London, UK
Chair of the board of trustees
at Design Council
Design council is seeking a chair of the board of trustees to join its team in London.
Welcome from the chief executive, Minnie Moll
Since joining Design Council on 1 March this year, I have spoken to many clients, stakeholders and opinion formers. I received so much positive feedback and strong support of Design Council. I also received some tough love that people that people feel our communication needs more focus and clarity around our role and the difference we make.
So it is with renewed clarity that we have recently announced our focus on Design for Planet and I’m excited about our next chapter.
The strategy is in place and is gaining traction. Design for Planet will be a powerful focus to promote the importance of design and how it shapes the world we live in. It’s also the chance to reconnect across all design sectors as we champion and support brilliant design.
There is great talent at Design Council and I have had the opportunity to bring in senior team members that share my vision and want to be part of this next chapter. In addition, our unique network of over 400 Design Council Experts brings incredible skills, reach and diversity.
We have bold ambition for the future and I have no doubt that it’s going to be challenging and stretching. The executive team and I will need strong partnership and support from our chair and trustees in order to achieve our aims.
I am optimistic that we can find a dynamic new chair who wants to be part of this, and like me, has belief in what Design Council can do if we focus our efforts on the biggest challenge of our lifetime. We need to redesign nearly every aspect of how we live our lives and to do that with some urgency. As the inspiring economist Kate Raworth said to me recently, ‘If you’re not designing for planet, what planet are you on?’.
Now that’s a rallying cry. And I hope it will inspire the right person to join us in the challenge.
Message from the Chair, Terry Tyrrell
I am privileged to have chaired Design Council for the past seven years and as my term is ending it is time, and indeed timely, for a new chair to work with trustees and management to guide the organisation towards a new and exciting future.
Over my time I have witnessed a transformation from an institution that is much loved, but misunderstood, to a modern progressive organisation that works to harness the power of design as a force for change to tackle the world’s major challenges. Our story of impact is well understood today and well documented.
Design Council is a great brand and great brands adapt to change to stay relevant and if ever there was a time for a design-led game-changer it is now.
Design is all around us, it impacts everything we do, it shapes our lives. Climate change is the greatest threat to humanity, perhaps ever. So it is our responsibility at Design Council to demonstrate how design can help reduce the impact of a world moving towards destruction to a world where design can galvanise a movement for regeneration. Design for Planet is the start of this movement.
If you are someone who is excited at the prospect of being part of this new era, then put yourself forward to help lead the way for a newly energised Design Council!
About Design Council
Design Council’s purpose is to make life better by design. And our new mission is to do that by focusing on Design for Planet. There can be no greater cause than fighting to save our precious planet.
Design for Planet will be a theme through all our work to create better places, better products and better processes, all of which lead to better performance. We commission pioneering evidence-based research, develop ground-breaking programmes and deliver influencing and policy work to demonstrate the power of design and how it impacts three key areas of the economy: business innovation, places and public services. We bring together designers and non-designers – from grassroots to government – and share with them our design expertise to transform the way they work.
Good design is inclusive design. We actively aim to employ a diverse workforce, and we have a commitment to do that (see our Black Lives Matter statement). We encourage conversations around flexibility in terms of location, hours and other arrangement so we can welcome people with different experiences, backgrounds and perspectives.
About the executive team
Design Council is a team of 40 people. As a small team with a massive remit, we work collaboratively within this structure:
Some highlights over the years include:
- 1946 – Britain Can Make It exhibition
- 1951 – Festival of Britain event attracted 8.5 million visitors
- 1959 to 2011 – Prince Philip Designer’s Prize – longest running UK design award
- 1964 – introduced national ‘Swingtag’ endorsement of quality
- 2000 – over 1,000 ‘Millennium Products’ showcased at Millennium Dome
- 2001 – Great Expectations UK Design Exhibition toured the world
- 2004 – created world famous Double Diamond design framework, still the most used design model globally
- 2011 – CABE (Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) merged into Design Council, bringing expertise in all aspects of place making
- 2012 – Designing Demand proved £1 invested in design delivered £20 turnover
- 2012 – Olympics design advice from infrastructure to Torch design
- 2015 – First Design Economy report highlighting value of design sector
- 2015-current – design in the public sector training programme with local government authority
- 2014-2019 – SPARK innovation fund helped 150 new designers to fast-track innovative products to market and raise over £1.8million investment
- 2017-2020 – Transform Ageing supported social enterprises to reach over 85,500 people and create 193 jobs in SW England
- 2021 – Designing London’s Recovery with Greater London Authority
- 2021 – Design for Planet Festival for COP26
How do we define design?
