Trustees: Chair, Treasurer​/Fundraiser

Who are First Steps Nutrition Trust and what do we do?

We are a small, independent public health nutrition charity, founded in 2011. We’ve achieved a lot with a little and become an established and respected source of expertise on early years nutrition across policy and practice. At a time of ongoing change and challenges in the UK both economically and politically, we are seeking to make our funding sustainable and to ensure our work continues to add value and be impactful.

Our goal is for all children in the UK to eat well from the start of life (preconception to age five), helping reduce high levels of overweight, obesity and dental decay. Our two main work streams are:

• Policy:
  Influencing policies to enable the safe, appropriate and optimal feeding of infants and young children in the UK, and to protect them from commercial interest
• Practice:
  Provision of expert, independent information and resources for health workers, other early years professionals and parents, to supporting eating well

Please see our impact report 2024 and info graphic 2025 here:
Impact — First Steps Nutrition Trust

We are seeking to expand our board through appointing up to three new trustees, to take on the roles of Chair, Treasurer and/or Fundraising trustee, or a role that combines elements of these roles as described below.

These roles will help guide First Steps through this period of transition to a more diversified and substantial income base, funding a scope of work that adds value in the changing context and maximises our impact. We seek to ensure sustainability of the charity into the future.

Joining the First Steps board will give you the opportunity to support a unique, well‑liked and impactful charity that punches above its weight, providing sector leadership on early years nutrition.

• To provide leadership to the Board in collaboration with the Director, and to ensure that the Board members fulfil their duties and responsibilities for the proper governance of the charity
• To support and where needed to challenge the Director and to ensure that the Board works in partnership with the executive staff

To secure the long‑term future of the charity by ensuring that:

• The Board sets the mission, vision, strategy, and high‑level policies for the organisation
• The Board takes steps to monitor the performance of the organisation and to ensure that it satisfies all regulatory and legal compliance requirements and identifies and mitigates risks
• The organisation’s continued financial stability is ensured and financial dealings are systematically accounted for, audited and made publicly available
• The Board evaluates and continuously develops its performance, composition and structure to optimise its effectiveness

Specific duties:

• Chairing meetings, facilitating discussion
• Ensure Board decisions are communicated effectively
• Improving governance
• Representation

Working with the Director

• Lead the Board in fulfilling its line management responsibilities of the Director
• Meeting with the Director regularly to discuss issues and provide feedback from the Board

We hope to recruit someone who can demonstrate experience of and skills in the following:

• Organisation/business management and small organisation/business growth
• Charity governance
• Creative thinking, and the ability to shape strategy
• Some awareness of the wider sector First Steps works in, and ideally an established network
• Ability to exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively with the board
• Strong interpersonal, communication and team working skills including the ability to listen, challenge, make decisions, and build consensus
• Willingness and ability to understand and accept the responsibilities and liabilities of a trustee and to act in the best interests of the organisation

• To support and advise the Director in her financial reporting and forecasting to the board and oversight of and strategic management of the charity’s finances.
• To support and advise the Administrator in her management of the charity’s finances,…