Chair of Trustees

Lead Creative Mentor Network into its next chapter of impact. As Chair of Trustees, you’ll guide strategy, champion socioeconomic diversity in the creative industries, and use your influence to inspire change, empowering thousands of young people to break barriers and thrive creatively. What difference will you make? As Chair of Trustees, your leadership will directly shape the future of Creative Mentor Network and the thousands of young people we support each year. By guiding the Board and working closely with our CEO and the team, you will strengthen our strategy, governance and financial sustainability, ensuring we can reach more young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and open doors into the creative industries. At the heart of our work is the power of mentoring, the belief that one person can transform someone’s life through guidance, encouragement and opportunity. Every connection between a mentor and a mentee has the potential to change both their perspectives, build confidence and create lasting access to the creative world. Your leadership will help us multiply these life-changing relationships, embedding mentoring as a powerful force for social mobility. Your influence will help us grow partnerships with major organisations, secure vital funding and champion class equity across the sector. You will play a crucial role in empowering mentors to become inclusive leaders and supporting mentees to build the skills, confidence and networks they need to thrive. Ultimately, your work will help transform an industry still defined by inequality into one where talent and creativity, not background, shape opportunity. Your leadership will leave a legacy of inclusion, growth and meaningful change across the creative economy. What are we looking for? We’re looking for a dynamic and values-driven leader who shares our belief in the power of mentoring and social mobility. Our ideal Chair will bring proven leadership experience at a senior level, with the ability to guide strategy, strengthen governance and support an ambitious, purpose-led team. They will have strong financial and commercial acumen, ideally with experience diversifying income streams or driving growth in a charity or creative organisation. A deep understanding of governance, risk management and board leadership is essential, along with the confidence to act as a trusted advisor and mentor to the CEO. We’re particularly interested in someone who understands the creative industries and the barriers faced by young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Experience in advocacy, partnership building or fundraising would be an advantage. Above all, we are looking for someone who can be a powerful ambassador for Creative Mentor Network, using their networks, influence and passion to open doors, inspire others and help create a fairer, more inclusive creative sector. What will you be doing? Creative Mentor Network’s Board brings together leaders from across the creative, education and social impact sectors who share a commitment to breaking down class barriers in the creative industries. The Board is collaborative, values-driven and deeply connected to our mission, providing strategic guidance, financial oversight and support to the executive team. Our biggest challenges ahead are sustaining and diversifying income, deepening our impact for young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and ensuring the charity’s long-term financial resilience as we grow. Over the next three years, we aim to strengthen our partnerships, measure our impact more effectively and influence systemic change across the creative industries. We’re looking for a new Chair of Trustees to lead the Board through this next stage. The Chair will oversee governance, act as a sounding board for the CEO, and play a visible ambassadorial role, representing CMN across networks and events. They will also chair quarterly Board meetings, ensure strong collaboration between trustees, and help shape our strategy for financial sustainability and social impact. This is an exciting opportunity to help drive a movement for class equity in one of the UK’s most influential sectors, using your leadership and connections to open doors, champion inclusion and inspire change for the next generation of creative talent.