Chair of Trustees

Our Board of Trustees offers a diverse blend of professional expertise and personal commitment to adoption. With backgrounds in finance, law, social work, HR, healthcare, and business, our trustees bring decades of experience in children’s services and strategic leadership. Several have personal connections to adoption, ensuring our work is guided by both insight and empathy. We’re now seeking a chair person to lead this passionate team in shaping the future of CCS and the lives of the children and families we support.

About Us

CCS Adoption is a Voluntary Adoption Agency and registered charity, rated Outstanding by Ofsted for 14 consecutive years across five inspections — most recently in February 2024. We find permanent, loving homes for children waiting to be adopted and offer a wide range of post-adoption support services for families across the region. We are committed to maintaining our high standards and continuing to develop innovative services that support children and adoptive families.

The Role

As Chair of Trustees, you will play a pivotal role in guiding the strategic direction of CCS Adoption. You’ll work closely with the CEO, lead board meetings, monitor performance, and act as a key ambassador for the organisation.

Why Join Us?

This is a unique opportunity to lead a passionate and skilled Board, influence meaningful change, and contribute to the lives of children and families. You’ll be supported by a dedicated team and receive guidance to deepen your understanding of adoption.

We offer:

1. A robust induction on governance duties
2. Access to external training
3. Opportunities for peer learning with other trustees
4. You’ll be supported by the Senior Administrator in planning, organising, compiling, and sharing board papers to ensure smooth and effective meetings

Key Responsibilities:

1. Lead the Board in setting strategic goals and evaluating performance
2. Ensure compliance with charity and company law
3. Safeguard the organisation’s values, reputation, and resources
4. Support and appraise the CEO
5. Facilitate effective governance and decision-making
6. Represent CCS Adoption at public functions

Person Specification:

We’re looking for someone who brings:

1. A commitment to strong governance and a willingness to develop in this area
2. Experience leading groups, teams, or partnerships to make collective decisions
3. Strategic vision and independent judgement
4. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
5. A commitment to fairness, integrity, and teamwork

Desirable (but not essential):

1. Knowledge of adoption or related fields (children, families, social care, charity sector)

We warmly encourage potential trustees to get in touch for an informal conversation about the role. This is a great opportunity to ask any questions, learn more about our work, and see whether joining our Board might be the right fit for you. We would be delighted to welcome you to meet our team and current trustees, hear about our vision for the future, and experience our culture first-hand.