Design shapes the world. Every single thing around us has been designed by someone.
Design uses creativity to solve problems across many sectors including architecture, product, industrial, digital, service, graphic and systems. Design for social impact has proved how powerful design can be in creating a more equitable and inclusive world. And systemic design, in a fragile world, has the ability to address the most pressing and complex problems of our time.
Design is a critical enabler of innovation. If innovation is new ideas, then design turns ideas into action. It fills the gap between invention and application.
“Design is what links creativity and innovation. It shapes ideas to become practical and attractive propositions for users or customers.” Sir George Cox.
Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs.
“Design is everything. People often think about design in an artistic way, but absolutely everything involves design, from what kinds of houses we live in, to what kind of transport we use and how our food is packaged.” Kate Burningham, Reader in Sociology of the Environment, University of Surrey.
Design in numbers
1.69m people working in design economy, which generates £85.2bn annually, equivalent to 75% of the banking industry. 78,000 design firms, the majority of them small SMEs. 68% of designers work in non-design sectors. Source: Design Economy 2018
Where we fit
Design Council is the national strategic body for design and the only organisation overarching all design sectors, with a unique national network of over 400 Design Council Experts extending our expertise and reach. We are a charity with Royal Charter, respected for our independent voice, heritage and reputation.
We are a core part of the UK innovation ecosystem, often working in partnership with organisations such as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Innovate UK. We also fit in the Creative Industries sector, acknowledged as a UK economic powerhouse, with annual GVA of £115bn.
Design Council provides independent, strategic advice to Government departments, large infrastructure organisations, public institutions and bodies, and local and regional Government.
Current public sector clients include Network Rail, Homes England, Highways England, NHS, Local Government Authority, Greater London Authority and Sport England.
Our current government grant funding comes from BEIS.
The next chapter: Design for Planet
The biggest challenge of the day and indeed our era, is the climate crisis. And design has a critical role to play given we need to re-design nearly every aspect of how we live our lives. And to do that with some urgency. As the national strategic body for design, Design Council intends to focus all our efforts on Design for Planet – harnessing UK design and designers to help address the climate crisis and support government to meet net zero targets.
80% of the environmental impact of a new product is determined at the design stage. DOTT report, AT&T Technical Journal, Nov/Dec 1995
Terms of appointment
Trustees are appointed by an open recruitment process. Our Chair is appointed by Design Council’s Board of Trustees and is accountable to them. Therefore, the Chair can be appointed either internally from the existing Board or recruited externally.
Term
The charity’s chair (and board members) will serve a three-year term to be eligible for re-appointment for one additional term. A third term may be agreed in exceptional circumstances up to a maximum total of nine years.
In addition to chairing the main Board meetings, the Chair has the right to attend the sub-committees.
Remuneration
The role of the chair is unremunerated, although all reasonable expenses including travel may be claimed.
Time commitment
Trustees are asked to commit to six Board meetings a year (2.5 hours), and a full day strategy away-day. The chair would be expected to commit significantly more time estimated at around three days a month to cover extra duties such as meetings with the chief executive and trustees and planning and preparing for the board meetings.
Start date
The ideal start date will be 1 January 2022 and we would like to ensure there is a good handover period.
Location
Meetings will usually be held at Design Council’s offices or at another central London location. Meetings may occasionally be held at other locations, including outside London. Meetings during 2020 and 2021 were held virtually.
