Founded in 2014 by Robin Chu, CoachBright is an award-winning social mobility charity on a mission to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to become confident, independent and resilient so they can lead the lives they want. The charity partners with Primary and Secondary schools, universities and businesses in England to run face-to-face and virtual coaching programmes and support 4,000 students annually. Through partnering young people with relatable role models, the charity aims to raise their confidence, independence and attainment.

There is an attainment gap in the UK between disadvantaged young people and their wealthier peers. This is exacerbated when young people have low confidence in their abilities and potential. Upward social mobility is made even harder when young people lack relatable role models who have been to university or have professional occupations and CoachBright is on a mission to change this. Its vision is a world in which every young person’s destination is based on their choice, ambitions and talents, rather than their background. Through providing subject-specific, tailored coaching programmes, the charity offers intensive, academic coaching through Core, Peer to Peer and Summer School Programmes. Embedded within these are university trips and soft-skills workshops, aiming to raise aspirations and promote social and emotional learning. CoachBright is also piloting a new ' life cycle' coaching programme for young professionals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds to support their transition into the workplace. 

The organisation has gone through a period of significant growth in recent years, partly as a result of its participation in the Government's National Tutoring Programme, and has moved from social enterprise to registered charity status. With the appointment of a new CEO, Joe McGinn, who joined in December 2022, CoachBright is now entering a period of consolidation, whilst still developing plans for growth in the future and looking at new areas of funding. With an excellent reputation, the charity remains committed to delivering high quality coaching and remaining at a gold standard continues to be one of its key priorities, along with increasing its support and reach to more disadvantaged young people. The latest impact report can be viewed here.  

The Chair will provide leadership to the Board and Trustees, ensuring that they fulfil and stay true to CoachBright's vision, mission and longer-term strategy whilst carrying out their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity. The Chair will work closely with the CEO and the Board, working collaboratively to achieve its agreed objectives.

Principal responsibilities include:

• Carrying out the Chair role in accordance with latest governance, best practice procedures and guidance
• Ensuring orderly deliberation and concise decision-making, using correct procedures to fulfil the Board’s purpose
• Facilitating clear channels of communication between the Board and executive team
• Leading the Board and ensure its effectiveness through clear decision-making
• Ensuring that the Board operates within its charitable objectives and provides strategic direction for the charity to achieve those objectives
• Maintaining and develop relationships with the key stakeholders
• Supporting, mentor and supervise the Chief Executive Officer
• Acting as a figurehead and ambassador for CoachBright
• Taking urgent action (but not decision-making unless authorised) between Board meetings when it isn’t possible or practical to hold a meeting
• Acting as a figurehead and ambassador for CoachBright

CoachBright is looking to appoint an ambitious and inspirational Chair of Trustees to lead its experienced and committed Board. The Chair will bring strong leadership and relationship-building experience whilst having the collegiality, diplomacy and gravitas to inspire those around them. They will provide constructive challenge and be a facilitator. The Chair will be entrepreneurial, creative and will bring fresh ideas to improve the profile and increase the reach of the charity.  They will also mentor and support the CEO.

The successful candidate will ideally have some exposure to the education sector either as a Headteacher or CEO of a multi-academy trust, for example, or could have worked in a senior leadership role in a higher education institution. Alternatively, they could come from another sector but may have sat on a Board of an educational organisation. Individuals who have operated in a senior strategic role within an organisation focussed on improving the outcomes for young people or social mobility more broadly would also be considered. Candidates will bring some chairing experience (Committees or a full Board) and will have strong networking abilities. Experience of influencing policy would also be welcome. The successful individual will bring an understanding of how smaller organisations with limited resources operate. 

Above all, the new Chair will bring a commitment to social mobility and the mission of CoachBright. They will aligned to the values of the charity which can be found here. Lived experience would be advantageous. 

To find out more about the Board of Trustees, please see here. 

This role is unremunerated, and reasonable, pre-agreed domestic travel expenses will be reimbursed. There are four Board meetings per year which last two hours (typically held from 5-7pm, though this could be flexible). The meetings are currently held virtually but there is a desire for these to be hybrid, at least half of them being held in person. The Chair may attend some Sub-Committee meetings and will also have ad hoc calls or meetings with the CEO. There is one strategy day per year. The Chair will be encouraged to attend events such as graduations. The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed once at the discretion of the Board. 

CoachBright is based in Camden, North London and individuals will be able to attend Board meetings in person and will be willing to attend ad hoc meetings and events in London throughout the year.