“Greggs has a long history of supporting the local communities where it trades. Unfortunately, many of those needs show no sign of diminishing, and in fact are growing”
Background
The Greggs Foundation is a grant-making charitable trust aiming to build stronger, healthier communities and make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged people within the UK. The Foundation is wholly independent from the Greggs plc business but together the two entities enjoy an extremely positive and open relationship. In 1987 Ian Gregg - son of the original founder and the person who paved the way for what is now a £1bn revenue, 2000-shop Greggs business - wanted to establish a more effective way to channel financial support to those in need. He created the Foundation and gifted a sizeable proportion of his own shareholding to it. Since that time the Foundation has invested well over £32m, with current annual grant-making now exceeding £3m.
The Foundation is committed to:
- Addressing poverty, hardship and inequality.
- Ensuring food is at the heart of communities.
- Supporting local community organisations to make a real difference.
It does this by investing in four main programmes:
- Its Breakfast Club Programme was established in 1999 to help primary school children get a nutritious start to their school day. Over 40,000 children are supported each day and the ambition is to reach 70,000 by 2025.
- The Hardship Fund provides small grants to families and individuals in severe financial hardship. This programme makes grants towards basic household needs, such as cookers, fridge freezers and clothing.
- The Core Fund makes larger grants to support relevant charities across the UK.
- Environmental, which offers funding to improve a community's environment to help improve the lives of people who live there.
The Role
The Foundation is seeking to appoint a successor to the current Chair, who has decided that it is the right time to step down after many hugely successful years in the role. As Chair, you will lead the Foundation and Trustee Board, a rare opportunity to take the helm of a well-respected, entrepreneurial, financially-secure charity as it works hard to support those in need.
The Chair will be officially responsible for leading the Trustee Board, ensuring that the Foundation delivers against its goals and commitments. But the opportunity, and need, to influence beyond this is significant, whether that be with Greggs, across the Foundation’s partner network, or within local and national government.
Some of the key responsibilities would include:
- Lead the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, ensuring the charity meets its goals and objectives. Ensure the Foundation maximises the benefit it can make to society with the resources available to it.
- Coach and mentor the Foundation Manager, providing experienced counsel and guidance as needed.
- Be responsible for ensuring the Trustee Board is effective and collaborative, sponsoring the recruitment of new members if required. Play an active role in any relevant sub committees, ensuring they also meet their goals and objectives.
- Take responsibility for sponsoring the design and enactment of the long-term vision of the Foundation. This includes setting the corresponding strategic priorities and objectives.
- Build open and effective relationships with all Trustees, including the Greggs representatives.
- Bring energy and drive to the promotion of the Foundation, including with new partners, local and national press, government bodies, peer organisations, and other stakeholders.
The Person Needed
The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate a deep and active drive to make a difference to the lives of the disadvantaged. They will be a proven leader and have operated at Board level in comparable, high profile roles. It may be that their experience is within industry, the professions, or, equally, the not-for-profit sector.
It is so important that you can demonstrate a deep, active passion for improving the lives of people in their local communities. You will have a track record of trying to make a difference, raising funds for good causes, perhaps centred upon deprived communities, food poverty, or children’s wellbeing.
A coaching-biased leader with minimal ego, high emotional intelligence, deep energy levels, and resilience will thrive in the role.
The role is part-time and non-executive, with periods through the course of the year that carry greater intensity and activity. It is therefore feasible that the Foundation commitment could be balanced with another, more full-time executive commitment.
How to Apply
Our retained consultants, Drayton Partners, are project managing the recruitment of the Foundation Chair. In the first instance, please email an up to date CV, or equivalent, along with a covering note describing why you feel this role is a great opportunity for you to: rob.seery@draytonpartners.com
As you would expect, the Foundation follows the same diversity ambitions and commitments as Greggs plc. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Closing date for applications is 9 May 2021