BOARD OF TRUSTEES TREASURER OPPORTUNITY

PIPA KNOWS THAT A TRULY WORLD CLASS PERFORMING ARTS IS INCLUSIVE OF ALL TALENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES.

We work together to amplify the voices of parents and carers across all the performing arts. We encourage a new mindset, that parents and carers enrich our industries. We show what’s possible. We respect and value what everyone brings to PiPA.

We will be recruiting for Trustees later in 2023. For now we are only accepting applications for a new Treasurer. We are looking for someone who is passionate about our work, and who can bring new perspectives and diverse lived experience to our team, to help us to lead change across our industry.

A key role in PiPA’s effective governance is that of the Treasurer as an ‘office-holder’ among the charity trustees. Trustees are the final decision-makers of our charity, and have final responsibility for its success or failure. The board’s main job is to set direction and have oversight of what’s going on, offering our co-CEOs strategy, scrutiny, and support. Trustees are unpaid volunteers, although we do reimburse reasonable expenses.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE CHALLENGE WE ALL FACE

Diversity is the life-blood of the performing arts. But the out-dated structure and fragile funding of the industry is highly challenging, especially to parents and carers.

Greater diversity on stage, among performers and creatives, means that more stories are told, that audiences see themselves and their lives represented, reflected, interrogated. Reaching and engaging more diverse audiences means the performing arts can be owned by all of us, and opens the door to future talent from all walks of life in our four nations.

Backstage, front of house and administration struggle to attract and retain the key skills which are necessary to enable the show to go on at all.

PiPA research adds weight to the increasingly urgent drive for investment in diversity and inclusion. Trained, experienced and committed professionals leave the industry because it is so hard to maintain a career as a parent or carer. Long, anti-social hours, lack of affordable, flexible care, low wages and the last minute nature of the industry make it almost impossible to continue working without significant social capital in the shape of a well-paid partner or local family support.

WHAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED SO FAR

We are seven years old and have recently joined Arts Council England's National Portfolio as an Investment Principles Support Organisation. We have achieved a lot, but with many more challenges ahead of us.

We are committed to finding active solutions and making real change happen. At the core of how we do this is the PiPA Best Practice Charter.

This set of guiding principles for all professional performing arts organisations enables the development of supportive working practices which are inclusive and accessible for those with caring responsibilities. The aim is to empower organisations to identify alternative working practices and opportunities that are appropriate and sustainable within the specific remit of each organisation.

We have created a powerful network of theatres, opera, dance and music organisations - our PiPA Charter Partners - working, creating and learning together; supported by a wide range of industry bodies - our PiPA Strategic Partners - who amplify our findings and increase our impact.

PiPA Charter Partners include the National Theatre, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, the RSC, Nottingham Playhouse, Opera North, Sadler’s Wells, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society.

PiPA Strategic Partners include Equity, One Dance UK, Help Musicians, Federation of Scottish Theatres, Actors’ Children’s Trust, Sonia Friedman Productions, Musicians Union.

OUR WORK IS BACKED UP BY POWERFUL RESEARCH

OUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

2023/24 marks PiPA’s first year as an IPSO. A key focus for the year will be the successful delivery of our IPSO programme as we support National Portfolio Organisations to deliver against the Arts Council England’s Investment Principles, whilst at the same time continuing our service provision for organisations who are not regularly funded across theatre, music and dance as well as delivering our new entry level good practice programme, PiPA Foundations.

PiPA started as a campaign group advocating for inclusive working practices in the performing arts to enable parents and carers to continue working at every stage of their life and work. We have made considerable impact towards achieving our goal in the theatre sector particularly and we aim to replicate that in the music, dance, opera and the performing arts more broadly.

The cost-of-living crisis and high inflation in a post-Covid world is presenting relentless challenge to parents and carers. Poor working conditions for freelancers, expensive, inaccessible childcare are forcing parents to re- evaluate their life choices and present a risk of talent haemorrhage. Taking the learnings from work over the past five years, developing direct support for individuals will be a core forcus for the next three years.

Our new Treasurer will play a crucial role in shaping and supporting this work and our future strategy.

OUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY

Inclusion and diversity are core to PiPA. To best deliver our charitable objectives we must operate by the values we promote. PiPA will be an open door to all parents and carers in the industry, enabling true inclusion of all backgrounds and perspectives in our work and how it develops. And we shall also create change across the full diversity of all performing art forms - theatre, opera, orchestra, live music, dance - by engaging with the people who create and work in them.

The PiPA Board is publicly accountable for our inclusion and diversity strategy, and its delivery is a Board priority.

It is a continuing work in progress, and an active item at our quarterly Board meetings. Each area of PiPA’s work is both informed by and delivered against it. The Co-CEOs and Board members, led by the Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee, share responsibility for identifying and agreeing measurable criteria against which we can assess our progress.

In addition, we review the strategy in full and formally every two years, to check that it continues to tie back to and strengthen our current strategy and business plan, and that it continues to reflect and develop best practice.

What this commitment to diversity means for PiPA:

We work together to amplify the voices of parents and carers

We commit to reaching, hearing and understanding the full diversity of parents and carers, including those who might experience disadvantage because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, or socio- economic disadvantage.

We encourage a new mindset, that parents and carers enrich the performing arts

We commit to ensuring that the examples, case studies and illustrations we use reflect and promote the diversity of parents and carers working in the performing arts

We show what’s possible

We commit to authentically doing ourselves what we ask others to do, in our employment practice, recruitment, governance and conduct as an organisation.

We respect and value what everyone brings to PiPA

We commit to creating an environment where everyone feels that they have a voice, whether staff, trustees, ambassadors, service users, industry partners, funders or donors of time or money.

In addition to the skills they bring, one of the most important things about trustees is how different they are from one another, and the different perspectives they bring.

We’re committed to being more representative, to making space for a wider range of voices and lived experience within our Board and staff team. Ensuring that the diversity of our Board reflects the diversity of the communities within which we operate and for whom we claim to speak, is a key part of this, and so we’re particularly keen to hear from people from a culturally diverse background (including Black, Asian, and Global Majority); D/deaf & Disabled people; LGBTQ+, people from a working class background, fathers and male carers.

Diversity of experience, thought and voice adds immeasurable strength to our Board. So we will take these factors into account when making appointment decisions.

We recognise that, to ensure that anyone can get involved in our Board, we need to be open to changing the way we do things. So, if you’re interested in this opportunity but are unsure whether your geographical location, your employment status or working pattern, your access needs, or caring responsibilities might prevent you from getting involved, we’d urge you to get in touch and let us think about how we can support you.

We warmly welcome applications from those who are new to trustee/ Board work as well as individuals who have a proven track record in governance roles. We are also interested to hear from people who have professional experience in: classical and/ or live music; experience of living in or working within the performing arts in Scotland; legal experience.

Overall, we’re looking for people who share our passion for the performing arts and for diversity, who see, as we do, the overpowering imperative for the industry to become more inclusive as an employer of parents and carers.

TRUSTEE ROLE

Charity governance is a balanced relationship between the employed staff (in our case, our co-CEOs) and the volunteers on board of trustees. This team is responsible for directing the affairs of a charity, ensuring that it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the intended charitable benefits.

Trustees are required to:

Ensure that PiPA complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation

Ensure that PiPA pursues its stated objects, and that it uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects

Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the charity, including maintaining proper financial control and stability

Appoint the Chief Executives and monitor their performance

Contribute actively to the Board’s role in giving firm strategic direction to the charity, setting overall vision, mission and values, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance.

Maintain and ensure effective Board performance Safeguard PiPA’s good name and values

Protect, manage and adequately insure the PiPA’s property and funds

Approve and monitor the implementation of internal policies (which include Health & Safety, Equality & Diversity, and Grievance & Disciplinary procedures) and ensure that risk assessments for all aspects of the business are undertaken/updated effectively

As well as these formal responsibilities, you’ll be actively involved in charting PiPA’s future

direction, using your specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the CEOs reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising Board papers or documents prepared by advisers; leading or taking part in discussions; focusing on key issues; and providing advice or guidance on new initiatives where you have particular expertise or knowledge.

