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Trustee with fundraising expertise

London
Full-time
Listed today
Voice 21 – Trustee with fundraising expertise

About Voice 21
Voice 21 is the national oracy education charity. We support schools to build speaking and listening into
the curriculum, teaching, learning and wider school life so that every child can use their voice to thrive
in  school,  work  and  life.  Our  training  and  development  programmes  for  teachers  and  school  leaders
transform  learning  through  talk,  expanding  access  to  high-quality  oracy  education,  particularly  for
children who need it most.

Why join the Voice 21 Board of Trustees now?
Since  its  inception  in  2015,  Voice  21  has  built  a  national  movement  to  put  oracy  at  the  heart  of
education  in  the  UK.  In  November  2025,  the  government  responded  to  Professor  Becky  Francis’s
Curriculum  and  Assessment  Review  by  adopting  the  definition  of  oracy  used by Voice 21 and by the
independent  Oracy  Commission  in  its  2024  report,   We  Need  to  Talk:  ‘Articulating  ideas,  developing
understanding and engaging with others through speaking, listening and communication’.

The  government  has  also  committed  to  publish  national  guidance  on  oracy,  modelled  on  the Writing
Framework, and to strengthening oracy teaching within subjects. The Schools White Paper published in
February  2026  reinforced  this  direction,  positioning  oracy  as  the  fourth “R” alongside reading, writing
and maths.

Oracy  is  now  firmly  part  of  national  policy,  and  Voice 21 continues to build evidence of its impact on
young people’s attainment, wellbeing, belonging and career readiness.

This  policy  shift  represents  a  major  campaigning  success  for  Voice  21  and  others  who  campaigned
alongside  us.  Our  new  2030  Strategy  aims  to  seize  this  moment  and  secure  high-quality,
evidence-based  oracy  education  for  every  child,  particularly  for  those  children  in  schools  serving
disadvantaged communities.

Investment will be critical to achieving this ambition. Fundraising currently provides 20% of our income.
Our  goal  is  to  increase  this  to  40%,  doubling  fundraised  income  to  support  delivery  of  our  2030
strategy.

The Role: Trustee with fundraising expertise

Voice  21  is  keen  to  strengthen  its  board-level  knowledge and skills by adding a fundraising specialist
trustee.  We  are  looking  to  appoint  a  strategic  fundraising  leader  who  has  substantial  experience  of
successfully  developing  fundraising  departments  and  growing  voluntary  income.  As  trustee,  you  will
provide strategic oversight, constructive challenge and advice on fundraising strategy.

Ideally  your  career  will  have  focused  on  high  value  and  relationship  fundraising  (philanthropy,  trusts,
corporate  partnerships).  As  a  subject  specialist,  you  will  help  to  expand  and  deepen  fellow  trustees’
understanding  of  fundraising  strategy  and  operations,  providing  knowledge,  guidance,  challenge  and
advocacy.

Your expertise will be invaluable at this pivotal moment for Voice 21, as the charity prepares to launch
an  ambitious  new  strategy,  with  a  goal  to  double  fundraised  income  by  2030.  Your  insights  will  be
particularly  appreciated  by  the  experienced  Head  of  Fundraising,  CEO  and  Director  of  Operations  –

including  contributing  critical/analytic  skills  to  help  evaluate  fundraising  ideas  and  opportunities  –
though your primary focus will be advising on fundraising at governance level.

Knowledge And Experience:

●  Significant senior fundraising experience, with proven ability to secure major income.
●  Personal experience working with high profile figures, senior leaders in major companies, people
with high levels of personal wealth who are seeking charitable missions like ours to support.
●  Understanding  of  charity  leadership,  including  developing  and  implementing  organisational

strategy.

●  Broad understanding of fundraising management across income streams.

Why this role matters:

This is an opportunity to make a real difference in tackling the disadvantage gap at a pivotal moment for
oracy  education.  You  will  have  the  chance  to  influence  a  dynamic  Board  and  staff  team  with  great
ambitions for our 2030 Strategy.

Time commitment:

●  Board meetings: three per year, in person in London (9am–12pm)
●  Annual strategy day (9am - 3pm)
●  Finance Committee: four virtual meetings per year (approximately 2 hours per meeting)
●  Opportunities to attend Voice 21 events throughout the year.

Safeguarding:

This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Application details:

To apply:

• a CV and a covering letter of 1- 2 pages;

Please include:

• Details of your interest in joining Voice 21 as a trustee;
• An outline of your current work / relevant experience;
• A note of any training and development needs you think you’ll have if you are appointed.

Questions: shirley.mustoe@voice21.org

Valuing every voice

Voice  21  believes  that  every  voice  should  be  heard  and  valued.  We  are  committed  to  the  equal
treatment  of  all  current  and  prospective  employees and trustees do not condone discrimination on
the  basis  of  age,  disability,  sex,  sexual  orientation,  pregnancy  and  maternity,  race  or  ethnicity,
religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. Voice 21 is a diverse and inclusive
workplace  and  we  strongly  encourage  suitably  qualified  applicants  from  a  wide  range  of
backgrounds to apply and join us.