Join our team
We are seeking a Chair of the Council of Trustees who has operated at the highest levels of leadership within a substantial charity, public body or customer-focused commercial organisation of comparable scale and complexity.
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for considering the role of Chair of the Council of Trustees at PDSA. This is a vitally important role, as our Trustee Council shapes the work of PDSA, which has a profound impact on the lives of people and pets across the UK. The leader of Council has the potential for significant impact on the work of the Charity.
At PDSA, we are the people’s vet. We are here to support the relief of poverty by offering free or low-cost treatment when owners can’t afford the full cost of their veterinary care and it has been doing so since 1917. With 45 PDSA Pet Hospitals, we treat 450,000 sick and injured pets every year. No other charity matches our scale or has the same impact on people and their pets at their time of need.
Our renowned PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report underscores our national presence and expertise, showcasing the significant difference we make daily. Yet, in our founder’s words, there is still so much we can do, should do, must do. Our ambition is to be present in every community where we are needed.
PDSA operates without any Government funding, relying solely on the generosity of public donations, legacies and our retail and trading operations to cover our £80 million annual service cost. Our focus is on being efficient and effective in all areas of our organisation so that we can maximise the donor’s pound.
Over the last four years, the organisation has refocused its strategy in order better to meet the needs of the people it serves. In doing so its structure has been streamlined, guiderails for income, expenditure and reserves have been created and the whole organisation is beginning to work to one ‘integrated business plan’, the progress of which is visible across the organisation cumulating at the level of Council. Thus, although PDSA is a charity having a very strong social purpose, the intention is that the organisation works in a highly business-like manner.
As Chair of PDSA’s Council, the successful candidate will ensure that our Trustees responsibility for overseeing, challenging, and guarding the development of the organisation financial and strategic plans which drive the work of the Charity is accomplished. While my focus has necessarily been on developing the capability of the organisation to deliver its purpose, the new Chair, while maintaining that work, will bring an additional external focus, helping to raise national awareness and support for a charity that has a significant impact on the cost of living for so many.
We welcome applications from individuals with a strong commitment to alleviating poverty and empathy with our clients. You’ll be a collaborative team leader with the ability to work effectively with others from diverse backgrounds and experiences. We particularly encourage applications from those with direct or indirect experience of financial hardship.
Alongside this, you must bring a strong personal motivation to make a key contribution to PDSA’s work and empathy with those we support.
If you are eager to make a real difference, we look forward to hearing from you.
Wishing you all the best in your application.
John Miller
Chair