Role Description and Person Specification
Trustee with Corporate Experience (Voluntary Trustee Position)
Overview of the Role
charity.
Work with the Chair, Treasurer, Board and Chief Executive to financial strategy with particular emphasis on income from corporate fundraising.
To represent the organisation at external events to raise our profile. Supporting READ International with energy and expertise as we continue on our journey.
About Us READ International delivers youth-‐led volunteering initiatives to improve access to education across the world a vital tool in alleviating poverty. Vision and mission We see a world where the power of education enables all young people to achieve their full potential. Through collaborative, student led initiatives we will empower young people to secure a poverty free future for themselves by improving their access to education. Gaining an education is a vital step towards a future free from poverty. The demand for books in schools in East Africa continues to grow. Tanzania follows a secondary school syllabus almost identical to the UK, but they
t and literacy. The average pupil to text book ratio is 5 to 1. Schools are generally under-‐funded and the state budget understandably prioritises
are most needed and to measure our efficacy and impact. Compare this to the UK where text books are routinely replaced often after a lifecycle of only two or three years and a natural demand and supply relationship emerges. Overview of our programmes We exist to take books which are no longer needed in the comparatively affluent UK to schools in Tanzania. This simple purpose has a straightforward, proven delivery model encompassing volunteering, citizenship and transformative life experiences for young people as well as a wealth of other positive outcomes and outputs. Our primary objective is a) providing books, libraries and reading resources for pupils, teachers and schools in Tanzania b) to provide pathways into volunteering, work experience, international welfare work and global citizenship for young people in the UK and Tanzania. UK Programmes We currently operate two student volunteer programmes focused on book collection, global citizenship, and fundraising aimed at University Students and Sixth form school students. A small staff team of 8 currently works over 500 volunteers with 22 Universities across the UK and 25 schools/colleges to collect, sort, and distribute over 30,000 books each year. In addition there is an environmental benefit from our work, as our delivery model assists UK schools and councils to meet green targets; reduces industrial waste; and saves books from landfill. Our volunteers collect, sort and deliver relevant and up-‐to-‐date second-‐hand text books to schools in Tanzania. We prioritise Key Stage 3, GCSE, and A-‐Level text books to help pupils studying for the equivalent qualifications
Role Description and Person Specification in Tanzania. Any unsuitable books are sold online or recycled to generate additional income. Each summer our student volunteers self-‐fund themselves to travel to Tanzania to distribute the books directly into the hands of school student in Tanzania. Tanzania Programmes Our student volunteers self-‐fund themselves to travel to Tanzania and distribute the books directly into the hands of school student on Tanzania. This increases the access to education for thousands of East African students -‐ empowering them to fulfil their potential and enabling them to improve the chances of access to employment in future. Our Book Distribution and Library Renovation programme are run in partnership with Tanzanian students from the recipient schools. This collaborative, youth led process ensures a vital sense of ownership and long-‐term sustainability. It provides unique opportunities for the UK and Tanzanian volunteers to develop skills in team building, leadership, and communication. It is an excellent example of cross cultural learning and a rewarding experience for all involved. Key achievements We have worked with over 30 UK universities; over 1,500 student volunteers and over 3,000 UK
secondary schools supporting volunteer teams, promoting volunteering and the work of the charity sector in general amongst university and secondary school students, and collecting books
To date we have shipped over 1 million books to East Africa We have renovated 32 school libraries in East Africa to help maintain reading and literacy We have distributed books to over 1,000 East African schools, serving 400,000 school students; and 32
school libraries We have also saved 2 million books from landfill, which equates to 1,000 tonnes of waste Our work has been recognised by the Charity Times Awards, winning Best New Charity in 2007; by the
national Charity Awards, winning Best International Aid and Development Charity in 2010; and by the Institute of Fundraising Awards, winning Best Corporate Partnership 2010 for our relationship with Big Yellow Storage. In addition we have placed on final shortlists for Guardian Charity of the Year 2009, and the National Recycling Awards 2010. And most recently, in November 2011, we received a visit from HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and HE President Kikwete to recognise our achievements to deliver our millionth book to East Africa.
