MK Canals
MARKETING & COMMS TRUSTEE for MK CANALS - Volunteer
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
This is a rare opportunity
Use and develop your strengths and interests in a new charity. Your skills in marketing & communications, and your strategic insight, judgement and perspective, will help to create momentum and deliver a more sustainable future for canals in Milton Keynes.
What difference will you make?
Your contribution as a Trustee will directly help both you and us to
- Create a lasting legacy: secure lasting environmental and public amenity improvements for generations to come, shaping decisions that last decades, not months.
- Make real community impact: develop Milton Keynes’ canals a resource for supporting wellbeing, inclusion, social connection, and environmental sustainability.
- Blend heritage and purpose: use the story and heritage of our canals to protect them for the future and sustain community benefit in times of growing climate change.
- Have genuine influence: play an active role in setting strategy, priorities and future direction for our organisation as an emerging local, regional, and national partner
- Learn and grow: develop our individual and shared experiences of governance, heritage, sustainability, community development and charity leadership.
You'll be involved in the successful delivery of marketing and communications for the organisation, and for projects which will range from landscaping and habitat creation, from festivals and walking maps to making access improvements for canal and canalside users, to supporting water management programmes and more!
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
What are we looking for?
We are committed to building a more diverse board and will particularly welcome interest from younger people, women, people of colour and LGBTQ+ people. We value ambition, vision, collaboration, professionalism, respect, pragmatism and impact, and are keen to hear from people who share our values and want to make a positive contribution.
You don’t need prior trustee experience or even a knowledge of canals! What matters most is
- A genuine interest in community, heritage, climate change, and social impact
- Strategic thinking and sound judgement
- Willingness to ask questions, offer perspective and contribute constructively
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of a small, committed team
We also need you to bring to the role
- Experience of marketing and/or communications
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Comfort and competence operating in a largely digital world
- Awareness of legal and ethical considerations in marketing and communications
Hybrid
What will you be doing?
MK Canals is a place-based, partnership-driven organisation which delivers projects that benefit local communities and advocates for the contribution our canals can make to environmental sustainability. We have made a strong start in our first two years and have ambitious plans for the future.
We currently have five Trustees (Chair, Treasurer, Charity Secretary, Volunteering Lead, Risk & Project Management Lead) To realise our plans we need additional trustees to grow with us and make a difference – starting with a Trustee to take responsibility for marketing and communications.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
We’ll be looking to you to provide strategic oversight and practical guidance on the charity’s marketing and communications, ensuring clear, consistent, and effective messaging that supports our charitable objectives. Key aspects of the role are to
- Lead the development and periodic review of a marketing and communications strategy proportionate to the charity’s size and activities, to promote the charity’s work and impact and encourage participation by all relevant audiences across all age groups, including younger people.
- Lead and build the small team of volunteers and/or contractors who deliver marketing and communications activities in a largely digital world (including website, social media, newsletters, briefings, posters, exhibitions, talks, press & PR), ensuring alignment with the charity’s purpose, values, strategic priorities and brand.
- Ensure compliance with relevant legal and regulatory requirements (e.g. data protection, consent for images, charity reporting standards).
- Monitor engagement and reach of marketing and communications activity, providing reports to the board.
- Advise on reputational risks and sensitive communications issues.
- Oversee the building by trustees of relationships with key stakeholders, partners, and media.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills