49 Director of finance and information management volunteer roles

Inclusive Boards is delighted to be supporting Oaklea Trust in their search for their next Chair of Trustees. 

About Oaklea Trust

The Oaklea Trust is a charitable organisation whose purpose is to give vulnerable people the opportunity to live and work as independently as possible within their community. Established in 2002 and based in Cumbria, County Durham and Northumberland, we support disabled, disadvantaged and vulnerable children and adults. Our charitable work supports people of all ages who have Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Mental Health needs, and/or Dementia.

The Oaklea Group is made up of the charity, Oaklea Trust, and its commercial arm, Right2Work. Together, they support people and communities to learn, develop and thrive through person-centred care and support, learning opportunities, and pathways into employment.

This is a unique opportunity to help lead a values-driven organisation that supports people and communities across the North of England to learn, develop and thrive.

About the Chair opportunity

As Chair, you will energise and empower the Board and the Group as a whole. You will foster a culture of openness, collaboration, and constructive debate. You will inspire confidence and ensure the highest standards of governance, integrity and accountability. 

You will also help shape the Group’s future impact, supporting our mission to reduce inequality and create opportunities for people and communities to thrive. Through your strategic insight and advocacy, you will help extend our reach, strengthen partnerships and ensure more people can access the care, support and opportunities they need and deserve.

The Chair of the Oaklea Board of Trustees will:

• Ensure the Board functions effectively
• Guide Oaklea Trust’s strategic direction
• Ensure governance oversight
• Represent Oaklea Trust internally and externally
• Evaluate and support the Chief Executive
• Champion the leadership of Committees

We are seeking a new Chair of Trustees who can bring the following experience and capabilities to the role. We recognise that lived experience can offer valuable insights that greatly enhance a role like this, especially when combined with professional expertise.

Experience/Background:

• Experience of strategic leadership and governance within an organisation of equivalent size and complexity to Oaklea Trust, ideally within a Group structure. 
• A track record of driving growth and innovation, with the ability to apply insight to support the achievement of Oaklea Trust’s strategic objectives. 
• Understanding of the challenges associated with leading and delivering regulated services and the management of the associated risks.
• Ability to constructively challenge and hold space for compassionate and constructive conversations.
• Financial and commercial acumen, including experience in financial planning, oversight, risk management, and the establishment and monitoring of systems of control and accountability. 
• Ability to scrutinise and manage financial risk, ensuring long-term financial sustainability and safeguarding against fraud. 
• Ability to open doors, build networks and maximise opportunities with a range of stakeholders, funders and partner organisations.
• Previous trustee and/or Chair/Vice Chair experience is desirable.

The Africa Health Organisation (AHO) seeks to engage in bidding and tendering to deliver health and social care services effectively.  Our goal is to ensure sustainability and positively impact the lives of more people.  We want assistance in developing an ambitious strategy.

What will you be doing?

We are excited to announce an incredible opportunity for a talented Head of Bids and tenders to join our passionate team at the Africa Health Organisation (AHO)!  Since 1999, we've been dedicated to delivering health and social care to millions across Africa and the Diaspora, and now we're ready to further elevate our impact.

This year, we're embarking on a mission to broaden our funding strategy by incorporating bid and tender submissions.  Our goal is to engage with governments in Africa and the UK, the public sector, and the public, providing essential, practical, and emotional support to those facing chronic conditions.  We need a visionary like you to help us achieve our goals.

We're seeking a dynamic, experienced Head of Bids to develop and execute a winning strategy to secure the necessary financial backing.  There are numerous exciting possibilities ahead, including central government tenders, local and statutory opportunities.  We're eager to explore them all.

In this pivotal role, you'll plan and execute our bids and tender writing efforts, ensuring that our bid proposals not only shine but also come to life in meaningful ways.  If you're a bid writer who thrives on creativity and collaboration, we want to hear from you!  Additionally, you'll have the opportunity to inspire and mentor volunteers within our bid and tender team, making a positive impact together.  Join us on this exciting journey!

