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Take a Virtual TourThe Chair will be pivotal in shaping OnSide Youth Zone Thames Gateway’s governance, mission and long-term sustainability. With a key role to play with increasing our network and spearheading our fundraising campaign, the Chair will hold the Board and Senior Leadership Team to account, providing inclusive strategic leadership to the Board of Trustees, ensuring that each trustee fulfils their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of OnSide Youth Zone Thames Gateway.
This role is a Trusteeship and as such is unremunerated. However, reasonable expenses may be covered by Thames Gateway, as per our expenses policy.
As one of the leaders of the charity in terms of fundraising, it would be welcomed that the Chair will be (or become) a donor to the charity. The level of this donation is of course commensurate with the Chair’s means and there will be no pressure to donate more than is affordable.
Thames Gateway currently has a Trustee Board of five people and is in active recruitment to fill the remaining vacancies ahead of opening in Winter 2027. All Trustees serve a three-year term that is renewable but would be unlikely to exceed maximum of 9 consecutive years without rigorous review by other Trustees.. All new Trustees will have a portfolio.
The current portfolios are: Chair; Deputy Chair; Youth Zone Delivery Quality; Network Champion; Legal; Governance; Facilities & Health and Safety; Local Engagement; Safeguarding; OnSide Nominated Trustee; Treasurer; Fundraising; Marketing & Communications; and HR.
Thames Gateway’s projected budget for 26/27 is approximately £500,000, with this increasing to £1.45m in 27/28 when the Youth Zone opens and is fully operational.
For further details about Thames Gateway’s finances, operations, strategy etc, please contact Bethanie Cundy (Chief Executive), who will be happy to give an informal briefing to any prospective candidate.
The appointment will ultimately be made by the Trustee Board as a whole, however the Trustees have agreed the following process:
In the first instance, please send a CV and cover letter (no more than one side of A4) to Bethanie.c@onsideyzthamesgateway.org.
Bethanie Cundy (Chief Executive) and Jamie Masraff (Trustee) will organise short online interviews. We will then shortlist.
Final-round interviews will be in-person at Future Youth Zone, Barking & Dagenham with a panel of Trustees.
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