Trustee
Power to Change
Appointment Brief
June 2017
Introduction from Stephen Howard, Chair
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Power to Change Trustee.
Power to Change is an independent charitable trust endowed with £150 million from the Big
Lottery Fund to support community businesses across England over a decade. Power to
Change acts as a community business champion through the provision of funding and
support at a local level, as well as playing a broader national leadership and advocacy role
to enhance the market for community business and increase awareness of its social,
environmental and economic benefits.
We recognise the challenge and scale of this undertaking, with a stated mission to help
inspirational people across England to create and grow businesses which are founded in,
and meet the needs of, their local communities. We also believe that a nationwide
movement of successful community businesses, owned and supported by local people, truly
is one way of addressing some of society's economic and social challenges. We therefore
aim to be a catalyst for this movement, to champion its achievements, and to measure its
success over time.
2017 is proving to be another momentous year for Power to Change, as we seek to build on
the solid foundations put in place by the Power to Change team in our first two years, but
there is much more still to do. We need to engage more with our communities, encourage
great ideas, inspire talented people and tell their stories, establish strong relationships with
the right partners, and make our case to Government and the private sector, to name but a
few of the items on our list. We can only do this by bringing into our organisation the right
people, and by harnessing the combined talents, experience and commitment of our
executive team and our Trustees working together as one - as they have done since the
outset, and as we must continue to do.
In order to achieve this we are seeking to appoint an additional Trustee to complement the
existing skills on the board. We are looking for someone who can use their own experience
of leading a community business Suitable candidates must have direct experience of leading
a community business, either as a Board member or as a senior member of the executive
team, to ensure that the strategies and planned activities of the Trust meet the needs of
community business, address gaps in the market and can build a strong legacy for Power to
Change. Given our current and planned activities, we are particularly interested in
community business leaders with a background in community-led housing, community-led
regeneration and place-based investment and health and social care. Your community
business experience does not need to be current.
In this appointment brief you will find information about our work, our structure and our plans
for the future. You will also find specific details on our current requirements and information
on how to apply for this exceptional opportunity.
About Us
Power to Change is an independent trust, whose funding is used to strengthen
community businesses across England. Power to Change came into existence in
January 2015 with a £150 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund to support,
develop and grow community business in England.
We have close to thirty staff based across three offices in Bristol, London and
Sheffield. An Executive team of five is responsible for the day to day running of the
organisation supported by non-executive Trustee Directors. You can read more
about our Board and team here. We also have a Community Business Panel of 15
current community business leaders who perform an advisory function.
At a time when many parts of the UK face cuts, neglect and social problems, Power
to Change is helping local people come together to take control, and make sure their
local areas survive and stay vibrant. While industrial decline has made this a long
term challenge in a number of communities, the scale and reach of the challenge
sharpened in the wake of the financial crisis as a result of the closure of high street
retailers and local public services, and cuts to much of the support available for the
voluntary and community sector.
The economy has now shifted fully into recovery. However, the positive impacts of a
return to growth are not being felt evenly across the country, with many communities
continuing to struggle.
Against this backdrop, many communities have taken local challenges into their own
hands. Communities have taken over well-loved shops and pubs that were
threatened with closure, and have brought new life and longer term viability to
community centres and libraries that would otherwise have closed. They have found
innovative business models to meet local needs, including a community ferry boats
service and community oyster farm. They are bringing new jobs and greater
economic prosperity to rural as well as urban communities by employing local people
and reinvesting their profits in their local places. From seaside piers to rural
broadband, communities across England are creating viable businesses with positive
local impacts.
We firmly believe that no one understands a community better than the people who
live there, and that community business is a model with huge potential, giving local
people the ability to contribute to their own futures. We believe in the virtuous circle
of community business – that by being led by the community, responding to local
need and ploughing all the benefits back into that same community – community
business can be a powerful vehicle for change and bring new prosperity, opportunity
and pride to communities. It can restore the social fabric by creating new, vibrant
community spaces and provide the foundation for longer term prosperity through the
creation of community-owned assets.
We believe that every community would benefit from community businesses of their
own, and we want to work with partners across all sectors to enable this change
across England.
Our Vision and Mission
Our overall vision is to achieve ‘better places through community business, a vision which
we will deliver through pursuing our mission which is to ‘back people to build successful local
businesses for the benefit of their communities’. Power to Change has been established as a
time-limited ten year Trust, with the aim of significantly accelerating the growth and impact of
community business in England, thereby creating a sustainable legacy of robust community
businesses will which endure well beyond the Trust’s ten year timeframe.
Our Objectives
To deliver our overall Vision and Mission, Power to Change has identified three specific
objectives:
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Grow the sector: To grow the community business sector such that there are a
greater number of high impact, sustainable community businesses at the end of ten
years
Transforming places: To demonstrate that community businesses can transform
places through positive economic, social and environment impact
Making the case: To influence government, business, consumers and other funders
that community business is a powerful force for change such that they increase their
investment in community business.