Key Duties and Responsibilities will include:

• Overall responsibility for delivering high-quality, accurate, compliant and commercially sound proposals on time, to budget, with inputs from key stakeholders.
• Responsible for the coordination and management of all Bid activities, for ensuring that Bid Plans are put in place and that all internal inputs are received promptly to meet Bid submission timescales.
• Responsible for the receipt, management, control and coordination of all external and internal information and documentation with respect to the enquiry and for the team acting as custodian for Bid documents, including all approved internal documentation signed by the Organisation.
• Responsible for compliance with all internal Bid policies and procedures and for passing internal and external audits.
• Contribute to the overall Bid strategy alongside other stakeholders.
• Responsible for the overall leadership of the team and ensuring that individuals within the team are given appropriate opportunities to grow and develop, and that the team maximises performance by creating and fostering a positive, can-do attitude and outlook on an ongoing basis.
• Responsibility to ensure that improvements are identified and those agreed upon are implemented continuously to support the growth and development of the team and those within it.
• There is a need to keep good records and to create and measure metrics on bidding performance to both review performance and drive continuous improvement in a key area of the business.
• Responsible for mentoring and training Bid Managers and Bid Writers to ensure they are up to date with bid requirements and improve their competence.

What are we looking for?

Education, Skills and Experience: Requirements

Essential:

• At least three years of experience in successfully leading teams within a bid environment.
• Proven track record of improvement and achievement - processes and people
• Keen understanding of numbers, spreadsheets, VOP/invoices, rates, cash flow, milestones, negotiations, and pricing audits.
• Ability to write strong proposals and experience as an estimator
• Excellent communicator (written and verbal) with local and international customers, and with an appreciation of cultural differences
• Ability to persuade and influence others
• Ability to lead team by example, with the ability to foster and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to work to deadlines
• Strong business/commercial acumen
• Keen attention to detail
• Commercially sound judgement
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Strong financial skills

Desirable:

• Leadership qualification (CMI or ILM)
• Experience with an integrated project management / ERP system (Enterprise Resource Planning)
• Experience in bidding roles in the Medical, Biochemistry, Biomedical, Public Services, Global Health, Humanitarian, NGOs, Public Health and Social Care industry
• MBA, Professional Qualification or formal leadership Qualification (CMI, ILM)

What difference will you make?

In this exciting role, you will lead the strategic process for winning new business through competitive bids, tenders, and proposals, ultimately elevating AHO's success. Your specialised knowledge of bids will enhance our win rates and maximise revenue by bringing clarity, quality, and coordination to what can be a complex, high-stakes journey.

Your primary mission is to boost AHO's tender win rates and strengthen our strategic advantage.  By diligently overseeing each step of the bidding process—from initial evaluation to final submission—you will significantly improve the quality and persuasion of our proposals, directly increasing our chances of securing valuable contracts.

You'll provide key insights to help AHO target the most promising opportunities by implementing a thoughtful "bid/no-bid" process.  This approach will ensure we focus only on lucrative and winnable contracts that closely align with our strategic goals, ultimately saving time and resources and allowing us to prioritise high-potential projects.

In this role, you will orchestrate a well-coordinated process that drives operational efficiency.  As the central point of contact, you will gather input from diverse internal teams—sales, finance, legal, and technical—ensuring everyone collaborates smoothly to meet critical deadlines.

As a leader, you'll elevate the quality of our bid content.  By overseeing the creation of compelling, polished materials, you'll ensure our final submissions are professional, cohesive, and error-free.  You will utilise a centralised content library containing valuable resources, such as case studies and CVs, to streamline efforts and enhance our proposals.

You will keep projects on track by developing detailed project plans and timelines, ensuring all tasks are completed on time—especially critical in the fast-paced environment of tender submissions.  Your effective management will ease colleagues' workloads, allowing the entire team to shine.

To foster long-term business growth, you'll create a wealth of knowledge around our tenders and bids. By conducting insightful post-submission debriefs and analysing feedback, you will capture invaluable lessons from both successes and setbacks.  This ongoing improvement process will enhance our bidding capabilities for future opportunities.

You also have the opportunity to enhance AHO's brand reputation by submitting well-organised, accurate, and compliant bids.  By doing so, you'll showcase our professionalism and reliability to clients, building trust and solidifying our credible standing in the market.

Strategic alignment is vital for sustaining consistent, stable business growth.  Together, we can make a remarkable impact on development.

Roll Models CIC is a community for women and marginalised genders, built around the belief that getting outside, riding bikes and doing adventurous things together can change how we see ourselves and what we think we’re capable of.

We create welcoming pathways into cycling and outdoor adventure through mentorship, skills-sharing, and community events. Our aim is to reduce barriers to participation and help more women, trans and non-binary people build confidence, skills, independence and lasting connections through cycling and time outdoors.

