Find your place in the field of good food

Our goal is to connect good people with good food. We advertise sustainable food jobs and training opportunities to help jobseekers and employers find each other.

Roots to Work is a project of Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.

Job description

Food Matters Foundation (known as Food Matters) is a small dynamic charity started in 2004. We champion healthy, sustainable, fair food to become a reality for everybody, every day. We work to deliver change in policy and practice through innovative, participatory, citizen-led, whole systems approaches. We collaborate with communities to build capacity because we believe that change happens when policy interventions align with people’s ability to make change happen.  

We have a unique approach to strategic food work, supported by three core principles: 

1. Participation – We put people at the centre of all our work. 

2. Collaboration – We bring together multiple perspectives to achieve outcomes greater than the sum of their parts. 

3. Innovation - We test ideas, pilot initiatives and support programmes so the best of them can take root and flourish. 

We work nationally and locally on our own projects and in partnership with other organisations, at both a strategic policy and community level. All our projects are characterised by two clear motives: pioneering innovative approaches that address the most challenging issues; and exploring initiatives focused on particularly marginalised and excluded communities. 

Food Matters undertakes positive action and is working strategically on diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism.  We welcome people from all backgrounds and are specifically looking for expertise on EDI. 

We are a small, friendly team who put people at the core of everything we do. 

Role Purpose 

Our trustees play a vital role in assuring that Food Matters achieves its core purpose.  They oversee the management and administration of the charity.  They ensure that we have a clear strategy and we work in line with our vision.  Just as importantly they support the team to enable Food Matters to thrive and innovate. 

Trustees have ultimate responsibility for the governance of Food Matters, as outlined in the constitution, ensuring it is delivering its charitable objectives, and is financially sound and compliant. 

Person Specification 

We are looking to recruit trustees who thrive being part of a team and bring the skills and commitment necessary to take the organisation forward. We are specifically looking for skills, knowledge and experience in the following areas: 

• Food systems 
• Diversity, equity & inclusion 
• Entrepreneurial fundraising or income generation 
• The criminal justice system / Rehabilitation work 
• Participatory approaches 
• Communications 
• Policy and advocacy at a senior level 
• Supporting young people 

Each trustee is expected to: 

• Work as part of a team, in a culture of learning and change 
• Show commitment to the aims and work of Food Matters  
• Commit time and effort to serve on the Board, and to attend at least 3 out of 4 Board meetings per year 
• Be willing to speak their mind and exercise independent judgment 
• Be open, receptive and understanding to others' opinions 
• Have a strong personal commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism 
• Understand the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship (or be willing to have training/induction in this) 
• Not be disqualified from being a trustee (through bankruptcy, disqualification as a director, removal as a trustee, non-spent conviction of dishonesty or corruption) 

Key responsibilities 

• Attending regular meetings of the board and other related duties (as outlined below) 
• Contributing to and influence the charity’s strategic direction in line with its charitable objectives 
• Ensuring that the organisation complies with its governing document, charity law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations 
• Ensuring that the management and administration of the charity is undertaken responsibly 
• Ensuring that the organisation uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects 
• Acting in the best interests of the charity while exercising independent judgement 
• Safeguarding and protecting the assets (cash, intellectual property, staff and reputation) of the charity, and ensuring the charity’s financial stability 
• Contributing actively to the board of trustees’ collective role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policies, and evaluating performance against agreed targets 
• Acting as an ambassador for the charity and using networks to promote the charity’s work and, where appropriate, to seek funding 
• Scrutinising board papers; contributing to the work of potential sub-committees (as and when appropriate) 

For full details of trustees’ statutory duties, please see CC3: the Essential Trustee. 

Time Commitment 

• The Board meets at least 4 times a year; there is also an annual strategy day (often combined with one of the Board meetings). 
• Trustees, where possible, also play an active role outside of board meetings in relation to matters such as fundraising and organisational development 
• In addition to Board Meetings, other contact – usually electronic or by telephone – will be necessary on occasion between board meetings. 

  Our Commitment to you 

The role is unpaid, but reasonable expenses relating to travel for Board and other meetings will be paid for by Food Matters.  New trustees will be given a thorough induction to the work of Food Matters, including: 

• Strategy, culture and finances 
• An opportunity to meet with staff to learn more about the organisation’s work 

For more information or an informal chat please contact Victoria Williams, Director in the first instance on victoria@foodmatters.org or 01273 234781.

Application information

To apply please read the Trustee Role Description and send your CV and a covering letter to victoria@foodmatters.org outlining: 

• Your interest in the charity and your motivation in applying 
• Any relevant experience 
• What you can contribute to Food Matters

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs