Business Development Research Volunteer Volunteer Roles

For the past two years London Citizens Advice has worked as an immensely successful informal coalition. On 27 February 2024 the Boards of the 28 London Citizens Advice charities approved the decision to transfer to a legal entity including registration with regulatory bodies and the draft Articles of the new charity. We are excited about the future and are looking for an experienced and committed individual to join us as our first Chair of trustees.

The new charity will have up to twelve trustees. Five will be member trustees (one local citizens advice trustee for a London region), four independent trustees including the Chair and up to three co-opted trustees. We are currently recruiting the Chair of the Board.

What is London Citizens Advice

London Citizens Advice is a membership consortium of 28 Citizens Advice charities delivering advice services across London. Each of our members is a member of the national Citizens Advice network of around 250 charities. When we become legally constituted, we will be a consortium member of the Citizens Advice network. London Citizens Advice exists to support and develop the work of local Citizens Advice, through adopting the following aims:

• Share, promote and assure best practice to build consistency and quality of the Citizens Advice Service
• Manage specified contracts on behalf of external partners in conjunction with agreed participating members.
• Identify and develop partnerships to pursue new sources of funding in London.
• Highlight the impact of, and influence responses to, social welfare issues by lobbying at a London and regional level

Overview of the role

The role of the Chair is to provide leadership and direction to London Citizens Advice board of trustees, enabling the board to fulfil its responsibilities for the overall governance and strategic direction of the organisation. 

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is looking for three members of the Commercial and Partnerships Advisory Committee.

The Commercial and Partnerships Advisory Committee is to provide guidance and make recommendations to the Council or Executive Board on matters pertaining to commercial and partnership opportunities and activity, approach to safeguards and controls for partnership working, and advises them on commercial strategies and performance. The RSPB strategy recognises the importance of partnership in order to maximise the impact it can have. Similarly, commercial activities are key opportunities for the RSPB as we seek to grow and diversify our income.

In addition to making an important contribution to the work of the RSPB, through shaping its strategy and direction and influencing key decisions affecting its delivery of conservation outcomes, participating in an advisory committee can provide excellent networking opportunities, an opportunity to acquire practical experience of committee functions, decision-making process and further development of leadership skills, knowledge, and experience.

About you

We are looking for individuals with relevant experience to join our committees to provide independent, objective, challenging advice to support the Executive Board and Trustees in developing, shaping and implementing of RSPB strategies.

Essential skills, knowledge, and experience across one or more of the following areas:

1. Experience in building successful partnerships to further impact and setting common goals and outcomes.

2. Experience in developing and implementing commercial strategies that identify new income opportunities that help diversity the existing portfolio.

3. Experience in dealing with innovative financial products and how to take them to market.

4. Some prior involvement in the not-for-profit sector would be an advantage but not a requirement.

5. Leadership in setting up monitoring systems and KPIs for determining the effectiveness and success of these partnerships and commercial income stream.

Applications for this role closes 10th May.

We are looking for a team player, who is able to support our board to grow the charity over the next few years. Our aim is to break down barriers which prevent people accessing the arts – as well as enriching our community with our workshops, community events and gallery space. We are a passionate and dedicated team in need of support embedding new procedures, strategies and development plans to help the charity grow. We welcome hand-on trustees who wish to come and help at workshops and events, but this is not expected or a requirement of the role.

If you have a background in any of the following it would be very useful for our board: charity experience, marketing and communications, human resources, inclusion and diversity and/or finance. Previous trustee experience is not necessary and we are actively seeking applications from all ages and backgrounds. Having a board with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences will enable SCIP to improve decision making to be more inclusive whilst having better understandings of potential barriers people have experience accessing arts.  SCIP are focused on working with people who share our vision and values.

The CJA works with members to improve policy and practice in different parts of the criminal justice system, from advocating for community scrutiny of policing to calling for better employment opportunities for people leaving prison; from setting out how probation can be strengthened to advocating for greater rights for victims, and more.