In just two years, Roll Models has grown from a pilot mentorship programme of 25 participants in 2025, to a mentorship cohort twice the size with a wider community of over 100 people attending events and workshops in 2026, with demand exceeding our current capacity. We are now at an exciting point in our development: the model is working, the community is growing, and we want to build the organisational foundations to support that growth sustainably.

We are looking to convene a voluntary Steering Group to help shape the strategic direction of our fledgling organisation, with a view to formalising a Board in Spring 2027 (there will also be opportunity to continue in a supporting role, without joining the Board).

Steering Group roles

Strategy and Governance - Filled

Roll Models has grown significantly in a short space of time, led by one paid member of staff with volunteer support. With demand for the programme limited by our current capacity, we are looking for someone to work alongside the Director as a mentor and sounding board, to focus on shaping the long-term strategic direction of the organisation.

Fundraising

There are many opportunities to grow the programme, and various funding pots we would like to apply for to activate this. We are looking for a savvy fundraiser to help us with fundraising strategy, identifying relevant opportunities, and supporting application processes.

You would support:

• Developing a fundraising strategy

• Identifying relevant funding opportunities

• Feeding into and checking over applications 

• Working with other members (ie Communications & Marketing) to shape how we tell the story for funders

Mentorship programme (2 roles)

We are looking for an experienced community leader and cyclist who is passionate about creating safe and welcoming spaces for women, trans and non-binary people in the outdoors. You will support the strategic development and running of Roll Models' core mentorship programme, working closely with the Director on the systems and structures that will allow it to grow sustainably. This is a vital role that bridges community-building, participant experience, logistics and operations.

You would support:

• Developing policies and procedures to support the running of the mentorship programme

• Planning and delivering recruitment for the 2027 cohort, including reviewing and improving the participant application and matching process

• Supporting safeguarding, inclusion and participant wellbeing processes

• Shaping the strategic direction and future development of the mentorship programme, including thinking about how the programme can support more people without losing its community-led character

Workshops and programming

Roll Models runs regular programming and skills sessions relating to cycling and outdoor adventure, including bike mechanics, navigation, kit choices, trip planning and other practical skills. We are looking for someone who can help us think strategically about how this strand of Roll Models' work develops, in particular, accessing funding to open the workshops up beyond the current cohort. This role would help Roll Models move from delivering individual workshops towards a coherent, sustainable skills programme.

You would support:

• Developing a strategic programme of skills workshops for the next 6-12 months

• Identifying skills gaps and opportunities within the community

• Supporting funding bids to resource the workshop programme

• Developing outreach and partnerships to reach people who may not already participate in cycling or outdoor recreation

• Supporting the development of inclusive and accessible workshop formats

• Helping shape DEI policies and approaches for events and workshops

• Exploring opportunities to develop workshops that could generate income while retaining accessible routes into participation

Communications & Marketing

Roll Models has grown organically and is increasingly attracting attention from the cycling and outdoor industries. We now want to be more strategic about how we communicate what we do and use our growing profile to create opportunities for the organisation and its community. We are looking for someone with experience in communications, marketing, storytelling or partnerships who can help us think bigger about Roll Models' position and reach.

You would support:

• Developing Roll Models' strategic positioning and profile by shaping a communications and storytelling strategy

• Developing content and storytelling approaches for funders and potential partners

• Developing relationships with industry and community partners

• Helping Roll Models communicate its impact beyond being "just" a cycling club

• Identifying opportunities for media, speaking, events, festivals and other platforms that can raise the profile of Roll Models and the wider issues we work on

This is an opportunity to help shape how Roll Models is understood and positioned as it grows.

Finance and sustainability

Roll Models has begun generating income through its mentorship programme and events, alongside grant funding and industry support. As we grow, we want to develop a stronger understanding of our finances and build a model that can sustain the organisation beyond short-term grant funding. We are looking for someone with experience in financial planning, budgeting, business development, social enterprise or organisational sustainability.

You would support:

• Financial planning and strategy

• Developing realistic budgets and financial forecasts

• Thinking strategically about income generation and pricing, and subsidising low-cost participation

• Helping develop appropriate financial policies and processes

• Working with the Director to understand when and how Roll Models can invest in capacity and paid roles

For more information and how to apply, visit our website.