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Chair of Trustees

Chair of Trustees

Voluntary role

Trustees initially join the board for three years, and are then eligible for re-appointment for a second term. Chair and vice-chairs are eligible for a third term.

Deadline for applications is Monday 17th March 2025.

Shortlisted candidates will then be invited for an interview either in person or on zoom.

Download Role Pack

Ministry of Stories is looking for a new Chair of Trustees. We are seeking a leader who shares our vision of inspiring and supporting young people’s ideas, imagination and voice through their creativity and writing.

You will have the skills, time, passion and influence to be an important part of our pioneering organisation, helping us to grow and develop, and keeping young people and creativity at our heart.

Who we’re looking for

Our Chair of Trustees will:

  • Provide leadership to the Board of Trustees, enabling them to provide effective strategic direction and fulfil their governance responsibilities. 
  • Platform and profile Ministry of Stories externally, representing the organisation
  • Build and broker relationships with potential partners
  • Unlock relationships with funders, corporate partners and/or high value individual donors

You will have:

  • A strong commitment to the principles underlying the work of the Ministry of Stories: belief in the power of children’s creativity and imagination and in inclusiveness
  • Experience of operating at a senior strategic level in the arts, learning, youth or other relevant sector
  • Experience of supporting organisational growth
  • Understanding and experience of charity governance and the chairing role
  • An understanding and commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Why join our team?

Ministry of Stories is growing. We are expanding our trustee team of passionate, skilled and motivated individuals who share our ambition to champion the writer in every child.

It’s an exciting time to join Ministry of Stories as we embark on an ambitious new strategy. We continue to expand our Community Writing Labs to support more children to access free writing programmes at our dedicated writing centre in east London, and are growing our support to schools to meet their needs through creative writing. Our attention-grabbing shop, Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, is growling and growing to keep our monster customer base grizzly through new products and marketing.

Our approach to recruitment

We have an engaged, skilled and supportive board of trustees who work effectively together to support the charity and the executive team.

Our programmes and shop proudly serve a wonderfully diverse east London community. We particularly welcome candidates who define themselves as:

  • People of Colour
  • From our local area (Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Islington)
  • Working class
  • Disabled
Ready to take the next step?

To apply, please send us:

  • a short email, letter or video (no more than one side of A4 or a 2 minute video) to rob@ministryofstories.org that tells us why you are interested in the role, and the skills and experience you bring
  • a CV, professional biography or an up-to-date LinkedIn profile
  • a completed diversity monitoring form

Deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 17th March 2025.

If you have any access requirements please drop us a line to rob@ministryofstories.org and we will do our best to support you to apply.

We look forward to hearing from you.

About us

Ministry of Stories champions the writer in every child. 

Co-founded by author Nick Hornby in 2010, we help young people discover their confidence, imagination and potential through the power of their writing. We develop self-respect and communication skills through writing programmes and mentoring for children in our community, working in schools, and at our dedicated writing centre in Hackney. We empower young people to write brighter futures for themselves through the power of their ideas, creativity and imagination. 

You’ll find us hidden behind our fantastical shop Hoxton Street Monster Supplies, with all proceeds going back to support our work with young people.

Read more here