Role Purpose:

The England Football Charity is looking for a Chair of Trustees to provide strategic leadership to the Board, ensuring the charity is well-governed, financially sustainable, and delivering against its mission.

Key Responsibilities:

Leadership and Management

• Lead board meetings effectively and efficiently
• Support Trustee development and recruitment
• Work with the staff team to plan the agenda and prepare papers for the board meetings
• Inspire and motivate those involved in the charity leading with passion and purpose
• Use independent judgement, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect The Charity's interests, to the exclusion of their own personal and/or any third-party interests

Strategy

• Ensure that The Charity's purpose and strategy is clear, and that it is reviewed at appropriate milestones

Operations

• Approve operational plans and policies, and monitor and evaluate their implementation
• Ensure that safeguarding and EDI remain a priority

Governance and Finance

• Oversee The Charity's financial plans, budgets and risk monitoring
• Promote high standards of governance and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory bodies
• Review and approve The Charity's financial statements
• Keep abreast of changes in The Charity's operating environment

Executive Team Support

• Support the development and recruitment of staff members
• Provide guidance and constructive challenge to the staff team

External Relations & Advocacy

• Contribute to the broader promotion of The Charity's objects, aims and reputation
• Act as an ambassador for the charity
• Support partnerships and fundraising where possible
• Attend events and meetings on behalf of the Charity

Criteria:

Essential:

• Strong leadership skills
• Understanding of the charity sector and associated laws and regulations
• Good teamworking skills and communication
• Understanding of football sector and the wider eco-system
• Experience as a charity trustee
• Experience as a chair at board level
• The ability to think creatively and strategically
• Capable of exercising good, independent judgement
• Ability to scrutinise and challenge in a positive and constructive manner
• Passion for sport as a tool for social good
• Experience in one or more of the following areas – risk management, strategy, legal, finance, safeguarding, EDI, youth work, governance/compliance, football, external affairs or fundraising
• Ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with others, including The Charity's staff and donors
• Understanding of the challenges facing those from disadvantaged groups or underserved communities

Desirable:

• Able to travel to locations in England for in person meetings/events
• Experience working or volunteering within the charitable sector

Supporting Information

Organisation: England Football Charity                                       

Location: England (with some in-person and virtual meetings)

Remuneration: Voluntary (reasonable expenses reimbursed)

Time Commitment: Approximately 1- 2 days per month

Term of Appointment: Initial term of 3 years, renewable

About Us:

The Football Association (The FA) is the governing body for football in England. It is responsible for promoting and developing the game at all levels and with footballers of all abilities, from grassroots through to the professional game.

The England Football Charity (The Charity) is an independent body, founded by The FA, as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the Charity Commission of England and Wales (charity number 1204361).  The Charity exists to harness the passion of England Football to tackle the most pressing social challenges. The Charity will first identify issues that need immediate attention and that football is well placed to address and design targeted interventions that complement the wider football eco-system. 

By bringing together funders and supporters, The Charity will invest in collaborative and innovative programmes that are delivered by a network of existing partners and managed by a central team.

In autumn 2026, The Charity will launch its inaugural project, designed to ensure that every young person has a trusted adult who listens without judgement, encourages hope, and helps them navigate life's challenges. Between now and the EURO 2028, The Charity, in partnership with delivery partners, will upskill 500 adults within grassroots football communities to better support young people.

The Charity is still in its early stages and has been working to lay solid foundations that will allow real impact to be created. A full-time Director has been recruited to lead the charity, with support from a small board that has been recruited over time. The next step is to recruit an inspiring Chair who can support both the board and executive team to move to the next stage where funding will be distributed to our incredible delivery partners to roll out our first project. Our hope is that the newly recruited Chair will be able to support us in adding more trustees to our board to ensure that we have access to the wealth of skills and experience needed for the charity to really flourish.

We are recruiting an independent Chair who will be required to act solely in the best interests of The Charity, free from undue influence or conflicts of loyalty toward any associated bodies. They must be able to make objective decisions that prioritise the charity's specific charitable purposes.

Definition of Independence:

Independence:

We are looking for an independent Chair for our board.

Independent means a person who is:

a) free from any close connection to The FA and a close connection shall be deemed to include, without limitation, the following:

i) the person is, or has been within the last four years, actively involved in The FA's affairs or held any position or role within The FA (including, without limitation, being a Member of Council, a member of any committee of The FA or an employee, director or officer of The FA) save that the board shall have discretion to reduce the four year look-back period set out in this paragraph to a minimum of six months, subject always to the number of Directors meeting the minimum requirement for independence as set out in the Code for Sports Governance;

ii) the person holds, or has held within the last six months, a position or role with any Football Stakeholder (including, without limitation, being an employee, director or officer of any Football Stakeholder);

iii) the person has, or has had within the last six months, a Material Business Relationship with The FA; and

iv) the person has close family ties (including by way of being connected with an individual as a spouse, civil partner, former spouse, former civil partner, parent, step or adopted parent, grandparent, child, step child, adopted child, descendant, qualifying co-habitant or next-of-kin) with any directors, senior employees or committee members of The FA or any Member of Council; and

b) viewed as independent from the perspective of an objective outsider.