8 Academic director volunteer roles

What we do

Respair Therapy C.I.C. began in 2023 with a simple belief: dance belongs to everybody, and every body. Like many of the people we work with, Respair does not fit neatly into one box. Our work exists on a spectrum, from the gloriously frivolous to the deeply serious.

At one end, we hire out silent disco equipment so that people can turn their living room, kitchen or garden into a dancefloor. We create joyful events where people can put on a pair of headphones, choose their music and dance together without worrying about what they look like. Income from silent disco hire goes back into Respair, so a party in someone’s garden can help another person access psychological support.

At the other end is Dance Movement Psychotherapy, or DMP. This is not a dance class or an informal wellbeing activity. It is a recognised form of psychotherapy in which movement, the body and the relationship between client and therapist are central to the clinical work.

In the UK, Dance Movement Psychotherapists complete postgraduate training at Master’s degree level, including clinical placements, personal therapy, supervised practice and academic research. Qualified practitioners register with the Association for Dance Movement Psychotherapy UK and work to professional and ethical standards. DMP is used within NHS services, as well as in schools, mental health services, social care, charities and private practice. It is serious clinical work that can support people experiencing trauma, abuse, anxiety, depression, loss, relationship difficulties and other forms of psychological distress.

Between these two ends are projects such as Babe Club, our silent disco for parents, carers and babies; therapeutic movement in schools; and work with neurodivergent people, adults with learning disabilities and people living with dementia.

Our work is inclusive, trauma informed and anti oppressive. Whether we are helping somebody throw a brilliant party or supporting a person through specialist psychotherapy, we are creating more opportunities for people of different ages, backgrounds and abilities to experience movement, connection and psychological support.

How do we what we do

Respair is run by a Founding Director and team of Supporting Directors who volunteer their time. The Founding Director is also the Lead Psychotherapist and Facilitator. We meet quarterly to discuss the finance, legal and compliance aspects of the work. We have an accountant and a book keeper and we use Quickbooks to keep everything in one place. We apply for funding from local and national funding bodies. We have been successful in securing over £24,000 in restricted funds, and we have plans to apply for more. 

What we need

Respair is a creative and responsive organisation, so new ideas and opportunities can appear quickly. We need a Finance Director who can help us pause, understand the numbers and decide what is realistic.

The right person will be financially experienced, practical and approachable. They will look beyond whether the figures add up to help us understand what they mean, ask difficult questions and give clear advice.

Essential skills and qualities

The successful candidate will:

• Have substantial experience using QuickBooks.
• Have experience working with a charity, Community Interest Company, social enterprise or other small mission driven organisation.
• Understand restricted grants, funder budgets and financial reporting.
• Be able to prepare and interpret annual budgets, project budgets, cash flow forecasts and management accounts.
• Compare actual income and expenditure against agreed budgets, identify significant differences and recommend action.
• Assess the financial impact of new projects, contracts, staffing decisions and significant purchases.
• Develop proportionate financial policies and controls, including reserves policies and spending limits.
• Read annual accounts and ask sensible questions before they are approved.
• Explain financial information clearly to people without a finance background.
• Give honest, independent advice and offer thoughtful challenge, including when the Managing Director or Board may have hoped for a different answer.
• Be trustworthy, reliable and able to handle sensitive information confidentially.
• Support Respair’s commitment to inclusion, fairness and accessible mental health support.

The Finance Director will work closely with Debbie, our Founding Director, so a warm, straightforward and respectful working relationship will be important.

Desirable skills and qualities

It would be helpful if the candidate also has:

• A recognised finance qualification, such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or AAT.
• Previous experience as a finance director, treasurer or board member.
• Knowledge of payroll, PAYE, pensions, Corporation Tax and Companies House reporting.
• Experience working constructively with bookkeepers and external accountants.
• An interest in mental health, therapy, community work or the creative arts.

We do not expect one person to know every answer. We do expect them to recognise the limits of their knowledge, ask questions and seek specialist advice when needed. A sense of humour and an understanding of the slightly unpredictable nature of a small, growing organisation would also be very welcome.

