RYA Regional Chair - Midlands Region

Organisation: Royal Yachting Association
Salary: Voluntary: Expenses included
Location: Midlands
Contract type: Volunteer
Closing date: 5 October 2025
Job Description: The Regional Teams are key to our engagement with boating community across the country and the delivery of projects that enable us to successfully implement our Together on Water strategy.

To help lead that delivery in the Midlands Region, we are looking for the next Chair of the Regional Volunteer Team at an important and exciting time for the region’s development.

Purpose of the Regional Team:

- To support and enable engagement with and between internal stakeholders such as RYA affiliated organisations inc sailing clubs, recognised training centres (“centres”) and other internal stakeholders.
- To help ensure the RYA understands the needs of the region
- To create and deliver a regional implementation plan and support the region through the delivery of specific projects

Within the Midlands Region there are - 83 RYA Affiliated Organisations (who have a total of 18,788 members), 100 Recognised Training Centres and 8,400 RYA members.

The region covers the Counties or Unitary Authorities of: Derbyshire (including Derby), Herefordshire, Leicestershire (including Leicester), Lincolnshire (excluding North and North East Lincolnshire), Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire (including Nottingham), Rutland, Shropshire, Staffordshire (including Stoke on Trent), Telford and Wrekin, Warwickshire, West Midlands and Worcestershire.

Responsibilities & Commitments of the Role:

- Provide leadership to the volunteers on the Regional Team ensuring that the regional team roles are maintained and regularly refreshed
- Represent the Region in discussions at both a regional and at a national level whilst developing strong relationships with internal and external partners and stakeholders
- Develop and maintain knowledge of boating issues and delivery arrangements within the region
- Encourage effective communication between/ to /and from members and clubs to the RYA nationally and regionally
- Together with the Regional Team develop a regional strategy and delivery plans for the volunteer team to deliver and locally enhance the RYA strategy

Skills and Qualities:

- an experienced sailor or boater, either across a range of activities or specialising in one, but with the ability to understand the needs of a wider range or participants and organisations.
- able to think strategically and be able to understand and distinguish between local, regional and national perspectives
- confident to represent the Region at regional and national levels
- able to lead and motivate volunteers and to chair meetings effectively
- organised, diplomatic and have good communication skills
- IT literate including the use of Microsoft 365

In return for your commitment of around 2-3 days per month you will have an opportunity to play a key role in supporting the development and resilience of sailing and boating in the region and to represent the views of affiliates, centres and members.

We will provide you with RYA branded clothing for attendance at meetings, a MS 365 account / RYA email address and the reimbursement of expenses.
How to apply: https://www.rya.org.uk/about-us/job-vacancies/committee-and-volunteer-vacancies/rya-regional-chair-midlands