Business Plan for Peace is seeking a Chair of the Board

 

About Business Plan for Peace

Business Plan for Peace (https://thebusinessplanforpeace.org) (BPP), founded by three times Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Dr Scilla Elworthy, is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) whose mission is to generate a groundswell of people from all sectors who believe that a world without destructive conflict is possible and necessary, and who consequently are actively engaged, through inner growth and outer action, in hastening this change.  BPP is financially robust, with an annual income of £300,000 per year and 5 employees.

 

About the role

Business Plan for Peace is seeking a Chair who will guide our not-for-profit company and sister-organisation Plan for Peace (https://www.planforpeace.org) from where we are, to where we want to be, as a strong sustainable influential organisation that ensures that conflict transformation is understood, applied and invested in across sectors. The Chair will work with a very experienced Founder and CEO to guide the board and the whole picture strategy to grow a sustainable future-ready business model.  Both organisations have worked seamlessly together since 2019 with one chair who stepped down in June 2022 to fulfil other commitments.  An Interim Chair from the Board is currently in place.

 

Chair Responsibilities

  • Convene meetings, engage, inspire and facilitate the board/trustees, bringing out the best in the board as a whole.
  • Facilitate, guide and set governance of the board and act as a caretaker of the organisation’s culture.
  • Act as a role model for conflict transformation.
  • Leverage, with gravitas and influence, investment in the organisation and its mission.
  • Advise and sign off in agreement with the board and trustees on strategy development, business models and high-level decisions.
  • Line manage and coach the CEO to support the personal and professional highest potential for the organisation.

 

Chair Time Commitment

  • 3 hours per quarter for Board meetings
  • 1 full day per year for Board offsite
  • Monthly and/or on an as-needed basis with the Founder and CEO, estimated 1-3/hours/month.

 

Skills/Experience

Essential

  • Corporate and commercial experience (ideally international) at a senior leadership level
  • Business strategy experience, especially in fostering sustainable business model development.
  • A passion and a sense of the mission for preventing destructive conflict and building sustainable peace globally.
  • Availability and time and energy to commit to the role and the mission.
  • Experience working within, or previous experience, working with not-for-profits
  • Previous experience nurturing start-ups and providing CEO guidance and support.
  • Demonstrated results in bringing the best out of a board and/or an organisation
  • Mature management skills
  • Ability to run meetings to time and to complete the agenda as agreed with the CEO.

 

Desirable

  • Coaching leadership experience.
  • Experience working with systems thinking
  • A strong network across sectors.
  • High-level knowledge of the subject matter.
  • Previous experience as a chair.
  • Experience working with/supporting founders and CEOs of new start-ups.

 

This is a voluntary role – all of our Directors and Trustees work in a voluntary capacity for the mission.