The opportunity

The Finance and Audit Committee (FAC) provides BIICL’s Board of Trustees with oversight and assurance on our finances, controls, investments, and audit. We're looking for a chartered accountant or senior finance leader to chair the Committee and join our Board of Trustees at a pivotal moment: a new Director and CEO, a new Director of Operations in post, and a new strategy launching in 2027. You'll bring real technical credibility and the judgement to translate financial detail into confidence for a Board whose backgrounds are mostly legal and academic. In return, you'll help shape the next chapter of one of the world's most respected independent legal institutes.

The current Chair’s term ends in December 2026. We are seeking a successor to join in October, allowing time for handover and induction ahead of the November FAC meeting and the December Board meeting.

Purpose of the role

The Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee provides strategic, non-executive financial oversight rather than day-to-day accounting.

As a trustee, you hold joint legal and fiduciary responsibility for the charity’s overall governance, strategic direction and financial health.

As Committee Chair, you will act as a trusted advisor and critical friend to the Director and Chief Executive and the Director of Operations, ensuring that BIICL’s income is robustly governed, financial risks are mitigated, and resources are deployed optimally to deliver maximum social impact. BIICL outsources financial management to a specialist non-profit accountancy firm, overseen internally by the Director of Operations; you’ll evaluate how well that arrangement is working and recommend change if needed. 

Key responsibilities

Strategic financial oversight

· Budgetary scrutiny: oversee the annual £2.5m operational budget and financial forecasts provided by the executive team.

· Performance monitoring: review quarterly management accounts, analysing variances, cash flow health, and performance against key performance indicators (KPIs).

· Reserves management: champion the regular review of a robust Reserves Policy to safeguard the charity against sudden funding fluctuations.

· Investment assets: oversee the performance of the charity’s cash reserves and any investment portfolios, ensuring alignment with ethical investment strategies.

Audit, risk and internal controls

· Statutory reporting: lead the FAC in reviewing the Annual Report and Accounts, ensuring compliance with Charity SORP FRS102 and statutory filing deadlines.

· External audit: manage the relationship with the External Auditor, leading on the tender process and reviewing the post-audit management letter.

· Risk mitigation: oversee the financial section of the organisation’s risk register, ensuring internal controls are sufficient to prevent fraud and compliance failures across complex funding streams, and ensure FAC oversight of the wider Risk Register.

· Fiscal compliance: monitor compliance with complex tax regimes relevant to this scale, including VAT, Gift Aid, and trading subsidiary operations (as applicable).

Committee leadership and Board reporting

· Meeting governance: set the agenda and chair quarterly FAC meetings, fostering an environment of collaboration, constructive, and high-quality challenge.

· Board communication: report clearly to the full Board of Trustees, translating complex financial positions into strategic insights for non-financial board members.

Statutory trustee duties

· Legal compliance: ensure the charity complies with charity law, company law, and all other relevant legislation or regulation.

· Strategic direction: contribute actively to the Board of Trustees in setting the charity’s overarching vision, mission, values, and strategic goals.

· Asset protection: act as a responsible custodian of the charity’s assets, ensuring funds are spent solely in furtherance of its charitable objectives.

· Effective governance: attend and actively participate in full quarterly Board meetings, the Annual General Meeting (AGM), and strategic away days.

· Collective decision-making: maintain the principle of collective board responsibility, upholding and supporting decisions made by the wider board.

Legal and regulatory frameworks

The postholder is required to understand, uphold, and apply the following core regulatory frameworks:

· The 6 Essential Trustee Duties (Charity Commission Guidance CC3): You share collective legal liability to ensure the charity carries out its purpose for the public benefit, complies with its governing document, acts in the charity's best interests, manages resources responsibly, acts with reasonable care and skill, and remains fully accountable.

· Financial Reporting Standards 102 and the Charities SORP: Because our annual income exceeds £250,000, the accounts must be compiled under the Statement of Recommended Practice (Charities SORP), transparently separating restricted, unrestricted, and designated funds.