Our Values
Alongside these objectives, Power to Change has identified a set of values which are
integral to our success…..
Bold
We experiment, take risks and test new ideas
We move quickly to take advantage of opportunities
Intelligent
We learn from research and from our delivery
We’re responsive and adapt to what we’ve learned
Open
We are transparent about our decision-making
We share knowledge and learning, including what has not worked
Collaborative
We work with others and respect their knowledge and experience
We are inclusive, bringing the right people together
Our Strategy
Power to Change wants to accelerate the potential of community business to address local
and national challenges by substantially growing the community business sector. To do this,
we provide direct funding and support to community businesses across the lifecycle, as well
as developing sector infrastructure and strengthening the capacity and voice of the entire
sector. Through our Innovation and Infrastructure Fund, our support for peer networks and
our leadership programme, we intend to create a more self-sustaining sector that remains
innovative and vibrant into the long term.
Overall in 2016 we invested £16.4 million across a diverse range of activities, up from £10.9
million in 2015. We have now helped more than 150 organisations in England, and 74 per
cent of those we supported through our Community Business Fund which targets growth
stage community businesses are in the 30 per cent most deprived areas.
We know that a single community business on its own can have a significant impact on its
neighbourhood, acting as a hub to connect different parts of a community. However, in many
cases, significant change will depend on an ecosystem of community businesses that can
underpin a more inclusive economic model in which communities own assets that generate
profits, with these profits being reinvested locally to address other needs and the priorities of
local people.
Already we can see clusters of community businesses emerging through our early grant
making, for example in Liverpool, Bristol, Bradford and Hastings. To help accelerate this
trend, we have started to fund in a number of neighbourhoods across England, exploring the
ways in which a community business ecosystem can improve the physical, economic and
social conditions of these places.
We want to learn how we can best support existing clusters of community businesses to
expand and have greater impact and how to seed the development of new clusters. Over the
next five years we will build on the foundations we are currently laying as we focus our
activities in particular parts of the country to deepen our impact and realise our vision of
‘better places through community business’.
We also want to ensure that more people understand the potential of community business to
make positive change in communities and are motivated to work with us to support them to
grow. Enabling a movement of community business is an essential part of our legacy.
To this end, we have focused on inspiring new people to get involved. The first national
Community Business Weekend in October 2016 saw community businesses opening their
doors to their neighbours and welcoming people who would become customers, volunteers,
shareholders and board members. We are also at the early stages of developing partnership
with private sector partners whose missions are well aligned to ours and who can extend our
reach and give us access to valuable skills and resources.
We know that building a strong movement will depend on creating a robust evidence base
for what community business can actually achieve. To support this, we are proud to have
committed 5% of our endowment to our Research Institute, which began its research and
policy programme in earnest in 2016. Its work will make an important contribution to our long
term objective to make the case for community business, as well as enabling us to document
our own impact.
Role Profile
This is a pro bono appointment which brings rewards other than money. If you would like to
make a difference in our world, this is a great opportunity to bring your skills, knowledge and
experience to help us deliver on our mission.
Travel expenses directly incurred in our roles as Trustees on official business can be
reimbursed. Board and Committee meetings are generally held in London.
Trustees are appointed for an initial one year term, with the expectation that they will then
renew for a further three years. Two subsequent terms of three years are permitted.
The estimated minimum time commitment for a Trustee is 12 days per annum. Where
possible, trustees are encouraged to participate in Board Committees, and undertake visits
to the local communities in which Power to Change works, and to prospective and
successful grantees.
The time commitment is to attend four to five Board meetings a year plus relevant committee
meetings. There are always opportunities to become more involved with specific projects.
The responsibilities of a Trustee
The Trustees, acting together, govern the charity, safeguarding its assets and applying them
as efficiently and effectively as possible to further the charity’s objects as set out in its
governing document.
Specific responsibilities
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Ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document.
Ensure that all the charity’s activities are within its objects and within the law and
relevant regulations.
Ensure the financial security / stability of the organisation and the proper investment
of the charity’s funds
Safeguard the charity’s ethos, its good name and the values of the organisation.
Work with our chief executive and leadership team to develop strategic goals and
objectives, to agree those goals and objectives, and to assess whether the
management’s strategy to achieve the goals and objectives is reasonable in relation
to the risks involved, the resources required and the benefits to be achieved.
Monitor the charity’s progress towards the achievement of its strategic goals and
objectives and monitor the impact of its activities on its beneficiaries.
Define the parameters on which the budget will be based, agree the budget and
monitor financial performance.
Ensure that management has implemented an effective risk identification and
management process.
Ensure that management has implemented effective internal control systems and
management information systems.
