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Business Development Trustee

Role: Business Development / Corporate Partnerships Trustee

Reporting to: Chair of Trustees / CEO

Location: Remote UK (Hybrid if including part time paid consultancy for specific candidates)

Commitment: 1 x in-person Trustee meeting (London) and 4 x online trustee meetings per year, plus active involvement of approximately 4 hours per month between meetings

Sector: Youth education charity

Focus: Banking and financial-services partnerships

Remuneration: Voluntary + part time paid consultancy for specific candidates

Role purpose

The Business Development Trustee will strengthen One Degree’s ability to build substantial, long-term corporate partnerships, particularly within banking and financial services.

The Trustee will work closely with the CEO and part-time Business Development Lead, combining Board-level oversight with practical introductions, networks and strategic support.

This is intended to be an active trustee role rather than one limited to attending Board meetings.

Core trustee responsibilities

As a Trustee, the individual will:

  • contribute to One Degree’s overall strategy and governance;
  • act in the best interests of the charity and its beneficiaries;
  • provide appropriate challenge and support to the CEO;
  • help oversee organisational sustainability and risk;
  • participate fully in Trustee meetings and decisions;
  • use their experience to strengthen the charity’s long-term development.

Business development responsibilities

In addition, the Trustee will:

  • act as the Board lead for corporate partnership development;
  • help shape One Degree’s corporate partnership strategy;
  • open doors within banking, finance and related professional-services networks;
  • make senior-level introductions where appropriate;
  • help identify organisations with strong CSR, ESG, volunteering or social-mobility agendas;
  • support the CEO and Business Development Lead ahead of important corporate meetings;
  • participate selectively in high-value meetings and pitches;
  • advise on how One Degree should position itself to corporate decision-makers;
  • help develop credible sponsorship propositions;
  • challenge and review the corporate partnership pipeline;
  • support the development of multi-year relationships;
  • help connect corporate partners with One Degree’s volunteer mentoring opportunities;
  • encourage employee engagement, fundraising and matched-giving opportunities;
  • provide commercial insight into partnership structures and negotiation;
  • help determine when greater paid fundraising or business-development capacity is justified.

Particular focus: banking and finance

We are particularly interested in candidates with senior experience or strong networks across areas such as:

  • banking;
  • investment banking;
  • asset and wealth management;
  • insurance;
  • private equity;
  • fintech;
  • accountancy and professional services;
  • financial-sector foundations and CSR programmes.

The strongest candidate does not necessarily need to be a professional fundraiser.

More important is someone who understands how major financial institutions work, has credibility with senior decision-makers and is willing to actively use their network to create opportunities for One Degree.

What we are looking for

The ideal Trustee will bring:

  • a strong professional network within banking or financial services;
  • senior commercial, partnership, CSR or business-development experience;
  • confidence engaging C-suite and senior corporate leaders;
  • an understanding of corporate decision-making and relationship development;
  • an interest in education, social mobility and opportunities for disadvantaged young people;
  • willingness to make introductions and actively support partnership development;
  • good judgement around the distinction between governance and operational involvement;
  • collaborative working style with the CEO and Business Development Lead.

Success in the role

The role should help One Degree achieve:

  • a broader and more resilient corporate funding base;
  • deeper relationships with existing partners;
  • stronger access to senior corporate decision-makers;
  • increased multi-year CSR sponsorship;
  • a larger pipeline of corporate volunteer mentors;
  • less reliance on a small number of historic supporters;
  • and a clearer, repeatable corporate partnership strategy.
  • Leading to: sponsorship of 100 x One Degree students every 6 months

 

How to apply

     

    Email CV to roger@myonedegree.org if you would like to send us more details.