Treasurer and Trustee

Trailblazers Mentoring  

Our services are designed to help young offenders (aged 18 to 35) transition from custody to independent living by providing tailored pathways to rebuilding their lives back in the community, significantly improving the lives of individuals, their families, and local communities. Critically, our support helps young people to break the cycle of re-offending and improves their chances of securing employment.

Our treasurer is leaving after 6 years in post, and we’re now seeking a new trustee. . As treasurer you will maintain an overview of the charity’s financial affairs, ensuring that effective and appropriate financial measures, controls, and procedures are in place, and reporting to the Board at regular intervals on financial matters. Full details of the role are provided below. 

We’re looking for candidates who share Trailblazer's vision that everyone should have a second chance in life, irrespective of the circumstances that led them to prison.  Our approach, values and ethos are centred on the individual needs of our mentees and is central to the services provided by our wonderful team of staff and volunteers.

You should have some understanding of the obligations and responsibilities of charity trustees; an accountancy qualification; be prepared to adopt a hands-on approach when needed; and exercise strong, independent judgement.

We welcome applications from candidates across the country. Travel into London will be required for some Board and finance meetings but most meetings are held remotely.  

We care deeply about equity, diversity, and inclusion, and encourage under-represented candidates to apply for this post, including those with lived experience of the criminal justice system, people of colour, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, women, and those with protected characteristics.  

You can find out more about our work on our website:or via LinkedIn: 

To apply, please submit a CV along with a short covering letter stating why you are interested in joining our Board and outlining your qualifications. Please submit via Charity Jobs by close on Friday 24th November 2023.

We look forward to receiving your application.

Carina Kemp, Chair; Tom Pauk, Deputy Chair

I  About Trailblazers Mentoring

Trailblazers support young offenders (aged 18 to 35) transition from custody to independent living by providing tailored pathways to rebuilding their lives back in the community, significantly improving the lives of individuals, their families, and local communities. Critically, our support helps young people to break the cycle of re-offending and improves their chances of securing employment.

We mentor c.140 young offenders annually, both in prison (6 to 9 months leading to their release) and for up to 12 months) in the community post-release. Our aims are to prevent re-offending and improve outcomes for mentees through intensive weekly, one-to-one mentoring sessions conducted by a large cohort of volunteer mentors. Mentoring is augmented with practical support to ensure the basics for re-settlement are in place at the time of a mentee’s release and in the early months post-release, a critical and challenging period for many. Our work encourages, educates, and inspires people who have been in custody to shape their own futures and achieve full, independent crime-free lives.

We run projects in four prisons: HMP Brixton and HMPYOI ISIS, London; HMP Brinsford and HMP Featherstone, West Midlands. Trailblazers has 9 full-time staff, 70 volunteer mentors, and established partnerships with funders, corporates, charities and government agencies. 

Trailblazers has a strong reputation for consistently high quality and personalised support. We’ve mentored around 3,500 young people since we were founded 25 years ago, achieving significantly reduced reoffending rates over that time: just 9% versus a national reoffending rate of 38.4% (MOJ, 2021) within two years of release.

II  Opportunity Description

Treasurer’s key responsibilities

The treasurer promotes prudent fiscal governance of the charity, ensuring that effective and appropriate financial measures, controls and procedures are in place; and advising generally on business strategy and the financial resources required to deliver our strategy.

Specific responsibilities include:

• Circulation to the Board of budgetary and financial information on the charity’s activities, including its Annual Accounts
• Overseeing preparation of accounts in the form required by funders and relevant statutory bodies
• Recommending appropriate accounting procedures, controls & policies
• Overseeing the appointment of accountants and review on a regular basis.

Appointment will be for an initial three-year term, extendable by up to three years.

Person Specification

• ·   Commitment to the vision, mission & objectives of Trailblazers
• ·   Understanding and acceptance of responsibilities of charity trustees
• ·  Qualified accountant
• ·  Computer literate;experience of small accounting systems an advantage
•    Pragmatic approach essential       
• · Ability to present financial information in layperson's terms
• · Ability to listen, communicate and influence.
• · Strategic vision and independent judgement
• · Respond to occasional queries from funders or staff.

III  How to Apply - please submit your CV and a short letter on:

• ·  why you are interested in the role
•    your skills and experience.

Please submit your application via Charity Jobs by close Friday 24th November 2023.

We arre happy to offer an informal discussion prior to applying.