Trustees

Mary Ward Settlement

Join our board as we expand to reach new communities in London helping people learn new skills, access justice, combat social isolation, and enhance their health and wellbeing

What will you be doing?

 Mary Ward Settlement (‘MWS’) is seeking additional trustees to join its Board at an exciting time for the charity.  Our award-winning centre in Stratford, East London is expanding.  We are growing our legal and mental health services and expanding our range of exciting and innovative opportunities in education, to enable people to forge new careers, develop new interests and to join and enjoy a community of people with shared interests.  

The trustees will have the experience to steer the strategic development of the organisation in close collaboration with the CEO and senior management team.  Trustees have the ultimate responsibility for making decisions on the governance of the MWS, ensuring that we are financially sustainable, well-run and committed to delivering our charitable responsibilities.

We currently work from two centres, in Stratford and Southwark. If you live or work in the East of London, particular in the boroughs of Newham and surrounding area, or Southwark, Lambeth and the South East of London we are especially keen to hear from you.     

We are seeking people with enthusiasm, good interpersonal skills, and empathy and understanding of our service uses, who are prepared to use their experience and skills to achieve the objectives of MWS.

Ideally new trustees should have skills that complement those of the existing members of the Board and we are particularly interested in applications from individuals that can demonstrate significant experience in one or more of the following areas: 

·         Finance for a role as trustee treasurer - holding a relevant qualification in accounting and with financial experience

·         Education, especially experience on school or higher education governance boards

·         Marketing especially in relation to education services

·         Health, especially mental health provision and public health delivery   

The Board recognises that diversity of trustees is vital if we are to operate with excellence.  We actively encourage applications from people from all backgrounds.  If you'd like to be a Board member but face barriers in applying, we would be glad to support you.

Being a trustee will enable you to both contribute your current skills and experience to MWS and build new skills, knowledge and experience.. 

 In particular, trustees will be able to gain the following skills and experiences:

·         Experience of steering the strategy of a longstanding non-profit organisation

·         Leadership, stakeholder management and influencing skills

What are we looking for?

In addition to professionalism, interpersonal skills and empathy, ideally, new trustees should have skills that complement those of the existing members of the Board and we are particularly interested in applications from individuals that can demonstrate experience in one or more of the following areas: 

·         Education, especially experience on school or higher education governance boards or an education charity

·         Finance – holding a relevant qualification in accounting such as ACCA, CIPFA, ACA, ACMA, CPA, CGMA or significant experience in a financial role*

·         Marketing especially with experience in education services

·         Health, especially in mental health provision and public health delivery

*Appendix 1 sets out the additional requirements for this position which also acts as Treasurer.

We are especially interested in hearing from those who have direct experience of structural disadvantage, with lived experience that reflects our service users, and those living or working in or near the London boroughs we serve - Newham and the North East and Southwark and the South East.  

What difference will you make?

The Mary Ward Settlement is a London charity founded in the 1890s ‘to provide public education and social services for the benefit of the community’. For over a century  our  education centres and our legal services have continued to develop to enable Londoners to improve their life chances. We help people learn new skills, get back into work, access justice, combat social isolation, and enhance their health and wellbeing. Joining our board enables you to play a part in this work by contributing your skills, experience and understanding of the needs of our service users to ensure this extraordinary organisation continues in its mission.  

Person specification

In addition to the general qualities required for a Trustee, the Treasurer Trustee ideally should have:

•      Extensive working experience of accounting/financial management 

•      A relevant financial qualification.

•      Experience of finance and pension schemes.

•      A willingness to be available to staff for advice and enquiries on an ad hoc basis.

•      Good communication skills especially in meetings and for presentation (for example at AGM).

How to apply and find out more

Please apply by emailing, with a cover letter, telling us why you are interested in the role and the objectives of the charity.  You can either detail your relevant qualifications and experience in the covering letter, or attach a CV . There will be an initial informal conversation with the chair or a long-standing board member so you can ask questions about the organisation.  You will then have the opportunity to speak to the CEO informally before an interview with 2 trustees. We will endeavour to arrange times and meeting places to suit you.