Young Enterprise (YE) is the UK’s leading enterprise and financial educational charity that teaches young people how to harness and develop their personal and business skills. The charity's financial and enterprise programmes and services increase young people’s access to practical real-world learning opportunities to develop skills, confidence, and encounters with relatable role models.

Young Enterprise's extensive network of support includes over 2,600 volunteers a year representing in excess of 500 businesses. The organisation also supports 18,000 teachers to plan and deliver financial education programmes.

In 2023, YE is celebrating its 60 year anniversary. Over the last 60 years the charity has worked with over 7.2 million young people across the UK to empower them to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need for the world of work.

Young Enterprise has come to the end of its previous strategic period, and the incoming Trustees along with the Board will have enormous opportunity to drive impact in relation to the strategic goals for a new strategy launching in August 2024. This next period will particularly focus on enterprise and financial education as tools for social mobility and greater equity amongst historically disadvantaged groups.

Young Enterprise is looking to appoint two new Trustees to the Board. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the charity’s next strategic phase, building upon 60 years of history and impact. The Board of Trustees has oversight of YE, makes key decisions to help steer the strategic direction, ensures the best use of resources, and supports the staff to meet the organisation’s ambitious goals.

Responsibilities include to:

• Ensure that the Charity complies with its governing document (Articles of Association), charity and company law and other relevant legislation or regulations
• Ensure that the Charity pursues its objects as defined in its governing document
• Contribute actively to the Board of Trustees’ role in ensuring that the Charity has a firm strategic direction, clear overall policy, agreed objectives and targets, and monitoring and evaluating performance against those objectives and targets
• Safeguard the good name and values of the Charity
• Monitor the effective and efficient management and administration of the Charity (including the employment, management and welfare of all staff), delegating day-to-day responsibility to the Chief Executive as appropriate
• Safeguard the financial stability and solvency of the Charity
• Protect and manage the property of the Charity, including any buildings or other assets, and to ensure the proper investment of the Charity’s funds

In addition to the statutory duties above, each Trustee should abide by the Good Governance Code of Practice, using any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising Board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or other issues in which the Trustee has special expertise.

The Trustee bringing HR expertise will be expected to join the Young Enterprise Remuneration Committee, attending meetings, reviewing HR policies and ultimately providing expert guidance on a strategic rather than operational basis. They will act as a ‘ trustee sponsor’ on HR and employee well-being and engagement, and provide informal mentorship to the HR Team.

The Trustee bringing fundraising experience will help YE engage with and develop new networks and contacts, advance YE’s capacity to increase access to opportunities for young people facing the greatest barriers to social mobility, and bring an understanding of the UK grant and corporate fundraising environment. They will act as “trustee sponsor” to the YE National Fundraising Team, provide support to the CEO and experienced National Fundraising Team in developing fundraising strategy, and provide insight with regard to ethical fundraising.

Successful candidates will bring a passionate enthusiasm for supporting the beneficiaries of the Young Enterprise Programmes and the work of the Young Enterprise Charity.

Candidates will be able to speak to one of the following backgrounds in their own experience:

• Human Resources: Candidates will bring senior-level HR expertise to the role, ideally having previous experience as an HR Director. They will be equipped to offer strategic insights to the Board and the executive on HR development and strategy, and ideally have operated at board-level as an executive or non-executive.
• Fundraising: Candidates will possess broad fundraising expertise in a senior NGO fundraising role. The successful candidate will possess an intimate understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing YE in the area of fundraising within the current economic climate. Candidates with experience of diverse income generation would be of particular interest. Alternatively, candidates who bring corporate partnership experience on either the corporate or charity side would also be of interest.

The successful candidates will be able to work at a strategic level whilst understanding the detail and complexities of delivery, appreciating the difference between non-executive and executive roles. Although prior non-executive experience is welcome, applications are welcome from individuals who have not held such roles before.

Above all, the successful candidates will be able to contribute constructively to a collaborative Board environment, bringing excellent interpersonal and communication skills, self-awareness and intellect, as well as sound judgement and the highest standards of integrity.

The full Board of Trustees can be viewed here. 

This role is unremunerated but reasonable, pre-agreed, travel expenses will be reimbursed. Trustees are also expected to be available for ad hoc consultation and input on a range of issues between meetings, usually via email, or online meetings where discussion is needed. The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed at the discretion of the Board.

Time commitment

There are five Board meetings per year, usually lasting three hours and usually held in London. Candidates will be based in England or Wales. There is one in-person strategy day per year. Additionally, the HR Trustee will also sit on the Renumeration Committee, which is held virtually twice a year and lasts two hours.