Becoming a charity chair could be one of the most rewarding moves in your career, both professionally and personally.
Chairing a charity isn’t just about governance; it’s about leadership, purpose, and impact.
What does a charity Chair actually do?
- Guide the board and ensure effective decision-making
- Support and challenge the leadership team
- Champion the charity’s purpose externally
- Bring accountability and governance to the fore
Charities need fresh voices on their boards. Too many still recruit from the same familiar circles, limiting diversity and new thinking.
We spoke to three people who recently took the step into becoming a charity Chair. They share what it’s really like and why they’d do it again.
Joanna Dyson OBE became Chair of SOFEA in 2023, after being recruited through Peridot.
SOFEA works with young people to build stronger lives and communities through education, employability, and support services.
Joanna brings experience across food, education, and charity sectors, giving her a well-rounded view of how organisations work. She’s also an experienced mentor, trustee, and now, after becoming a charity Chair, someone helping to shape a high-impact organisation from the top.
Reflecting on her first year, Joanna says:
“It’s so interesting and rewarding being a charity trustee and Chair. Whether it’s helping the leadership team with immediate challenges or working with fellow trustees on our long-term purpose and strategy, it always feels like a privilege.
SOFEA has a profound impact and truly changes lives. I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity.”
Andy Watson became Chair of St Michael’s Hospice in Hastings following a national search led by Peridot.
The hospice needed a leader with compassion, strategic insight, and a deep understanding of both health and governance. Andy brought exactly that, alongside experience from previous Chair roles in housing and the NHS.
The hospice sector is under intense pressure, from funding constraints to ethical debates like assisted dying. Andy’s fresh perspective from outside the hospice world has already made a difference.
Reflecting on his first year, he says:
“What a year to be immersed in the hospice sector! Assisted dying considerations, funding challenges and collaboration considerations in many guises.
My fellow Trustees couldn’t have been more welcoming and talented in equal measure. The senior leadership bring passion, talent and dedication that is sparsely seen in the NHS that I know best. Finally, the experience of meeting and working with people and patients in the hospice is truly humbling and rewarding in equal measure. What an uplifting environment to try to make a contribution. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking to give back.”
Sam White took on his first Chair role at Foundations, What Works Centre for Children & Families.
A former Chief of Staff to Keir Starmer and a senior executive in a FTSE 100 company, Sam brought deep experience in leadership, strategy, and public service.
Foundations is a national centre that supports evidence-based approaches to improving outcomes for children and families. Sam’s experience across government and organisational turnaround made him a strong fit to lead the board during a crucial period of growth.
Despite his background, he found that becoming a charity Chair still brought fresh challenges and rewards:
“Taking on my first Board Chair role has been rewarding and stretching. But I’ve loved it. It’s been such a pleasure getting to know the senior team and fellow trustees. I feel I’m learning every day.”
Why boards must look beyond their networks to find the right charity Chair
Boards need to look beyond their usual networks if they want to find the right charity Chair.
The best charity Chairs don’t always come from your existing networks. Relying on word-of-mouth limits the diversity of background, perspective and lived experience.
A broader search attracts candidates with the skills, insight, and commitment to challenge constructively and lead with purpose. It also opens up opportunities to those who may never have imagined themselves in the role, but could make a powerful impact.
Open, inclusive, and well-run recruitment processes lead to stronger boards and better outcomes. If you’re serious about strong governance and long-term strategy, casting your net wider is essential.
Four tips for recruiting a charity Chair
- Start with a clear view of what your board needs. A skills matrix can help clarify this.
- Design your recruitment around those needs—not just who you already know.
- Run an open, external search to find people with the right mix of drive, skills and purpose.
- Choose a Chair who will lead strategically and empower trustees, staff and volunteers alike.
At Peridot, we run open and rigorous Chair and Trustee recruitment processes for charities across the UK.