We are looking for a dynamic Chair who can provide strategic direction to the CJA. The Chair is responsible for leading the Board of Trustees, ensuring that it fulfills its responsibilities for the governance of the organisation. The Chair’s role is also to work in partnership with the Director, helping them achieve the aims of the organisation and to optimise the relationship between the Board and staff. 

Opportunity to Shape the Future: Join Abbey Multi Academy Trust as a Trustee

Are you passionate about education and committed to making a difference in the lives of young people? Abbey Multi Academy Trust is seeking dedicated individuals to join our board of Trustees and work with us to inspire learners and change their lives as a result of our educational provision.

About Abbey Multi Academy Trust: Abbey MAT is a Church of England Trust within the Anglican Diocese of Leeds that currently consists of eight schools. We are committed to our Trust vision to work in partnership to educate, nurture and empower our students and our employees so that everyone can flourish and live ‘life in all its fullness’ (John 10:10). We strive to create an environment that is welcoming, caring, disciplined, and purposeful, ensuring every student has the opportunity to achieve their highest potential.

What We're Looking For: We are seeking individuals who can offer positive challenge to our leadership team, helping us to achieve our strategic objectives. Whether you come from the private, charity, or public sector, if you have experience at a senior management level, we want to hear from you. We would be particularly interested to hear from individuals with a background in strategic educational leadership.

Key Responsibilities: As a Trustee, you will play a crucial role in shaping the strategic direction of our Trust. Responsibilities include ensuring clarity of vision, holding executive leaders to account, and contributing to financial planning for sustainability and growth. Our board meets once every half term (6 times a year), with additional opportunities to serve on our specialised sub-committees.

Benefits of Being a Trustee: Being a Trustee is a rewarding form of voluntary work where you can make a tangible difference in your local community. You'll have the chance to bring new ideas and perspectives to the table, helping us to continuously improve and innovate.

Who Can Apply: Candidates will ideally have experience at a senior manager/director level and live within a reasonable distance of the Trust or have a strong link to the region. You must be willing to support the Trust’s Christian ethos as well as our shared mission and values. We value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Abbey MAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All Trustees are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

If you are ready to contribute to the success of our academies and share our commitment to excellence in education, we encourage you to apply. 

Abbey Multi Academy Trust – In partnership to educate, nurture and empower.

Demelza Charity is seeking high calibre individuals to join our team of Trustees.
 
Demelza is an inclusive organisation, and we are committed to building a representative workplace, ensuring that we reflect the diversity of the children, families, and communities we support.
 
We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for positions at Demelza and we celebrate the value of difference.
 
You do not need previous Trustee experience.  We offer comprehensive training and we pay all out of pocket expenses. Time commitment is up to 2 days every 3 months, broken down into meetings of around 2 hours and reading papers beforehand.  All dates are given one year in advance.
 
This year we have added targeting to our general trustee recruitment by looking for talented individuals with expertise in the following specific areas, to support our vital work in providing expert palliative and end of life care to babies, children and young people and support to their families. 
 
•        Do you have senior nursing expertise at board level or equivalent, with oversight for 
        clinical governance/quality.  You will support delivery of the clinical strategy with the 
        highest quality and user experience.  You will have excellent safeguarding expertise.
 
•        Medical expertise to strengthen the clinical strategy delivery and support a multi 
        disciplinary approach.  Your expertise might come from any relevant medical discipline – 
        eg paediatrician, critical care, any area of acute medicine.
 
•        Are you a senior experienced retailer, familiar with all aspects of maximising profitability 
        and positive customer experience.  You will help us to maximise the financial, 
        reputational and PR opportunities of our suite of retail outlets and optimise the model to 
        support growth.
 
•        We seek professional fundraising expertise for an income stream in excess of several 
        £million.  You will support the broad portfolio to strengthen and sustain the Charity for 
        the future.
 
•        Communications expertise to help us deliver a concise message to all our stakeholders.
        You will have previous senior level experience of delivering key messages and developing 
        a tone of voice that is inclusive and compelling to all involved with Demelza.
 
You may have other valuable skills.
 
Closing date 26th May 2024, interviews to follow.

Would you like the opportunity to join the Board of a housing association whose purpose is to work with a co-operative ethos to help people & their communities to flourish? 

