Board Chair job description.
A Board Chair leads an organization's board of directors, running meetings, guiding governance, and acting as the primary link between the board and executive leadership. Common in nonprofits, associations, and corporations, this is typically a volunteer or part-time position elected or appointed by fellow board members rather than a conventional salaried hire.
The Board Chair job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 8 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Board Chair Reports to: Accountable to the full Board of Directors and organizational stakeholders
A Board Chair leads an organization's board of directors, running meetings, guiding governance, and acting as the primary link between the board and executive leadership. Common in nonprofits, associations, and corporations, this is typically a volunteer or part-time position elected or appointed by fellow board members rather than a conventional salaried hire.
- Chair board meetings and set meeting agendas with the executive lead
- Guide board governance practices and committee structure
- Act as the primary liaison between the board and the CEO or Executive Director
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
8 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
4 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
5 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Accountable to the full Board of Directors and organizational stakeholders
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Chair board meetings and set meeting agendas with the executive lead
- Guide board governance practices and committee structure
- Act as the primary liaison between the board and the CEO or Executive Director
- Support recruitment, orientation, and evaluation of board members
- Represent the organization at key external and stakeholder events
- Oversee organizational strategy and risk oversight at the board level
- Ensure the board meets its fiduciary and legal responsibilities
- Support fundraising or partnership efforts where applicable
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Prior board service or senior leadership experience
- Strong meeting facilitation and consensus-building skills
- Understanding of nonprofit or corporate governance principles
- Willingness to commit volunteer time to board and committee work
- Prior experience chairing a board or committee
- Fundraising or major-donor network experience
- Industry expertise relevant to the organization's mission
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Board Chair job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Board Chair job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The executive band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Accountable to the full Board of Directors and organizational stakeholders) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- Is a Board Chair a paid position?
- Most board chair roles are unpaid or offer a small stipend, since board service is typically volunteer; check the organization's bylaws and applicable nonprofit regulations before setting compensation.
- How is a Board Chair selected?
- Board chairs are usually elected by a vote of the sitting board members, often for a fixed term, rather than hired through a traditional interview process.
Other documents in this neighbourhood.
Executive Director
An executive director leads the overall strategy, operations, and performance of an organization, often within the nonprofit or association sector.
Chief Executive Officer
The CEO sets and executes the company's strategy, is accountable to the board, and represents the organisation externally.
President
A President leads the overall direction, operations, and performance of an organization, working closely with the CEO or board to set strategy and drive execution across business units.
This Board Chair job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.