Rossie
Chair
Meeting held at Rossie Young People’s Trust, Montrose
Voluntary Position
Rossie is one of Scotland’s longest-established providers of children’s services and has been supporting vulnerable young people since 1857. Today, the organisation is one of only four secure care providers in Scotland, delivering residential care, secure care, education, health, and therapeutic support for young people with complex needs and experiences of trauma.
Located on the east coast of Scotland, Rossie operates at the intersection of care, education, justice, and public policy. Regulated by the Care Inspectorate, HMIe, and the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), the organisation provides highly specialised support for young people aged 10–18 within a safe, nurturing, and trauma-informed environment.
Rossie is committed to helping young people build resilience, improve wellbeing, and maximise their potential through integrated care, education, and therapeutic interventions tailored to individual needs. The organisation has earned multiple national awards and continues to invest in development, innovation, and service improvement, with a clear ambition to remain at the forefront of care provision in Scotland.
This is a significant period for Rossie and for the wider secure care sector. Legislative reform, evolving inspection frameworks, and changes to commissioning and funding structures are reshaping how services are delivered across Scotland. Rossie is exceptionally well placed to help shape that future, supported by a strong operational foundation, a clear sense of purpose, and a Board committed to providing effective strategic leadership and governance.
About the Role of Chair
Following five years in post, Rossie’s current Chair is retiring and, as part of a planned succession, the Board is seeking an experienced Chair to lead the organisation through its next phase.
Residential and secure care in Scotland is changing, driven by the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Act 2024, The Promise, evolving Care and Education Inspectorate standards and wider changes in public policy. This is an opportunity to lead a capable and committed Board through that change, ensuring effective governance, supporting the Executive Team and representing Rossie confidently with government, commissioners, regulators and partners.
The Person We’re Looking For
We are seeking an experienced Board Chair who understands the discipline of governance and the distinction between providing strategic oversight and managing the organisation.
Previous experience as a Chair of a sizable organisation is essential. This could be from a charity, public sector, regulated or commercial environment, although experience within the charity or wider public/regulated sector would be particularly relevant.
The successful candidate will have the judgement and presence to lead Board discussions, navigate different perspectives, support effective decision-making and provide constructive challenge to the Executive Team. They will be comfortable leading through periods of change and uncertainty, while maintaining a clear focus on Rossie’s purpose and the young people it supports.
You will likely have:
- Previous experience as a Chair of a sizable organisation or Board.
- A strong understanding of governance and the respective roles of the Chair, Board and Executive.
- Experience leading an organisation or Board through significant change.
- An understanding of the environment in which Rossie operates, ideally through experience in the charity, public, care, justice or wider regulated sectors.
- The confidence and credibility to represent an organisation with government, local authorities, regulators, funders and other key stakeholders.
- Strong judgement and the ability to manage Board dynamics, constructive challenge and succession.
- The ability to build trust, bring people together and guide the Board towards collective decisions.
Time Commitment
There are eight Board meetings per year, alongside an annual strategy day. Trustees are also expected to serve on at least one Board committee, with additional committee meetings held throughout the year.
The Chair will also have regular meetings with the CEO and Executive Team, and a visible presence at Rossie would be beneficial. The current Chair is regularly on site, approximately once a week, and the incoming Chair would be expected to develop a similar level of engagement with the organisation.
How to Apply:
Please email us at recruitment@brucetaitassociates.com to request an information pack, full job description and person specification.
Closing Date: Sunday 4th October
Interview Date: TBC
This search is being conducted exclusively for Rossie by BTA (Bruce Tait Associates). Our leadership team have all worked in the voluntary sector and we use this experience to match organisations and individuals to create great appointments.