At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the Grants Committee to make impactful decisions for disability charities.
- Company: A charitable foundation managing £60m in assets for positive change.
- Benefits: Gain valuable governance experience and contribute to meaningful causes.
- Other info: Hybrid role with a commitment to inclusivity and community engagement.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of disabled people through strategic grant-making.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in charity governance and grant-making expertise required.
The Foundation manages £60m of investment assets which enables us to support Papworth Trust and other disability charities by making grants. As a Trustee with sound judgement, experience of governance and charity grant making you will help ensure our board makes grant awards which align with our objects, have a positive impact for disabled people and which are within our financial boundaries.
What are we looking for?
- Knowledge and Experience
- Charity sector knowledge and more than 5 years' relevant experience.
- Expertise in relation to grant-making, including sector best practice.
- Understanding of the financial aspects of grant-giving and interplay with the organisation's overall budgeting process.
- Experience of chairing Committees or Boards.
- Ability to balance performance, risk and compliance in decision making.
- Confidence in engaging with grant recipients as the Board-level contact.
- Board ready level, ideally with experience gained as a Trustee or Non-Executive Director in a similar organisation.
- Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship.
- Skills and Abilities
- Ability to distil information from disparate sources and apply independent judgement to this.
- Willingness to apply technical expertise to support staff in decision making.
- Ability to build strong relationships with fellow Trustees and communicate openly.
- Personal style and behaviour
- Independent, strategic and creative thinker.
- Collaborative team player.
- Committed to the values of the Foundation and acting with integrity.
What will you be doing?
The Foundation's assets are divided between property (commercial and developable land) and an investment portfolio. In the financial year 2024/25 the Foundation made total donations of £1.4m. The Trustees seek to preserve the long-term real value of the capital held and to maintain a sustainable inflation proofed level of donations in order to deliver a consistent level of support to the Papworth Trust and other disability charities. The role of Trustee provides vital support to our charity by helping us to manage our substantial assets and to ensure that there is good governance and professional management in place to ensure that these are deployed effectively to meet our long-term sustainable financial goals.
We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are particularly keen to hear from people with lived experience of disability, whether personally, as a family member, carer or advocate.
Trustee (Chair of Grants Committee) - Volunteer in Papworth Everard employer: THE VARRIER-JONES FOUNDATION
The Foundation is an exceptional employer for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the charity sector, particularly in supporting disabled individuals. With a commitment to good governance and professional management, we offer a collaborative work culture that values integrity and strategic thinking. As a Trustee, you will have the opportunity to leverage your expertise in grant-making while contributing to a sustainable future for disability charities, all within a supportive and inclusive environment.
Contact Details:
THE VARRIER-JONES FOUNDATION Recruitment Team
