Trustee (Volunteer roles)

Position title

Trustee

Reports to

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Role description

We are seeking three Trustees to join our Board with different specialisms as follows:

1. Strategic Business Development
2. Safeguarding
3. Digital innovation & AI

The Roles
Trustees are responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity. Working closely with the Chair, fellow Trustees, the CEO and the Senior Leadership Team, you will help ensure that Eikon remains focused on delivering meaningful outcomes for children and young people, well governed and financially sustainable.

Key Responsibilities:
• Contribute to the development, approval and oversight of Eikon’s strategic objectives.
• Support the charity’s long-term sustainability and growth.
• Monitor service delivery performance, financial health and risk management.
• Ensure the charity operates within its governing documents and complies with relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
• Act as an ambassador for Eikon, promoting its work and values through professional and community networks.
• Work collaboratively with fellow Trustees to support and constructively challenge the CEO and the Senior Leadership Team.

Person Specification (Strategic Business Development)
Essential:
• Senior leadership experience, or equivalent experience operating at a strategic level.
• Expertise in strategic business development, organisational growth, partnerships, or organisational development.
• Strong forward-thinking skills with the ability to bring vision and innovative ideas to discussions.
• Sound judgement, with the ability to evaluate opportunities, trade-offs, and risks.
• Ability to collaborate effectively and contribute constructively and in a pragmatic way as a member of the Board.
• Proven ability to build senior-level partnerships and turn strategic opportunities into practical, sustainable plans.
• Experience using evidence, market insight, and performance data to guide growth, income diversification, and investment decisions.

Desirable:
• Previous experience as a Trustee, Non-Executive Director or Governor.
• Experience in the charity, public, education, or health sectors.
• Knowledge of fundraising, commercial development or corporate partnerships.
• Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities in organisations supporting children and young people.
• Experience of developing earned-income opportunities, commissioning relationships, bids or strategic alliances.

Person Specification (Safeguarding)
Essential:
• Senior-level safeguarding leadership or specialist experience in a charity, education, health, social care or youth services setting.
• Up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, safer working practices and trustees’ responsibilities in organisations supporting children and young people.
• Experience providing strategic oversight of safeguarding policy, practice, reporting, risk management and organisational learning.
• Confidence and ability to support and constructively challenge senior leaders, including in relation to serious incidents, allegations and escalation.
• Ability to interpret safeguarding information and assurance data, identify themes and ensure appropriate action and effective Board oversight.
• Commitment to child-centered, trauma-informed and inclusive practice, Eikon’s mission and values, and collaborative Board working.

Desirable:
• A relevant professional safeguarding qualification or substantial continuing professional development in safeguarding.
• Experience as a Designated Safeguarding Lead, Safeguarding Trustee, Governor, Non-Executive Director or member of a safeguarding committee.
• Experience of multi-agency safeguarding, case reviews, audit, quality assurance or engagement with regulators and commissioners.

Person Specification (Digital Innovation & AI)
Essential:
• Senior leadership experience, or equivalent strategic expertise, in technology, digital transformation, data, cyber security, information governance or responsible AI.
• Ability to provide independent oversight and constructive challenge across technology strategy, investment, delivery, risk and value for money.
• Strong understanding of cyber security, data protection, digital resilience, supplier management and business continuity.
• Knowledge of the opportunities, limitations and ethical risks of AI, including privacy, bias, transparency, human oversight and its safe use in services for children and young people.
• Ability to translate complex technical issues into clear implications, options and decisions for a non-technical Board.
• Commitment to accessible and inclusive digital services, Eikon’s mission and values, and collaborative Board working.

Desirable:
• Previous experience as a Trustee, Non-Executive Director, Governor or member of a technology steering group.
• Experience of leading or overseeing technology-enabled change in the charity, education, public, health or social care sectors.
• Knowledge of digital safeguarding, technology procurement, cloud services, data analytics or AI governance frameworks.

Trustee Responsibilities (all roles)
Trustees are expected to fulfil the duties outlined by the Charity Commission, including:
• Ensuring the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit.
• Acting in the best interests of the charity and its beneficiaries.
• Managing the charity’s resources responsibly.
• Exercising reasonable care, skill and diligence.
• Ensuring accountability, governance transparency and compliance with legal and regulatory obligations.

Time Commitment
• Four early evening Board meetings per year of approximately three hours each.
• One annual Trustee and Senior Leadership Team Away Day.
• Preparation and review of Board papers in advance of meetings.
• Occasional attendance at charity events, or stakeholder meetings where appropriate.
• Opportunity to join a Board committee, ad hoc advisory or working groups as the need arises.

The overall time commitment is approximately 6 to 10 days per year. Board, committee and working group meetings take place in the evenings from 17:00, and there is one Away Day each year in March.

Eikon is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and communities.

How to apply

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