Helen & Douglas House has been caring for local terminally ill children and their families for 40 years since it was founded in November 1982. As the world’s first children’s hospice, it continues to inspire children’s hospice care across the UK and around the world. 

The charity cares for local terminally ill children and their families at its hospice in Oxford, at home, or in hospital with life-enhancing care. This includes supportive stays, pain relief, symptom management, end-of-life care and bereavement and counselling support for parents and siblings.

Helen & Douglas House helps children living with a variety of complex conditions which will end their lives prematurely and takes care of medical and nursing needs so that parents have precious time to enjoy family life with their children, sharing laughter and joy and creating happy family memories which will last forever. 

Helen & Douglas House is an incredible charity which helps local terminally ill children and their families live life to the full even when that life is short.

Helen and Douglas House looks to expand and improve its mass clinical care by offering digitally enabled solutions within the next few years. To do this, it is seeking to expand its Board of Trustees. The new Trustees will use their specific skillset and relevant experience to help the Board make strategic decisions and expand the charity's reach in supporting terminally ill children and their families.

The appointed Trustees will have a strong alignment with the vision and mission of the charity and pro-actively help to work towards its success and growth. In addition to the formal Board meetings, Trustees will be willing to undertake informal engagement with the charity, including providing advice on an ad hoc basis to the management team. Trustees will be expected to use their specific knowledge and experience to help the Board reach sound decisions; assist the senior leadership team with advice as required; and keep informed about, and support as appropriate, the activities of the organisation.

The successful candidate(s) will have strategic-level expertise with accountability and responsibility in one of the following areas:

Clinical: Candidates will be able to support and advise the Board of Trustees regarding nursing and the holistic care element of the service delivered by Helen & Douglas House. They will offer advice, support and challenge to the Director of Clinical services and Medical Director in the further development of the organisation’s clinical services, and support, share expertise and be a critical friend to the Director of Clinical Services and Medical Director in the delivery of services and development of innovative and developmental healthcare. The ideal candidate would be an experienced individual in a senior nursing role, preferably involving children, palliative care, or other clinical experience relevant to the charity's service users. They will bring a clear understanding of the governance structures and processes within a clinical provider organisation as well as experience in Care Quality Commission regulations and compliance.

Fundraising: Candidates will ensure the charity’s fundraising activities meet the Code of Fundraising Practice, the laws and standards laid down by other regulators such as the ICO, and the Fundraising Regulator, ensuring that fundraising activities align with the charity’s purpose, do not risk the charity's assets or reputation, and ensure that any conflicts of interest are appropriately managed. They will support and advise the Board of Trustees regarding the increasing professional nature of fundraising and the associated risks, and be an advocate for the team and champion investment in fundraising and marketing activity. The ideal candidate will have experience of strategic fundraising and marketing, preferable gained at a senior level in a third sector environment. They will have an understanding of the income generation landscape, building sustainable income, product development and diversification, the complexities of managing supporter relationships, supporter journeys and comms strategies, the value of data, customer service, key performance indicators, and reporting, as well as an understanding of fundraising regulation, risk evaluation and management, and long-term income planning.

Digital: Candidates will be able to provide thought and leadership on the role of digital across Helen & Douglas House and contribute to the building and implementation of its digital vision. They will help ensure that the executive team have the digital capabilities that they need to implement the strategy, highlight the opportunities and the risks of digital, and take the lead on evaluating digital proposals for the Board. The ideal candidate will have experience of working at a senior leadership level in digital or technology; they will have demonstrable and practical experience of delivering transformational change to business technologies and processes, to increase efficiency and raise the profile of the organisation. They will also be willing to draw on contacts as appropriate and exercise influencing skills when needed to bring stakeholders along with plans.

The charity is open to receiving applications from those who are seeking their first board-level opportunity.

Lord Blair of Boughton, Chair
Katherine Boyce, Deputy Chair
Tanya Baldwin
Dr Ann Goldman
David Gye
Peter Marland
Sister Jean Raphael
Annewen Rowe
Simeon Tinant
Ian Watson
Professor Andrew Wilkinson
Martin Wildsmith

Terms of appointment

The role is unremunerated but reasonable pre-agreed domestic travel expenses can be reimbursed. Trustees are expected to join one Committee in respective to their area of expertise, these include the Clinical Governance Committee , the Income Generation Committee, the Digital & Technology Committee. The total time commitment for the role is around 12 days per year, which includes five in-person Board meetings in Oxford, four virtual sub-committee meetings, plus the requirement to attend other ad hoc meetings and events. Candidates should be UK-based.