Trustees for Multi Award-Winning UK Charity
Posted on May 12th, 2023
OPPORTUNITY REF: Trustees/2023/MHF
2023 is a pivotal time for us as we move into our 20th Anniversary year. We’re seeking new Trustees to join our Board, as part of our latest Trustee recruitment.
What are we looking for?
We are looking for Trustees who have a passion to take the charity forward, to grow impact, to leave a personal legacy and to feel the sense of personal fulfilment from the time they volunteer. An exciting opportunity to bring your unique self, talents, skills, energy and passion for a cause you care about.
Being a trustee requires more than understanding the role description, and ensuring compliance is essential but not enough.
We have a number of exciting opportunities to bring your skills, talents, energy and experience in making a vital difference to the lives of vulnerable children and young people (8-28yrs) with Muscular Dystrophy.
Reach out if you have knowledge and experience of:
Safeguarding – children and vulnerable adults
Fundraising – income generation, corporate partnerships, major donor attraction
Financial – provide support to the charity’s treasurer
Digital marketing
Legal matters
Corporate partnerships
Experience in these areas is not essential and we welcome applications from people seeking a more generalist Trustee role.
What does a Trustee do?
- Have an opportunity to help improve the lives of children, young people and their families
- Contribute to the governance of our small national charity
- Have strategic responsibility for a specific skill area
- Act as an advocate/champion in promoting our work across your network
- Receive induction, support and training
- Have an opportunity to bring your lived experience, in using (and further developing) your skills for the benefit of others
- Be a part of the team that will help the charity achieve its overarching 657 Muscle Dream mission
Our recruitment process is open and inclusive – applicants will know what to expect as the process unfolds.
The charity recognises that recruitment is really only just the beginning of the superhero journey. We will work closely with successful new applicants as part of the charity’s superhero induction process. We recognise how vital listening, hearing, and doing better is. Improvement is an ongoing commitment and one that right now, our newly appointed superhero Chair, Hugh O’Keeffe, is focused on.
Requirements and key criteria
Our key criteria are that you have a commitment to the charity’s values and enthusiasm, an understanding and passion for our work, great communication skills and a real desire to make a difference to the lives of our beneficiaries.
You may have close experience of living with muscular dystrophy, other disabilities or life limiting conditions, but this is not essential.
What commitment do we ask for?
The expected time commitment is approximately 6hrs hours per month, to include taking part in Trustee Power Hours (1hr a month) and Trustee Board meetings (3hrs quarterly) and being involved in occasional ad hoc projects – MHF Trustees ‘own’ a ‘bucket’, in other words, an area of responsibility like ‘Finance’ or ‘Safeguarding’ or ‘HR’ that allows an individual to bring their skills, experience and talents to the charity. Reasonable expenses will be covered.
What does a good Trustee look like?
- An excellent communicator with listening, responding and interpersonal skills, able to both empower and challenge supportively.
- A strong commitment to equality, and an understanding of disability and how for example this may impact on the quality of life and life choices for disabled people and their families.
- You may have close experience of living with muscular dystrophy, other disabilities or life limiting conditions.
- Commitment and time to dedicate to the role and responsibilities of being a Trustee.
- Commitment to the charity’s vision, mission and values and a desire to make a difference to the lives of our vulnerable beneficiary community.
- Understanding of the context in which the Muscle Help Foundation works, its values, and the importance of ensuring public confidence and trust in the charity.
- Previous experience of working collaboratively as part of a team, using sound independent judgement and collective decision making.
- The capacity to grasp issues outside personal experience and the ability to contribute to high level strategy development.
- The ability to think creatively and strategically.
- Commitment to equality and diversity in working relationships with other trustees, staff, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.
- Professional or relevant experience and knowledge and/or the ability to demonstrate the necessary skills needed to support the charity’s interests.
What difference can a Trustee make?
The role of an MHF Trustee is to provide strategic leadership in line with the organisation’s objectives. Trustees will use their knowledge, skills, passion and experience to ensure that the charity achieves its objectives. – as a Trustee, you will represent the interests of all stakeholders, you will act as an ambassador and support our CEO.
This is a hugely important role that will help ensure that the charity can continue its support for its vulnerable community, namely children and young people (8-28yrs) with muscular dystrophy in the UK.
As an MHF Trustee, this is a great opportunity to bring your unique skill set to help the strategic progression of the charity in reaching its overarching goal to deliver 657 Muscle Dream interventions, that’s one cherished moment-in-time that changes lives and gives hope, that’s one experience for every muscle in the human body – by mid-Feb 2023, the charity will have delivered 462 Muscle Dreams, leaving a further 195 to go.
How do Trustees benefit from volunteering?
- You will have an opportunity to help improve the lives of children, young people and their families
- Be part of an incredible team all rowing in the same direction
- Contribute to the governance of a small, multi award-winning national charity
- Have your voice heard and listened to
- An opportunity to work closely with one of Britain’s most influential people with a disability (aka our CEO & Chief Muscle Warrior)
- Attend events, meet beneficiaries & families and by default, witness the impact of the charity’s work
- Plus have strategic responsibility for a skill area such as: HR & governance, fundraising (income generation), corporate partnerships or digital
- Network with other like-minded individuals with common values
- Receive induction, support and training
- And much more…
Diversity, equality, and inclusion
Our greatest strength as a board and as an charity is in our community’s diversity. We are particularly interested in hearing from applicants with diverse skills and experiences that reflect the diversity of our beneficiaries. We welcome applications from first time Trustees.
How do I apply?
View the full application pack, here. Deadline 09/06/2023 – 18.00.
Apply through CharityJob. Please contact us at chair@musclehelp.com to discuss the role or any ways we may be able to support you through our recruitment process. We look forward to hearing from you.
