Trustees with HR, employment law or marketing background

Organisation Overview

Highly Sprung is a physical theatre company where performances and participatory projects are produced with and for new audiences of children and young people. Working together is at the core of everything we do. Our inclusive shared approach to physical theatre creates a physical language that enables children and young people to tell stories and explore global themes, using accessible, gestural, high-energy, and often risk-taking dynamic movement. We share stories through movement that speaks of the world our children and young people will create their futures in.

Highly Sprung use physical theatre to invite collaboration, contribution, and discovery. Celebrating difference and the unique physical language that our way of working produces when creating performance work or delivering learning experiences. We are England’s physical theatre company for children and young people.

Vision…

To inspire, enable and create better lives for children and young people through physical theatre.

Mission…

Highly Sprung tell compelling and relevant stories using physical theatre where text moves and movement speaks. Providing access to our work with and for children and young people to produce bold, spectacular performances and unforgettable experiences in unexpected ways, spaces, and places that inspires change. We champion the thoughts, feelings and opinions of children and young people and produce physical theatre with and for them that is valued as a legitimate dimension of our national arts sector and as an essential part of growing up that can create better lives.

Role Details

Time commitment: One day per month for trustees, two days per month for the Chair.

Attendance: Ideally in person but we can accommodate online or hybrid attendance. Ideally the Chair would attend in person.

Role Description

Highly Sprung is a charity in a period of transition and growth and is looking to recruit Trustees and a Chair of the Board in the coming months. A number of founding trustees are coming to the end of their terms and as part of succession planning the board is looking to recruit multiple Trustees. As the organisation looks to scale in the coming years, increasing the size of the board will support the charity as it grows.

Chair of the Board. We welcome applications to the role of Chair of the Board from those of all ages and backgrounds and particularly welcome applications from those with extensive experience as a charity or company trustee, and ideally with experience as a Chair of the Board or similar.

The Chair of the Board would benefit from experience of:

o Charity Governance

o Finance

o Audit & Risk

We estimate that this role will require the investment of time of at least 2 days a month which will include, preparation for and attendance at a minimum of 3 meetings per year, plus an annual away day and additional subcommittee meetings. The Chair of the board will also be required to spend time working directly with Highly Sprung Directors and preparing for Board Meetings.

Trustees. We welcome applications to the role of Trustee from those of all ages and backgrounds and particularly welcome applications from those who may not have previous experience of Board roles.

Across those recruited to the board we are looking to source experience of:

o HR & Employment Law

o Communications & Marketing

o Expertise in the practical application of safeguarding and climate based values.

o Expertise in working with young people and enabling youth voice.

We estimate that this role will require the investment of time of approximately one day a month, which will include, preparation for and attendance at a minimum of 3 meetings per year, plus an annual away day and additional subcommittee meetings.

Required Skills and Experience

General Duties of the Board

· Understand the aims and objectives of Highly Sprung

o Agreeing and helping to develop strategic direction and monitoring its delivery

o Agreeing the annual budget and monitoring its delivery

· Identifying key risks and ensuring those risks are mitigated and/or managed ensuring good governance

· Support the organisation and act as an advocate on behalf of the charity

· Contribute to the effectiveness of Highly Sprung by supporting activities

· Providing support and mentoring

· Where appropriate, take a lead on specialist areas

· Ensure that the views and interests of Members are given a voice and contribute to the strategic direction of Highly Sprung

· Ensuring that mechanisms are in place to measure the effectiveness of the Board

· Ensuring conflicts of interest are managed

· Being aware of the charity’s legal and other obligations

To apply for or express an interest in this position, please email bicenquiries@weareadvocate.org.uk