Chair Of Board in London

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.

What are we looking for?

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. 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.