· The Charity Governance Code: Our Board intends to benchmark itself against this code. You will directly champion Principle 5 (Board Effectiveness) and Principle 6 (Risk and Control) to ensure internal controls are regularly evaluated.

Person specification

Experience and qualifications

· Financial qualification: chartered status (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) is essential.

· Senior leadership: proven experience operating as a CFO, Finance Director, or partner in a professional services practice in an organisation of similar or larger scale.

· Sector expertise: strong working knowledge of Charity SORP, restricted and unrestricted funding, and UK charity law is highly desirable.

· Governance background: previous experience as a trustee, non-executive director, or committee member is advantageous.  

Core skills and attributes

· Strategic clarity: ability to look past the numbers to see systematic risks and strategic opportunities.  

· Collaborative challenge: ability to robustly hold senior staff and third-party advisors to account while maintaining a supportive, professional working relationship.

· Communication: ability to explain intricate financial matters plainly to non-financial audiences.

· Commitment to the cause: a demonstrable passion for the charity’s core mission and alignment with its values. 

Terms of appointment

Term:

Trustee appointments are for a three-year term, renewable for a maximum of two consecutive terms.

Time commitment:

Trustees are required to commit approximately 8-10 days per year. There are four board meetings, four FAC meetings per year, a strategy day, plus approx. 2-3 hours per month for executive consultation. 

Location:

London/Hybrid – FAC meetings usually take place online; Board meetings and strategic away days are in-person, usually at our London office.

Remuneration:

This is a voluntary role and is not accompanied by any financial remuneration; however, all reasonable travel and out-of-pocket expenses are reimbursed.

Reporting to:

Board of Trustees / Chair of the Board

How to apply

To apply formally, please submit a CV and supporting statement, each no more than two sides of A4, clearly outlining your suitability for the role against the criteria in the person specification and your motivation for applying.

Please include your home address, contact email, and mobile number.

We aim to acknowledge receipt within 2-3 days.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We expect to interview candidates from mid-September with a view to appointing by the end of October.

For further information about the role or to arrange an informal discussion, please contact Tom Asher, Director of Operations

Join Seen Sisters as a Non-executive Director! 

Help us fund joyful, inclusive spaces for solo women with invisible disabilities. After a successful pilot, we have a goal to secure sustainable income generation and multi-year funding as we expand our grassroots mission. 

Could you be the person to support our community?

This is a voluntary role for now, but we're actively seeking funding and would be happy to explore including your role in future bids.

We are looking for someone with a passion to support our mission, who already has experience of being a director of a company and is aware of the commitment, responsibility and trust required for this role. 

About Seen Sisters

Who we are:

Seen Sisters is for solo women aged 25–55 who live with invisible disabilities. Our community is specifically for those who do not have children or a long-term, stable partner to rely on for emotional, financial, or practical support. These women often appear ‘well’ to others, which means their needs are frequently overlooked by wider society and services. Many face isolation, discrimination, and a lack of tailored support despite experiencing daily barriers that reduce their quality of life.

How we help (our services):

Seen Sisters is a lived experience project that creates joyful, inclusive spaces where solo women with invisible disabilities can reimagine the world on their own terms. We offer peer support, creative workshops, community-led events, and co-designed resources. Our spaces are designed to centre care, accessibility, and empowerment. Through conscious partnerships, collective nourishment, and community voice, we co-create opportunities to be seen, heard, and supported in ways that traditional systems fail to offer.

What will you be doing?

We are looking for a Non-executive Director who holds a speciality within finance and strategy. 

Our goal as a grass-roots organisation is to secure multi-year funding and a strong focus on also developing sustainable income generation streams outside of grant funding, which you would be supporting us to accomplish. 

We have explored sustainable income streams and some ideas to action, however to help this reach its full potential, we need someone with a strategic mind, who can ensure we can generate income in alignment to our mission and values. Alongside providing direct guidance of how to action this. 

