Trustee

TrusteeRecruitment packClive Gresham Northamptonshire Music and Performing ArtsTrust Board ChairNorthamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust (NMPAT) is anindependent charity founded in 2012 to provide access to music and thearts for all the children and young people across Northamptonshire. TheTrust employs c200 people delivering lessons in schools and private tuitionat our centre in Northampton for thousands of young people. It’s an exciting time to join, with the recent appointment of a new ChiefExecutive and additions to the Senior Leadership Team as we work todeliver our strategy.  Trustees provide leadership and governance, ensuringthat we live our values and deliver our strategy. Do you share our vision of improving the lives of childrenand young people through engagement with music andthe performing arts, no matter what their background? We are looking for people who:  are as passionate as we are about our vision for enhancingchildren and young people’s lives  embody our values of: Inspire, Nurture and Excel  bring fresh thinking and creative solutions  are forward looking, collaborative andsolution centric 1Northamptonshire Music and Performing Arts Trust is a place where music and theperforming arts genuinely transform lives. Every week, across Northamptonshireand Rutland, thousands of children and young people develop skills, confidenceand creativity through lessons, ensembles, centre activities and performances ofexceptional quality. Our reputation for excellence is matched by our commitmentto inclusion, community and opportunity.As the new Chief Executive, I am thrilled to be leading NMPAT into its next chapter.The national landscape for music education is evolving, presenting significantopportunities to reimagine how we support schools, widen access, modernise oursystems and strengthen our creative offer. Locally, demand for high-qualityprovision remains strong, and our partners continue to look to NMPAT as a trustedleader within the cultural and education sectors.This is why now is such a compelling moment to join our Board. As a Trustee, youwill help shape the Trust’s future direction, champion our values, and ensure weremain resilient, ambitious and impactful. Your expertise and insight will directlysupport our mission to inspire, nurture and enable excellence for children andyoung people.If you believe in the power of the arts and want to contribute to a thriving,forward-looking organisation, I warmly encourage you to consider becoming part of NMPAT’s future.Charlotte BuxtonChief ExecutiveA message from theChief Executive2To improve the lives of children and youngpeople through engagement with music andthe performing arts. Our VisionOur MissionTo provide high quality access to music-making and performing arts opportunities, and deliver the promises of the National Plan for Music Education to the children and young people of Northamptonshire and Rutland, so that:“all children and young people [will be enabled to] learn to sing, play an instrument and create music together, and have the opportunity to progress their musical interests and talents, including professionally.”Our ValuesInspire • Nurture • ExcelChosen by the staff team, NMPAT aims that these three values should permeate, and be visible in, everylesson, every rehearsal, every performance, and everyinteraction with our stakeholders. They are the values bywhich we judge ourselves, and wish to be judged. 3Our team of c200 music education professionals provide musiceducation experiences in nearly all schools of the two counties.Building on 55 years experience of delivering musical activities, we are now planning for the next phase of our development.The key imperatives for our strategic development as an organisationfrom 2026-29 are: Growth: Grow the number of paying customers we engage with Reputation: Maintain standards and reputationDiversity: Evolve and become more diverseAdvocacy: Raise awareness of what we doCommunication: Continually improve internal and external commsFinances: Ensure financial stability of the Trust through growthWorkforce: Ensure performance development and the welfare ofthe workforceInspire • Nurture • Excel“NMPAT is all about the feeling of being able to achieve anything -you are always encouraged to accomplish as much as you can(through playing and just as a person) and are fully supported inthat process. The sense of family is unmatched by any other musicservice I've seen. Once you are part of NMPAT, you are in for life.” Juliet White - Final year conservatoire student, RBC LEAP Ensemble4“Life-long friendships, unique experiences, and anunrivalled education in music; just a few of the thingsNMPAT gave me in my time there. It will always holda special place in my heart – I would go backtomorrow if I could!”Zoë Eaves - Charity Executive Assistant“At NMPAT, I learned how to strive for musicalexcellence from a range of inspiring teachers andconductors, each expecting the best of every child infront of them and pushing them to reach their fullpotential as a musician. I learned how to be part of ateam, and I was accepted for who I was.”Tom Brady - West End Musical Director“At a time when I was a misfit at school and at home,NMPAT was a place where I felt I had worth, I was valued,where I felt safe … and heard.”Former student“My time at NMPAT has been invaluable to myprevious career in music and my current one in law.The team work, leadership skills and dedication Iexperienced while being part of this world-classorganisation, have provided me with an arsenal oftools I use every single day.”Bradley Wilson - Trainee Lawyer“I was a student at NMPAT for over a decade, and felt so athome and welcome there. Coming from a low incomebackground. I was given opportunities and support without judgement, which shaped who I am. There is anincredibly nurturing environment that brings together like-minded and passionate individuals to create music as ateam, no matter their backgrounds or differences.”Eve Elliott-Spence - Costume Design student5Ensure that the charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic directionand is focused on achieving these.  Be responsible for the performance of the charity, ensuring that the charitycomplies with all legal and regulatory requirements.  Act as guardians of the charity’s assets, both tangible and intangible,taking all due care over their security, deployment and properapplication.  Ensure the organisation complies with its governing document and appliesits resources exclusively in pursuance of its objectives.  Contribute actively to the Board of Trustees' role in giving clear strategicdirection to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals andsetting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.  Safeguard the reputation and values of the organisation.  Ensure effective and efficient use of the organisation’s resources.  Ensure the financial stability of the organisation.  Protect and manage the property of the       organisation and to ensure the proper .     investment of the organisation's funds.  Trustee Remit and Duties6Trustee SpecificationCommitment to NMPAT’s missionand strategy  Necessary sector or industryexpertiseExcellent interpersonal andrelationship skills  Good, independent judgement  Ability to think creatively andwork collaboratively A self-starter with initiative and apassion for getting things done   Experience, Knowledge SkillsTrustees need to attend sixBoard meetings a year, aswell as, approximately sixadditional meetings as anallocated member to arelevant Board sub-committee.Meetings are held at NMPAT’sbuilding at 125 KetteringRoad Northampton NN1 4AZand online via ZoomAttendance at one awayday each yearThe appointment will be for athree-year term, which canbe followed by a secondterm, up to a maximum of sixyears in total.  Time CommitmentAll Trustees must meet Charity Commissioneligibility criteria.  7Role Title:  Trustee Reports to: Chair of the Trust Board Location: NMPAT                 125 Kettering Road,                  Northampton, NN1 4AZ  Company No. 7738151 Charity No. 1145643 Key Informationwww.nmpat.co.uk8www.nmpat.co.uk/vacanciesFind out more:office@nmpat.co.uk01604 637117