Candidate Pack Trustees

December 2020

Contents:

Chair’s Welcome 3

Background Information about the Charity 4

The role and function of a trustee 6

Structure Charts 8

Trustee & Treasurer - Role Description 9

Trustee (Marketing, Communications and Commercial) - Role Description 11

How to Apply 12

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Thank you for taking the time to consider this opportunity to join the RAF Sports Federation as an Independent Trustee.

Established in 2015, the RAF Sports Federation continues to develop and adapt the services it provides to meet the needs of a changing operating environment for sport, and for a changing Royal Air Force. Indeed, at this moment, there is a sense of renewal across the whole of the RAF sports leadership team. We have a new Air Officer Commanding No 22 Group, Air Vice-Marshall Richard Maddison, who also acts as Chair of the RAF Sports Board and our sponsor, and Air Commodore Richard Fogden has very recently been appointed as the new Director of RAF Sport as of 1 December 2020. His immediate task will be to review and update the RAF Strategy for Sport and we, along with our colleagues at the RAF Central Fund, will be supporting him in this effort.

As for the RAF Sports Federation, we have a relatively new CEO in David Whittingham, who joined us in October 2019; we have recruited three new ‘uniformed’ trustees in Air Marshal Sue Gray, Air Vice- Marshal Maria Byford and Air Commodore Simon Harper; and I was delighted to accept an invitation to Chair the Board of Trustees last May, having joined the Board in December 2019 as an independent trustee. To balance things up, we now need to recruit two more independent trustees.

Sport in the RAF is important. It encourages physical fitness and contributes to military effectiveness through the development of personal qualities such as courage, resilience and esprit de corps. It provides a valuable distraction from the rigours of operational pressure and has a significant positive effect on morale. There is increasing evidence of a positive relationship between participation in physical activity and improved mental and emotional wellbeing, which reinforces the benefit derived by both the individual and the Service. So, we want more of our people to engage in sport.

However, as is the case across the Service generally, budgets are tight, and funding is finite. The consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic and the recent Strategic Defence and Security Review are not yet known but are likely to have a negative effect on the availability of resources for sport. Therefore, these need to be harnessed effectively to ensure they are delivered to where they are going to have the greatest impact in terms of delivering measurable increases in participation and holistic wellbeing to those who take part.

Therefore, the need for the RAF Sports Federation has never been more critical, as we provide centralised professional services to the 50 RAF sports associations and the assurance to the RAF that they are operating effectively and efficiently in accordance with statutory requirements andthe Charity Commission’s Governance Code.

All these sports are managed and delivered by hundreds of committed and spirited volunteers who give their time freely above and beyond their primary duties. The RAF Sports Federation seeks to support their endeavours by minimising their administrative and governance burden so that they can focus on what matters most, providing maximum opportunity for those who wish to play their sport simply for the love of doing so and for the obvious health benefits it provides, and to help them to develop and maximise their potential. By doing this, the hope is that general participation in sport will grow exponentially across the whole of the Royal Air Force.

There has never been a more exciting time to join the RAF Sports Federation. I hope that you find this opportunity exciting and look forward to receiving your application.

Kind regards,

Paul Thorogood Chair of Trustees

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Background Information about the Charity

Vision To be recognised and respected as the expert provider of professional services to sport in the RAF and its constituent stakeholders. Mission To provide best in class professional services to the stakeholders of RAF Sport enabling them to focus on the delivery of sport. Values Collaborative, Professional, Trusted, Knowledgeable, Agile

Charitable Object

The object of the RAF Sports Federation is to promote the efficiency of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces in such charitable ways as the trustees think fit, with particular reference to (a) increasing physical fitness; (b) fostering spirit de corps; and (c) raising the morale of members of the Royal Air Force. In particular, (but not by way of limitation) the trustees may further the object through encouraging and facilitating the playing of, and participation in sport in the Royal Air Force.

Who we are

Sport in the RAF is delivered through a traditional participation pyramid model with the grassroots participation sport feeding upwards to the representative level, and onwards to elite athlete status. The strategy, direction and management of sport in the RAF is led by the Directorate of RAF Sport, a division of the RAF’s 22 Group.

The RAF Sports Federation is the provider of professional services to the Directorate of RAF Sport, and the RAF’s 50 sports associations. Each of these associations is a charitable entity in its own right, with a board of trustees and the associated responsibilities and liabilities that charitable status entails. The RAF Sports Federation provides assurance to the Royal Air Force that these associations are being governed and administered in a manner that complies with charitable legislation, regulation and guidance.

Over and above its assurance role, the RAF Sports Federation provides a range of professional services that reduce the burden of governing, administering and operating the associations, enabling the dedicated volunteers that deliver sport in the RAF to devote their time to the delivery of sport and its associated positive benefits.

These services cover a range of functions, including financial services (bookkeeping, annual accounts preparation, budgeting and forecasting support, payment management); charitable governance advice, support and training; communications and marketing advice and support; commercial development management and support. The RAF Sports Federation continues to adapt and develop its service offer to meet the needs of its beneficiaries.