We would require you to set up and oversee this focus of work, though we would be able to get volunteers and members of staff to oversee the day to day deliverables. Your focus would be to oversee the important, strategic and legal requirements of this development. 

We work alongside other incredible grass-roots organisations and have support from organisations such as VOSCUR and Black South West Network.

What this volunteer role involves:

* Ideation, strategic planning and development of sustainable income generation activities 

* Overseeing sustainable income generation initiatives and delivery
* Support with researching funding opportunities
* Support with writing funding applications that reflect our mission, values, and deep listening approach
* Prioritising upcoming deadlines with support from the team
* Collaborating with other fundraising partners or members where needed

You might be a good fit if you:
* Are curious, empathetic, and values-aligned
* Can meet us where we’re at and help translate our story into compelling funding language
* Believe in joy, connection, and collective care

* Have experience in developing sustainable income streams for organisations outside of direct grant funding
* Have experience in grant writing, fundraising or storytelling
* Can commit about 2 days a month (ideally Monday or Thursday - flexible)

A few practicals:
* We work remotely and use a shared Drive

* We are a 100% global majority run organisation and we welcome people from all backgrounds to join us
* Allies and those with lived experience are warmly welcomed
* We do regular check-ins on capacity, access and preferences

What are we looking for?

We are looking for someone with demonstrated experience in developing and delivering varied income generation streams for mission-led organisations and writing successful funding or grant applications - whether in community, nonprofit, cultural, or academic settings. 

You’ll be someone who can confidently identify and develop varied income streams outside of the traditional grant funding route and also be well equipped with the skills for crafting funding bids, while being aligned with our mission and values. You should feel confident leading or supporting the end-to-end process.

This is a collaborative role where you’ll help us expand our financial resources in ways that centre the voices and needs of our members. 

Essential experience:

• Experience identifying and pursuing new income opportunities beyond traditional grant funding

• Experience developing diverse income streams, such as trading or social enterprise activity

• Understanding of pricing, costing, and budgeting for income-generating activities

• Bid writing or fundraising writing experience 

• Understanding of how to tailor proposals for different funders and funding streams (trusts, foundations, public sector, etc.)

• Familiarity with the structure, tone and requirements of effective funding applications

• Ability to translate community ideas and visions into fundable language and clear outcomes

• Experience of being a director of a company with a focus of community

• Understanding the responsibility around filing, processes and working with Companies House as a director 

Skills we’re looking for:

• Finance and strategic planning - for long-term organisational sustainability 

• Research skills - able to identify relevant income opportunities and innovative funders that align with our mission

• Strong writing and editing skills - especially persuasive, clear, and values-aligned language

• Confidence using shared online tools (Google Docs, Sheets, email) for remote collaboration

• Time management - able to track deadlines and prioritise tasks across projects

• Good communication - open to feedback and working with a team across access needs

Qualities that matter to us:

• A deep listener - able to hold and reflect the values and priorities of our community

• Collaborative and flexible - willing to meet us where we’re at and grow with us

• Passionate about resourcing joy, care, and connection - not just survival

• Values-led - grounded in feminist, disability justice, or community organising principles

• Reliable and transparent - with regular check-ins on your availability and capacity

• Respects our professional and lived-experience and be willing to work with us in equitable partnership

• Open, honest and reliable 

• Understands the responsibility to our community when taking on a leadership role and prioritising this. 

Our Focus and Impact

Solo women with invisible disabilities are an underserved group whose needs are routinely overlooked. The lack of systemic recognition and support contributes to poorer health, wellbeing, and economic outcomes. By centring their lived experiences, Seen Sisters not only provides vital emotional connection and practical tools, but also challenges societal assumptions around disability, independence, and womanhood. Our work helps participants feel less alone, more empowered, and better equipped to advocate for themselves, while contributing to a more inclusive and liberatory world.

