Job Description
North Yorkshire Sport
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Job Description & Person Specification

The role of the Chair:
The Chair of North Yorkshire Sport (NYS) Charitable Trust is responsible for leadership of the Board, ensuring its effectiveness on all aspects of the role and setting its agenda. The Chair is pivotal in creating the conditions for overall Board and individual Board member effectiveness and works to ensure the development of constructive relationships between board members and staff.

Main Responsibilities:
The following specific responsibilities are in addition to the Chair’s responsibilities as a NYS Trustee:

1. Setting the agenda: to liaise with the Chief Executive to ensure the agenda takes account of the issues and concerns of all Trustees. Agendas should be forward looking and concentrate on strategy, rather than focusing on operational issues
2. Information flow: ensure that Trustees receive accurate, timely and clear information to aid the decision making process, monitor performance and provide advice
3. Managing Board of Trustee meetings: to ensure that sufficient time is allowed for discussion of issues and where appropriate arranging informal meetings beforehand to enable thorough preparation for board discussion.
4. Liaising with the NYS Chief Executive: regular liaison with the Chief Executive to support the operation of the board of Trustees, agenda setting, information flow and member development
5. Member development: supporting the induction and the development of individual Trustess, with a view to enhancing the board’s overall effectiveness as a team
6. Member engagement: encouraging active engagement by all Trustees
7. Performance assessment: providing an assessment of performance of individual Trustees on request, in relation to re-appointment or for appointment to another public body

Person Specification
Description
1. Experience
Essential • A proven track record gained in a relevant field of work. In particular, experience which demonstrates a knowledge and awareness of sports contribution to at least one of the following areas:
o Voluntary sector sport and national governing bodies of sport; local government leisure and sport; education; health; safer/stronger communities; private/commercial sector business;
• A involvement with and a passion for sport, coupled with a belief in the role sport can play in improving the quality of people’s lives across the NY sub region
• Previous experience of board/committee membership and or a Trustee role, owning and committing to shared goals and responsibilities and understanding and valuing roles and contributions from all members

Desirable • Experience of dealing with the media – TV, radio or the press
• Experience of chairing meetings at a senior level
• Experience of performance management and continuous improvement

2. Knowledge
Essential • A good overview of the NY sub region and the key issues faced within it
• A good working knowledge of sport and the voluntary sport sector in the sub region and some of the key issues facing voluntary sector sport
• An awareness of the role and structures of local government within the sub region (and some experience of working with local government?)
• Some awareness and understanding of regional and national sports policy and a commitment to improve and develop knowledge and awareness around sub regional, regional and national sports policy
Essential • Some knowledge of the delivery system for sport and the role of County Sports Partnerships and Community Sports Networks
• Knowledge of funding opportunities and systems for sport

3. Skills and Abilities
Essential • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills at all levels with ability to motivate / enthuse / persuade, negotiate and influence verbally and in writing at all levels
• The ability to provide motivational leadership, create a culture of innovation and improvement, leading by example
• The ability to both lead and contribute objectively and consistently to discussion and debate within a board environment
• The ability to problem solve, make decisions and prioritise
• The ability and willingness to act as an advocate for sport to a broad audience
4. Other Considerations
Essential • An understanding and commitment to equal opportunities and the achievement of sports equality issues
• An understanding of the needs of under-represented groups in sport
• Ability to attend and represent NYS on up to 10 days per annum
• The commitment and time to prepare for board meetings by reading and understanding board papers

Contacts and Relationships:
The Chair of NYS will have some engagement with and responsibility for a range of external contacts across the sub region and beyond. These may include:

• NYS Trustees who will come from a range of backgrounds, including local government, voluntary sector sport etc
• Sport England Yorkshire – the strategic lead agency for sport in the Yorkshire Region and key funder of NYS
• Local Government members/Councillors from partners authorities
• Other key external partner organisations such as the Youth Sport Trust, Sports Coach UK etc
• The Chairs and members from the other 3 CSPs in the Yorkshire region
• The NYS Executive Director and core team members

How to apply
Email kelly@northyorkshiresport.co.uk