Team GB Foundation - Chair

Organisation

British Olympic Association

Salary

Pro bono (reasonable expenses covered)

Location

London/Remote

Contract type

Fixed Term (Part time)

Closing date

4 September 2026

Interview date

23 September 2026

Job Description

Team GB Foundation (British Olympic Foundation)

The Team GB Foundation (registered as The British Olympic Foundation) (the “Foundation”), is the charitable foundation of the British Olympic Association (BOA). We deliver the BOA’s social impact mission by using the power of Team GB and the Olympic Movement to inspire people to lead healthier, more active, and confident lives.
Through programmes such as Get Set, Olympic Day, and partnerships with schools, charities, and sponsors, we promote the Olympic values and maximise the impact of sport across the UK.

Role of Chair

The Chair is expected to provide leadership to the Board of the Foundation registered, acting in the best interest of the Foundation and its operations, impact and displaying the highest standards of integrity.

The Chair shall promote and oversee the highest standards of corporate governance within the Board and the Foundation, and shall be a champion for social impact at scale.

The role of the Foundation Board is to:
• Provide entrepreneurial leadership of the Foundation within a framework of efficient and effective controls which enable risk to be assessed and managed
• Set the Foundation’s strategic aims, aligned to those of the BOA and to ensure that the necessary financial and human resources are in place for the Foundation to meet its objectives, and review management performance
• Set the Foundation’s values and standards and ensure that its obligations to the BOA and others are understood and met
The Board is collectively responsible for promoting the success of the Foundation by directing the Foundation's affairs. In addition to these requirements for all directors, the non-executive directors are expected to challenge constructively and help develop strategy, to participate actively in the decision-making process of the Board, and to scrutinise the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives.

Key Responsibilities

In addition to the general responsibilities of a trustee, duties of the Chair include the following:
• Providing leadership to the Foundation and the Board by ensuring that everyone remains focused on the delivery of the Foundation’s charitable purposes to provide greater public benefit
• Chairing and facilitating board meetings
• Giving direction to board policymaking
• Checking that decisions taken at meetings are implemented and identifying and resolving challenges
• Representing the Foundation at key stakeholder engagement opportunities, and acting as a spokesperson and ambassador as appropriate
• Bringing impartiality and objectivity to decision-making
• Providing mentorship and (non-executive) leadership to the Managing Director

With the Managing Director:
• Planning the annual cycle of board meetings and other general meetings where required, for example the annual general meeting
• Setting agendas for board and other general meetings
• Maintain regular engagement with Committee Chairs to coordinate committee activities, promote effective communication, and ensure alignment with the Foundation’s strategic priorities
• Developing the Board of trustees including overseeing induction and training, and leading on appraisals and succession planning
• Acting as a conduit between the BOA board and the Foundation board (the Foundation Chair sits on the BOA board in an observer capacity as the nominated representative of the Foundation)
• Addressing any conflict within the board and within the Foundation, and liaising with the Managing Director and, as necessary, the BOA to achieve this
Where staff are employed:
• Liaising with the Managing Director to keep an overview of the Foundation’s affairs and to provide support as appropriate
• Inputting into the process of the performance of the Managing Director and other staff if applicable and as appropriate
• Sitting on appointment and disciplinary panels
As applicable, brief and support the Senior Independent Director (SID) who is responsible for acting for the Chair when the Chair is not available and undertakes assignments at the request of the Chair

Time Commitment
The Chair would be expected to commit at least 2-3 days per month to their duties but may be required to devote more time if required to perform their duties effectively.

Any additional roles and commitments should be disclosed to the Board and the Foundation’s Managing Director and should be updated in the event of any changes (ideally before additional roles are formally accepted such that any potential conflicts can be assessed, discussed and managed).

Duration
The Chair will be appointed for an initial term of four years. The term may be renewed subject to the agreement of the Board. Appointments are subject to the provisions of the Foundation’s articles of association, including those relating to election/re-election.

The Chair can seek re-election for the further term of four years.
Person specification

The Foundation is seeking a Chair with the following skills and experience:

Leadership
• Purpose-driven leader with a genuine commitment and passion to supporting and advancing Team GB’s Social Impact ambitions through the Team GB Strategy and the Foundation's charitable objectives
• Strategic thinking with the ability to help shape long-term direction, working with senior colleagues across Foundation and wider BOA Board and Executive
• Sound judgement and integrity, demonstrating independence, objectivity and the highest ethical standards
• Collaborative leadership style that encourages constructive challenge, consensus-building and effective decision-making, particularly important in creating a collaborative and effective relationship within the Board of Trustees and with the wider BOA Board
• Excellent communication skills, acting as an ambassador with credibility across multiple audiences, importantly able to maximise wider Trustees engagement and leverage skills and experience to best effect
• Emotional intelligence, enabling effective relationships with Trustees, staff team, athletes, donors, external partners and beneficiaries of the Foundation
• Strong Governance and inclusive leadership, championing diversity, equity and inclusion in governance, fundraising and programme delivery

Experience & Skills
• Board-level leadership in a Foundation or Charity, ideally at Chair level
• Experienced senior stakeholder management
• A track record of influencing strategic direction at Board level
• Experience leading through organisational change or growth
• Strong Charity / Sport governance experience
• Track record of making a positive difference to society
• Experience of working with ambassadors, patrons or high-profile public figures.
• Demonstrable understanding of sport ecosystem in the UK
o Appreciation of the Olympic Movement, the brand value of Team GB and the opportunity it presents
o Understanding social impact landscape in sport in the UK
o Awareness of the funding landscape for Olympic sport
o Experience working with national governing bodies, sports organisations or major events
• Experience of supporting organisations with a national profile and significant public visibility

Knowledge
• Knowledge of the UK sporting ecosystem is highly desirable
• Knowledge of the Olympic Movement is desirable
• Knowledge of the power of social value in sport is highly desirable
• An understanding of the Foundation’s mission and ambition is desirable

How to apply

Please submit a CV and cover letter outlining your relevant skills and experience to Recruitment@teamgb.com and ian@veritysearch.uk. Please note that Verity Search will support with the recruitment process. Please quote BOF Chair in the subject line of your email. Closing date: 5pm Friday 4th September 2026 1st Round Interviews will be held on Wednesday 23 September 2006 (remote only), with final round interviews to be held in-person on Thursday 1 October 2026. Additional information on the Foundation can be found at www.teamgb.com.

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