Voluntary Board Director

Voluntary Board Director, Greater Manchester Bring your experience, influence and connections to a role with real social impact. SharpFutures is looking for up to five experienced Directors to join our Board and help shape the next chapter of the organisation's evolution. Understanding of the sectors and communities we work with Importantly, we're also looking for individuals with established professional relationships and networks across Greater Manchester who can help SharpFutures secure new partnerships, projects and commercial opportunities. About SharpFutures SharpFutures is a social enterprise working to create a more inclusive creative and digital economy. Our work focuses on:

1. Ethical freelancing: creating fair and inclusive opportunities that put people, progression and wellbeing before profit.
2. Informal learning: practical, industry-led learning that gives people the skills and experience to take their next step.
3. Serving the community: creating opportunities for underrepresented talent and widening access to the creative industries. Alongside our learning and development programmes, SharpFutures operates POD (People On Demand), our conscious recruitment model connecting skilled and diverse creative talent with real industry work. Our ambition is to grow both sides of that model: supporting more people into meaningful careers while creating a stronger, more conscious way for organisations to access creative and digital talent. The role As a Director, you'll help shape the strategic direction of SharpFutures and provide constructive challenge, support and insight to the leadership team. You'll contribute to:

• Shaping the long-term strategy and direction of SharpFutures.
• Supporting the growth and development of POD.
• Identifying new commercial, funding and partnership opportunities.
• Providing strategic challenge and guidance to the leadership team.
• Helping balance social impact with long-term commercial sustainability.
• Bringing your expertise and perspective to key decisions.
• Making relevant senior introductions where your relationships can add value.
• Acting as an advocate for SharpFutures across Greater Manchester and the wider creative and digital economy. This isn't a Directorship in name only. We're looking for people who want to actively contribute and bring their experience, judgement and influence to the organisation. Who we're looking for You might come from the creative and digital industries, education, skills, employability, business, social enterprise or another purpose-led sector. We're particularly interested in people with:
• Previous Director-level or Board-level experience.
• Experience within a social enterprise, charity or other purpose-led organisation.
• A strong understanding of governance, strategy and organisational development.
• Experience of supporting, developing or creating opportunities for young adults.
• Knowledge of the creative, digital, skills, education or employability sectors.
• A genuine commitment to diversity, inclusion and widening access to opportunity. Bring your network We're especially interested in senior leaders with established professional relationships and networks across Greater Manchester that could help SharpFuturessecure new partnerships, projects and commercial opportunities. You do not need to live in Greater Manchester to be considered. Relevant connections might include Greater Manchester public bodies, DWP, education providers, broadcasters, production businesses and the wider creative and digital economy. SharpFutures already has a strong track record of working with organisations including Channel 4, DWP and ScreenSkills, creating routes into paid work, industry experience and longer-term creative careers. The commitment The role is voluntary and unpaid. Directors will be expected to attend:
• a monthly in-person Board meeting in Greater Manchester
• an annual AGM
• additional strategic discussions where their expertise can add particular value We recognise that our Directors will have significant professional commitments, so the role is designed around making focused, high-value contributions, rather than being involved in day-to-day operations. Why join SharpFutures? You'll be joining an organisation with a clear purpose: to make the creative and digital industries more accessible, inclusive and representative. As a Director, you'll have the opportunity to contribute at a strategic level, alongside a group of people committed to creating meaningful routes into skills, paid work and sustainable careers. Interested? If you believe the creative and digital industries should better reflect the communities they serve, and you have the experience, perspective or relationships to help us achieve that, we'd like to hear from you. To express your interest, please send your CV and covering letter to adam.rawling@sharpfutures.org.uk