How to apply
Send your CV (at least 1 page, but no longer than 4 pages) and a covering letter (at least 1 page, no longer than 2 pages) to Ishbel Allotey, HR Manger at the following email address: [email protected]. The closing date for all applications to be received is 5 November 2021. Design Council is fully committed to being a diverse and inclusive organisation. We welcome applications from everyone who meets the criteria. If you need any additional support, please do send in an early alert to our email address above.
Equality and diversity
The Design Council is committed to providing equal opportunities for all. Applications are welcomed from all sections of the community. Public appointments are made on merit with independent assessments, openness and transparency of process.
Job description
Chair of trustees
The chair carries the same legal responsibilities as other trustees, but has additional responsibilities assigned by the board.
What does a chair of trustees do?
The chair will hold the board and executive team to account for the charity’s mission and vision, providing inclusive leadership to the board of trustees, ensuring that each trustee fulfils their duties and responsibilities. The chair is responsible for the ensuring that the charity has high standards of governance. The chair will also support, and, where appropriate, challenge the chief executive and ensure that the board functions as a unit and works closely with the entire executive team of the charity to achieve agreed objectives. The chair will act as an ambassador and the public face of the charity in partnership with the chief executive.
Strategic leadership
- provide strategic leadership to the charity and the board, ensuring that design council has maximum impact for its beneficiaries
- ensure that the board operates within its charitable objectives and provides a clear strategic direction for the charity
- ensure that trustees fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity
Governance
- ensure that the board of trustees is regularly refreshed and incorporates the right balance of skills, knowledge and experience needed to govern and lead the charity effectively and which also reflects the wider population
- lead an annual appraisal of the board of trustees. Ensure there is a process for developing the knowledge and capability of the board of trustees
- encourage positive change where appropriate and where appropriate address and resolve any conflict within the board
External relations
- be an ambassador for the Design Council promoting its ideas and strategies and work closely with the chief executive to build strategic alliances and networks
- act as a spokesperson for the organisation when appropriate and represent the charity at external meetings and events
- facilitate change and address any potential conflict with external stakeholders
Board effectiveness
- chair regular board meetings ensuring effective debate and collective decision-making
- ensure that trustees are fully engaged and that decisions are taken in the best, long-term interests of the charity
- foster, maintain and ensure that constructive relationships exist with and between trustees
- work closely with the chief executive to give direction to board activities and to ensure that the meetings are well-planned, meaningful and reflect the responsibilities of the trustees
- meet as appropriate with the deputy chair(s) and chairs of the board sub-committees
- relationship with the chief executive and wider management team
- lead the process of recruiting a new chief Executive should a vacancy arise
- establish and build a strong working relationship with the chief executive, ensuring that they are held to account for achieving agreed strategic objectives
- support the chief executive whilst respecting the boundaries which exist between the two roles
- ensure regular contact with the chief executive and maintain an open and supportive relationship within which each can speak openly about concerns, worries and challenges
- liaise with the chief executive to maintain an overview of the charity’s affairs, providing support as necessary
- conduct an annual appraisal and remuneration review for the chief executive in consultation with the stewardship committee and other trustees
- ensure that the chief executive has the opportunity for professional development and has the appropriate external professional support
Proposed timelines
Key dates and tasks
- w/c 11 October 2021 – advert post
- Friday 5 November 2021 – advert closes
- w/c 8 November 2021 – longlisting to 6
- w/e 12 November 2021 – applicants contacted
- w/c 15 November 2021 – stage 1 panel interview (shortlist to 3 max.)
- w/c 22 November 2021 – stage 2 meeting with chief executive
- w/c 29 November 2021 – stage 3 final panel interview
- w/c 29 November 2021 – stage 4 meeting exec team
- w/c 6 December 2021 – psychometric testing
- w/c 6 December 2021 – appointment made
- w/c 6 December 2021 – conduct feedback