Our Values
Role Description and Person Specification Organisational diagram
Financial position In 2010/11 we increased our annual turnover to £603,000. This primarily relates to a large unrestricted grant for our Young Leader programme. In 2011/12 we are focused on:
Moving our fundraising model towards Full Cost Recovery accounting Building our unrestricted reserve from £28,000 (as at end FY 2010-‐11) aim for a six month operating
income of £160,000 (inclusive of restricted funding) Implementing a strategy to raise significant funds and support from the corporate sector in grants and
sponsorship. Our existing relations with the corporate sector and the nature of our cause make READ International an attractive proposition. Our strategy is realistic, building support over time so that we are achieving an additional £85,000 from corporations in years 2 and 3 of The Next Chapter.
Building on our successful model of creating relationships of in-‐kind support, which typically afford us services and resources to the cash value of £86,000 pa. In-‐kind opportunities will be sought as part of the corporate fundraising strategy, so we forecast income increasing only in line with inflation.
Removing any need to access reserves, as has been necessary in past years, by Closing our fundraising requirements
Delivering a realistic and forward-‐looking plan to fundraise for the next three years
Role Description and Person Specification About The Role Trustee General Responsibilities
To ensure that READ International complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
To ensure that READ International pursues its objects as defined in its governing document. To ensure READ International applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects. To contribute actively to the board of trustees' role in giving firm strategic direction to READ
International, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
To safeguard the good name and values of READ International. To ensure the financial stability of READ International. To protect and manage the property of the charity and to ensure the proper investment of the
charity's funds. To monitor the performance of the staff team, and in particular its Director
In addition to the above statutory duties, you should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve:
Scrutinising board papers Leading discussions Focusing on key issues Providing guidance on new initiatives Other issues in which the trustee has special expertise
Additional Duties Specific to this Role (Working with the Chief Executive and Head of Fundraising):
Membership of the Fundraising Sub-‐group and attendance at meetings (4 per year, usually two weeks prior to a board meeting).
Work with the Chief Executive and Head of Fundraising to advise the development and implementation of the corporate engagement strategy.
To provide guidance/support on the development of corporate relationships with the Head of Fundraising.
Time Committment We currently hold trustees meetings four times a year and they last no longer than 2 hours. They are currently scheduled for Monday evenings starting at 6.15pm. As a guide, a trustee role will usually require someone who can allocate time equivalent to roughly one day per month, the majority of which can be done from any location of your choice, working flexibly with the Treasurer and others. During your initial induction period, you may find spending additional time with other trustees, the Chief Executive and the Head of Fundraising useful in supporting the corporate engagement strategy.
Role Description and Person Specification Term of Office The role is set for a period of three years. At which point, should you wish to continue to be involved as a trustee with READ International, you can be re-‐elected for a further three year term. We would appreciate that
Person Specification Our ideal candidate should possess:
At least ten years working knowledge of the medium to large private sector organisation Track record of business development and strategic planning Experience of developing charity private sector partnerships Knowledge of corporate social responsibility programmes and strategy development Proven networking skills A commitment to the organisation, and to the student volunteering, international development and
education sectors. A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort Strategic vision Good, independent judgment Ability to think creatively Willingness to speak their mind Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship Ability to work effectively as a member of a team Nolan's seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness,
honesty and leadership. Recruitment Process The closing date for applications is 20 April 2012. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to an informal interview in Central London on 12 May 2012. The interview panel will include Martin Farrell (Chairman) and Hannah Mitchell (Chief Executive). How to apply Please send your CV and a short covering letter expressing your reasons for applying and suitability for the position to our Chief Executive, Hannah Mitchell. If you would like to find out more about the role or the organisation before applying, please contact us to arrange an informal discussion with either Martin Farrell or Hannah Mitchell. Please email Hannah in the first instance to arrange this. Hannah Mitchell [email protected] Office: +44(0)20 3031 9116 Mobile: +44(0)7896 863174 Web: www.readinternational.org.uk
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