​The Tudor Trust is an independent grant-making trust which has traditionally supported voluntary and community groups working to meet the needs of people at the margins of UK society. Endowed in 1955 with shares in a major construction company, their distinctive philosophy is rooted in trusting those that they support to know what communities need. This is reflected in the Trust's commitment to core funding to build capacity and resilience in the sector.

The Tudor Trust recognise that mainstream models of grant-making are imperfect and – if unchallenged – risk reinforcing existing inequitable structures within the sector and wider society. Through a period of organisation-wide self-reflection, they have sought to understand and address the tensions inherent in their legacy structures. The Trust were confronted with the understanding that these were rooted in systemic and structural racism, patriarchy and economic inequality, and that they needed to address this with, openness, humility and generosity. Though they have made some progress in uncovering this, the work of responding with courage continues. Having pledged to embed all their recent learning in how they work both internally and externally, The Tudor Trust are now working towards building a new long-term strategy, which includes a commitment to renew the Board in its entirety over the next twelve months.

They believe that their future should be and will be radically, inspiringly different, and are seeking a new cohort of Trustees (including a Chair Designate) to be instrumental in forming a Board with a commitment to rebuilding all of their governance structures. The newly appointed Trustees will be experienced and strategic changemakers, perhaps frustrated at the lack of appetite for fundamental change in mainstream grant-making and inspired by the opportunity to build a different future for a Trust that wants to move forward with a deep commitment to the power of grassroots and community action. You’ll understand trusts and foundations well enough to be able to articulate what must change at a wider strategic level, and yet also be willing to be challenged by the knowledge and experiences of others; particularly wider stakeholders who are closer to the change that is necessary to secure a fairer and more just society.

In this first round of recruitment, the Trust are looking to secure three or four new trustees, including a Chair Designate. Whilst they are asking all trustees to bring a strong personal commitment to justice, diversity, equity and inclusion, the panel would like at least one of their new trustees to bring particular expertise in anti-racism, equity and inclusion. They also require an additional investment trustee who will need to understand about the investment of an endowment in line with philanthropy and their mission to distribute funding in a fair and equitable way. In a Chair Designate, they are looking for a deep understanding of social and racial justice, and experience of applying this to systemic change, as well as the strategic mindset to drive the work of Tudor forward.

While you may have previous trustee or chair experience, The Tudor Trust are emphatically committed to changing their family-led governance model, in which trustees led on individual grant decision making. We want our new trustees to build an oversight model, with a clear understanding of their role in creating the conditions to build courageous strategic models, and in empowering the Executive team with the wider staff to deliver the Trust's ambitions.

To find out more, please visit www.tudor-trustees.co.uk. If you have any further questions or wish to receive the candidate pack in an alternative format, please email us on tudor-trustees@cadencepartners.co.uk.

Closing date: 5 November.