Inspira is one of the leading employability experts in the North West. Through its work, it helps get local people into work, improve their skills and open up new opportunities for them. Its mission is to empower young people and adults with the skills and confidence they need to reach their potential in life and work. Inspira wants to help people to be Bold and Resilient so that they can handle whatever obstacles, challenges and opportunities they face with a can-do attitude. It also want to support people to be Relevant, to have the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to succeed in jobs today and in the careers of the future.

Inspira’s model is customer-centric and encompasses a six-pronged approach, with support adjusted depending on an individual’s need or community-led initiative. It ensures that young people and adults have access to, and experience of, the working world and the knowledge and skills to succeed in it, thereby helping to build stronger local communities.

Inspira partners with, and works on behalf of, organisations across the North West of England to manage and deliver comprehensive employability programmes which produce life-changing results and positive impacts. These programmes enable people to get back into work, shore up skills shortages, prepare young people for life after school and connect educational institutions with employers to drive young people’s aspirations. As it continues to further its outreach in the communities it serves, Inspira now seeks two new Trustees to join its Board.

In this role, Trustees and the Board as a whole are collectively responsible for Inspira's success. As Inspira seeks to further its outreach in the area it operates (Lancashire/Cumbria), it seeks Trustees who are well-networked in the region and will be able to assist with helping Inspira increase its impact.

Trustees will advise the Board and the executive on ensuring that the necessary financial resources are in place. They will also ensure that Inspira meets its objectives, reviews management performance, and will advise the Board in setting Inspira's values and standards and ensure that its obligations to its stakeholders and others are understood and met.

All Trustees must take decisions objectively in the best interests of Inspira. In addition to this, Trustees assist with:

• Strategy – Trustees should constructively challenge and help develop proposals on strategy
• Performance – Trustees should scrutinise the performance of management in meeting agreed goals and objectives and monitor the reporting of performance
• Risk – Trustees should satisfy themselves on the integrity of financial information and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible
• People – Trustees are responsible for determining appropriate levels of remuneration of Executive Directors

Most importantly, Trustees should be passionate about the work which Inspira does and contribute to increasing the overall impact it has on the lives of those it serves. 

Inspira seeks two exceptional individuals who will contribute to its overall development and reach of the organisation. The successful candidates will come from one or both of the following backgrounds: 

• Finance: The right candidate will bring strong financial experience as an acting or former Finance Director. A sound understanding of financial performance, the ability to advise and support the current CFO and the robust finance management team as well as lead Board discussion on financial performance, is also essential for this appointment. The right candidate will also demonstrate a proven ability to communicate and explain financial information to members of the Board, and will therefore have strong financial analysis and communication skills.
• Cumbria/Lancashire network: The ideal candidate will help Inspira maintain and grow contracts both in Cumbria and Lancashire. The right individual will be able to advocate on Inspira's behalf with councils and commissioning organisations. Previous experience with Local/Central government and large government suppliers in the field such as G4S, Serco, Capita etc. will also be beneficial for this appointment. The successful candidate will be able to help embed Inspira's work more in the communities that it operates.  

Inspira welcomes candidates who are applying for their first Trustee role as long as they bring the appropriate experience and a strong passion for Inspira's work and its mission. 

This role is unremunerated, but reasonable, pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed. The appointment is for a three year term, which can be renewed at the discretion of the Board. Trustees are typically expected to serve two terms. 

The anticipated time commitment is 6-10 days per year after the induction phase. This will include attendance at Board meetings six times per year and at least one site visit per year. In addition, Trustees will be expected to devote appropriate preparation time ahead of each meeting and wherever possible, serve on one Board Committee.