Chair, Board of Directors

Creative United is inviting expressions of interest from candidates who bring relevant experience and a passion for the arts and social impact to be considered for appointment as Chair of its Board of Directors.

Creative United is an entrepreneurial Community Interest Company that focuses on achieving a combination of social and economic impacts through arts, culture, and creativity. The company was established in 2012 and has successfully grown over the past decade through the development and delivery of a wide range of publicly funded programmes that support inclusive access to the arts and creative industries.

This is a particularly exciting stage for the company, which is in a strong financial position with substantial reserves and a new multi-year funding agreement in place with our principal stakeholder, Arts Council England. We also have the benefit of a highly skilled and experienced Board of Directors who are actively involved in guiding and supporting the Chair and Executive team in the development and growth of the business.

Over the next 2-3 years, we are looking to build on our current programme activities to further our social impact by supporting the careers of artists, increasing access and participation in music-making, and addressing issues relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion in the arts and creative industries more broadly.

Our objective is to create a more inclusive creative economy across the whole of the UK. This will involve consideration of opportunities and challenges, including the needs of creative practitioners to support sustainable livelihoods, ensuring that diverse communities across the UK have affordable access to the arts, continuing to diversify our income streams, and strengthening key stakeholder relationships with existing and new funding partners.

The new Chair will make fresh, strong, economically and socially viable contributions to our thinking in these areas. Above all else, the new Chair will have a collegiate, enthusiastic, and innovative approach to this role.

We are looking for candidates that have the following skills and attributes:

• Proven leadership experience
• Strong understanding of governance and financial management
• Demonstrable experience working with funders/investors in the arts and/or creative industries
• A well-developed professional network and an understanding of the intersection between the public sector and the arts
• A track record of creating social and financial value in the commercial sector
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Strategic thinker with a track record of innovative and effective problem solving
• A passion for the arts and creative industries
• An understanding of the public sector and its style and method of operation
• Commitment to the Company’s mission and values
• A strong understanding of and experience of social impact

Application process

If you feel that this opportunity aligns well with your experience, passion for the arts, and appetite for applying your knowledge and skills to help deliver social impact and positive change in the creative sector, we’d love to hear from you.

If you have any questions about the role or would like to arrange an informal discussion about the opportunity with one of our current Board members, please email recruitment@creativeunited.org.uk using the subject line ‘Chair Recruitment Call’ or telephone 020 7759 1115.

Equal Opportunities, Access, and Inclusion

Creative United is committed to diversity and inclusion in its recruitment and employment practices and policies. Our mission is to create an inclusive and diverse team of people, whose differences are our strength.

We are keen to encourage candidates from diverse socio-economic backgrounds to apply for this role and welcome applications from people of colour, LGBTQ+, D/deaf, and disabled people. We are also interested in hearing from people who may not have prior experience as a board member or chair but nevertheless bring leadership experience in community, creative, or entrepreneurial settings.

The role of Chair is a part-time commitment that can be managed flexibly through a combination of in-person and online meetings during the course of the year. In-person meetings will normally take place at Somerset House in central London. Step-free access to most parts of the building can be facilitated.

Travel expenses for attendance at in-person meetings (including costs relating to support workers) may be claimed in accordance with our Expenses Policy.

If you would like to discuss any accessibility requirements for the recruitment process for this role at Creative United, please call 020 7759 1115 or email recruitment@creativeunited.org.uk and we will be happy to discuss your needs and make any reasonable adjustments to our interview process as may be necessary.

How To Apply

Please send us a copy of your CV along with a written statement (“Expression of Interest”) no more than two pages long which addresses the following questions:

• Three key things that you’d like us to know about you and your background/experience
• What aspect of the opportunity to become Chair of Creative United appeals to you most
• What you’d hope to achieve as Chair over a period of 2-3 years

If you would like to submit your expression of interest in an alternative format, such as a video recording, please let us know in advance. Please submit your application by email to recruitment@creativeunited.org.uk.