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

We’re looking for three new members to join the Board of Directors at Hackney School of Food. This is a chance to help shape a dynamic, community-driven organisation that’s improving health and building skills through food education.

Who We Are Hackney School of Food is a food education hub in Clapton, founded in partnership with the LEAP Federation of Schools and the charity Chefs in Schools.

We believe learning to cook and grow food is a vital life skill, and sharing this knowledge builds healthier, more resilient communities. We’re on a mission to provide children, families, and our local community with the tools to improve their diets and well-being. By building knowledge and confidence in growing and cooking nutritious food, from seed to spoon. Our programmes include curriculum-linked lessons, after-school and holiday clubs, family cooking and growing projects, and adult workshops.

We transformed a former caretaker’s house on the site of Mandeville Primary School into an award-winning teaching kitchen and turned tarmac into a flourishing garden. A once-disused classroom is now our Garden Room, where we host educational workshops and dining events for our community.

In 2023, we became a Community Interest Company (CIC) – a not-for-profit social enterprise – meaning our work is driven by the needs and interests of our community. Since opening, we’ve welcomed thousands of people through our doors, working with schools, community organisations, and local residents.

To see more about what we do see: www.hackneyschooloffood.com 

New board members 

We recognise that a diversity of skills and experiences makes for a strong board. We are particularly interested in applications from people with one or more of the following skills/experiences:

• Fundraising and income generation expertise
• Business development or growth strategy experience
• Knowledge/experience in social enterprises or start-ups
• Strong network connections, particularly in Hackney / East London

To make an effective board member, it’s also important you are:

• A good communicator with sound judgement
• Open-minded, collaborative and willing to listen
• Confident engaging with different people and perspectives
• Commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility

You don’t need to tick every box. If you’re committed to Hackney School of Food’s mission and the communities we work with, we’d love to hear from you. Previous board experience is welcome but not essential. We are keen to support first-time board members.

Our commitment to creating a diverse board 

We encourage anyone interested to apply.  But we also want to make extra sure our board represents and reflects the communities we serve. We welcome applicants of any gender but do encourage men to apply, to improve gender balance on our board. We welcome applications from black and global majority people and people living locally in Hackney. If you feel comfortable sharing this, we would really like to know if you have any lived experience of food insecurity or health inequalities in your application. 

What Does Being a Board Member Mean? Our Board of Directors provides oversight, strategic direction, and support to  the team at Hackney School of Food. Board members:

• Provide leadership, helping to set strategic goals and priorities
• Support fundraising and networking efforts
• Act as ambassadors for the CIC
• Oversee compliance and legal and regulatory obligations
• Ensure we are financially sustainable and stay true to our CIC objectives
• Offer advice and support to the managing director and the wider team.
• Bring expertise, ideas, and lived experience to guide our development.  

Time Commitment On average, the role will take 1–2 days a month, including:

• quarterly board meetings
• occasional working group or fundraising meetings
• offering advice or support and reading papers in between meetings

Benefits Being a board member is a valuable way to broaden your professional experience, including management and leadership skills. As a board member, you’ll:

• Play a meaningful role in improving access to food education
• Gain experience in governance, leadership, and strategy
• Work alongside passionate, committed people who care about making a difference

This is a voluntary (unpaid) role. We will reimburse reasonable travel and subsistence expenses so that income is not a barrier to participation.

Find out more here.

Application information

To apply, please send your CV and a short covering letter (maximum one A4 page) to hello@hackneyschooloffood.com by Sunday 11 January 2026. 

In your covering letter, please tell us:

• Why you’re interested in joining the board
• What skills, experience, or lived experience you would bring
• How you connect with Hackney School of Food’s mission

What happens next

• Applications will be reviewed by our Managing Director and current board members.
• Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an informal interview in mid-January.
• You’ll then have the chance to meet current board members to ensure the role is the right fit for both sides.

All Directors will need to complete an enhanced DBS check before starting.

Please mention Roots to Work when applying for these jobs