Matching marketers with charity trustee roles

 

On February 12th we hosted our second matchmaking event with EMR Recruitment to bring together senior marketers interested in becoming trustees and charities and social enterprises looking for a trustee or non-executive director with a marketing background.

Marketers have been interested in taking on a trustee position for many reasons including wanting to use their expertise to support a cause that's meaningful to them and wanting to gain valuable board experience as a stepping stone towards paid non-executive directorships.

Our events with EMR have been a huge success and they’ve led to several great connections. A few examples include:

• Kitty Poole, Marketing Director for Doddle, is now a trustee for the anti-bullying charity Kidscape

• Jason Bridgewater, Marketing Specialist, has recently joining the board of Inspire! Education Business Partnership, a London education charity

• Alex Thurgood, EMEA Digital Operations Director at Canon Europe, is a trustee for Dreams Come True, which fulfils the wishes of children with serious medical conditions

• And Eela Devani, Strategy and Digital Director at Copyright Licensing Agency, is now a trustee for Music and Memory UK, which uses music to support people living with dementia

The events have included panel discussions hosted by Steve Walker, chairman of the Pimp My Cause advisory board and director of Two-Sides, that have helped everyone to better understand how to make the most of a trustee role.

Here are three top tips from our panelists:

1. A marketer should, most importantly, work with a cause that they are passionate about!

2. If you’re considering becoming a trustee, take the time to get to know the cause and their people before committing. This could involve volunteering or acting as an informal advisor before applying to join the board.

3. Make sure you have the time in your schedule to be a committed board member. A minimum board commitment usually involves attending quarterly meetings and supporting the team as needed with advisory calls and emails.

If you’re interested in volunteering or becoming a charity trustee please get in touch at anna@pimpmycause.org.