Our Values:

Seeing the experience of solo women with invisible disabilities as unique

Empowering ourselves through co creation

Diversity and inclusion - (intersectionality/decolonial/lgbt plus/flexibility)

Joy and collective nourishment - decolonial, sustainability and reimagining 

Collective liberation - Conscious partnerships with allies

Our Activities:

Seen Sisters supports solo women with invisible disabilities through:

• Socials and Events - Joyful, accessible gatherings that build connection, reduce isolation, and centre collective care.

• Lived Experience Projects - Creative, community-led work that reimagines spaces through the lens of solo disabled women.

• Partnerships & Collective Care - Collaborating with organisations to design more inclusive, responsive environments and systems.

• Garden Projects - Safe and accessible outdoor spaces for members to gather, connecting to each other and nature to improve wellbeing and develop skills.

What difference will you make?

We’re Seen Sisters - an intersectional feminist collective of solo women with invisible disabilities. We’re working to build joyful, connective spaces for our community, and we’re looking for a Non-executive Director to help bring our mission to life.

Explore our Work - https://linktr.ee/seensisters

Read more about our Values and Mission - http://bit.ly/44ZMbtF

We warmly welcome disabled volunteers and allies. If you meet the above criteria and are excited by the opportunity to co-create something meaningful, we’d love to hear from you.

Let us know your access needs, your preferred ways of working, and how you’d like to be involved, we’ll do our very best to support you. 

Before you apply

Working Pattern - 2 days a month for income generation and fundraising. 

With extra time for director duties - hopefully delivered within quarterly director meetings, however there will be times when time-sensitive requests come through, so some flexibility will be needed to work alongside this.

Please provide a cover letter detailing why you are interested in this role and your relevant experience, and a copy of your CV. 

Interviews will be an informal video call with the Co-Directors

Closing Date for Applications: 1st November 2026

We are keen to find the right person for this role, so we may close applications earlier than the stated closing date if we find a strong match. 

Early applications are encouraged

As the Guild has grown in the past few years, our risk management, financial controls, and body of policies and procedures have also matured. Following the scheduled departure of two trustees earlier this year, the Guild’s Finance Subcommittee is seeking to welcome an independent member with relevant skills to attend meetings and advise on financial matters to help us make good decisions effectively.

This voluntary role supports trustees and staff by providing independent insight, constructive scrutiny, and professional expertise on financial planning, budgeting, risk, and long-term sustainability. As a guest to Finance Subcommittee meetings, you will review financial information, contribute to discussions, and help ensure resources are used effectively to maximise our charitable impact for students.

The Finance Subcommittee currently consists of two elected Officers, two external Trustees, and may include a student trustee in future. Papers and reports are ordinarily provided by the Guild Director, who is a non-voting guest to Subcommittee meetings. The Subcommittee normally meets four times per year for around two hours.

Students’ Union experience is not essential, but we are seeking a volunteer able to operate within our distinctive context. We are particularly interested in applicants with experience in finance, accounting, audit, charity governance, or business management.

Trustees wanted – help shape the future of Musculoskeletal Education with SOMM

We’re looking for engaged, thoughtful and proactive Trustees to join the Council of the Society of Musculoskeletal Medicine (SOMM).

This is a working Board, and we are looking for people who will contribute, challenge and help move the organisation forward.

What we need - We are particularly keen to hear from individuals with expertise in:

· Digital / Data Strategy – digital transformation, data-driven decision making, cyber awareness

· Marketing & Communications – brand, engagement, audience or membership growth

· Commercial / Growth (desirable) – income diversification, business development

The Role -  As a Trustee, you will:

· Contribute to strategy, governance and long-term direction

· Provide constructive challenge and independent thinking

· Support key areas of organisational development

· Act as an ambassador for SOMM

Commitment: 3–6 meetings per year + occasional project work (approx. 2–4 hours/month)

We are looking for someone who will bring:

· Sound judgement and integrity

· A willingness to contribute and engage

· The confidence to challenge constructively

Why join us?

