Director Of Business Planning And Development

The English Sangha Trust Ltd (EST) is the steward of two Theravada Buddhist Monasteries, one in Hertfordshire near Hemel Hempstead, and one in West Sussex, near Midhurst. It is a Charitable Company established in 1956, for the purpose of providing residential accommodation for monastics plus facilities and publications for lay people.

The Trust Board meets four times a year and wishes to appoint a Trust Secretary. This is a role which plays a key part in creating the high current governance standards, through servicing meetings and helping with the fulfilment of the decisions. In addition to Board meetings, the Finance sub-Committee meets twice a year and the Investment sub-Committee as and when required. There is a short Annual General Meeting before the 4th Board meeting of each year.

There are currently seven trustees, whose work is guided by senior monastics who attend and hold a share each in the Company on behalf of the community. The relationship between the Trust and monastic community is described in a Memorandum of Understanding and Intention.
Most activities have their own teams, many led by resident monastics or lay volunteers. Accountancy, in particular, has its own team of paid staff and volunteers. Significant building projects are undertaken by a wholly-owned Company, Amaravati Developments Ltd.

Candidates will need to be able to demonstrate the following Essential attributes:
● Several years’ relevant (paid or unpaid) experience in a charitable or public service setting, and/or company
● Understanding of current English law and its applicability to a small employer which has many volunteers and two large sites open to the public.
● Excellent written and spoken English
● Being self-motivating and able to work on own initiative
● Moderate computer literacy
● Being organised, discreet and reliable

Applicants will need to be attuned to the aims and ethos of the Monasteries and able to abide by the five precepts undertaken by Buddhists.

Whilst candidates should be numerate, accounting skills are not a requirement.

Further general information about the Trust is available from its submissions to The Charity Commission and Companies House and the monasteries’ websites.

Terms and Conditions
The role of Trust Secretary is shaped by the annual cycle of the monastic community, with the busiest office periods being March-November. All Trust and Finance sub-Committee meetings are held on Saturdays (with time off in lieu) and attendance in person is needed. Some working from home is possible but for the first two years at least the Secretary will need to be on-site, at Amaravati, four days per week, particularly in the mornings.

The salary is open to discussion in the range £35k-£45k fte. The Trust offers a fairly standard contract to its employees, including a 7.5% employer pension contribution through NEST. If full-time work is required, additional tasks related to general monastery management can be added to the Board-focussed areas of responsibility listed below.

Application Process
To apply please send your CV and a covering letter outlining how you meet the requirements of the role, to Caroline Leinster, Trust Secretary, Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, Great Gaddesden, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 3BZ. The closing date for applications is 8am Monday 11th March 2024, and interviews will be held in April.