Trustee (Finance) | WEA

WEA is seeking an experienced and qualified finance professional to join the Board and contribute to the continued success and growth of the largest charitable provider of adult education in England and Scotland.

Founded in 1903, the WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) is a charity dedicated to bringing high-quality, professional education into the heart of communities in England and Scotland. Last year, WEA provided courses to nearly 30,000 students, with the support of 2,000 volunteers, 900 tutors, and over 6,000 members. Our mission is to bring adult education within reach of everyone who needs it and to achieve this we partner with 102 community-based venues and local networks.

WEA is led by a General Secretary, who also acts as the Chief Executive of the Association, supported by a senior management team, and reporting to the Trustee body, made up of:

• 4 National Officers
• 3 representatives from the WEA’s Regions in England and 1 representative from WEA Scotland
• 4 externally co-opted Trustees, including the Chair

Each trustee is expected to be an active and contributing member, supporting the collective duty of the Board to set the strategic direction of WEA, and ensure compliance in all areas of legislation, policy and procedure. Trusteeship is a position of public trust, and therefore, each trustee of WEA is expected to utilise their personal skills, experience, and knowledge to help lead WEA in the delivery of its charitable objectives and fulfilment of its mission, vision, and values.

As the largest charitable provider of adult education in England and Scotland, WEA is seeking to appoint a qualified finance professional to join the Board as an external co-opted trustee and provide independent, robust challenge to the Board and its committees. Working as part of a collaborative Board, and alongside the WEA’s elected Treasurer and the executive leadership team, the specialist finance trustee will provide independent support and robust challenge on the financial performance of the organisation and will have the opportunity to either join the Finance Committee or Audit and Risk Committee.

The WEA must be compliant with Charity Commission regulations – for example, ensuring that the WEA’s use of funding and resources meets the charity’s objectives – as well as meeting the contractual obligations of various funding providers across the regions. To ensure the Board feels confident about meeting its governance obligations to provide scrutiny, challenge and the best practice around financial management, the appointment of a qualified finance professional with the right level of expertise, insight, and interest will be essential. 

Trustees are expected to attend all Board meetings and asked to join at least one sub-committee. The time commitment is about 1-2 days per month and the term of office is four years, renewable for one further term of four years. WEA provides a programme of induction and training to all trustees and offers targeted support to those taking up their first trustee role.

Who we are seeking

WEA is seeking to appoint an experienced finance professional, ideally with a recognised qualification in accountancy or audit, to join the Board of trustees. Candidates should be able to demonstrate their ability to operate at a strategic level and demonstrate the principles of good governance. The Board is keen to attract those who are familiar with charitable governance and financial regulation, and it would be helpful if candidates have experience of operating within complex environments, with a national scope and multiple funding or revenue streams.

Candidates should be willing to contribute their expertise to support the business of the Board, demonstrating strong interpersonal and networking skills and sound judgement. It is essential that candidates demonstrate an understanding and alignment to the values and charitable objectives of the organisation and can work effectively as part of a wider team, which includes diverse staff and stakeholders from the executive leadership team to independent members, elected representatives and members from across the wider WEA communities.

Candidates must be able to commit the time required to fulfil the duties of a trustee, be willing to undertake a DBS disclosure, and be committed to the promotion of equal opportunities and championing diversity.

Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 27th June 2022

Please click ‘Apply’ to be directed to the Peridot Partners website and to contact the advising consultants to discuss this role in more detail.