Kyra Women’s Project is looking for new trustees to join its Board. You can see the
current composition of the Board of Trustees on our website here.

Length of tenure: 3 years

Salary: unremunerated

Base: Kyra Women’s Project – St Saviourgate, York

Process for application: To express interest in becoming a trustee of Kyra, please email our CEO Ira Laketic-Ljubojevic at ira@kyra.org.uk with information about your relevant skills and experience and your reasons for wanting to join the Board of Kyra. An informal chat with the Chair of Kyra, Nicola Shepherd and Nicola Winter, who is the Chair of the Finance subcommittee, can be arranged prior to interview, if requested.

Closing Date: 12 noon 11.11.2024

Interview conversations: Friday 22.11.2024 1pm to 5pm at Kyra’s offices. The successful person(s) will be invited to Kyra Women’s Project Board Away Day, that is taking place on Friday 06.12.2024, 9am to 4pm.

About Kyra

Founded in 2013, Kyra supports women to overcome challenges such as domestic abuse, poor mental health, loss or loneliness, and make positive changes in their lives. We do this through one-to-one and group activities and courses that help women build confidence, explore emotions, tackle specific issues and learn skills for the future, at their own pace.

Kyra Women’s Project is a Registered Charity (Charity No 1154290) and a Company Limited by Guarantee (Company No 08707011), so is regulated by both the Charity Commission and Companies House, complying with both charity and company law.

The Board of Trustees approved a five-year strategy for Kyra in December 2020. This is built on our shared values: empower growth; integrity; inclusive and belonging; compassionate; and collaborative connections.

We are looking for new trustees who share these values and our commitment to helping women improve their lives.

Kyra’s team of eleven colleagues (5 fte) is headed by Dr Ira Laketic-ljubojevic, our Chief Executive Officer. In addition, we employ some freelance workers and currently have 50 volunteers contributing to the delivery of our services. The charity is based in rooms rented from the Central Methodist Church, St Saviourgate, York YO1 8NQ.

Kyra’s turnover was c£270,000 in our most recent accounting year and our accounts are available on the Charity Commission’s website here.

Legal duties of trustees

The legal duties of Trustees are the same for all charities. They are to:

• Ensure your charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit

• Comply with your charity’s governing document and the law

• Act in your charity’s best interests

• Manage your charity’s resources responsibly

• Act with reasonable care and skill

• Ensure your charity is accountable.

Skills

We are looking for new trustees with a real commitment to improving women’s well-being. Following a skills audit of the current Board we are currently primarily looking for applicants with skills and experience in finance. Knowledge of charity accounting would be a bonus.

Additionally, we are looking to further strengthen our board by securing more expertise in business, events, fundraising & income generation, digital transformation and marketing.

You will need to have, or be prepared to gain, understanding of the charity sector and the not-for-profit network in and around York. You will need to be able to work collaboratively with fellow trustees and the CEO, contribute constructively to Board discussions and decision-making, and bring ideas and energy to the work of the Board.

Time commitment

The Board of Trustees meets 6 times a year in the early evening; and there are 6 meetings of the two sub-committees each year in the alternate months, also in the early evening. All trustees sit on either the Finance or Marketing and Fundraising subcommittees, making a total commitment to 12 meetings per year plus an AGM and a Board-away day to discuss strategy. Board meetings are usually held in person with the option for remote participation if essential; sub-committee meetings are usually held remotely.

There may also be other Kyra events to which trustees are invited such as our International Women’s Day event and fundraising events.

Kyra Women’s Project

October 2024