The RAF Sports Federation was created in 2015, when the RAF Sports Board, effectively the governing body for sport in the RAF, was demerged from the RAF Central Fund, the major funder of RAF Sport via its management of the RAF Sports Lottery. It was intended that the RAF Sports Federation would work in close partnership with the RAF Directorate of Sport, and these two organisations would be responsible for the management, funding and governance of sport in the RAF.

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Sport in the RAF is divided across three parties. The Directorate of RAF Sport is responsible for the conduct of sport as a defence output, specifically the public “on duty” conduct of sport, the policy that governs the public delivery of sport, and assurance of the safe delivery of sport in line with public requirements. The RAF Sports Federation provides centralised professional services to 50 recognised RAF Sports Associations. It also provides assurance to the RAF that RAF Sport is being conducted in a manner that is compliant with charity law and other statutory regulations. The RAF Central Fund is an independent charity that manages the RAF Sports Lottery and capital funds in excess of £30m. It makes charitable grants for the advancement and development of sport and physical activity in the RAF.

The working relationship across the three organisations is strong and constructive. A new Director of RAF Sport has been appointed as of 1 December 2020 and will be immediately responsible for reviewing, refreshing and implementing the RAF Sports Strategy. The clarity of purpose and clearly defined strategic objectivesthat the strategy will provide will empower a new collaborative focus and an opportunity to measure the impact of RAF Sport.

The RAF Sports Federation is well positioned to enable the delivery of the new strategy through its existing service provision. Our trustees have a clear understanding of the challenges that this will present and are fully engaged with the charity’s efforts to address these challenges to provide maximum service to our beneficiaries.

The next three years

As indicated in the Chair’s welcome the next three years represent a period of genuine opportunity and excitement for the RAF Sports Federation. The challenge of ever-increasing requirements juxtaposed with ever more constrained resources is ever present, and we are committed to improving our agility to be able to respond to this challenge.

Within the next three years the RAF Sports Federation will:

• Secure sustainable medium-term funding that enables the delivery of our three-year plan; • Codify and formally agree our relationship with RAF Sport for the provision of services; • Implement an enhanced assurance model and reporting process; • Create an impact focused culture within RAF Sport through the implementation of monitoring, evaluation and learning systems and processes. • Create a grant funding model that is aligned to an impact focused culture to ensure funding is meeting strategic outcomes.

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The role and function of a trustee

The RAF Sports Federation is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, constituted and registered with the Commissioner for Charities in England and Wales in 2016. The RAF Sports Federation’s board of trustees comprises six members with an equal split between serving and non-serving personnel. The role of the trustees is defined in the Charity Commission’s guidance CC3: The Essential Trustee. The RAF Sports Federation expects that its trustees will use their skills, experience and knowledge to ensure the charity is delivering its charitable objects in a manner that is compliant with appropriate legislation and regulation.

The current members of the board are:

Paul Thorogood MA FCIPS (Chair of Trustees)

Paul joined the Board of the RAF Sports Federation in December 2019 and was appointed Chair in May 2020. He served as a logistics officer in the RAF until 2006, before taking early retirement as aGroup Captain to become the CEO of the Football Foundation - the world’s largest sports charity (by revenue). During the last three years of his RAF service, Paul was Chair of the RAF Football Association and Chair of the Combined Services Football Association in his final year.

After 14 years in the role, Paul stood down as CEO of the Football Foundation in March 2020 to develop a portfolio of non-executive roles. In addition to being Chair of the RAF Sports Federation, he is also Chair of the Global Board of the Chartered Institute for Procurement and Supply, of which he is a Fellow, and is a lay member on the House of Commons Committee on Standards. He is also President of the RAF Veterans Football team.

Air Marshal Sue Gray CB, OBE, CEng, FREng

Sue is the first female to be attain three-star rank and is the most senior ranking female in the British Armed Forces. She is the Director General of the Defence Safety Agency, an independent organisation, empowered by charter from the Defence Secretary, to undertake the roles of regulator, accident investigation and Defence Authority for safety. Sue joined the RAF in 1985, commissioned into the engineer branch, and throughout the course of her service has had responsibility for a range of operational and staff portfolios.

In addition to her significant professional achievements, Sue is also the Chairman of the RAF Club, the first female to hold this post since the Club’s inception more than a century ago. She is also President of the RAF Equestrian Association.

Air Vice Marshal Maria Byford QHDS

Maria is Chief of Staff Personnel and Air Secretary. She was appointed to the role in February 2020 and joined the Board of the RAF Sports Federation as an ex-officio trustee in May 2020, upon the resignation of her predecessor. She has served in a wide variety of command and staff appointments across Defence, always with a strong focus on people.

Maria is the RAF’s Deputy Diversity and Inclusion Champion. She is a governor of Royal Star and Garter, the military veterans’ charity; is the Honorary President of the Staffordshire Wing RAF Air Cadets; and received the President’s invitation to become a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in January 2020.

