Creative Access board chair and non-executive directors

Closing date for applications: Sunday 1 November 2026

Roles: Chair and up to three non-executive directors

Details: The role of non-executive director is a voluntary unpaid one. We are happy to pay travel expenses for those travelling from outside London and are committed to making meetings accessible for all trustees.

Time commitment: Approximately half a day per month, with some additional commitment for the chair
Interviews: Successful applicants will be invited to interview in November with a view to taking up the position by December 2026 or January 2027

Creative Access is looking for a Chair and up to three non-executive directors to join our board. Use your skills and networks to make a genuine difference to the challenges of diversity, inclusion and social mobility in the creative economy by working with a purpose-driven organisation, already driving sector wide impact today and with the opportunity to make a bigger impact as we grow and evolve.

This is a pivotal moment for Creative Access. As we approach our 15th anniversary, we're growing fast, delivering the Discover Creative Careers programme and building on more than a decade of work opening up the creative industries to people from under-represented backgrounds. We're now looking for a new Chair and up to three non-executive directors to help shape what comes next. We'd also welcome interest from candidates who'd like to be considered for the Deputy Chair role.

The organisation itself is evolving too. Alongside our established earned-income services and partnerships with employers across the creative economy, we are increasingly delivering large-scale, publicly funded programmes, including our role as a consortium partner to the new three-year Discover Creative Careers programme. This brings both significant opportunity and a new level of scale, partnership working and accountability. Our next Board will help us navigate that growth while maintaining strong financial stewardship, good governance and our focus on measurable social impact.

Successful candidates will want to be part of a team driven by a deep sense of social purpose, and will embrace the challenge of delivering both measurable social impact and long-term commercial/financial sustainability.

The board supports the strategic vision and leadership of Creative Access and makes sure we deliver on our mission. Non-executive directors are key ambassadors for Creative Access, promoting our work, championing best practice and contributing to the good governance of the organisation. We expect the role to take around half a day a month, with the Chair role requiring a little more.

The Chair
Our Chair will lead the board, work closely with our Chief Executive and help steer the organisation through its next phase of growth. We're looking for someone with experience of chairing a board or committee, or of operating at a senior level alongside one, who can build a cohesive, engaged board and offer both support and constructive challenge to the leadership team.

They will understand the distinction between governance and executive leadership, be comfortable leading a Board through organisational change, and build an effective, trusted relationship with the Chief Executive while ensuring appropriate scrutiny, challenge and collective accountability.

Skills and experience we're particularly keen to hear about

• Finance: financial oversight, audit and risk, ideally with a professional finance background
• Legal: legal and governance expertise to strengthen the board's oversight
• Creative technology, gaming, innovation and AI: experience at the intersection of creativity and technology, particularly in high-growth or emerging parts of the creative economy where Creative Access has an opportunity to extend its reach. This might include gaming, immersive and interactive media, creative technology or AI, and could include experience of how technology is reshaping skills, jobs and business models across the creative industries.
• Commercial expertise: experience of leading or advising organisations through market and organisational change
• Public funding and complex programme delivery: experience of overseeing significant publicly funded, grant-funded or commissioned programmes, including the governance, financial stewardship, partnerships and accountability that come with delivering at scale.
• Diversity, inclusion and social mobility: especially a perspective on how programmes need to evolve for today's environment

Person specification

You will be ambitious for Creative Access and share our commitment to increasing diversity, inclusion and social mobility across the creative economy. You will bring strategic judgement, constructive challenge and expertise that complements the existing Board, and understand the responsibilities that come with governing an organisation experiencing significant growth and change.

We are looking to build a Board with complementary experience and particularly welcome candidates who can bring depth in one or more of our priority areas. Namely:

• Experience of operating within a Board or in a senior leadership capacity in a charitable, public sector or commercial organisation
• Experience of sales, commercial growth/business development and of
• Building and sustaining relationships with key stakeholders and colleagues to achieve organisational objectives
• A proven track record of sound judgement and effective decision making
• A history of impartiality, fairness and the ability to respect confidences
• A track record of commitment to equality and diversity and to the organisation
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort, and to open your networks
• Good, independent judgement and strategic vision

For more information, please download our candidate information pack here: https://creativeaccess.org.uk/app/uploads/2026/10/board-recruitment-candidate-pack-2026.pdf

To apply

• In the interest of equity we are not offering individual chats prior to application.
• Please upload your CV and cover letter as one document (applications without a tailored cover letter will not be accepted). Please make sure you include in your covering letter responses to the following (no longer than two pages of A4):
  • Why do you wish to join our Board?
  • What skills and experience have you gained that will make you a good fit for this role?

Once submitted, you can no longer amend your application, so proof-read carefully.

Any queries, please contact Mel Rodrigues, CEO at Creative Access on mel@creativeaccess.org.uk

We welcome and encourage applications from candidates who are under-represented in the creative industries.