Trustees x2 - Actors' Benevolent Fund

The Organisation:

Sir Henry Irving founded the Fund in 1882 with a number of other actors and stage managers. Over 140 years, Presidents have included Sir John Gielgud, Sir Lawrence Olivier and Dame Penelope Keith. We are thrilled that our Royal Patron has recently been confirmed as King Charles III.

The ABF is a membership charity with over 600 members who are from the acting or stage management fraternity. Members select up to 12 trustees from within the membership to govern and take responsibility for the ABF’s management and administration. Those trustees can appoint up to four additional non-member trustees on the basis of skills and experience they can bring to the charity.

The Board of Trustees delegates authority to a number of sub committees, including Grants & Services, Finance & Operations, and Marketing & Engagement. We ask trustees to join one of these committees.

For over 140 years, the Actors' Benevolent Fund has supported actors and stage managers experiencing hardship due to injury, illness or old age. To date this support has consisted of financial grants and benefits advice, as well as a listening ear. This support is delivered by a small staff team at Adam Street just off The Strand in London.

The charity world has changed significantly in recent years. Society rightly expects charities to deliver their purposes effectively for public benefit. The ABF has been going through a process of reform to maximise the help it delivers and to ensure it is the most effective and impactful steward of its resources.
The charity’s first ever CEO was appointed last summer, and a new Board of Trustees was elected and appointed early 2024 to take the charity forward into the future with a bold new ambition to increase impact.

To find out more about the Actors’ Benevolent Fund, visit the website.

The Role:

This is an exciting time to be joining the Board of Trustees of the Actors’ Benevolent Fund. The charity has been on a journey of transformation, with a new Board and strategy in place, and we are looking for two additional trustees to join us on this journey. These are incredibly challenging times for the industry, with an increased cost of living combined with a scarcity of funding for the Arts, resulting in fewer opportunities for actors, actresses and stage managers, and research evidencing mental health problems. There is a growing need to respond to the changes within our society and profession, and we are seeking individuals with the passion to join an inspirational team to make meaningful and sustainable change to our community. 

We are currently looking for two non-member trustees, each with knowledge and experience in one of the following two areas:
•    Investment management
•    Strategic marketing and / or brand awareness

Person Specification:

Essential: 
•    Demonstrate a passion and commitment to the charity and our vision for its future strategic direction
•    Professional knowledge and experience in one of the following subject areas:
-    Investment management
-    Strategic marketing / brand awareness
•    Understanding of and commitment to the role and responsibilities of being a charity trustee
•    Demonstrate tact and diplomacy, with the ability to listen and engage effectively
•    The time to commit to the role: Board meetings are held from 10.30 – 13.00 on the last Thursday every other month (January, March, May, July, September, November), and sub committees meet three times per year

Desirable:
•    Experience of charity governance and being part of a Board 
•    Experience of acting or stage management

Please download the Candidate Information Pack for further details.

How to Apply:

To apply, please provide us with:

•    An up-to-date CV; and
•    Either a supporting statement of no more than 2 sides of A4 or, if you prefer, a video of no more than 4 minutes long, detailing why you would like to be considered, your relevant experience and expertise, what you think you can bring to the role and what you hope to gain from the role.

All applications should be sent to the Trustees Unlimited email address, published on their website. 

If you have any difficulty uploading your application or if you would like to have an informal and confidential discussion about the role, alternatively please contact Melissa Baxter or Ian Joseph.

Closing date for applications: 29th July 2024

Interviews with the Actors' Benevolent Fund: 9th – 14th August 2024, in person at the ABF offices in Adam Street, London.