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Air Commodore Simon Harper OBE

Simon is the Director Ground Training RAF and Deputy Air Officer Commanding 22 Group. He has significant experience across personnel and training roles across the service.

Previously a trustee of both the Royal Air Force Association and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, Simon has significant experience of charitable governance. He is presently Chair of UK Armed Forces Football Association, following many years supporting and shaping the success of the RAF Football Association, an FA County in its own right, as its Chair. Simon is currently the interim chair of the RAF Sports Federation’s Finance and Audit Committee.

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Executive Team

Board of Trustees

Paul Thorogood (Chair)

AVM Maria Air Cdre Simon Independent Independent AM Sue Gray Byford Harper (Vacant) (Vacant)

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Role Description – Trustee and Treasurer

Term of appointment: 3 years (the constitution allows for reappointment for up to three consecutive terms) Remuneration: The role is unremunerated though reasonable costs properly incurred in the discharge of trustee duties will be met by the RAF Sports Federation as set out in the governing document. Last reviewed: 01/10/2020

Responsibilities & Duties

All trustees have a set of legal duties in common as a trustee of the RAF Sports Federation as set out in the Charity Commission’s guidance note CC3: The Essential Trustee to:

• Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit; • Comply with the Charity’s governing document and the law; • Act in the charity’s best interests; • Manage the charity’s resources responsibly; • Act with reasonable care and skill; • Ensure the charity is accountable.

Over and above these duties in common the RAFSF’s Treasurer will be required to monitor the financial administration of the charity and report to the board of trustees at regular intervals on its state of financial health, in line with best practice, and in compliance with the governing document and legal requirements.

The main responsibilities and duties of the treasurer include:

• liaising with the Head of Finance and Resources to: o oversee and present budgets, internal management accounts and annual financial statements to the board of trustees; o lead on the board’s duty to ensure that proper accounting records are kept, financial resources are properly controlled, invested and economically spent, in line with good governance, legal and regulatory requirements; o leading the development and implementation of financial reserves, cost-management and investment policies; • chair the Finance and Audit committee in line with standing orders and terms of reference, and reporting back to the board of trustees; • monitor and advise on the financial viability of the charity; • oversee the implementation of and monitor specific financial controls and adherence to systems; • advise on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan; • oversee the charity’s financial risk-management process; • act as a counter signatory on charity cheques and important applications to funders; and board-level liaison with the external auditors on specific issues such as the Auditors’ Management Letter and the related board representations.

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Skill/experience Essential Desirable Eligible to act as a trustee X Qualified chartered accountant X Assured effective communicator, in speech and writing X Experience of charitable accounting, including restricted funds X accounting. Experience of charity governance X Experience of operating at Board level X Experience of UK military environment X Experience of UK sport governance X Demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion X Demonstrable commitment to the role of sport in providing holistic X wellbeing benefits (physical, mental and emotional)

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Role Description – Trustee (Marketing, Communications and Commercial)

Responsibilities & Duties

All trustees have a set of legal duties in common as a trustee of the RAF Sports Federation as defined in the Charity Commission’s guidance note CC3: The Essential Trustee to: • Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit; • Comply with the Charity’s governing document and the law; • Act in the charity’s best interests; • Manage the charity’s resources responsibly; • Act with reasonable care and skill; • Ensure the charity is accountable.

Over and above these duties in common the Trustee (MCC) will be expected to lead on the strategic oversight of the marketing, communications and commercial activities of the RAF Sports Federation. The main responsibilities and duties include: • liaising with the Chief Executive Officer to: o support the development and implementation of marketing and communication strategies for RAF Sport for which the RAF Sports Federation has strategic and operational leadership responsibility; o support and oversee the ongoing development of the sponsorship model that the RAF Sports Federation manages on behalf of RAF Sport; o support and oversee the development and implementation of an impact measurement and reporting system. • chair the Communications and Impact committee in line with standing orders and terms of reference, and reporting back to the board of trustees.

Skill/experience Essential Desirable Eligible to act as a trustee X Appropriate professional qualification X Demonstrable experience of leading MarComms function X within the sport, leisure and recreation sector Demonstrable experience of sponsorship management, X including rights management. Assured effective communicator, in speech and writing X Experience of charity governance X Experience of operating at Board level X Experience of UK military environment X Experience of UK sport governance X Demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion X Demonstrable commitment to the role of sport in providing X holistic wellbeing benefits (physical, mental and emotional)

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How to Apply

RAF Sports Federation is working exclusively with Charisma Charity Recruitment. To apply, please email [email protected], quoting reference JO2798, with the following:

• A comprehensive CV • A supporting statement, explaining how you believe you match the requirements of the role, directly addressing the skills and experience sections of the role description

For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please contact:

Adam Stacey, Associate Director of Charisma Charity Recruitment 0207 998 8888 / 01962 813300

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.

Timetable

Closing date for applications: 4 February 2021 Interview dates: TBC – end February 2021

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