About the Trust

The Forces in Mind Trust (FiMT) was established in 2011 by a £35 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund (now the National Lottery Community Fund) with the mission to enable ex-Service personnel and their families to make a successful and sustainable transition into civilian lives.

The engine of the Trust is the Programmes Committee, which drives the award of around £2½ million each year to a variety of organizations in accordance with the Grants and Commissioning Plan.  The Plan, the resource allocation for which is reviewed annually by the Board, comprises a coherent set of seven Programmes, each with desired beneficiary outcomes and guiding priorities derived from a robust theory of change model, and encompassing an influence and exploitation plan.

We are now looking for two new Directors/Trustees to join the FiMT Board and help us shape our work through our strategic plan.  You will share our vision that all ex-Service personnel and their families lead fulfilled civilian lives, whilst also generously sharing your knowledge, lived experience and insight to ensure that we can deliver with relevance, impact and purpose.  You will be able to challenge in a constructive and collaborative way, with a focus on reaching good-quality shared decisions, able to think strategically and creatively about the application of different approaches to challenges the organisation may face.

Requirements

The Board is looking to appoint two new Directors to contribute to the governance and development of the Trust, and is particularly interested to hear from candidates from diverse and ethnic backgrounds who have experience or an interest in one or more of the Trust’s six outcome areas:

  • Housing
  • Employment
  • Health
  • Finance
  • Criminal justice
  • Relationships

In addition, we are looking to increase the Board’s coverage of policy, research, Armed Forces charities, lived experience and alternative perspectives.  Because we are recruiting two directors, any individual applicant would not be expected to provide all of these attributes, but our intention is to fill them across the two positions.

Strong empathy with the United Kingdom’s Armed Forces Community is an essential requirement.  Previous Board experience is not necessary, but an understanding of, or a willingness to train in, the principles of good governance in the charity sector is essential.  We are though looking for bold thinkers, innovative influencers, and agents of change.

The newly appointed Directors will support and offer their expertise and guidance in leading the Trust.

If you have the personal or professional experience, perspective and skills we seek, and share our enthusiasm for ensuring ex-Service personnel and their families can make a successful and sustainable transition into civilian lives, we are keen to hear from you.

For the full job spec click here.

How to apply

Expressions of interest comprising a cover letter and CV totalling not more than 4 sides should be sent to director@fim-trust.org by Friday 27 November 2020.  All applications will be acknowledged, and those with whom the Trust wishes to take forward discussions will be personally informed before the end of January 2021.