Calling three people who are passionate about improving the lives of young people aged between 16 and 25 with learning disabilities, and Special Educational Needs & Disabilities, in Dorset and the surrounding areas. If you care and can commit, join us across two unique settings to help us with the exciting next steps on our journey of preparing young people for adulthood.
We are looking for Trustee Advisors who can take on specific responsibilities within the Trustee Advisory Board. These include Leadership & Management, Quality of Education & Social Care, and Safeguarding, but if you have an interest in independent specialist provision, we would love to hear from you.
Safeguarding Trustee Advisor
Will work directly with our Designated Safeguarding Lead, ensuring that policies are up to date, being followed and are having a positive effect.
They will report to our Trustee Advisory Board in line with expectations set out in both Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021 and CQC’s Regulation 13: Safeguarding service users from abuse and improper treatment.
Leadership & Management Trustee Advisor
Will build on the work started by our staff team to ensure that Employ My Ability (EMA) is a place where every individual is valued and championed, whether they be students, service users or staff.
They will ensure that policies, procedures, and operations (including financial stability and transparency) are robust, implemented and lead our organisation in its strategic direction.
Quality of Education and Social Care Trustee Advisor
Will work directly with both our Education and Adult Social Care teams to ensure that the services delivered are meeting the required regulatory standards, as well as monitoring the overall progress milestones that are set out in our Quality Improvement Plan.
The bigger picture
Due to continued growth, we have restructured our Trustee Advisory Board, and this has created several new vacancies.
We are looking for interested and committed individuals who would like to play a part in our development as we move into our eighth year of providing high quality education and adult social care services to the young people of Dorset.
The Trustees Advisors will support our Trustees and Senior Management Team in the day-to-day responsibility for both the governance of our Independent Specialist College status, and Adult Social Care provision, as we move towards being OFSTED inspected and CQC registered.
We are seeking Trustee Advisors from diverse and varied backgrounds and specialisms, and welcome enquiries from anyone who feels that they have a contribution to make. In particular people with a legal, financial, audit, human resources or a secondary/further education leadership background are especially encouraged to enrich our current skill mix.
Our expectations for the roles
We expect our Trustee Advisors to ensure EMA’s clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction by:
- Holding our Senior Management Team to account for the educational performance of EMA and outcomes for learners.
- Holding our Senior Management Team to account for the performance of the Adult Social Care service provision and outcomes for service users.
- Holding our Managing Director to account for the operational and financial performance of EMA and assuring value for money.
- Bringing qualities to EMA that enhance effectiveness, including independence, impartiality, professional integrity, and the gravitas to make an effective contribution at this level.
- Being numerate and able to interpret data, including financial data.
- Having effective communication skills, including an ability to listen carefully and communicate
with clarity, objectivity, and brevity.
- Displaying the strength of character and ability to stand back from the issue being discussed,
as well as a pragmatic approach and the ability to compromise.
- Exhibiting courage, common sense, good judgement, and diplomacy.
- Showing demonstrable expertise, or necessary qualifications to provide advice and guidance
- Being passionate about, and committed to, the vision, ethos, and values of EMA.
- Attending termly meetings of our Trustee Advisory Board, spending time in our unique
settings, and undertaking project work outside of the annual meeting cycle.
Overall, EMA seeks persons who can commit to our values and principles, possess short- and long- term strategic vision and good, independent judgement as well as a willingness to speak their mind, understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, and responsibilities of trusteeship and an ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
About Employ My Ability
We highly value the role of our Trustee Advisors, and the skills and knowledge of their own specialism are used to support the effective governance and accountability of a unique setting that serves and supports some of the most disadvantaged young person in Dorset and the surrounding areas.
The support provided our Trustee Advisory Board to the leadership team is invaluable in the continued development of EMA and in shaping our strategic direction of travel.
You will joining a friendly and progressive team in a unique setting, that is making a real difference to young people’s lives by preparing them for adulthood from the first day they come to us.
To submit a CV, or if you would like more information, or an informal discussion please contact our Group Risk & Compliance Manager, David Fletcher (compliance@employmyability.org.uk / 01929 507 065).
Following this you will be invited to complete an application form and attend an interview with the existing Trustees and other members of the Senior Management Team. It is envisaged selection will be made in February 2022, with the new Trustee Advisors attending their first meeting towards the end of the Spring Term 2022.
Further information, together with the Terms of Reference for the Trustee Advisory Board, can be found here on our website at https://employmyability.org.uk/governance
