Join YMCA DownsLink Group as Chair and help lead an ambitious charity supporting children and young people to be safe, heard and thrive.
Who we are
YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We provide safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice to thousands of young people every year.
We believe every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside young people, many of whom face homelessness, poor mental health, exploitation, family breakdown and multiple disadvantage, helping them build stability, confidence and independence.
Over recent years, we have strengthened our foundations financially, operationally and culturally and are now entering a new phase of purposeful growth. Our new strategy, Expanding our reach, deepening our impact, includes an ambition to reach 50% more children and young people by 2031.
Our values guide everything we do:
- We do what’s right
- We work with heart
- We build real connection
YMCA DownsLink Group is proud to be a member of the Federation of YMCA England and Wales.
Our purpose:
Every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.
Our values:
We do what’s right. We work with heart. We build real connection.
About the role
The Chair plays a pivotal role in guiding the Board and supporting the CEO, ensuring that governance is strong and aligned with the organisation’s values, strategic goals and founding Christian principles.
As a leader, the Chair shapes the culture, champions inclusivity and drives the strategic direction of the organisation.
This is a unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of children and young people through a dynamic and highly respected organisation.
Specific duties:
- Uphold and promote the organisation’s founding Christian values and mission.
- Lead and chair Board and Annual General Meetings, ensuring effective decision-making and strong governance.
- Foster inclusive, well-managed meetings where all Board members contribute, and high standards are maintained.
- Work closely with the CEO and executive team, providing support, oversight, and performance management.
- Collaborate with committee chairs to set priorities, monitor progress, and address key issues.
- Oversee Board operations, including agendas, reporting, delegated decision-making, and compliance with governance processes.
- Ensure effective delegation of authority while maintaining appropriate oversight between meetings.
- Lead Board development, including recruitment, succession planning, appraisal, and training.
- Act as an ambassador for the organisation, attending external events and representing its interests.
- Stay informed on relevant sector developments and ensure access to professional advice when needed.
Who we are looking for
We are looking for a values-led and collaborative leader who is genuinely excited by the opportunity to chair an ambitious organisation at an important moment in its journey. With a bold new strategy, strong foundations and a talented executive team in place, this is a compelling opportunity to help shape what comes next for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey.
You will be an experienced chair or senior board-level leader, progressive and strategic in your thinking, and skilled at creating the conditions for thoughtful discussion and effective decision-making. You will bring the right balance of support and constructive challenge, and the emotional intelligence to build a trusted partnership with our CEO and executive team.
You will bring:
- Active Christian faith and a passion for our purpose and values.
- Experience of board-level leadership, ideally in a charity, housing association or similarly regulated environment.
- Strong governance knowledge and sound strategic judgement.
- An inclusive, empowering style that enables every trustee to contribute and thrive.
- Confidence navigating complexity, financial risk and organisational change.
- The ability to communicate with people at all levels, from fellow trustees to the children and young people in our services.
Time commitment
Time commitment: on average, 1 day per month.
The role is unpaid, although reasonable expenses are reimbursed. The initial term for the position is three years.
The Board rhythm is typically:
- Approximately four three-hour Board meetings mid-to-late afternoon over the course of the year.
- Two full-day ‘away-days’.
- Travel time for meetings, as Board meetings and Board Away Days are in person at various locations across Sussex.
- Time spent reading papers and preparing for the meetings.
The four sub-committees meet between three and four times a year virtually for two hours. There is an expectation that our new Chair will attend these meetings during induction, after which a mutually agreeable pattern will be agreed.
Annual appraisal of trustees.
Learn more about YMCA DownsLink
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 consultant at Peridot Partners:
Clare Chesworth | clarec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07904 158737
Welcome from the Chair of the Impact and Services Committee
We are pleased that you are interested in the opportunity to join us as Chair of our Board of Trustees. This pack has been designed to give you an insight into who we are, what we do and the impact we make. We hope it will support your decision to join an organisation deeply committed to achieving the very best outcomes for the children and young people we serve.
This year we have developed our new Strategy 2026–2031. As Chair, you will join us at a key time and play a vital role in guiding the Board to deliver our aims. You will be supported by our executive team, with our refreshed values at the heart of our work and children and young people at the forefront of everything we do.
We are proud to be a member of the federation of YMCA England and Wales. We contribute to their vision and purpose: an inclusive Christian movement transforming communities so that all young people can belong, contribute and thrive.
We welcome people of all faiths, and those of none, both among the children and young people we support and our staff. However, the Chair of our Board must share Christian values. You may be actively involved in a church or practise your faith privately, but your values should be grounded in the Christian faith. This is a genuine occupational requirement under UK equalities legislation.
We support children and young people who are LGBTQ+, Black and racially minoritised, neurodiverse, care experienced, survivors of exploitation, young carers, young parents and young refugees or unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. Our Chair should demonstrate a strong commitment to inclusivity and lead fellow trustees in embedding this across the organisation.
We are passionate about promoting equality, valuing diversity and working inclusively. We recognise the continuing challenge to maintain diversity at the Board in terms of gender, age, religion, race and ethnicity. Our goal is for the Board to become ever more representative of the communities we serve.
As Chair of the Impact and Services Committee, I am delighted to lead the interview panel and to welcome you to this recruitment process. I hope you find the information in this document helpful and inspiring. We are looking for a new Chair who will share our vision and play a vital role in ensuring children and young people have a fair chance to be who they want to be.
Very warm wishes,
Simone Button
Chair of the Impact and Services Committee
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: YMCA DownsLink—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:
Clare Chesworth | clarec@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07904 158737
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. Tuesday 21st July 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Wednesday 29th July 2026
First stage Interviews with stakeholders: Tuesday 4th and Thursday 6th August 2026
Second stage Interviews: Tuesday 11th August 2026
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and YMCA DownsLink 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.
