This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of refugees and asylum seekers living in Bath. The charity is at an exciting stage of its development. If you are passionate about welcoming people seeking safety in the UK and have lived experience as a refugee or asylum seeker or experience in fundraising, comms, IT or charity governance and management, we’d love to hear from you!

We are looking to recruit a Chair of Trustees and at least one other Trustee with the skills, experience, energy and time to commit to our vital work. 

What will you be doing?

Our Board is responsible for the governance of Bath Welcomes Refugees. The Board does not directly manage the day-to-day work, but provides oversight, shaping organisational strategy and supporting our staff and volunteers. We are more hands-on than most charity boards.

Please see the attached role descriptions for full details.

Specific activities will include monthly trustee meetings, biannual meetings with the Management Committee, the Annual General Meeting, and ad hoc attendance at fundraising/promotional events. As a small charity, there will be times when the trustees will need to be actively involved beyond Board meetings. 

What difference will you make?

Bath Welcomes Refugees is a small, dynamic local organisation that continues to grow and develop. Particularly in the last year, the scope and volume of our work has expanded considerably and we have taken on our first paid staff members. The new trustee(s) will support us to ensure we have a strong strategy and robust governance to continue to grow and develop to meet our mission. 

Trustees will bring crucial insights and guidance from their own backgrounds, as we continue to refine our strategy, strengthen our structure and fundraising, and manage risk. This is your opportunity to be part of a respectful, inclusive and friendly team, and make a difference in the lives of people living in your local area.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role, and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our board. 

Please see the attached role descriptions for full details.

We are particularly looking for people with experience in the following:

·       Financial management, income generation and enterprise

·       Experience of the UK charity sector, especially management and/or governance

·       Fundraising

·       Communications, public relations and social media

·       IT and data security

·       Legal background

·       Lived experience as a refugee or asylum seeker

What we can offer you

·       Experience of strategy and leadership in the charity sector, supporting your professional development and boosting your CV

·       The opportunity to be part of a friendly passionate team, applying your unique skills and experience while learning from others

·       Access to training, on charity governance, safeguarding, refugee welfare and rights, and other relevant topics

·       Reimbursement of reasonable expenses

How to apply

Please send your CV with a one-page covering letter to vi.jensen@bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk by Wednesday 27 July 2022. We aim to hold interviews in the week commencing 8th August.

We welcome applications from people with characteristics that are often underrepresented on charity boards, including disabled people, women, people of colour, those who identify as LGBTQ+, and young people.

If you are passionate about welcoming refugees and asylum seekers and want to be involved in growing a small charity, we welcome your application. If you don’t meet the above criteria, but still want to be a trustee or get involved in another capacity, we would still love to hear from you. 

For an informal chat about the roles, please get in touch with one of our Trustees, Charlotte MacDiarmid,  charlotte.macdiarmid@bathwelcomesrefugees.org.uk.