About this role

Cranfield Trust has a strong management team, an excellent Board of Trustees, and a supportive, positive, ‘can do’ culture. We have just celebrated the Trust’s 35^th anniversary, a long track record of support for the voluntary sector.

Cranfield Trust has been successful in responding to the needs of the charities it supports, and in adapting and developing its services to stay current with the challenges affecting its charity clients. Our services are in demand, and we are managing high levels of activity. Working alongside a committed senior team, the role of Chief Executive is a mixture of strategic leadership, relationship development, and ‘hands on’ activity.

 

Key activities and opportunities that the Chief Executive will lead include:

Innovation: The Trust supports many charities and plays an important role in the voluntary sector.  There are great opportunities to develop further services, and to contribute to supporting strong management in smaller charities by collaborating with other sector organisations.  Current strategic initiatives are around using data and insight more actively to inform other organisations supporting the sector, as well as the Trust itself, and developing a management training programme for emerging managers in the sector.

Relationship management: Working with Senior Team colleagues, the Chief Executive will sometimes lead and sometimes support the Trust’s critical relationships with Volunteers, Charities and Donors/Funders.

Volunteers: the Trust aims to attract high calibre management professionals as volunteers, engaging them to deliver its services, and offering them the opportunity to support charities and to develop their own skills and knowledge.

Ensuring that the Trust is positioned as an attractive and engaging volunteering proposition by working with partners in the commercial sector – whether business schools, companies or the media – to continue the development of the Trust’s volunteer base will be critical.

Charity clients: Cranfield Trust understands the management needs of small to medium size charities at a deep level, and is skilled at developing and maintaining relationships of trust with them.  We have a high level of returning clients, demonstrating the quality of the Trust’s support, and the commitment of our team and volunteers to working with them.  Maintaining the quality of our services is paramount, and ensuring that resources are appropriate to achieving successful outcomes through all our services will be critical as demand continues to increase.

Donors and funders: the Trust’s previous Chief Executive has been an active fundraiser, and has maintained relationships with a number of key trusts and foundations and individuals who have generously supported the Trust, in some cases, over many years.  Fundraising is a challenge for all charities at present, and the Trust is performing successfully in a tough climate.

We have been successful in developing partnerships with funders to support grantees, or charities in areas of funder interest.  Balancing this type of income with unrestricted grants and donations, to allow core funding and investment in development will mean that the Chief Executive needs to work closely with the Trust’s fundraising team to ensure an appropriate mix of income.  Continuing the Trust’s successful performance, by identifying and developing new relationships and by continuing to work with existing supporters, will be an important part of the role, alongside fundraising and operations colleagues.

Insight and influence: the Trust has an impact framework, ‘Journey to Excellence’ which supports our consultancy service and is enabling much more work around insight into the management capabilities of charities.  With our established profile in the voluntary sector, there is a great opportunity to further develop our knowledge and insight activities, informing the Trust’s own development and that of others.

Governance and management: the Trust’s Board is made up of trustees from different sectors, with a range of skills which support the functions of the Trust well.  Working with the Board to continue to develop the Trust and to make maximum use of opportunities and capabilities will be an exciting part of the role.

The Trust’s staff team is highly skilled, with colleagues coming from a broad range of sectors and backgrounds. We have had relatively low levels of staff turnover, and our team members understand our activities well. We have a supportive culture, working remotely but taking time to get to know each other and working very collaboratively. The incoming Chief Executive will be supported by a strong management information, high levels of expertise in different functions, and excellent knowledge of our activities and operating environment.

Role Description – Chief Executive Officer

Reports to: Chair and Board of Trustees

Responsible for: Senior Management Team and staff of Cranfield Trust

Main Purpose of Role

To lead the activities of the Trust, working with Trustees to refine its strategy to meet changing needs, develop and implement business plans and champion the work of the Trust with all stakeholders

Key Objectives

To lead the Trust’s team, championing its values and ensuring that colleagues are supported and motivated to deliver the Trust’s plans.

To work with the Chair and Board of Trustees, developing the Trust’s strategy and translating it into an annual business plan.

To deliver the business plan, meeting agreed targets and objectives in support of the Trust’s client charities across all functions.

To ensure that the Trust generates income and resourcing to meet its targets and plans, and maintains strong and positive relationships with all supporters

Develop the Trust’s profile in the voluntary, public and commercial sectors, supporting the Trust’s position as a leading provider of pro bono management support for welfare organisations.

Represent the Trust internally and externally, promoting its work and ambitions and representing its values

Key Activities

Leadership and Management

• Monitor the Trust’s operating environment to ensure that the Trust’s strategy is developed in line with the key factors influencing the Trust’s operations, and in alignment with its mission and values.
• Work closely with the Board of Trustees to shape the Trust’s future, ensuring that goals are ambitious yet achievable.
• With colleagues in the Trust’s management team, identify opportunities for innovation and expansion of services to increase the Trust’s reach and impact, always striving for high quality of service delivery
• Inspire, motivate, support and develop the Trust’s staff team and volunteer group
• Ensure the Trust runs efficiently, making the most of its resources and managing cost effectively.
• Develop and manage annual budgets, ensuring financial sustainability and accountability.

Governance and Financial Management

• With the Head of Finance, Admin and Control and the Board of Trustees, ensure that the Trust complies with legal, financial and regulatory requirements.
• Provide timely and accurate information to the Board to support informed decision-making.
• Support the Board in recruitment and development of trustees.

External Engagement

• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders including voluntary sector bodies, individual charities, funders, donors, and government bodies
• With the Head of Development, support fundraising activities by building relationships with key supporters, reporting and managing communications with them to maintain engagement with the Trust’s activities
• With the Head of Development, ensure that the Trust’s fundraising strategy is geared to securing income from a range of sources, including trusts and foundations, major and individual donors, and corporate supporters
• Represent Cranfield Trust externally, raising the organisation’s profile within the charity and business communities.
• Act as a spokesperson for the Trust in the media, at conferences, and in key sector meetings.

Operations/Service delivery

• With the Head of Operations, set targets for service delivery and support the development of new services
• Support the development of effective monitoring and evaluation to assess and report on the impact of the Trust’s work

Main Contacts

Internal

• Chair and Board of Trustees
• Senior Management Team
• Cranfield Trust Team
• Volunteers

External

• Sector bodies and groups
• Companies, business schools, professional bodies and other organisations and partners
• Funders, donors and supporters
• Charity clients
• Press and other media