Board Member

Details

Salary: This role is not remunerated although expenses will be covered.

Time Commitment: The appointment is for an initial three-year term. There will be at least four full Board meetings per year. It is estimated that the total annual time commitment for acting as a Board Member is 4 days a year and occasional advice/time on an ad-hoc basis.

Location: UK

Application deadline: We’re accepting applications on an ongoing basis.

Email hello@thesocialchangenest.org with your CV and cover letter

The Brief

The Social Change Nest CIC is the UK’s leading fiscal hosting organisation on a mission to support the growth of civil society and collaborative leadership for social impact.

Launched in 2020, we now host over 300 groups and social movements and have ensured over £16m of funding have reached the hands of those who need it. In 2022 we were honoured to have The Social Change Nest listed among the Top 100 Social Enterprises in the UK. We published our first impact report here. 

This year we are looking to support even more groups and grow our services to include collaborative backbone support. We are now increasing our board to reflect our ambitions. In particular we are looking for people who have a background in financial management, risk and compliance, social change methodologies, lived experience and an appetite for supporting something that is truly impacting the civil society landscape. We would especially welcome applications from young (18-30) people and those from a BAME background. 

So in short – if you are a renegade anarchist who loves rules, compliance and risk management please get in touch. It’s a tall order, but we are looking after some of the most vital campaigning groups in the UK who are pressing for change. Without the best back office support, they will not be able to achieve their impact and we will not be able to achieve ours.  

Person Specification

Essential experience

The successful candidate will:

  • Have a demonstrable interest in how administration and governance can make or break social impact efforts  (this could include direct lived experience or by working with a charity or other protest group)
  • Understand financial management, audit and risk management
  • Be a strong communicator with the interpersonal skills and ability to engage, influence and develop effective relationships to drive consensus-building
  • Be familiar with fiscal hosting, and/or grant giving (either in the UK and/or internationally)

 

Desirable experience

  • Experience of working with social enterprise organisations or organisations in the social sector
  • Investment management expertise
  • Experience within government or public sector commissioning or procurement
  • Experience of service on a Board, Board Committee or an equivalent body is helpful but not a requirement
  • Understanding of charity and/or corporate law

 

Skills, abilities and attributes

  • A passion for increasing civil society through fiscal hosting
  • A willingness and enthusiasm to represent and build the profile of the Social Change Nest
  • Comfortable advising Directors of Nest, and/or Social movement leaders,
  • A strong intellect and an understanding of governance
  • A questioning mind combined with strong integrity and sound judgement
  • The ability to draw on experience and to consider a wide range of factors when making decisions
  • The ability to promote a culture of inclusion, openness and trust and gain the respect of other Board members
  • A coaching and development style, being available to the CEO and other Board members for discussion and providing feedback in a candid but constructive way

Remuneration and Terms

  • This is a non-executive role
  • This role is not remunerated although expenses will be covered.
  • All applicants must have an existing Right to Work in the UK
  • Time Commitment: The appointment is for an initial three-year term. There will be at least four full Board meetings per year. It is estimated that the total annual time commitment for acting as a Board Member is 4 days a year and occasional advice/time on an ad-hoc basis.

Application Process

If you are interested in applying for the role, please submit a CV and cover letter explaining why you are interested and how you are suitable for the role. Please email them to hello@thesocialchangenest.org. 

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis. We will reach out about interviews and timelines.

If you would like to speak to anyone to find out more about the role, please contact hello@thesocialchangenest.org.

Email hello@thesocialchangenest.org with your CV and cover letter

Using AI in your application

We recognise that AI tools are becoming increasingly prevalent in various aspects of professional life, including the job application process. While we neither encourage nor discourage the use of AI in your application, we believe it’s important for candidates to be aware of both the potential benefits and drawbacks. Here are some key points to consider:

Potential Benefits of Using AI

  1. Reduces barriers: AI can help individuals with disabilities or those who are not native English speakers in the application process.
  2. Guidance: Can provide suggestions on what you might want to include in your response.
  3. Feedback: Can offer insights on how you could improve your responses.


Potential Drawbacks of Using AI

  1. Generic content: Can result in similar wording appearing across multiple applications, making them feel less unique.
  2. Inaccuracies: AI is sometimes overly creative with facts and may provide inaccurate information.
  3. Loss of personal touch: Your individual experiences and personality might not shine through if AI is relied on too heavily.

Remember, the most successful applications are those that genuinely reflect your skills, experiences, and personality. Whether you choose to use AI tools or not, make sure you check your responses thoroughly and ensure that your application accurately represents you as a candidate.