Trustee – Pro Bono

Media Trust is looking for new Trustees to join its Board to bring different perspectives and areas of expertise to complement and strengthen the Board’s skill set, experience and diversity. The new Trustees will bring enthusiasm for Media Trust’s work as well as relevant expertise, experience and networks to support the organisation in corporate/philanthropic fundraising or its programmes aimed at improving representation in the screen industries (film, TV, and gaming).

About Media Trust

At Media Trust, we believe it’s by giving everyone a voice that we’ll get to a more equal society. That’s why we’re working with hundreds of charities to strengthen their storytelling, advocacy and campaigning, press engagement and social media. We do this through media, communications and digital skills training delivered in partnership with our media and creative industry partners and by matching media industry volunteers looking to give back with charities looking for help with content creation and other comms support. At the same time, our programmes for underrepresented talent are giving young and diverse talent the creative media skills, access and mentoring support to break into the media.

The charity has an extensive network of long-standing media and creative industry partners including Ascential, BBC, BBH, Bloomberg, Channel 4, Dentsu, Edelman, Google, Hearst, ITV, Meta, News UK, Ogilvy, Sky, Talon, Warner Bros. Discovery, WPP and Yahoo, whom it works closely with to deliver its programmes.

Role specification

Media Trust has a committed Board of Trustees and is always looking to bring in different perspectives and areas of expertise to complement and strengthen the board further.

All Trustees are responsible for ensuring that Media Trust acts in the interest of the charities and the underrepresented groups it serves and, in line with its charitable objectives, must ensure that the charity’s performance is evaluated in this respect. In addition to formal Board meetings, Trustees should be willing to engage in other ways, for example by joining a working group or committee for a specified period or providing advice to the senior leadership team on a more ad hoc basis.

It is an advantage, though not a requirement, if trustees have contacts who are interested in supporting Media Trust’s aims.

Person specification

The new Trustees will bring passion and enthusiasm for Media Trust’s work and be keen to learn and contribute to the organisation’s work: bridging the gap between the media and creative industry and broader society to strengthen the voices of charities and under-represented communities.

Candidates should possess relationship-building and strong interpersonal skills and will be expected to act as prominent ambassadors for the charity. Media Trust is open to appointing candidates for whom this would be their first board role and is committed to broadening the Board’s diversity across every axis.

For the current vacancies, Media Trust is seeking experience and expertise in the following areas:

• Industry fundraising expertise: to support the executive team in identifying and securing programme/event sponsors and other sources of industry income. You may have leadership experience working at a media or brand organisation, a marketing or media industry body, or experience as a fundraising professional in the charity, nonprofit or private sectors with strong connections to industry.
• Screen industry connections: to help the executive team secure screen industries’ support (trainers, mentors, facilities) to deliver programmes aimed at getting more under-represented talent into film, TV, and gaming particularly in behind the camera roles, we’re looking for new trustees with deep connections within the screen industries, particularly in development, production and post-production at the major studios, major broadcasters or industry bodies.

Diversity

Media Trust welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith, or disability.

Media Trust is particularly keen to improve the diversity of its Board and ensure that it is representative of the organisations and communities which Media Trust serves. As people who identify as women or non-binary and people with physical disabilities or neurodiversity are all currently under-represented on the Board, applications from those candidates would be particularly encouraged.

All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process, overseen by Media Trust’s Nominations Committee. In line with the Equality Act 2010, the organisation may employ positive action where diverse candidates can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.

Expected time commitment

Media Trust holds four Board meetings per year which last around 3 hours, not including preparation.

There is also an opportunity, depending on skills and experience, for the new Trustees to join one or more Board committees. The Finance & Audit Committee meets four times a year for c. 1-1.5 hours each time, whereas the Nominations Committee meets according to need.

There is also the option to join the Advisory Board for a specific programme, depending on its relevance and a Trustee’s interest & availability.

Board meetings are usually held in Central London and are hosted at the offices of the charity’s Trustees, with reasonable travel expenses covered. Media Trust is a flexible employer: hybrid and remote working are welcomed, and there will be options to attend these meetings remotely.

How to apply

Please complete and submit an Equal Opportunities form.

Email a covering letter (max 2 pages) describing how your skills and experience match our requirements, along with your CV, to: roles@mediatrust.org.

Please put “Trustee Application” in the subject heading of the email and let us know where you heard about the vacancy.

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments for applicants who need additional support at any stage of the recruitment process, please see our Equal Opportunities form for more details and do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss if you would prefer.

A guide to timings:

• Deadline for applications: 31 May 2024
• Interviews conducted: June 2024
• New Trustees appointed: July 2024