Non-Executive Director

We are seeking three Non-Executive Directors who will support the next phase of Tend Collective Community Interest Company’s development. Each Director will bring complementary strengths, to help build a balanced and effective Board. In particular, we are keen to hear from people with expertise in strategic business and finance, VCSE sector leadership, and community mental health systems and commissioning.

Tend exists to strengthen the relationships around children - parents, carers, educators, professionals and communities - because children’s mental health is shaped relationally, over time and across systems. Our work is preventative, trauma-informed and rooted in community connection.

As we grow, strong governance, strategic clarity, financial oversight and system awareness are increasingly important. Our Board plays a vital role in helping Tend balance ambition with capacity, align values with sustainability, and position our work effectively within the wider VCSE and mental health landscape.

As a Non-Executive Director, you will help ensure Tend remains:

• Strategically focused
• Financially and organisationally resilient
• Well-positioned within local systems
• Grounded in real community need

We are intentionally seeking three individuals whose skills complement one another. You do not need to bring all of the following - strength in one area, alongside curiosity and openness to others, is welcome:

Strategic, business and financial expertise

• Business strategy, organisational development or growth planning
• Financial oversight, budgeting, forecasting or resource allocation
• Social enterprise, CIC or charity governance

VCSE and/or community mental health system leadership

• Senior or governance-level experience within the VCSE sector
• Understanding of statutory and non-statutory mental health provision, particularly for children, families and communities
• Knowledge of local commissioning structures, funding routes and decision-making processes
• Experience of partnership working across VCSE, education, health and local authority systems
• Insight into gaps, duplication and opportunities within local provision, particularly in Norfolk

What you’ll be doing

• Provide strategic oversight: Support long-term thinking, prioritisation and organisational focus
• Strengthen governance: Act as a Director of the CIC, ensuring accountability, safeguarding and financial health
• Support financial and resource decisions: Help the organisation think clearly about sustainability, capacity and trade-offs
• Offer system-level insight: Bring understanding of the VCSE and community mental health landscape to inform strategic positioning and partnerships
• Constructively challenge and support: Ask thoughtful questions and contribute to robust, reflective decision-making
• Act as an ambassador: Champion Tend’s relational, preventative approach within your networks

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for people who are comfortable operating at board and system level, and who care deeply about children’s mental health and community wellbeing.

You might be:

• A business leader, strategist or finance professional
• A senior VCSE leader or trustee
• Someone with experience of commissioning, funding panels or partnership boards
• A governance professional who understands how values, impact and sustainability intersect
• Someone well-connected within Norfolk’s VCSE, education, health or local authority landscape

You do not need previous board experience. We value good judgement, collaborative working, and the confidence to ask clear and sometimes challenging questions.

We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience, from racialised communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, younger adults, and others underrepresented in leadership and board roles.

Why join us?

As a Board member, you will:

• Help shape a financially resilient, well-governed organisation
• Influence how children’s mental health is supported at a system and community level
• Support preventative, relational approaches that reduce reliance on crisis intervention
• Contribute to meaningful, long-term change for children and families
• Be part of a thoughtful, values-led leadership group

What to expect

Trial period

We offer a 6–12 month trial period before formal appointment to Companies House. During this time, you’ll attend Board meetings and contribute without holding formal legal responsibilities, allowing space on both sides to confirm fit.

Time commitment

4–6 Board meetings per year, mostly online, plus occasional informal conversations.

Voluntary role

This is a voluntary position. Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.

How to apply

We aim to make our application process inclusive and accessible.

You can apply by:

• Completing an expression of interest form
• Sending an email, voice note or video responding to the same questions
• Starting a conversation by getting in touch

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.