Chair

The role is to chair the Board and the General Meetings of members, and to work closely with the Chief executive. The appointment fills one of the organisation's three independent non-executive Director roles. The chair is focused on the business of the organisation, with very little involvement in ambassadorial roles which are the primary responsibility of the president, past president and president-elect (none of which are on the board).

The chair is a Board appointment (subject to ratification by the members) and the appointee can serve up to three years per term of office, and up to two terms.

Independent directors were introduced following major constitutional change in 2017. England Golf is bound by the Sport England Code for Sports Governance, in receipt of public funding. Following recent news that our Chair will take up the position of Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club for 2024/25, they will step down from the position of Chair of the Board in September later this year.

The chair role:

• Provide leadership and direction for the Board and through the General Meetings in order to achieve the objectives of England Golf.


• Ensure the organisation runs to the highest standards of corporate governance and best practice, and in an open, equitable and transparent way, always in the interests of its members and the game as a whole.


• Guide and assist through leadership of the Board and General Meetings in the development, approval and monitoring of England Golf's strategic plan, its business plan, financial plan and annual plans, and the risk register.


• Challenge, support and work with the chief executive in relation to delegated powers and duties, creation of organisational strategy and plans, and their execution, working closely with the Board.


• Contribute through the Board and relationship with the chief executive to provide operational excellence, policy formulation and review, the best management of financial resources, and effective staff and stakeholder management.


• Advise and guide the members of the Board, chief executive and executive staff and more widely.


• Represent and promote the best interests of the organisation and the game to the widest audience.
  
  The key skills and experience for the role include:


• Proven track record of leading boards and general meetings, with strong understanding of corporate governance and best practice.


• Experience of complex organisations with multiple stakeholders, preferably groups involving representative organisations, and preferably in sports, leisure and recreation sectors.


• Experience of leading an organisation through change, as a non-executive and executive, demonstrating the ability to both support and challenge, showing flexibility and open-mindedness in working with others to achieve goals.


• Excellent communication, relationship and networking skills with an ability to balance the need to speak candidly, with tact and diplomacy.


• Good business experience, as well as an understanding of issues facing National Governing Bodies for sport and the relevant market sectors.


• Understanding of, and empathy with, the game of golf, and those involved in the game.


• Ability to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills in a variety of situations, including stakeholder meetings.


• Ability to take an independent leadership view when required, and carry others through collaborative and consultative processes.
  
  The role is entitled to a directors' fee of £18,000 per annum as well as expenses for attending


• meetings as required and any other reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. All other non-executive


• directors are volunteers.


• Under the Sport England Code for Sports Governance, no individual may be appointed as


• a director until they have provided to the organisation a declaration of good character.


• There is a requirement to have 30% of each gender on the Board.