· Shape a respected national MSK education provider

· Work with a knowledgeable and supportive Council

· Make a genuine, tangible impact

Diversity & Inclusion

SOMM is committed to building a diverse and inclusive Council. We actively welcome applications from individuals from underrepresented backgrounds, including different ethnicities, genders, career stages, and sectors, to better reflect the communities we serve.

Inclusive Boards is delighted to support University of Birmingham Guild of Students in their search for their next Chair of Trustees. 

The Guild of Students plays a key and pivotal role in the student experience at Birmingham, offering a range of services and activities which not only help to attract students to the University, but which also contribute to a vibrant student experience, as well as supporting the wider sense of community and belonging.

The breadth of the Guild’s service and activity portfolio is comparable with other large students’ unions in the Russell Group and as an organisation the Guild is well regarded within the sector. As leaders in the field, the Guild has paved the way in key areas such as representation, student groups and societies, social opportunities, events and activities.

About the Chair opportunity

This is a brilliant opportunity to join an award-winning, multifaceted, and complex charity as our next Chair of Trustees. The Trustee Board is collectively responsible for overseeing the affairs of the Guild and ensuring that the Guild works for and with its membership in all that it does.  The Chair’s role is to steward this at the highest level. They act as a role model for the Board, maintaining the highest standards of good governance, with a focus on strategy, risk, and long-term sustainability.

They must ensure a culture of inclusion, trust, and openness where all Trustees contribute their views and expertise, and champion student democracy. The Chair will work closely with the President and Chief Executive Officer, supporting them to achieve the aims and objectives of the Guild’s strategy and vision, and ensure the Guild meets the needs of its diverse student membership.

We are in the final year of the Guild’s 2022-27 strategy (aligned to the University’s priorities under its strategic framework, ‘Birmingham 2030’), making this a formative time as we look beyond 2027, in a challenging time for the Higher Education sector. We are seeking skilled leadership to continue to support us to deliver excellence and are, therefore, looking for an experienced non-executive, with demonstrable experience of supporting organisations at Board level.

The Guild values applications from a wide range of backgrounds that are reflective of the full diversity of Birmingham’s community, in particular from Black, Asian, and minoritised ethnicities as we seek to continually enhance diversity within our governance structures.

We would encourage candidates with current or previous experience in charities or the public sector, with experience of chairing meetings and of non-executive leadership, to apply. A connection to the Guild or University and/or to the West Midlands area is also beneficial, but not essential. Full details are outlined in the role description and person specification.

As a small but fast-growing charity, we have a strong trustee board in place but are looking to bring in new trustees to help in our new phase of growth and ensure a sustainable future. We are therefore looking for trustees who want to get closely involved in setting the strategy, direction and priorities of Write Back as we transition from new ‘start-up’ into a more established charity. We are therefore looking for individuals with:

● A strong commitment to the work of Write Back and empowering young people.

● The passion and enthusiasm to throw themselves into a new and exciting charity for young people to help us in our next phase of growth.

● The ability and experience of working at a strategic level, providing expert oversight, advice and guidance.

● The skills and temperament to collaborate effectively in a small, growing organisation.

● A good understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of charity trusteeship and an appreciation of the personal implications.

● A demonstrable commitment to equality and diversity.

We anticipate growing our trustee board significantly over the next 6-12 months. Our initial priority will be recruiting someone who is at least one of the following:

●experienced in financial processes and oversight.

● experienced in education, such as a qualified teacher.

● experienced in growing a small company or charity, in particular with legal, HR or other operational or governance matters.

● Under the age of 25 and who have lived experienced of the issues Write Back is trying to solve.

However, we are open to applications from a variety of backgrounds and would encourage you to get in touch if you are interested. We are intending to recruit 2 - 3 trustees in total.

Core requirements:

● This is a voluntary unpaid role, for which any reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

● Your initial term will be for 2 years, with the possibility of renewal.

● Attendance at trustee meetings every two months (either online or in person, for roughly 90 minutes), as well as preparation for these meetings and any follow-up tasks. We estimate the time commitment to be no more than one day per month in total.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.