TREASURER ROLE

A key role in PiPA’s effective governance is that of the Treasurer as an ‘office-holder’ among the charity trustees. While financial matters are the responsibility of all trustees, it is often the Treasurer that the other trustees look to on all aspects of the charity’s financial management and reporting.

In addition to the responsibilities of every Trustee, the Treasurer is also asked to:

Monitor the financial administration of the charity and report to the board of trustees, in compliance with the governing document;

Oversee the charity’s financial risk-management process;

Be responsible for board-level liaison with the external auditors on specific issues such as the Auditors’ Management Letter and the related board representations;

Oversee and present budgets, internal management accounts and annual financial statements to the board of trustees;

Ensure that proper accounting records are kept, financial resources are properly invested and economically spent;

Support the Co-CEOs to make and deliver financial plans and decisions with confidence; Chair the monthly finance committee call and report back to the trustees;

Monitor and advise on the financial viability of the charity; Oversee the implementation of and monitor financial systems; Advise on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan;

TREASURER ROLE cont.

To take on this role successfully, you will need:

Up to date knowledge and experience of finance practice relevant to small charities, including the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP);

Knowledge of bookkeeping and financial management; Good financial analysis skills;

Ability to communicate clearly financial information to those who may have little or no financial background;

Integrity, independence of thought and judgement, being prepared when necessary to make unpopular recommendations; The ability to work well as a team member.

It is not necessary for the Treasurer to be a qualified accountant, as long as you do have current experience of charity financial management.

THE COMMITMENT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

In terms of time commitment, Board Meetings are quarterly and last three hours, with an annual Board Away Day. The time commitment for the Treasurer is approximately 1.5 days per calendar month although this may not be evenly spread across the year.

Over the past few years, like many organisations, our Board meetings have been remote but we are gradually returning to in-person Board meetings. In person meetings have in the past mostly been held in London, and also in Bristol and Sheffield. Future locations will be agreed by the Trustees, to reflect where people are based and taking into consideration the time costs of travelling to in-person meetings.

The Treasurer and Co-CEOs hold monthly, online finance meetings to review management accounts and other financial matters.

There is also the opportunity to be involved in other sub-groups of the Board (at the moment, we have committees responsible for governance, equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging, HR and remuneration, which meet as required or, in the case of remuneration, annually); and occasional task-and-finish working groups. We anticipate that almost all of these activities will continue to be carried out online and via email.

The Treasurer will be required to give additional time to support the Executive Director particularly in preparation of the annual accounts.

Trustee roles are unpaid, but any expenses you incur as a result of your participation on our Board will be reimbursed to you, as long as we have agreed them with you in advance.

Trustees serve a three year term of office, and may be re-appointed to serve no more than two further terms, giving a maximum time on the PiPA board of nine years.

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE

Look at our website www.pipacampaign.comwhere you’ll find a wide range of information about PiPA, details of our extensive projects, and recent news stories.

We’re also happy to arrange an informal chat with James, as the outgoing Treasurer and/or PiPA Executive Director Cassie Raine, so drop us an email at Ali@pipacampaign.com and we’ll arrange a convenient time.

If you would like a copy of our most recent management accounts or our draft 22/23 accounts please also email Ali. You can find PiPA's previous accounts HERE.

If you have not been a Trustee before, and would like to know more about what’s involved before applying, there is a wealth of information at www.gettingonboard.org

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete a short application form on our website pipacampaign.org/resource/boardopportunities.

Record up to five minutes (audio or video) or write up to two pages telling us about:

Why you’re interested in joining our Board

How your experience (professional, personal or both) will help us achieve our plans for the future (please refer particularly to 'Our plans for the future' and ‘Treasurer' sections above)

Two things you would like to learn from being a Trustee

The closing date for applications is: Midday on Monday 11th September

Access Support

If you require access support in order to apply, please email ali@pipacampaign.com

If you are shortlisted, interviews will take place online during the week commencing 26th September.

We’ll contact everyone who expresses an interest to let them know the outcome of their application and, if requested, to offer feedback.