AFC Rushden and Diamonds are seeking a new Chair and are asking individuals to promptly submit their applications by Tuesday, April 19, 2022.
At last year’s board election AFC R&D Chair, Ralph Burditt, announced that after 10 years in post he would stand down from the board at this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and as part of his final year he would assist with the transition to a new Chair.
The role
The Chair is an important voluntary role providing leadership and direction to the board as well as being the focal point, internally and externally, of the club. The Chair plays an integral role in shaping the club while holding board members to account, on behalf of club members, in delivering the strategic plan.
The Chair’s duties include chairing the Governance and Strategy Board, AGMs, and Fans’ Forums, but the Chair must be flexible and able to act proactively when faced with emerging events affecting the club. The most recent example being the successful appointment of a new interim first team management group.
Externally, the Chair must be able to engage effectively and collaboratively with senior levels of national and local stakeholders.
Successful candidates should be able to demonstrate comparable, transferable experience in previous professional, charitable, community, sporting, or volunteering roles. They are expected to have a mix of skills including strategic leadership, board governance, management support, commercial acumen, communication, and stakeholder engagement.
Of course, almost no-one will have the “ideal mix” of experience, so please do not be discouraged if you feel some elements may be missing. The board has a mix of capabilities already and roles can be shaped to suit individual capabilities.
The new Chair will be a club member and will join the club board as either an elected or co-opted member in line with the club’s constitution.
Applying
The club has a relatively tight timescale as the board intends to have the new Chair nominated in time to be ratified by club members at the club’s AGM in July 2022.
Consequently, it is asking for potential candidates to come forward and submit an expression of interest by Tuesday, April 19, 2022. Please email FAO Matt Ward at finance@afcdiamonds.com. This should consist of a letter, ideally accompanied by a CV or list of relevant experience, setting out how you would undertake the role of Chair.
Potential candidates will be invited for a longer-form discussion in April so that a recommendation for the new Chair can be made to the existing board before the Governance and Strategy board meeting on Monday, May 16, 2022.
The club
AFC Rushden & Diamonds is a community benefit society, formed in 2011. The club is a not- for-profit organisation which reinvests profits into its own development and/or the local community. It facilitates football as a form of social inclusion within the Rushden, Higham Ferrers, Raunds, Wellingborough, Finedon, Irchester, Thrapston and Irthlingborough area, creating pathways and opportunities for people of ages regardless of gender, ethnic origin, or sexuality.
As part of a structured approach, the board recently introduced its first strategic plan covering 2020-2025; setting out the direction of the club, including:
- The club’s vision, values, and behaviours
- Strategic objectives for the next 5 years
- Key performance indicators and targets
It has also reshaped its governance procedures and introduced additional co-opted board members.
The time has now come for the selection and appointment of a new Chair to lead the club into the next phase of its evolution. It is an exciting opportunity to take on this hugely important leadership role as the club progresses on and off the field.