In addition to the general responsibilities of a trustee, duties of the chair include the following:

  1. Providing leadership to the organisation and the board by ensuring that everyone remains fully informed and focused on the delivery of the organisation’s charitable purposes to provide greater benefit to those who serve and have served.
  2. Liaising regularly with the General Secretary to keep an overview of the organisation’s affairs and to provide support as appropriate prioritising work streams where necessary.
  3. Chairing and facilitating board meetings.
  4. Chairing finance and benevolence/grants sub-committee meetings.
  5. Being a member of the governance sub-committee.
  6. Giving direction to board policy making prioritising where appropriate.
  7. Bringing impartiality and objectivity to decision making.
  8. Checking that decisions taken at meetings are implemented in a timely fashion.
  9. Addressing conflict within the board and the organisation, liaising with the RHQ staff, trustees, and appropriate others to mediate and mitigate, as necessary.
  10. Developing the board of trustees and RHQ staff including induction, training, appraisal, and succession planning.
  11. Together with the General Secretary ensure the President and Colonels Commandant are briefed on matters of note.
  12. Together with the RHQ staff plan the annual cycle of board meetings and other sub-committee meetings where required.
  13. Together with the RHQ set agendas for board and other general meetings as required.
  14.  Sitting on appointment and disciplinary boards.
  15. Ensuring the vice-chair is kept up to date and consulted on all issues concerning the organisation.

The vice-chair acts for the chair when the chair is not available and undertakes assignments at the request of the chair

Personal specification

In addition to the personal specification for a trustee, the chair should have the following qualities.

  1. Leadership skills.
  2. Experience of committee work.
  3. Tact and diplomacy.
  4. Good communication and interpersonal skills.
  5. Impartiality, fairness, and the ability to respect confidences.

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(Version 2020.1 updated July 2020)