Amicus Trust provides supported accommodation and support service across Bedford and the East of England. We provide services to single homeless people with support needs, including those with mental health needs, people with a history of alcohol or drug abuse and ex-offenders. We are a charitable trust and receive income from providing supported accommodation to councils, and we have grant funded mental health and life skills services.
The Trust has been providing accommodation and support services to vulnerable residents, since 1970. In 1974 Amicus Trust opened its first housing project in Bedford.
The Trust now works across Bedford, Buckinghamshire, Central Beds, Fenland, Huntingdon, Leicester, Luton, North Northamptonshire, West Northamptonshire and Peterborough, providing a total of 537 units for people in need of support.
About the role:
We are looking for compassionate, responsible, and committed people who can provide guidance and strategic input in a variety of areas and will always act with integrity and the best interests of the charity in mind.
You will be joining our current Board of Trustees. Trustees have overall control of the charity and have responsibility for ensuring it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the outcomes it was set up to do.
The trust meets several times a year and there are also sub committees, dependent on skillset, to further understand, challenge and advise the senior staff.
We are particularly interested in finding individuals with the following skills or experience:
• Finance, business skills and/or human resources
• Lived experience of homelessness or supported accommodation
• Chairing meetings
Duties and responsibilities:
• Ensure you understand the charity’s purposes as set out in its governing document
• Help to create, plan, and share a clear vision of the charity’s future goals and aspirations
• Clearly explain how the charity’s activities are intended to further or support its purposes
• Understand how the charity benefits the public by carrying out its purposes
• Responsible for the financial record keeping and reporting as well as fundraising
• Represent the charity externally, helping to continuously build a positive reputation and raise awareness by upholding our values and promoting the vision.
• Oversee the delivery of planned results by monitoring performance against agreed strategic objectives and targets
• Establish the overall strategic direction of the charity within the policy and resources framework available and ensure there is a distinction between these and day-to-day management decisions.
Job skills, experience, and qualifications:
• Willingness, energy and drive to lead and contribute to the success of our organisation
• Possesses tact and diplomacy, alongside the ability to persuade and influence at all levels
• Committed, passionate and self-motivated with ability to enthuse, inspire and motivate others in order to achieve the charity’s objectives
• Possesses relevant knowledge, and experience of leading/chairing organisations – previous charitable sector experience and/ or knowledge and understanding of working with people who have experienced homelessness and vulnerable adults would be ideal.