Ensure that the charity is a responsible employer for both employees and
contractors, and that performance is monitored.
Ensure that the organisation’s performance is monitored and evaluated regularly,
with feedback sought from staff and clients / beneficiaries.
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As and when necessary appoint a chief executive, support him or her, agree their
performance goals, monitor their performance against the specified goals, and agree
their remuneration package.
Establish and, as necessary, review a clear framework of delegation to committees
and the chief executive, monitor compliance with that framework and hold
Committees and the chief executive accountable for the authority that has been
delegated to them.
Be accountable to stakeholders for the way in which they have discharged their
responsibilities as trustees.
Represent the Board’s position when speaking publicly.
Assist with the identification and search for new Trustees.
Review the Board’s own performance periodically and build an effective team spirit
across Trustees and management.
Requirements
In order to carry out your duties as a Trustee you will be required to:
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Act in the best interests of the present and future beneficiaries setting aside any
other interests you may have.
Attend as many of the Trustee Board meetings a year as possible.
Devote the necessary time and effort to developing a good understanding of Power
to Change and its activities, reading papers and undertaking other preparatory work.
Trustees will be able to
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Identify with, and be motivated by, the values and objectives of Power to Change
Enthuse the wider world with what Power to Change is about.
Think innovatively, critically, independently and strategically, with the ability and a
proven track record of translating strategy into operational plans.
Demonstrate a healthy understanding of risk, its benefits and be prepared to take
risks, and have entrepreneurial instincts.
Demonstrate the ability to analyse financial information.
Contribute effectively within a talented Board.
Command the respect of fellow Trustees and management.
Have a willingness to speak their mind and be constructive.
Demonstrate a consultative, strategic and supportive style.
Demonstrate Nolan’s seven principles of public life, namely: selflessness, integrity,
objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
Specific requirement
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The Trust wants to put community business at the heart of what it does. In addition to
general Trustee duties, this person will use their own experience of leading a
community business to ensure that the strategies and planned activities of the Trust
meet the needs of community business, address current market gaps and will leave a
lasting legacy for Power to Change.
They will offer guidance on the stages of development of community business and
the different support needs at each stage, regional and sectoral differences, the
feasibility of impact measurement and wider opportunities to support community
businesses through broader development of the sector and market.
Suitable candidates must have direct experience of leading a community business, either as
a Board member or as a senior member of the executive team, although this experience
does not need to be current.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all candidates
irrespective of race, age, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or
belief, or marital or civil partnership status.
We are Disability Confident Committed, We welcome and respond positively to applications
from disabled people. We will meet individual needs throughout the recruitment process,
including making any appropriate reasonable adjustments to our workplace if selected into
post in order to support colleagues with any form of disability.
We particularly encourage applications from candidates outside of London and the South
East, although the majority of Board and committee meetings are held at the Power to
Change’s London office.
We will assess all applications against the requirements for this post as detailed in the above
role profile.
How to Apply
To apply in confidence to become a Trustee of Power to Change please forward your CV or
an extended biography together with a short supporting statement and a list of any
directorships or trusteeships that you currently hold. Please ensure that your application fully
addresses the requirements for the role.
You should give the names, positions, organisations and telephone contact numbers of two
referees, relevant to this role. References will only be taken once your express permission
has been granted.
You are also invited to complete and return the enclosed monitoring form. The information
on the form will be treated as confidential, and used for statistical purposes only. The form
will not be treated as part of your application. We would also be grateful if you could let us
know if you will require any special provision as a result of any disability should you be called
for interview.
Finally please ensure that you have included your preferred contact details, as well as any
dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the indicative timetable.
Applications should be submitted to:
Sheena Pentin at [email protected]
Timetable
Published advert closing date : 28th June, 2017
Informal interviews with: Sheena Pentin, week commencing 3rd July, 2017
Final Panel Interviews: Week commencing 10th July, 2017
Recruitment Process
You will receive feedback within five working days of the closing date.
If you have any questions on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional
information or wish to have an informal discussion, please contact : Sheena Pentin at
[email protected]
Equality and Diversity (E&D) Monitoring Form
Power to Change is committed to valuing diversity and promoting equality. We encourage and welcome
applications from suitably qualified applicants regardless of their age, disability, ethnicity, gender or gender
identity, race – this includes ethnic or national origins, nationality, religion or belief – this includes non-belief
and / or sexual orientation or if you do not wish to complete this form. In order to achieve these aims, and
to monitor the effectiveness of our advertising and recruitment strategies, we kindly ask you to complete
this E&D Monitoring Form. The information you enter on this Equality monitoring form will not be used in
assessing and or scoring your application or at interview stage, nor will it be seen by any person involved in
selection for the post you are applying for. We will not publish or use the information in any way which
allows any individual to be identified. This information is kept fully confidential and accessibility is strictly
limited in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
Thank you for your co-operation.
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