Lead the Board of the Martin James Foundation, the global network of charitable organiastions working with a shared vision in which children grow up and thrive in safe and loving families.
Who we are
The Martin James Foundation (MJF) is a global network of charitable organisations working with a shared vision of a world in which children grow up and thrive in safe and loving families.
Through our work, we strive to bring an end to institutional care for children, including orphanages, by engaging in family strengthening work and gatekeeping to prevent family separation, reunification and reintegration of children back into their families and communities when possible and facilitating family-based alternative care when it is necessary.
The Foundation is comprised of the following:
- MJF Global – utilises technical and financial resources generated by the Foundation to invest in partner organisations that support children and families in various countries, contributing to the global efforts in deinstitutionalising care practices.
- Key Assets – independent, non-profit fostering agencies in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand delivering charitable services for children, families and communities.
About the role
The Martin James Foundation is currently seeking a new Chair as our founding, current Chair comes to the end of their term later this year. This is an exciting time for the Foundation as we continue to deliver on our new strategy.
We are looking for an individual who will contribute to guiding the charity on its mission to support children and families around the world.
For the Chair role, we are looking for someone:
- Ideally with experience in a leadership capacity within the provision of global development and/or in children’s protection, social care or care reform.
- Experienced on Boards and will work to lead our board to ensure good governance and strategic innovation.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and diplomatic tact. You’ll develop a strong working relationship with our Chief Executive, and maintain connections with key stakeholders globally.
- A collaborative leader who can bring people together, foster a team environment, and work in partnership with our board and team to drive our ambitious strategy.
- Local or national government engagement experience, such as securing and delivering contracts or lobbying for policy change is highly desirable.
- The availability to prepare for and attend quarterly board meetings, quarterly sub-committee meetings and monthly CEO catch-ups.
- UK, or amenable to attend meetings within GMT working hours, and amenable to attending one face-to-face meeting per annum.
Time commitment
Our board meets quarterly, and by default, meetings are held virtually with the option for meetings to be held at the Foundation’s head office in Birmingham. Overall, we expect the time commitment to be the equivalent of 2 days per month.
The Martin James Foundation strives to enable a diverse range of participation and contributions, and we welcome applications from all ages and backgrounds. People with lived experience of alternative care, and from people outside of the UK are encouraged to apply.
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
Our approach
The unique composition of our Foundation brings together organisations in different countries working with a shared vision of children in safe and loving families. Our Key Assets teams in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand represent a network of approximately 7,000 foster care and childcare practitioners providing services that help families stay together whenever possible and support family-based solutions when alternative care is required.
This structure enables us to share and build on our collective experience, knowledge, practitioner skills, and proven best practice models as we continue to deliver innovative and quality services, including family preservation, family strengthening, kinship care, foster care, respite services and independent living arrangements.
In addition, we are also able to utilise the shared learning and resources generated across the Foundation to contribute to the global movement aimed at ending the era of institutional care for children. Through contributing financial and technical support to the development of family-based alternative care in contexts where orphanages are widely used, we are working to keep children in families in even more countries.
Structure
Each organisation within the Martin James Foundation has its own strategy and mission of how it works towards our shared vision of a world in which children grow up and thrive in safe and loving families.
In addition, a set of shared strategic objectives enables us to achieve a greater combined impact. These objectives span a range of interventions that seek to support children, families and communities, as well as the structures and systems designed to protect them.
Our work is informed and guided by the principles of the UN guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, designed to enhance the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Learn more about us
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Role Description and Person Specification.
As part of the appointment process, all Board members are required to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check or their country’s equivalent (can be obtained upon appointment) and adhere to the Martin James Foundation Code of Conduct and complete the Declaration of Eligibility and Interest form. The content of the Declaration of Interest form may require you to withdraw from specific discussions where you, a partner or close relative stands to gain or where you are so close to a matter being discussed that it will be difficult for you to be impartial.
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: Martin James Foundation — 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 14th July 2025
Candidates informed of outcome: By Tuesday 22nd July 2025
Interviews: Monday 28th July 2025
Meeting with outgoing Chair: Tuesday 12th August 2025
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Martin James Foundation 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.
The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018.
The information provided does not form part of the decision-making process and will not affect your application. Learn more about why we collect this data here.
Data Processing, Protection and Privacy Policy
By completing the form to view, or if you have access to this page from an email invitation, Peridot Partners will have processed your personal information. For more information about Peridot Partners’ data processing activities and your rights, please read our Privacy Policy.