Co-op Homes (CHS) is a housing association which owns some 300 properties across London and the South East. We're also a managing agent for 30 other community housing organisations and housing co-ops, providing services to over 2,000 residents. Our unique proposition lies in our ability to provide expert housing management services to housing co-operatives and other small, resident-led housing organisations, enabling them to maintain their autonomy.

Board member opportunities

CHS is governed by a Board of Management made up of paid members who meet regularly throughout the year to direct policy and make major decisions on housing matters. The Board is also responsible for ensuring that we are managed efficiently, effectively and in line with the requirements of the law, regulatory bodies, best practice and value for money.

We have an active Board, currently made up of five members, bringing a variety of skills and backgrounds. Our Chair has been in the role since 2021 and we appointed a new Managing Director within the last year.

We are now looking to recruit two new board members. One who can bring strategic finance expertise and another with building asset management experience.

• Strategic finance: As a provider, we offer a unique set of services that have particular challenges. We are looking for an experienced senior finance professional to help us balance the risks and benefits involved in relation to our portfolio and scrutinise our finances strategically for the longer term. 
• Building asset management: We are looking for expertise in property management. This will include repairs and maintenance, health and safety legislation and regulations, strategic asset management and decarbonisation.

We would very much welcome applications from people who combine relevant expertise with lived experience of social housing or experience of living in a housing co-operative, as we know you would bring a unique insight to the role. For the same reason we would also welcome applications from minority groups. 

As a board member at CHS, you’ll have the satisfaction of joining a dynamic organisation passionate about making a lasting difference to lives and communities. We are looking for people who share our vision and values. Previous board experience is not required.

How to apply

Eastside People is supporting Co-op Homes in the recruitment for this role. Please apply by submitting your CV and a cover letter, which should indicate why you are interested in applying for a Board member role and how you meet the role requirements.

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential. Please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can make the application process work for you.

The closing date for applications is Friday, 24 May. Online shortlisting interviews will take place the next couple of weeks. Face-to-face interviews with the recruitment panel at CHS will take place on Thursday, 13 June 2024.

The Survivors Trust is keen to find someone with a finance background to join our active and highly motivated Trustee Board.We really welcome the insight and drive that survivors can bring to our work and are keen to promote diversity on the Board.

The Survivors Trust is a national membership organisation for specialist voluntary sector rape and sexual abuse support services in the UK and Ireland.  We have 120+ member agencies who are all independent charities providing a range of counselling, support and advocacy services for women, men, children and young people, partners and family members who have been affected by sexual violence of any kind at any time in their lives.

The impact of sexual violence of any form, whether experienced as an adult or as a child, can be devastating and can last a lifetime. Survivors may experience a wide range of physical and mental health problems as a result of being sexually violated, affecting every aspect of their health, lives, relationships, education and work.  We aim to raise awareness of the support survivors need and the work of our Member Agencies in providing this crucial help.

TST is in the unique position of having member agencies that are working with all victims and survivors of sexual violence and sexual abuse.  We are well aware of the issues facing organisations that are delivering trauma informed services and can support them and policy makers and commissioners to understand how services need to be developed and provided.  TST is an independent inspection body for our UKAS accredited service standards for specialist sexual violence organisations.

We provide an accredited Diploma for Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) and CPD accredited workshops.  We have also established a quality mark for educational establishments and corporate organisations, our Trauma Informed Educator and Trauma Informed Employer Quality Marks (TIE).

The right candidate will need to make a pesonal commitment to our work and to support our vision and values with compassion and empathy.  They will need to be willing to work with the other Trustees, the Chief Executive and staff team, acting as an ambassador for TST and helping to support our collaboration with partners and secure funds to deliver our objectives.

Our Trustees are a team of volunteers who use their diverse skills, experience, and perspectives to set the strategic direction of the charity and make sure it’s doing what it was set up to do in the best possible way. 

For families facing tough times, a holiday is a much-needed break from the day to day, as well as giving space and time to breathe, think differently. A holiday is essential for building wellbeing and hope for the future, especially when the present is challenging.

