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Overview of the Role

The Chair’s role is central to ensuring that we discharge our statutory responsibilities effectively, transparently and proportionately — while continuing to earn the confidence of registrants, service users, the wider public, Parliament and the Professional Standards Authority.

This role is highly visible, requiring gravitas, judgement and the ability to balance challenge and support at Board level.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Providing strong and inclusive non-executive leadership, and encourage open and pro-active accountability to the public and the professions;
  • Chairing meetings of Council and uphold public interest in all that the HCPC undertakes;
  • Monitoring and developing Council members’ performance, providing support as necessary;
  • Developing and maintaining constructive collaboration, networking and consultation with key stakeholders, and others when required;
  • Managing the Council’s Chief Executive so as to secure effective oversight of the development and achievement of the Council’s strategic, policy and operational objectives and compliance with its statutory responsibilities;
  • Representing the HCPC externally with credibility and independence;
  • Acting as an ambassador for the Council, inspiring confidence in the organisation and representing the interests of statutory regulation to outside bodies.

Competencies of the Chair

Competency 1. Proven ability to chair and lead a complex and high profile organisation

  • Substantial chairing/board level leadership experience in an organisation of equivalent complexity, and/or profile, size and scale of delivery.
  • Proven ability to lead an organisation through change and uncertainty.
  • Proven ability to lead the Council in the setting and delivery of strategy and long term vision and in delivering its public protection role, responding effectively to changes in the external environment across the four nations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
  • Experience or appreciation of the important considerations of transforming into a Unitary Board.
  • Proven ability to chair meetings effectively, ensuring agendas are effective, facilitating strategic discussion, and bringing together the diverse perspectives and experiences of other Board members to reach clear, collective decisions which deliver organisational objectives.
  • Experience of corporate and senior executive performance management and service delivery in a public sector or regulated environment. Working with, and managing the Chief Executive with an understanding of the respective roles of the Chair and Chief Executive and Registrar.
  • Ability to support and monitor members’ performance to develop their capacity and capability.

Competency 2. Ability to command the respect of HCPC’s stakeholders

  • Outstanding interpersonal and stakeholder management skills with a proven record of building effective and positive strategic relationships, so as to command credibility, confidence and support of a wide and complex range of interested parties at national and international level and ability to navigate a complex political environment.
  • Act as an ambassador for the HCPC.

The Chair must also be able to address the competencies required of all Council Members:

Competency 3. Capacity and skill to understand the priorities of HCPC stakeholders

  • A demonstrable commitment to public protection and supporting confidence in public services.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the diversity inherent in the work of the HCPC and differing priorities and viewpoints of our stakeholder groups.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the wider health, social, political, and educational landscape in which regulation sits.

Competency 4. Ability to contribute to strategic direction and deliver organisational change

  • Understands the relationship between the purpose and values of an organisation and its strategic direction.
  • Knowledge and experience of strategic planning and delivery.
  • Experience of contributing to the achievement of objectives within time and resource constraints and effectively managing risk.

Competency 5. Ability to explore accountability of self and others

  • Ability to lead by example and by demonstrating the HCPC’s values.
  • Understands of the role and importance of good governance in public bodies.
  • Ability to hold others to account through constructive and positive challenge to help achieve the best outcomes for the organisation.

Competency 6. Demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

  • Able to explore and work with values of being fair, compassionate and inclusive and what these might mean in a regulatory setting.
  • Demonstrates cultural intelligence and is committed to meaningful participation of all groups.
  • Awareness that equality and diversity issues are of key importance throughout any organisation and that unconscious biases may negatively impact others.

Competency 7. Ability to listen and communicate effectively

  • Good communication skills and the ability to put views across clearly, persuasively and sensitively in the most appropriate style for the intended audience.
  • Ability to inspire confidence and support amongst HCPC stakeholders including service-users, patients and members of the public.
  • Awareness of, respect for and acceptance, of diverse views.

Competency 8. Ability to work effectively as part of a team

  • Ability to take a constructive and active part in group discussions and decision making.
  • Understanding and ability to uphold the boundaries between the executive and non-executive role, whilst being able to effectively work with the Executive to achieve the HCPC’s aims.
  • Ability to build and maintain effective and positive relationships at all levels.
Continue to Terms of Appointment