Welcome from the outgoing Chair of the Board of Trustees
Dear Candidate,
As I approach the end of my term as Chair of Cornerstone, I have been reflecting on why this has been such a rewarding and fulfilling experience for me.
There are so many reasons, but the primary ones are:
- The people we support who are at the heart of everything that we do. Their joy and passion for life is an inspiration.
- The tangible commitment of our employees to ensure the people we support are assisted to live their best life.
- A Board of Trustees who believe in the mission of the organisation and apply their broad range of skills and experience with the sole purpose of doing the right thing for the people we support.
- A creative organisation which seeks to look beyond the traditional towards the possible.
- An executive leadership team that works in partnership with and supports the Board with high-quality information to enable good decision-making.
- A strong values-led culture with an emphasis on supporting and developing staff.
- An organisation prepared to acknowledge when ‘we didn’t get it right’ and one that is willing to learn from its experiences.
- The annual Star Awards which celebrate the achievements of the people we support and staff across Scotland.
- Engagement with the wider social care sector in Scotland to be a collective voice for change.
- An excellent working relationship with the CEO with a mutual commitment to challenge, support and encourage based on a shared passion for the success of Cornerstone.
I am proud of the work that the executive leadership team and Board have achieved over the past five years on our strategy, Future Proofing Cornerstone.
I am excited about the future as we implement our new strategy, Improving Lives Together and am confident that the future Chair will bring distinct skills and abilities to lead the organisation into a bold future.
Equally, I do not doubt that, like me, they will find it rewarding and fulfilling.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Bailey
Chair of the Board of Trustees, Cornerstone
About us
Cornerstone is one of Scotland’s largest and most respected social care charities, with a history spanning more than 45 years. Established in 1980 by Nick Baxter, the organisation was founded on a simple but powerful belief: that people with disabilities should have the opportunity not only to live within their communities but to thrive as active and valued members of them. Over the decades, Cornerstone has played an important role in helping shape the evolution of person-centred social care across Scotland.
Today, Cornerstone supports more than 2,000 people across Scotland through a broad range of services designed around individual needs, aspirations and circumstances. The charity works with adults, children and young people with learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities and complex care needs, helping people to achieve greater independence, wellbeing and social inclusion.
Its services are diverse and responsive, ranging from supported living, housing support and specialist accommodation to Shared Lives, respite and short-break provision, befriending, community-based support and services for families and carers.
Cornerstone’s approach focuses on understanding what matters most to each individual and working alongside them to achieve their personal goals and ambitions.
Operating through a network of local branches across Scotland, Cornerstone combines the scale and expertise of a national charity with strong local relationships and community connections. This enables the organisation to tailor support to local needs while maintaining consistently high standards of care and innovation.
Alongside its direct services, Cornerstone is committed to influencing the future of social care. Through its training academy, partnerships and sector engagement, the organisation shares expertise, develops the workforce and advocates for high-quality support that enables people to live fulfilling and meaningful lives.
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Role Description and Person Specification.
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Cornerstone Community Care — Chair of the Board of Trustees” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Peridot Partners:
Lucy Mavers | Lucy@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07947 935068
Anish Patel | Anish@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07932 557505
As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact the lead consultant. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Applicants with disabilities are welcome to contact us in confidence at any stage of the recruitment process to discuss any reasonable adjustments or support that may be required to ensure fair and equal participation.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Wednesday 19th August 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Thursday 27th August 2026
First stage interviews: Wednesday 2nd and Thursday 3rd September 2026
Second stage interviews: Thursday 10th September 2026
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Cornerstone Community Care are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
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