The Sara Lee Trust
Job Title:
Chief Executive Officer
Reporting to:
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Responsible for:
Leading and managing the Sara Lee Trust, Sara Lee
Trading Ltd & associated fundraising activities
Location:
At present St. Leonards on Sea, East Sussex
Salary:
c£35,000 to £40,000, negotiable
Main purpose of the post: To lead and manage the organization. The Sara
Lee Trust is going through a period of significant growth, development and
change.
The CEO will report to the Chair of the Board of Trustees, and will have line
management responsibility for all Sara Lee Trust & Sara Lee Trading staff.
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Background of the Sara Lee Trust
In 1996 Sally Lee MBE and Dr. Jeremy Lee established The Sara Lee Trust in
memory of their daughter Sara, who had died of cancer the previous year,
at the age of 32.
During a two year illness, Sara had found comfort in the use of counselling
and complementary therapies; allowing her to feel able to live life to the
full, despite the cancer within. She asked her parents to do what they
could to help others gain similar relief. With the support of friends, the
Lees established the Sara Lee Trust. Those living in the Hastings and
Rother area with cancer and other life threatening illnesses can now enjoy
the benefits of counselling and complementary therapies free of charge.
The Trust’s original aim was to support those living with a terminal
diagnosis; with advancements in medical science people now live longer
with serious illnesses; the Trust has developed accordingly, and is more
flexible about those who can be referred for services. For more
information please see www.saraleetrust.org
Over a period of almost twenty years, the Sara Lee Trust has developed
and grown. The Chair and Board of Trustees have decided that the time is
ripe to build a Sara Lee Centre, which means a period of profound change
for the charity.
The Trust provides: complementary therapy treatments, counseling,
creative arts therapy and sanctuary days.
The Sara Lee Trust now has four shops supporting the work of the charity,
which are managed through a separate trading company. Further funds
come from voluntary donations, charitable foundations and legacies.
The Board of Trustees now seeks to appoint a Chief Executive to lead
the organization through this pivotal period.
The Trust is in a strong financial and operational position to embark
on a programme of major expansion. This is to include a new Sara
Lee Centre, expansion of the shops and services. Our vision is to be
the go to provider for complementary care within Sussex. The CEO
will be critical to the delivery of this vision.
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Key Responsibilities
Deliver, through appropriate plans and in accordance with agreed
policies and protocols, the vision, mission and objectives of the Sara Lee
Trust.
Lead the implementation of strategy, including reviewing progress
and setting appropriate targets.
Work with the Chair and the Board of Trustees to formulate, deliver
and regularly review the charity’s vision, mission and strategic plans.
Initiate and manage capital appeals for major development projects.
Ensure that the charity is well administered and meets governance
requirements.
Develop operating policies to ensure programmes and activities are
implemented effectively.
Ensure that the organization remains responsive to the needs of
patients and referrers, demonstrating the value of services provided and
the impact of the work.
Have responsibility for financial management of the charity, including
preparation of budgets for agreement by the Trustees, ensuring that
income is maintained and expenditure is controlled in line with budgets,
and that potential risks are identified and managed.
Define and secure the resources (human, material and financial)
needed to operate effectively.
Lead, manage and support the staff team to maximize their personal
contributions
Ensure that the charity has the appropriate policies, procedures,
systems and processes in place.
Work with the Directors of Sara Lee Trading Ltd to maximise the income
from the Trading Company and continue the development of the Charity
Shops enterprise in accordance with the 5 year Plan
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Fundraising and income generation
Develop and manage a capital appeal to build the Sara Lee Trust
Centre.
In tandem with the Board of Trustees, develop and build relationships
with supporters, funders and potential funders to maximize opportunities
for income generation.
Monitor and update income generation strategies, maintaining and
enhancing the level of funding from existing sources, and developing new
funding streams.
Provide direction and support to any staff and volunteers involved in
income generation activities, ensuring that team efforts are coordinated.
Ambassador for The Sara Lee Trust
Gain, as soon as possible, a thorough understanding of the activities
of the Sara Lee Trust.
Understand the work of The Sara Lee Trust, believe in it, and be able
to promote the charity’s services to all audiences.
Communicate with patients and their families.
Act as official spokesperson for The Sara Lee Trust when required,
ensuring that the Chair and Board of Trustees are kept fully informed as
appropriate. At all times you will be an ambassador for The Sara Lee
Trust’s work, making sure that the reputation, intellectual property and
values of the organization are safeguarded.
Key Relationship Management
Take responsibility for identifying key relationships that The Sara Lee
Trust holds or should hold.
Maintain with particular care the special relationship the Sara Lee
Trust shares with St Michael’s Hospice, The Rye Memorial Hospital,
specialist nurses, and the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Some
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relationships you will hold yourself as CEO, and others will be held by
managers, members of staff, and members of the Board of Trustees; but
you will maintain an oversight and ensure that these relationships are
appropriately maintained and developed on behalf of the charity.
Develop the charity’s public profile and foster relationships with
statutory, voluntary and private bodies, individuals and other external
stakeholders.
Person Specification – Desirable or Essential Skills,
Experience and Qualities
Essential:
Proven leadership and management skills
Strong financial management skills
Strong people management skills
A service user/customer focussed approach
Project management and experience
Systems skills
Good communication skills
Ambassadorial skills
Ability to build relationships within the voluntary sector
Emotional intelligence, allied with resilience
Able to work outside office hours occasionally
Car and full driving licence
Desirable:
Degree and/or further education qualification
Knowledge of the fields of complementary therapies, counselling, and
palliative care
Knowledge of the voluntary sector with an understanding of the issues of
small charities
Experience of major bids
Experience of working with a board of trustees
Fundraising:
The Sara Lee Trust is a registered charity. It relies on the local community for a
major proportion of its income through fundraising, principally undertaken by
volunteers. For this reason it is expected that all members of staff will endeavour to
support the fundraising activities of the Trust, taking appropriate opportunities to
explain the way the SLT operates. We want to encourage staff, when possible, to
attend, in a voluntary capacity, at least two fundraising activities a year.
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