Trustees: Someone backed you. Now it's your turn

About the company

Dallaglio RugbyWorks is an employment and social mobility charity. We work with young people who have been excluded from mainstream education, so that they are not excluded from society as well. Our work begins at around age 13, often just as things begin to go wrong, and continues until each young person is settled in sustained employment, education or training, sometimes into their mid-twenties. We measure our success by how many of those young people go on to secure a positive future.

Our impact

• 13,054 young people supported to date.
• Almost 99% progressed into education, employment or training on leaving our programme.
• 86% remained in sustained education, employment or training after age 18.
• £30 of social value generated for every £1 invested.
• 15 team members bring lived experience of the challenges our young people face.

Our Board and leadership You will join a Board that brings together experience from education, safeguarding, business, finance, law, marketing, investment and social policy.

Founder: Lawrence Dallaglio OBE, former England and Wasps captain and World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee.

Chief Executive: Zenna Hopson, former Chair of Ofsted, who brings an extensive commercial background. Zenna served as a Trustee before being appointed CEO in 2021.

Trustees

• John d'Abbro OBE (Acting Chair). Educationalist
• Andy Cook. Chief Executive of the Centre for Social Justice.

• Nick Theakstone. Former Chair of the UK Board of GroupM and member of its Global Executive Committee.
• Mai Fenton. Former Chief Marketing Officer at Superscript, and Non-Executive Director of Henderson International Income Trust plc and Scottish Friendly Assurance Society.

• Keir Stephenson. Investment professional at private equity firm Tenzing, formerly of Kings Park Capital, The Hut Group and PwC.

Your tasks

Dallaglio RugbyWorks is seeking new Trustees to join its Board and help lead the charity through its next stage of growth.

Trustees share collective responsibility for the governance, strategic direction and financial health of the charity. Dallaglio RugbyWorks is both a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, so Trustees also serve as non-executive directors and carry the legal duties of both roles.

We have three committees 1. HR, Remuneration & Nomination, 2. Finance & Audit and 3. Safeguarding and Impact each made up of two or three trustees, and we ask every trustee to join one.

Requirements

Who we are looking for Above all, we are looking for people with a genuine commitment to improving the life chances of young people. We are particularly keen to strengthen the Board in the following areas:

• Legal expertise. This is our most significant skills gap at Board level.
• Commercial experience. For example, as a founder, operator or someone who has built and sold a business.

• Marketing, PR or communications experience would be a value-add, as would serving executives in the charity sector.
• Public affairs or lobbying experience. This would help us influence policy on youth employment and school exclusion.

• Networks. The ability and willingness to open doors on the charity’s behalf.
• Lived experience. For example, of disadvantage, exclusion, or the difference made by someone stepping in at the right moment.

Trustees must demonstrate independent judgement, strategic thinking, discretion and collaborative leadership, with an understanding of governance and legal responsibilities.

Previous board experience is desirable but not essential. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly women and under-represented groups, with appointments based on merit.

What we offer

Support for our Trustees You’ll be well-supported. Trustees benefit from indemnity insurance, established governance and safeguarding policies, and an experienced executive team managing day-to-day operations, allowing you to focus on strategy and oversight.

No financial contribution is required. We value your time, judgement and expertise, with no expectation to donate or fundraise. Opportunities to meet our young people and attend activities are welcomed.

An excellent first board role. You'll serve as both Trustee and non-executive director, with full induction and support from experienced Board members. Previous board experience is not essential.

How to apply

Selection process The first stage is an informal conversation with the charity’s leadership team to discuss the role and its responsibilities. No CV is required at this stage.

Candidates who wish to proceed will be asked to submit a CV or a brief statement of interest. Shortlisted candidates will meet two current Trustees, after which nominations will be put to the full Board. We aim to appoint new Trustees at our AGM in London on 10 December.

This appointment is being managed by our Talent Partners, RR. For a confidential discussion, please contact Lucy Mackenzie at Recruitment Revolution.

Other

Help steer a charity that changes young lives Trustee | Dallaglio RugbyWorks Voluntary (travel expenses reimbursed) | London / Remote | c25-30hours per annum | Three board meetings a year plus AGM

Time commitment The Board meets three times a year, with an Annual General Meeting each December. Trustees receive a monthly update from the executive team and are expected to read board papers in advance and attend meetings consistently. Most meetings can be attended remotely, but Trustees are asked to attend at least one meeting in person in London each year. Including preparation, the minimum commitment is around 25-30 hours a year.

Application notice... We take your privacy seriously. As you might expect you may be contacted by email, text or telephone. Your data is processed by our talent partner RR (Recruitment Revolution) on the basis of their legitimate interests in fulfilling the recruitment process. Please refer to their Data Privacy Policy & Notice on their website for further details.