Chair of Board of Trustees

Dancers’ Career Development (DCD) is seeking an exceptional, collaborative Chair of the Board of Trustees to lead our dynamic organisation through an exciting period of strategic growth and digital evolution.

As a vital national charity supporting professional dancers across all performance genres, DCD empowers artists to navigate major career transitions into fulfilling post-performance professions.

In this pivotal voluntary role, you will lead a dedicated, highly skilled Board of Trustees and work closely with our Executive Director to set strategic direction, enhance our governance and champion our mission.

We are seeking a strategic leader with prior charity board experience, strong advocacy and profile-raising skills. You will also have an expansive professional network to amplify our impact and reach.

If you share our passion for the performing arts and wish to make a lasting difference in dancers’ lives, we invite you to apply.

Who we are

Founded in 1973, Dancers’ Career Development is the UK’s leading national charity dedicated exclusively to the professional progression and transition of dancers. We support artists from every genre, including ballet, contemporary, hip hop, commercial, musical theatre and South Asian dance — at every career stage, from vocational training through to retirement.

With 80% of UK dancers working as freelancers, alongside employees in major Partner Companies like The Royal Ballet, Rambert and English National Ballet, DCD provides tailored, evidence-based support programmes.

Our holistic services include personal and career coaching, one-to-one consultations, mentoring, retraining grants, educational bursaries and specialised projects like SHIFT.

As an agile and dancer-led charity, we recognise dancers as unique, highly skilled individuals and ensure their voices shape every intervention we deliver within and beyond the cultural sector.

About the role

The role of Chair of the Board of Trustees is voluntary (unpaid). You will work closely with your fellow Trustees, the Executive Director and volunteers to set and deliver DCD’s strategic priorities and realise its charitable objectives as outlined in its Articles of Association:

1. The advancement in life of dance students which is achieved through, in particular but not exclusively, the provision of support, advice and assistance;
2. The relief of unemployment of professional dancers in such ways as the Trustees think fit including by the provision directly or indirectly of advice, coaching, vocational training and retraining;
3. To carry out such other legally charitable purposes for the benefit of such persons as aforesaid as the Trustees shall from time to time determine.

Dancers’ Career Development’s Trustees bring a wealth of diverse expertise and skills to the charity and are highly engaged in DCD’s work. You will lead those Trustees in overseeing the strategic direction of the charity. You will encourage fellow Trustees to engage both with general governance matters and with specific committees of the Board, or projects where their skills, knowledge and experience can add value to the work. You will advise and support the Executive Director in all aspects of their work, to ensure that DCD delivers high-quality services to the widest possible pool of dancers.

The Chair will demonstrate commitment to DCD’s core purpose and values, with an interest in career development within the performing arts sector. Working closely with DCD’s Executive Director and Trustees, you will champion our charitable work and help grow our network of supporters.

You will have a good understanding of the current challenges in the arts and cultural sector, and the wider economy, particularly relating to the impact on dance and dancers.

DCD’s existing partnerships with fellow UK and international dance organisations are an important way in which we widen our influence and increase our impact.  The Chair will utilise their network to advocate for dancers and raise the profile of DCD beyond its current supporters and stakeholders.