Chair Of Board - Volunteer

An opportunity to Chair the Board of Playing ON, a theatre company empowering people with lived experience in the criminal justice, education and care sectors. You will lead strategy and governance at a pivotal moment of growth.

As Chair, you will play a central role in shaping the future of Playing ON. Your leadership will ensure the organisation is well governed, strategically focused and resilient, enabling it to deepen and extend its impact to people with lived experiences through theatre and creative practice. By providing clarity of direction and strong support to the executive leadership, you will help the organisation balance artistic ambition with financial sustainability. Your influence will strengthen decision making at Board level, improve organisational confidence, and support Playing ON through periods of growth, change and opportunity.

Your ambassadorial role will help raise the charity’s profile, open doors to new partnerships and funding opportunities, and build trust with stakeholders, funders and communities. Internally, your leadership will nurture a skilled, engaged and diverse Board, creating the conditions for thoughtful challenge, collaboration and long‑term planning. Ultimately, your contribution will help ensure that Playing ON continues to deliver high quality, life‑changing creative programmes, while remaining a strong, ethical and forward‑looking organisation.

We are seeking a Chair of the Board who combines strategic insight with a deep commitment to Playing ON’s mission strengthening lives through theatre, creativity and participation. As we enter a period of purposeful growth, the ideal trustee will bring experience that helps us strengthen the organisation financially, operationally and creatively, while safeguarding the values that sit at the heart of our work. Most importantly, trustees must be aligned with our ambition to deliver more programmes, produce more work and engage more people. We are looking for individuals who understand how to scale impact without diluting quality. This may come from experience in charity leadership, social enterprise, arts organisations, education, youth services or commercial sectors where growth, performance and accountability are central.

Strategic thinking is essential. Over the next three years, we will increase project delivery while maximising value, reach and measurable impact. Trustees should therefore be comfortable interrogating data, understanding cost‑to‑impact ratios, and supporting the development of a resilient, sustainable business model. Experience in finance, fundraising, income diversification or investment strategy would be particularly valuable as we embed sustained fundraising and marketing programmes to underpin long‑term growth. Operational and organisational development expertise is also highly desirable. As we adapt our operating model and leverage digital technology, trustees who have led change, transformation or digital innovation will help ensure we remain agile and efficient. Experience of scaling teams, strengthening governance frameworks or building organisational capacity will directly support this transition.

Creatively, we welcome trustees who appreciate the power of high‑quality artistic work and understand the ecology of the cultural sector. Experience in theatre production, touring, content licensing or partnership development would support our ambition to increase productions and enable our content and methods to be delivered by others across the UK. Trustees who can help raise our profile and influence, whether through networks, advocacy or brand strategy, will play an important role in expanding our reach.

Above all, we are looking for individuals who bring sound judgement, integrity and collaborative leadership. Trustees must be both supportive and constructively challenging and confident to champion the executive team while holding the organisation to account. A commitment to equity, inclusion and the communities we serve is fundamental. The most important quality is a shared belief that creative practice can deliver measurable and meaningful change. We seek trustees who are excited by growth, motivated by impact, and ready to help Playing ON take its next confident step forward.

Playing ON is a theatre charity rooted in a simple but powerful belief that people who are marginalised in our communities deserve to be heard, valued and supported to tell their own stories. The organisation was founded in response to the growing number of people experiencing exclusion and the lack of meaningful, creative spaces in which they can explore identity, challenge prejudice and build confidence. Through theatre and theatre‑derived methods, Playing ON works with young people and adults whose voices are often overlooked. Its programmes range from participatory theatre workshops and writing projects to professional productions and workplace training. Whether working in London, touring across England, or increasingly through digital platforms, the charity creates spaces where lived experience drives the work; benefiting participants, the communities around them, and the professionals who support them.

As Playing ON continues to grow its reach and deepen its impact, the charity is now seeking an experienced, values driven Chair of the Board to help guide the next chapter of its journey. The Chair will work in close partnership with the Chief Executive and Executive Director, providing leadership to the Board of Trustees and supporting the organisation to remain ambitious, well governed and artistically bold. This is a role that balances strategic oversight with encouragement, helping the Board to set clear direction while respecting the distinction between governance and day‑to‑day management. At its heart, the role is about enabling good decision‑making.

The Chair will lead Board discussions in a way that is inclusive, focused and constructive; help shape strategy and policy; and ensure that Playing ON meets its legal, financial and regulatory responsibilities. They will support the Board to identify and manage risk thoughtfully, while keeping the charity’s mission and values firmly in view. The Chair also plays a vital role in building a strong and effective Board. This includes supporting trustee recruitment and succession, making the best use of trustees’ skills and experience, and fostering a positive culture where challenge, care and collaboration sit comfortably together.

Beyond the Boardroom, the Chair is an ambassador for Playing ON — representing the charity publicly, building relationships with partners and supporters, and encouraging wider Board involvement in fundraising and advocacy. By safeguarding the charity’s reputation and long‑term sustainability, the Chair will help ensure that Playing ON can continue to deliver meaningful social impact through creative work. The opportunity would suit someone with good governance experience, sound judgement and genuine belief in the power of the arts to create meaningful change.