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Non Executive Director

Manchester, UK

Closing date -

​

Job Type -

Voluntary

Salary -

n/a

Contract Type - 

3 years

Application Process -

Please email Sam on hello@wearemud.org to organise an initial chat. When emailing, please kindly send your CV or Linkedin profile link and a brief description (no more than 500 words) of why you are interested in this role.

About the Role


What are we looking for:

The Non-Executive Directors will provide support and act as a critical friend in relation to policies and procedure in its effectiveness for quality; support and guide the Directors with business management; bring your own expertise for the good of achieving our social mission.

We are looking for three Non-Executive Directors who can help our organisation to achieve more income in a sustainable way to develop and build our organisation including:

  • Grow as an enterprise

  • Increase traded income

  • Ensure lived experience is at the heart of the organisation

  • Support the current directors to realise their potential

  • Support to raise awareness of our work

  • Individuals who can support our marketing and profile raising

  • Support the successful growth of MUD CIC to enable the organisation to provide income to the MUD Foundation.


Commitment:

Each Non-Executive Director will be expected, as a minimum, to attend four  board meetings in a year (September, December, March, June).

Prior to the meetings, all relevant information will be shared for all board members to read in preparation.

Meetings will be arranged in advance in agreement with all Directors. Meetings can be held online using zoom.


Terms

The role of Non-Executive Directors for MUD CIC is not remunerated, some costs such as travel and lunch expenses can be considered.


A minimum term of three years to see the current plan through and attendance to four board meetings each financial year is expected. Non-Executive Directors will be available, within reason, to respond to emails and phone calls should the need arise for your guidance in between scheduled meetings.


We’d request that Non-Executive Directors provide us with reasonable notice if they intend to resign and where possible support us to find an effective replacement.


It is important that our directors are able to be impartial when making decisions for our Social Enterprise. We endeavour to ensure that there are no conflicts of interest within our management and directors’ team to maintain the highest level of professionalism and business confidentiality. We’d expect open and honest communication within the board in confidence at all times.

MUD CIC will hold Directors and Officers Liability Insurance in place in preparation for the HMRC appointment of Directors.


The appointed directors will be provided with full access to relevant information, accounts, policies and procedures, current plans etc.


You will be supporting the social enterprise with an ambitious three-year growth plan. The current directors will lead the three-year growth plan with support from the board of non-executive directors.

Requirements

Areas where we are looking for expertise:

We have identified a few key areas at this stage that need board support:

  • Financial sustainability through supporting us to develop a well-conceived business plan.

  • Expertise to help us to increase our profile and awareness raising of our work locally.

  • Expertise and skills to improve our branding, website and social media presence.

  • Knowledge & links within the local community inc. large potential partnership organisations such as the NHS, local council, schools etc.

  • Knowledge in governance, HR, policy development.

  • Diversity & inclusion

MUD CIC are always keen to develop additional partnerships locally, and further afield where opportunities present themselves.


Skills and Experience required for the role

Essential:

  • Knowledge and/or understanding of the social enterprise sector

  • Experience of growing or scaling a business, social enterprise or charity

  • Nurturing and empowering approach

  • Positive attitude

  • Willingness to support an organisation to grow

  • Ability to work in a team

Desirable:

  • Experience of working with disadvantaged groups

  • Experience and knowledge of using horticulture for change

  • Experience and knowledge of mental health services

  • Entrepreneurial and Networking Skills

About the Company

MUD CIC is a not-for-profit organisation based in Manchester.


MUD CIC is in the process of becoming the social enterprise entity of a newly formed charity (CIO) MUD Foundation, which will see us expand our work and serve more people and generate more impact through our work.


Our Vision

MUD CIC is working to create food system change and empower communities. We are determined to promote & develop disused urban areas as a small but important part of food production. We will create a hyper localised network of urban food production that creates resilient communities with the ability to flourish.


Our Mission

MUD (Manchester Urban Diggers CIC) is a social  enterprise working to create food system change and empower communities.

We do this through creating grassroots, people-led farming projects across Greater Manchester where we can grow food to share or to sell. Improving our Food Sovereignty is the overarching theme of everything we do. Our working model provides three main benefits:

  1. Improving the environment

  2. Improving personal wellbeing for those who participate in our work

  3. Strengthening communities, achieved through the universal right to grow, cook and eat food.

MUD CIC’s objectives are:

  • To grow and sell fresh, seasonal produce - using natural, low-impact farming methods,  to local communities and businesses at fair prices

  • To host therapeutic gardening sessions for the community with the aim to improve physical & mental well-being

  • To consult on, create and maintain new community gardens for the benefit of local residents and communities

  • To develop spaces for and host regular volunteer sessions and events for diverse groups and cultures, promoting community cohesion

  • To promote sustainable local food production and a healthy lifestyle

Our main activities/projects include:

MUD Kitchen

  • Catering

  • Cafe

  • Events

Events

  • Events

  • Venue Hire

  • Workshops

Produce


Projects

  • Green Wellbeing

  • Volunteer Sessions

  • Garden Build

  • Gleaning

  • Misc

  • Workshops

Consultancy

  • Garden Design

  • Talks


Some of our main achievements and recognitions:

  • Created Platt Fields Market Garden in 2017

  • Formed MUD CIC in 2019

  • Featured in Israeli TV show - The Amazing Journey of Aharoni & Gidi

  • 13 tonnes of Gleaned veg in 2020 donated to food banks

  • Mentioned in The House of Commons by MP Afzal Khan as a best practice case study for levelling up communities

  • RHS Tatton Show - Winners of Silver Gilt for Community Greener Border category.

  • Over 6000 volunteer hours were recorded between Jan 22 - Sep 22.

  • Over 700 free meals provided between Jan 22 - Sep 22.

We’ve worked on a number of gardening projects with groups facing particular challenges, including:

  • Young people within the justice system (working in partnership with Remedi UK and Youth Justice Manchester)

  • Long-term unemployed people (through our Winter into Spring programme)

  • Young men experiencing anxiety, low mood and symptoms associated with Seasonal Affective Disorder (our Dig Yourself Out project)

  • Faith Groups, with the aim of bringing people from different faiths and backgrounds together (Near Neighbours)

  • The Kurdish communities in the immediate area around Platt Fields Park (Bahary Kurdi)

  • People experiencing social isolation as a result of the impacts of Covid-19 (One Manchester Gardening Club)

  • People experiencing mental health conditions (Nature for Health, NHS England Social and Therapeutic Horticulture trial)


Our current organisational structure

MUD CIC was set up by Jo, Mike and Sam in May 2019 as a Community Interest Company limited by guarantee.


Our company number is 12014832 and the registered office is at 32 Fairview Avenue, M19 2AN.


Our main office address is:  AWOL Studios, Hope Mill, Pollard Street, Manchester, M4 7JA

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