About you

You'll have the energy, integrity, passion, and skills to work with the Board of Trustees, our CEO and staff team, and our community, to drive forward a successful and dynamic future for our charity and the families we support.

We’re particularly looking to add the following professional skills and experiences to our team.

• Developing digital products, tools and/or services.
• Directly supporting children and/or families on an ongoing professional basis.
• Fundraising in a charity through voluntary donations or commercial income.

You don’t need to have been a Trustee before, but you do need to be willing to do some training to help you understand the role and the responsibilities that come with it.

We actively encourage applications from under-represented, marginalised and racialised groups, and those with lived experience of any of the barriers families face to having time away together. That’s things like mental or physical ill health, disability, domestic abuse, being a young carer or living on a low income.

We will make adjustments to our schedule and processes to ensure new trustees can be included and supported in the role.

More diverse perspectives on our Board help us make better decisions for families.

What we offer you

The biggest thing we have to offer is the chance to put your skills and experience to good use making the lives of families who are having a tough time better.

You’ll join a team who really care about making a difference and approach it with real openness and drive. Right off the bat we’ll connect you with the other Trustees and staff so you can get to know everyone, and we’ll buddy you up with another Trustee, so you’ve got someone to help you navigate it all as you settle in.

Expenses

You won’t get paid for your time, but we’ll make sure you aren’t out of pocket by covering the cost of your travel to meetings, childcare or other care if you need it, and a range of other expenses you might have while doing the role. We’ll book and/or pay for these in advance if you prefer.

How to apply

When you click 'Quick Apply' you'll find a link to upload your CV and answer a couple of screening questions.

We will make adjustments to the recruitment process wherever possible to ensure that no applicant is disadvantaged for any reason. 

• Monday 20th May - Applications close at 9am
• w/c 3rd June and w/c 10th June  -  First interviews with a panel of current trustees 
• w/c 17th June - Second interviews with Jackie our Vice Chair of Trustees

After the interviews we’ll contact anyone we’d like to join the Board with an offer subject to references and checks.

If you accept, we’ll take up your references, do a DBS check and confirm your eligibility to act as a Trustee. If that’s all ok, you’re in! We’ll introduce you to the rest of the Trustees and get started with your induction.

Formal appointment happens at the next Board meeting which is on Thursday 5th August.

We are hiring! Trustee vacancy

• Time Commitment: typically, 4 hours per month, for a term of 3 years (initial 12-month period)
• Location: Board meetings are held 4 times per year, and we work to find times that are accessible for Board members, which could include evenings and weekends. We meet twice a year in person in Oxford, and twice a year via Teams
• Renumeration: this is a voluntary role and reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed

About Us

An independent charity, The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare (CSH) has been leading efforts to incorporate the values of environmental sustainability into the health sector since its establishment in 2008. Our work is underpinned by CSH’s Principles of Sustainable Clinical Practice: prevention; patient empowerment; lean care systems; low carbon alternatives.   

CSH has a particular focus on:    

• engaging those on the front line of patient care and promoting the concept of ‘sustainable clinical practice’ 
• enabling the use of the natural environment at NHS settings to be used as ‘nature-based solutions’ in healthcare.    

As a trustee of our charity, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in shaping our organisation's future direction. The Board culture is friendly and lively, with an openness to creative ideas and input. There is a focus on core mission and values to inform decision making processes.  The meetings will be focused, effective and inspiring, and led in line with CSH’s overarching aim to transform healthcare for a sustainable future.  The Board values diversity and welcomes applicants from a range of backgrounds.  

About You

We particularly welcome new trustees who could bring skills and experience in financial management or legal and IP transfer. Though please do not be put off from applying if you do not have any of these skills or if you have never been a Trustee before.

How To Apply

For an informal conversation about the opportunity, please contact us. 

To apply, please send an up-to-date CV (or Linkedin profile) and simple covering letter answering two questions:

• why you’re interested in supporting CSH
• what you hope to bring to the Board

Or if you prefer to record your cover letter, verbally or with video, that’s also welcomed. Please contact us if you have any other accessibility needs or if you would like help with applying.