Chair and 3 Trustees

SOFEA is a remarkable charity that positively transforms young lives and communities. Could you be their next Chair or new Trustee?

Location: South Midlands & Thames Valley (sites Didcot & Milton Keynes)

Closing date: 9 a.m. Wednesday 13th December 2023 (Chair) | 9 a.m. Wednesday 20th December 2023 (Trustees)

About SOFEA

SOFEA is a charity dedicated to helping people to transform their lives, operating in Didcot and Milton Keynes. They run education, employability and wellbeing programmes for young people.

SOFEA is a place with a difference. They enable people to transform their lives. One aspect of this is a therapeutic approach to learning which is designed to enable access to good employment and the ability to lead a happy and healthy life.

They have 2 sites (Didcot and Milton Keynes) and last year, distributed 2,000 tonnes of waste food — 150 tonnes per month — to charities (working with the charity Fare Share). SOFEA have community larders, an education provision and wellbeing teams on both sites. They offer many opportunities for young people and the wider communities.

About the roles and who we are looking for

Could you be part of SOFEA’s next decade of evolution? The cost-of-living crisis and the post-covid impact on young people has made the need for SOFEA greater.

By joining the Board you will be helping to grow a model that can, and is transforming the future for both young people and communities in a way that is truly compassionate and sustainable.

As well as the Chair, SOFEA is also seeking three additional trustees with the following expertise: Strategic Finance & Risk, Business Innovation & Fundraising, Operations and Compliance (including Regulated Activities).

Chair

A compassionate and dynamic leader with the highest levels of integrity in relation to good governance, board leadership and charity purpose. Someone who can be a strong ambassador for SOFEA and its model of transformation and enable and empower others to be advocates and influencers too. A talented, skilled, and committed person motivated by the difference that SOFEA can make to young people and communities in need today and tomorrow. Someone willing to form strategic alliances and build on the growth of the last decade for SOFEA so that more lives can be positively transformed. This will include ensuring SOFEA’s model is shared with the right people so that the charity can be an impactful thought leader in education, employment and community policy and practice.

Trustees

SOFEA is seeking three additional trustees with the following skills:

• Strategic Finance & Risk – attending the Finance and Risk Committee, this person is likely to be an experienced trustee or non-executive and qualified accountant or auditor who can strengthen the charity’s oversight as SOFEA scale their operations and take more risks.
• Income Generation – this person will work closely with the CEO, Deputy CEO and income generation staff to support, guide and advise them as well as assure the Board that the income forecasts are realistic, the systems compliant with business and fundraising legislation and the appropriate controls in place to protect the organisation as they grow their income streams. They will also support growth by connecting the SOFEA staff with opportunities and encouraging the other trustees to do so.
• Operations and Compliance, including Regulated Activities – this person might be a senior manager in a logistics or facilities environment that is highly regulated, such as food operations. They will bring additional oversight to the risks and regulations inherent in running complex facilities and distribution, warehousing and keeping people safe in work environments that are also learning environments.

SOFEA is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff to share this commitment. As part of their commitment, they need to ensure that all potential employees and volunteers satisfy their employment checks. Please note that where appropriate, shortlisted and/or potentially suitable applicants will be asked to undertake further checks, including references and an enhanced with barring lists DBS check.

Please click 'Apply via website’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the candidate profile and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close at:

• 9 a.m. Wednesday 13th December 2023 (Chair)
• 9 a.m. Wednesday 20th December 2023 (Trustees)