Chair of Trustees, Chair of Resources Committee & Safeguarding Trustee | Central YMCA

Peridot Partners; Greater London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading charity organization is seeking a Chair of Trustees to lead their Board and ensure effective governance, strategic oversight, and strong safeguarding practices. The ideal candidate will have significant governance experience, fiscal management skills, and a commitment to the charity’s mission. This is an excellent opportunity to influence community support and development in the Greater London area.

Qualifications

• Strong commitment to Central YMCA’s values.
• Experience of governance in charity or corporate setting.
• Ability to chair meetings effectively and make informed decisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Board of Trustees ensuring robust governance.
• Provide oversight on financial management and strategic direction.
• Ensure safeguarding practices are effective and compliant.

Skills

Governance experience

Strategic oversight

Financial stewardship

Safeguarding knowledge

Education

Recognised financial qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Experience in charity sector or social impact

Job description

Chair of Trustees, Chair of Resources Committee & Safeguarding Trustee

Join the board of YMCA and help its work supporting communities through training, wellbeing and social inclusion.

• Location: London, WC1H

Who we are

Established in 1844, Central YMCA is the founding organisation of the global YMCA movement, now present in over 120 countries. Central YMCA provides high‑quality education, training and qualifications to young people and adults, especially in socially and economically disadvantaged communities.

About the roles

Chair of Trustees

Lead the Board of Trustees, ensuring robust governance, strategic oversight and a clear direction for the organisation. Support and hold to account the CEO and senior leadership team to deliver lasting social impact.

• Lead the Board of Trustees, ensuring governance is robust, inclusive and forward‑looking.
• Provide strategic oversight, helping shape the Charity’s vision, policy and direction.
• Champion Central YMCA’s mission and values, ensuring decisions are aligned with our charitable purpose.
• Support and hold to account the CEO and senior team, ensuring effective delivery of the organisation’s aims.
• Represent Central YMCA externally – across the YMCA movement and with key stakeholders, partners, and policy makers.
• Oversee Board development, succession planning, and the recruitment of new Trustees to maintain a diverse and skilled team.

Chair of the Resources Committee

The Chair of the Resources Committee leads on financial stewardship, ensuring the Charity’s funds and resources are managed responsibly, transparently and in line with our charitable objectives and legal obligations. The Committee oversees finance, investments, HR, IT, and other resource‑related areas.

• Lead the Resources Committee, ensuring meetings are well‑organised, effective and aligned with the Charity’s governance framework.
• Provide strategic guidance and oversight on finance, staffing and resource allocation.
• Advise the Board on the financial implications of major decisions and long‑term plans.
• Lead the annual budget review and monitor performance against financial plans and reserves policies.
• Ensure robust management of investments, reserves and overall financial sustainability.
• Work collaboratively with the Chief Executive and senior team to support effective resource planning.
• Liaise with the Chair of the Risk and Audit Committee to strengthen financial controls and risk management.
• Support the preparation and presentation of annual accounts, ensuring clarity and transparency.
• Keep the Board informed of its financial duties and promote openness in public reporting.

Safeguarding Trustee

The Safeguarding Trustee works closely with the CEO and Designated Safeguarding Leads to provide assurance to the Board that safeguarding remains a strategic priority across the Charity.

• Provide assurance to the Board on the effectiveness of safeguarding practices and compliance with statutory requirements.
• Offer guidance and expertise in developing and monitoring the Charity’s safeguarding, child protection and Prevent strategies, policies and action plans.
• Ensure safeguarding considerations are embedded in all strategic decisions and risk management processes.
• Champion a strong, transparent and inclusive safeguarding culture aligned with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion commitments.
• Ensure arrangements meet legislative and regulatory expectations, including Ofsted and statutory guidance such as Keeping Children Safe in Education.
• Work with trustees and senior staff to embed safeguarding across all learning environments and youth‑focused provision.
• Monitor the implementation of safeguarding and Prevent action plans, escalating risks or concerns to the Board where necessary.
• Provide assurance that safeguarding concerns are reported, escalated and addressed appropriately, with clear routes for staff, learners and the public to raise issues.
• Represent Central YMCA’s safeguarding commitment externally, promoting best practice with partners, funders and sector bodies.
• Attend Board meetings, relevant sub‑committees and safeguarding briefings, maintaining up‑to‑date knowledge of safeguarding and Prevent developments.
• Support transparency by promoting public visibility of safeguarding arrangements, including statements and reporting routes.

Who we are looking for

Chair of Trustees

• Brings a strong commitment to Central YMCA’s values and purpose.
• Demonstr>
• Has experience of governance, either in a charity, public, or corporate setting.
• Is confident working with senior executives to balance support with appropriate challenge.
• Has the ability to represent Central YMCA with credibility and integrity across a wide range of audiences.
• Brings strong networks and the ability to connect the organisation to new opportunities and partnerships.
• Proven experience in governance — ideally as a Chair, Trustee or Non‑Executive Director — within the charity sector, social impact organisations or relevant industries.
• The ability to chair meetings effectively, foster collaboration and build consensus.
• The confidence to make informed decisions under pressure, even when challenging majority opinions, and to provide constructive challenge and influence at Board level.

Chair of the Resources Committee

• A recognised financial qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or substantial senior financial management experience.
• A strong understanding of education and charity finance, SORP and relevant regulatory requirements.
• Excellent analytical and evaluation skills, with the ability to exercise good judgement and interpret complex information.
• The ability to chair meetings effectively, foster collaboration and build consensus.
• A solid understanding of governance principles, business models, finance, funding and charity regulation compliance.
• The interpersonal skills to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

Safeguarding Trustee

• Experience of overseeing safeguarding arrangements in an education or youth care setting (including children’s social services or local authority), with direct experience managing safeguarding issues affecting young people aged 14+.
• Strong working knowledge of government safeguarding, Prevent and child protection strategies, as well as safer recruitment practices.
• Familiarity with Charity Commission guidance on safeguarding and governance expectations for trustees.
• Commitment to promoting and supporting equality, diversity and inclusion across all areas of the Charity’s work.
• Experience of working at a senior level in post‑16 or vocational education, or within a local authority involved in education policy or strategy.

Accessibility information

At Central YMCA we are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in everything we do. Access and inclusion are core to our mission and values and are fundamental to widening participation. We are committed to ensuring equality of access to opportunities for all stakeholders and to building environments and services that are inclusive by design.

We understand that different members of the community have different access needs and have made some modifications to the way we do business to accommodate people from diverse communities and abilities.

Our accessibility provisions include:

• Step‑free access to the building, all key meeting rooms and bathrooms, and an accessible workstation.
• Accessibility dogs are welcome.
• Papers and materials can be presented in different formats.
• A sign language interpreter can be accessed for interviews.
• Working patterns and locations can be adjusted.

Applicants with a disability are invited to contact us in confidence at any point during the recruitment process to discuss steps that could be taken to overcome operational difficulties presented by the role, or if any adjustments or support are required regarding the recruitment process.

Timetable

Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 17th November 2025
Candidates informed of outcome: Wednesday 26th November 2025
Interviews: w/c 8th December 2025

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