Working with Boards
Leading within VCSE sector organisations often involves working together with a Board. In this section you will find a range of resources to support effective working between leaders and boards and support to diversify your board.
Guidance and blogs exploring the relationship between VCSE sector CEOs and boards
NCVO Guidance for Boards
This resource from NCVO is aimed at boards, but also provides useful guidance about the relationship between the board and the CEO and useful tips for how to work well together.
ACEVO Blog on being a Charity CEO and a Trustee
This blog from the ACEVO shares insights from CEOs from the VCSE sector about their experience of being a CEO and of being a trustee. It also offers CEO reflections on the relationship between boards and CEOs.
Getting on Board Blog on the CEO-Board Relationship
In this blog from Getting On Board, Penny Wilson explores some of the common factors that lead to difficulties in the relationship between CEOs and their board.
Practical guides and toolkits to help you diversify your board and to support CEO, Chair and Trustee Recruitment
Getting on Board Resource: How to diversify your Charity’s Board – A Practical Guide
A detailed and comprehensive guide, which explores the benefits of diversifying your board, including case studies from organisations and trustees themselves. There are a range of practical tips on how to diversify your board including:
- Removing unnecessary barriers
- Running an open recruitment process
- Defining trusteeship
- Getting the best out of your applicants
- Recruiting for lived experience
- Board shadowing schemes
- Advertising
The guide also outlines how to work effectively with trustees, once they have joined your board.
You can download the guide from the Getting on Board website
ACEVO Essential Guide to Recruiting a CEO, Chair and Trustees
This guide provides a practical guide to help you design and deliver a recruitment process for leaders in your organisation. It explores the following areas:
- Recruitment
- Planning for unexpected resignations
- Creating strong succession plans
- Shortlisting, longlisting and assessment
- Onboarding processes
Getting on Board Resource: How to recruit Trustees to your Charity
This online resource explores the benefits of running an open recruitment process for trustees and offers a step by step guide for organisations including:
- Working out what you need on your board
- Undertaking a board audit
- Identifying the skills and experience you need and creating a person specification
- Advertising trustee roles and encouraging applications from underrepresented groups