Lead the Global Governance Council of Lifebox, a growing and dynamic non-profit tackling the crisis of unsafe surgery, be part of the board as they embark on a new strategic phase.
Are you passionate about global health and committed to improving patient safety in surgery and anaesthesia? Lifebox, a leading global non-profit organisation, is seeking to appoint a new Chair of our Global Governance Council.
With our current Chair stepping down later this year, this is a unique opportunity to help steer the future of an organisation dedicated to making surgery safer for millions of people.
Who we are
Founded in 2011, Lifebox was established to address the critical gap in safe surgery and anaesthesia for the 5 billion people worldwide who lack access to it. Our mission is to save lives through safer surgery by improving anaesthesia safety, preventing surgical infections, and enhancing teamwork in operating rooms. Working across over 100 countries, our focus is primarily in Africa, with growing initiatives in Latin America and Asia.
At the heart of our work is the belief that surgery is an essential part of healthcare and that no one should die or suffer complications from preventable causes during surgery. In the past decade, we have equipped more than 30,000 healthcare providers with life-saving tools and training. Our innovations, such as the Lifebox Oximeter and Smile Train-Lifebox Capnograph, devices essential for safe anaesthesia, are designed specifically for use in low-resource settings, ensuring safer surgeries for everyone.
We have led efforts in surgical infection prevention with our Clean Cut programs, which has demonstrated a 30-35% reduction in surgical site infections in participating hospitals. Our collaborations with partners such as Smile Train, Johnson & Johnson, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and others enable us to scale our programs, continually improving surgical outcomes across multiple regions.
Who we are looking for
To further expand our reach and impact, we are looking for a Chair with diverse skills and experiences.
As Chair of Lifebox’s Global Governance Council, you will play an active role in shaping our long-term strategy, particularly in expanding our efforts to improve surgical safety.
We are looking for someone who shares our passion for global health equity and has the leadership experience to help us navigate the next phase of our growth. Perhaps you’ve led a board before, or you’ve been deeply involved in governance at a senior level. Maybe you come from the world of global health, or you’ve worked in surgical safety, philanthropy, legal, finance, or biomedical technology, or in commerce. What matters most is that you understand the complexities of leading international organisations and can bring fresh perspectives to our mission.
We seek a strategic thinker who can see the big picture while understanding the practical challenges of delivering healthcare in resource-constrained settings.
Most importantly, we want someone who believes deeply in our mission and is excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of surgical safety worldwide. If you’re ready to take on a role where your leadership can directly impact the lives of millions of people who deserve access to safe surgery, we’d love to hear from you.
You will work closely with existing board members and our executive, bringing new insights to the organisation. You will be joining at an exciting time as we have welcomed new board members.
As Chair, you will have the opportunity to represent Lifebox’s mission on a global stage, advocating for safer surgery and ensuring that our initiatives are responsive to the needs of the regions we serve.
At Lifebox, you’ll be part of a team that is not only focused on addressing immediate surgical challenges but also on creating long-term, systemic changes that will impact the safety of surgery for generations to come.
Time commitment
The council meets virtually 4 times a year for 3-4 hours, and usually meets face to face/in person once per year.
We expect the time commitment to be the equivalent of 1-2 days a month, including preparation for meetings, ad hoc conversations with the executive and other board members, attending events and visiting programmes, etc.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Jennifer Horan | jennifer@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07519 070497
About us
Lifebox is a global non-profit organization dedicated to improving the safety of surgery around the world. Founded in 2011 by leaders in global health, Lifebox works to address critical gaps in surgical systems through innovative tools, training, and partnerships. Our mission is simple but powerful: to save lives by making surgery safer for the 5 billion people who currently lack access to safe, essential surgical care.
Lifebox was founded by the same individuals who created the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist, including Dr. Atul Gawande. Since 2011, Lifebox has worked in 116 countries, trained more than 14,400 healthcare providers, and made surgery safer for 248 million patients. This work spans improving anaesthesia safety, including capnography and pulse oximetry – reducing surgical infection through our Clean Cut program, and strengthening surgical teamwork.
Through our flagship programs like the Smile Train-Lifebox Capnograph initiative, we provide low-cost, high-quality monitoring equipment and training to hospitals in low and middle-income countries, ensuring safer anaesthesia practices. Additionally, our Clean Cut program has successfully reduced surgical site infections by up to 35% in hospitals where it has been implemented.
Lifebox is committed to studying its impact and subjecting the results to rigorous review through publication in prestigious journals.
Operating in more than 100 countries, our work is focused in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, where we collaborate with local healthcare providers, professional societies, governments, and global partners to deliver life-saving surgical safety solutions.
With over 10,000 healthcare professionals trained and equipped, Lifebox has a proven track record of impact, and our mission continues to expand as we scale up programs to reach more people in need.
Lifebox offers a dynamic and collaborative environment for professionals who are passionate about global health. Our work is driven by a belief that surgery is an essential part of healthcare, and no patient should suffer due to preventable harm during surgery.
Join us as we work to close the global gap in safe surgical care and make a lasting difference in the lives of patients worldwide.
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: Lifebox — Chair” 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 about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Jennifer Horan | jennifer@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07519 070497
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 have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010 and can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification, please let us know.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact Jennifer Horan. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Timetable
Closing date: Monday 28th July 2025
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Lifebox 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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