Community Energy England Chair of the Board

Born in Sheffield in 2014, Community Energy England (CEE) is a national organisation creating the conditions for local impact. It was founded by community energy practitioners to act as the voice of the sector and help put people at the heart of energy transformation. CEE’s ultimate goal is for community energy to grow in scale and impact. It is the only infrastructure organisation dedicated to representing and supporting the community energy sector in England, with a membership of over 330 community energy and associated organisations involved in the delivery of community-led projects and services.

Our Board of Directors plays a critical role in guiding our strategic direction, ensuring financial sustainability, and safeguarding our core mission and we are undertaking a process to recruit a new chair. The voluntary position is selected by the board and can be either an elected member of the board or co-opted. We are taking a structured approach to this recruitment to ensure the selection process is open, objective, and consistent.

We are seeking an exceptional person who brings a blend of strategic wisdom, passion, and collaborative spirit.

Time commitment The estimated time requirement for this post is 2 days per month, and will include a mix of meeting online and in-person. In addition, board members attend an annual strategy development day. The Chair is expected to attend monthly meetings and pre-board meetings with the CEO, chair quarterly CEE board meetings, attend occasional high-level meetings and events on behalf of CEE and maintain effective working relationships with the Chief Executive and board members. The term is for three years; the chair does not have to be an elected member of the board and may be co-opted.

Role Specification Leadership and Governance : Provide strategic leadership to the board, ensuring effective governance practices, ensuring the organisation adheres to company law (Companies Act 2026) and monitoring compliance with the Articles of Association, as well as overseeing the organisation’s adherence to its mission and values. Board Management : Create a collegial, productive environment for board members, Facilitating productive board meetings, setting agendas in collaboration with the Chief Executive, enabling robust discussion and ensuring that board decisions are made in a timely way and implemented effectively. Stakeholder Engagement : Represent the organisation at strategically important external events, building relationships with key stakeholders, including members, partners, funders, and policymakers. Strategic Planning : Collaborate with the board and executive team to develop and monitor the implementation of strategic plans, ensuring the organisation’s vision and mission are fulfilled. Support to Executive Team : Ensure effective governance of the organisation and delivery of its objectives by supporting, and where appropriate, constructively advising the Chief Executive to ensure effective governance and delivery of objectives. Undertake annual and mid-year reviews with the CEO, in line with CEE’s performance management processes. Board Development : Lead and support the CEO with the recruitment, and development of board members and appraise the performance of the Board on an annual basis.

Person Specification Experience of being a Chair/Board member within a non-profit making organisation Commitment to and experience of community energy projects; ideally, be a recognised expert in the field of community energy in order to assist in guiding the direction and being an external face of CEE Knowledge of relevant policy and regulatory issues for community energy Excellent communication skills, with proven experience in chairing and facilitating meetings, alongside strong engaging and consensus-building capabilities Confident in presenting at meetings and events and being an Ambassador for CEE Knowledge of CEE’s objectives and responsibilities

Any travel and reasonable expenses undertaken for work done on behalf of CEE are reimbursed. Subject to CEE’s finances being sufficiently robust, directors are offered annual remuneration, to allow participation for those who might otherwise not be able to take up the position.

Recruitment process timeline We are committed to a transparent, robust, and rigorous process to find our next Chair of the Board. Below is an overview of our recruitment timeline and what candidates can expect at each stage.

Phase 1: Applications & Initial Review 21 July: Deadline for Expressions of Interest. 22–23 July: Initial shortlisting of applications.

Phase 2: Conversations & Interviews 24 July – 14 August: Preliminary Discussions (via Google Meet): Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an informal introductory call with CEE’s CEO and a member of our board. This is an opportunity to discuss: Your motivation for becoming Chair. Your experience with governance and board leadership. Your connection to and understanding of community energy. Your vision for CEE and the role of the Board. Time commitment and availability.

17–21 August: Formal Interviews: A formal interview with members of the CEE board. Note: We have built flexibility into the timelines to accommodate candidate availability over summer holidays and we may extend phases accordingly. Please let us know if this is a concern or if you have any particular scheduling conflicts.

22 September (1:00-2:30pm): CEE AGM 25 September (1:00-3:00pm): Full CEE Board meeting: It is anticipated that the Chair-designate will attend.

If you have questions about the recruitment process, or would like to have an informal conversation with a member of the CEE team, or a current member of the board about the role, please email [email protected].