Could you be our new Chairperson?
We are recruiting for a new Chairperson – could it be you?
We are looking for a dynamic new Chairperson to lead our board in providing strong strategic support to the small executive team, chair quarterly meetings, promote high standards of governance, encourage positive change and uphold our strong ethical values and co-operative principles.
What we do
ICOF Ltd trading as Co-op and Community Finance or CCF has been lending to ethical businesses since 1973. We offer fair, supportive, and tailored loan finance to meet the needs of a range of co-operatives and community businesses, across the UK, that are democratically owned controlled by their members. We also provide project and loan management support and consultancy across the social investment sector.
What skills and experience we are looking for
2023 is proudly our 50th Anniversary year, and we are looking for a Chairperson to lead our board of trustee directors, as we move into an exciting new era for the organisation, helping co-ops build a better and fairer future.
We are looking for someone that has strong inter-personal relationship building abilities, experienced working at a senior level and has organisational governance experience. We would prefer candidates to have a broad knowledge and understanding of the co-operative and community business sectors, as well as some knowledge of lending and loan finance. We will consider nominations from members* and anyone with a particular interest in what we do.
For this particular recruitment we are just looking to fill the Chairperson role, or someone that is willing to develop into that role within a fairly short timeframe.
We would very much like to hear from women and individuals of Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic heritage or other minoritised groups, to help us further improve the equality and diversity of our board.
What is the commitment?
The board hold four hybrid meetings a year, during the day, we also hold an AGM in June and we typically have a two-day in person business planning/ strategy day. The Chairperson is also required to sit on sub- committees of the board and is a member of the lending credit committee for certain levels of lending. The Chairperson will also be expected to represent the organisation at various events and act as an Ambassador.
This is an unpaid role but all reasonable travel and out of pocket expenses will be reimbursed and it looks great on your CV!
To find out more, please read our Trustee Recruitment Pack containing more information about us and about the role here.
We are also happy to arrange informal one-to-one chats to talk through any questions or queries about the role. Contact us here and please also connect with us on Twitter @coop_finance Facebook @CoopCommFinance or Linked In.
To request a nomination/ application form please contact alain@coopfinance.coop directly. We will require you to complete a short application/ nomination form*, provide us with an up-to-date CV, and attend an online interview if shortlisted. We are also happy to accept video applications addressing the same application questions, if that’s easier for you, but please be advised that videos will be shared widely with ICOF members, if you are successful at interview.
Application deadline is midnight 1st May 2023 (we will contact you asap to tell you if you have been selected for interview)
Interviews will take place via Zoom week commencing 8th May 2023
Thank-you so much for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you.
* Members and Nominations
ICOF Ltd and its associated businesses have open membership and nomination enshrined in their legal make-up and any member can nominate themselves, or others, to be considered for board appointment at the AGM. This year, we are specifically looking to recruit a new Chairperson, and as such will be using a shortlisting and interview process, we are not intending general Trustee recruitment.
Any existing member can apply or nominate an individual, but we ask they do so through the process set out in the information above and in the Trustee Chairperson Recruitment Pack available. Please contact us if you have any questions.