About the organisation
Our Place Learning Community (OPLC) advances education for the public benefit by providing inclusive, person-centred learning for young people aged 11–18 who cannot access or thrive in mainstream education. Many of the young people we support face significant barriers to school attendance, including anxiety, neurodiversity, trauma, or unmet special educational needs. OPLC exists to ensure these young people are not left without meaningful education or opportunities to progress.
Since the pandemic, school absence and exclusion have increased sharply across the UK, creating an urgent demand for high-quality alternative provision. OPLC responds to this need by offering a safe, structured and nurturing learning environment where young people can re-engage with education in ways that reflect their individual needs and capacities. Our approach supports learners to rebuild confidence, rediscover motivation and develop the skills required for long-term participation in education and society.
OPLC delivers individualised educational programmes that integrate academic learning, creative and practical activities, and essential life skills. Each learner follows a personalised learning plan aligned to their interests, strengths and goals. Small group settings and strong relationships with staff enable close support and effective progress monitoring, while promoting autonomy, resilience, communication and critical thinking.
Wellbeing underpins our educational model. We recognise that learning cannot take place without psychological safety and emotional stability. OPLC therefore places strong emphasis on mental, emotional and social wellbeing, enabling young people—many of whom arrive highly anxious or disengaged—to regulate emotions and re-establish positive relationships with learning.
OPLC works in partnership with local authorities and other statutory bodies to support Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) learners and Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) placements. We are a quality-assured alternative education provider and contribute to local authorities’ statutory education responsibilities.
To ensure both accessibility and sustainability, OPLC operates a mixed-income model. Funding from local authority and institutional placements subsidises privately funded learners, alongside bursaries and reduced fees for families in financial hardship. This approach enables controlled growth while maintaining our charitable purpose and public benefit.
About the role
OPLC is seeking a Treasurer Trustee to provide strategic financial oversight as we transition from a Community Interest Company to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) and continue to grow in response to increasing demand for our provision.
This is an ongoing trustee role, not a fixed-term project. It offers a genuine opportunity to help build a charity almost from scratch, shaping its financial governance, systems and strategic direction at an early stage. Demand for our work has been exceptionally strong: we have been, in many ways, a victim of our own success, reaching the VAT threshold within just four months of operation. This makes strong financial planning and oversight particularly important at this stage.
We currently have four directors who collectively have a strong grip on day-to-day operational finance, supported by established systems. However, as we grow and move into a charitable structure, we are specifically seeking independent financial oversight, forward planning and strategic challenge at board level.
Most of the core financial infrastructure is already in place. We use QuickBooks, have an experienced bookkeeper, and established financial processes. The Treasurer role therefore focuses on oversight, assurance and longer-term financial strategy, rather than hands-on financial administration.
Key responsibilities include:
Leading the Board’s oversight of financial management, budgeting and cashflow
Supporting the development of financial planning, forecasts and reserves policy
Ensuring appropriate financial controls, reporting and compliance are maintained
Advising on financial risk and the implications of growth, contracts and funding models
The Treasurer will chair or lead a small Finance Sub-Committee (to be established), meeting quarterly, and work closely with senior staff. Full Board meetings are expected around four times per year, with occasional additional meetings during the CIO transition phase. Meetings are mainly in the Brighton area, with flexibility for some remote attendance.
This role would suit someone with a background in finance, accounting, audit or commercial finance who is motivated by helping an early-stage organisation grow sustainably and responsibly. Previous trustee experience is welcome but not essential.
Our ideal candidate
We are looking for a Treasurer Trustee who would enjoy using their financial skills to support a growing organisation that is making a real difference to young people’s lives. This role would suit a finance professional who is curious about the charity sector and keen to step into their first (or early) trustee role in a supportive, well-run environment.
Our finances are straightforward and predictable, with income agreed months in advance through local authority placements. The operational finances are well managed by the existing leadership team. What we are looking for is strategic financial oversight, longer-term planning and an independent perspective as we grow.
Most of the role can be carried out remotely, but we would love the Treasurer to visit us occasionally, meet the team and see our work in action. Understanding how and why we operate makes the financial side more meaningful and rewarding.
Essential skills and qualities
A background in finance, accounting, audit, commercial finance or similar
Confidence reviewing budgets, forecasts and management information (rather than producing them)
A thoughtful, collaborative approach and willingness to ask questions
Interest in supporting a small organisation at an exciting stage of development
Alignment with our values and mission
Desirable skills and qualities
An interest in applying professional skills for social impact
Some familiarity with charity or public-sector finance (helpful but not required)
Experience of growth, scaling or financial planning
Willingness to engage beyond formal board meetings
We are very happy to support someone who is new to trusteeship. You do not need prior charity experience — just sound judgement, financial insight and an interest in helping us grow well.
What’s in it for you
Joining OPLC as our Treasurer is a rare opportunity to use your professional skills to quite literally change the trajectory of a young person's life. Many of the students we support have been out of the education system for months or even years; without OPLC, they would be sitting at home, isolated from their peers and disconnected from their future simply because the mainstream system cannot meet their needs. By providing the financial stewardship that allows us to grow, you are directly responsible for bringing these "hidden" young people back into a community where they feel safe, seen, and capable of learning again. There is a profound sense of purpose in knowing that every budget you oversee or strategic plan you review translates into another child rediscovering their potential rather than being left behind.
From a professional perspective, this role offers the unique "ground-floor" experience of being a founding architect of a charity at the exact moment it takes flight. You will play a leading role in our transition from a CIC to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO), shaping the governance culture and financial strategy of an organisation that is already a proven success. You will be operating at a truly strategic level—mentoring a passionate leadership team, navigating the complexities of rapid scaling, and helping us build a sustainable model that we can eventually take to other towns and cities across the country.
Beyond the numbers, you will become part of a dedicated team that truly values your expertise. We don't want our Treasurer to be a distant figure on a Zoom call; we want you to visit us, meet the team, and see the transformation in our students first-hand. Whether you are an experienced finance professional looking for a high-impact way to give back or a rising talent seeking your first trustee role in a supportive environment, you will gain invaluable experience in charity leadership and social entrepreneurship—all while helping us ensure that no young person is forced to stay at home because they don't have a place where they belong.
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