Cats Protection

Chair

Voluntary

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading cat welfare charity, working towards a society where every cat can live a healthy, happy life. Through a uniquely powerful combination of professional expertise and volunteer commitment, we help around 156,000 cats each year through our network of volunteer teams, centres, shops, advocacy work, and national services, supported by thousands of volunteers across the UK.

Approaching our centenary in 2027, Cats Protection is mid-way through an ambitious 10-year strategy. We have built a strong foundation, delivered a new brand, grown income and strengthened our financial resilience. Our Board is functioning well, governance and committee structures have been enhanced, and relationships with the executive team are constructive and effective. We are in a strong position, with a clear mission and significant momentum.

Now, we are seeking an impactful new Chair to succeed Kit Sturgess at the end of his term in 2027. This is a significant opportunity to lead the Board at a pivotal moment in the charity’s evolution: building on substantial progress to date while helping shape the organisation’s impact for the next decade and beyond.

You will bring strategic judgement, emotional intelligence, and strong governance leadership, with the ability to support and challenge in equal measure. Working closely with the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team, you will help create the conditions for strong decision-making, shared accountability, and constructive challenge across the organisation. You will understand that effective governance extends well beyond chairing meetings: it includes building trust, enabling collaboration, and sustaining organisational confidence through change.

This is a role of considerable scope and importance. Cats Protection is responding to a challenging fundraising environment, modernising systems and infrastructure, strengthening customer insight, and continuing to evolve its volunteer-led branch network into a more unified national organisation. A major CRM transformation programme is underway, and the charity is increasingly working further upstream towards prevention, education and influencing, while maintaining high standards of direct welfare delivery.

The next Chair will inherit an engaged, proactive, values-led Board that is increasingly strategic in outlook, and an organisation with the ambition not only to remain a trusted animal welfare provider, but to become one of the most effective and forward-looking charities in the UK voluntary sector.

You will bring senior executive and/or non-executive leadership experience in a complex organisation, with a track record of chairing boards, committees or governance structures carrying real accountability. You will understand the central role of volunteers in everything we do, be credible across a wide range of stakeholders, comfortable navigating complexity and change, and committed to inclusive, confident, and outward-facing governance. A genuine interest in animal welfare is key.

This is a rare opportunity to steward a respected national charity at a defining point in its history, helping ensure Cats Protection remains strong, sustainable, and impactful for its second century.

To find out more, please visit our microsite: https://micro.green-park.co.uk/cats-board/

For an informal conversation about the role or process please contact Paddy Pamment paddy.pamment@green-park.co.uk

Closing date: midnight on Sunday 31 May 2026.

Please submit your application using your personal email address to ensure you receive acknowledgement of receipt. Please note that, to ensure confidentiality, applications submitted from a work email address will not receive an acknowledgement.