A former client of Resource has been appointed chair of trustees of the Jewish employment charity nearly two decades after first turning to the organisation for help with his own career.
Jamie Field will succeed Mike Beral as chair this month, following Beral's six years in the role. The appointment marks what the charity described as a “full circle” moment, with Field having first received support from Resource in 2007 before going on to build a career in the Jewish charitable sector.
Field, who has served as a Resource trustee in recent years, is currently Head of Change at Jewish Care, where he leads organisation-wide transformation across digital, culture and operations. He has previously completed both the Charityworks Leadership Programme and the Dangoor Senior Leadership Programme, and earlier this year received the JLC Lead Fellowship Award in recognition of his contribution to communal leadership.
Speaking about his appointment, Field said: “Resource played an important role in my own career journey, so it is a real privilege to take on the position of Chair of Trustees. Having experienced first hand the difference Resource can make, I am passionate about ensuring that many more people across our community can benefit from its support.
“The world of work continues to change rapidly and Resource has an important role to play in helping people navigate change, build confidence and achieve their career goals.”
Beral first joined Resource's board as a trustee in 2017 before becoming chair in 2020. During his tenure, he helped steer the charity through a period of growth as it expanded its services for people navigating redundancy, career change and the search for meaningful employment.
Although stepping down as chair, he will remain involved with the charity as a volunteer, advising on marketing and PR strategy.
Beral said it had been “an honour” to serve as Chair of Trustees and work alongside the charity's dedicated staff, volunteers and fellow trustees, adding that he was “delighted” to continue supporting Resource as a volunteer.
Resource chief executive Victoria Sterman paid tribute to Beral's leadership, saying the charity had continued to “thrive and develop” under his stewardship, introducing innovative services to support jobseekers.
She added: “I am excited to see the fresh perspective that [Field] will bring to the role. I'm confident that his wealth of leadership experience, combined with his extensive network of connections within the community, will be a huge asset to Resource.”
Founded in 1992, Resource supports around 1,000 members of the Jewish community each year through free one-to-one careers guidance.
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