Trustee Vacancies

Location: Brighton & Hove city centre, but most meetings are by videocall).

Time Commitment: Approximately 6–8 hours per month made up of Board Meetings held quarterly, plus annual strategy and vision day and some hands-on management support in between. Can be delivered mainly remotely or through hybrid working with occasional office visits.

Remuneration: Voluntary (reasonable expenses reimbursed)

Are you passionate about making a difference in our community? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join St Luke’s Advice Service (SLAS) as a trustee.

About us:

St Luke’s Advice Service (SLAS) is an established money and benefits advice service and charity based at the Brighthelm Centre, near Brighton Station. We provide practical, compassionate support to some of the most vulnerable people in Brighton & Hove, helping them to navigate financial hardship, claim benefits, and regain stability in their lives.

Our small team of staff and volunteers supported nearly 900 people last year. What sets us apart is the time, empathy, and individual care we offer to everyone who turns to us for help. We aim to restore dignity, build connection, and empower people to overcome crises.

We proudly hold the Advice Quality Standard from the Advice Services Alliance and work closely with other local organisations to ensure no one is left behind. We are committed to equality and inclusion and welcome applications from all backgrounds.

Who we’re looking for:

We are looking for two new trustees to join our passionate and committed board. As a trustee you will ensure the charity is properly run and its service is effective for its stakeholders. Specifically, the two opening are focused on either Strategy or, Communications (including social media, grant applications and oversight of fundraising) to support the management of the service and help guide our next chapter.

We are currently seeking people who have an affinity with what we do and bring transferable skills, both in terms of trustee responsibilities and the two specific areas of responsibility.

Trustee with responsibility for Communication and Fundraising, we are particularly interested in individuals with experience in:

Written and social media communications and planning stakeholder management.
Ensuring that all types of external communications are compelling and effective.
Managing a pipeline of income, not necessarily fund-raising, but that would be an added advantage.

Trustee with responsibility for Strategy, we are looking for individuals who bring:

Experience in strategic planning or organisational development
Strong analytical assessment skills
The ability to see the bigger picture and influence long-term direction at the same time as translating strategy into meaningful and appropriate activity.

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive board of trustees that reflects the communities we serve. We particularly welcome applications from women and from individuals from minoritised backgrounds, individuals who are disabled and/or who identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.

Why join us?

Whether you’re looking to gain leadership experience, apply your skills to a new sector, or give back to the community, we welcome individuals from diverse backgrounds, who share our commitment to making a positive impact.

As a values-based organisation, our trustees play a critical role in shaping the future of our charity. We’re looking for a trustees who can bring energy and enthusiasm to our Board. You don’t need previous trustee experience – if you have the motivation, transferable skills, and time to commit, we’ll provide effective induction and training to support you in this meaningful role.

We can discuss your transferable skills and experience as well as your specific interests. We are open to finding a way to tailor these to add to our trustee skillset and range of accountabilities – even if the outcome is slightly different from our current thinking about specific trustee roles.

The impact of your role:

Trustees have the opportunity to shape the direction of our organisation, advocate for those we serve and ensure that our mission is upheld with integrity and compassion. Just as importantly, they have a collective responsibility to support the team of staff and volunteers that provide one to one help to people in need across the City of Brighton and Hove. The two roles will also impact their specific areas of responsibility:

Trustee with responsibility for Communication and Fundraising role profile

Your expertise will help develop of social media presence and maintain our strong local reputation, especially in support of Individual Giving and donations campaigns.
You will work closely with the Director of Operations and Fundraising and your support will help shape our fundraising strategy, and strengthen relationships with stakeholders and supporters, so we can support individuals in financial hardship.
Also, alongside the Director, you will manage our funding pipeline and have oversight of grant applications and other fund-raising activity to secure the essential funding needed to continue our services.

Trustee with responsibility for Strategy role profile

Your expertise will enable you to lead and guide our strategic planning process, helping turn vision into action
You will work with the Director of Operations and Fundraising to identify external trends, risks, and opportunities that affect our services.
Also, alongside the Director you will champion innovation, forward-thinking, and continuous improvement in meaningful and appropriate activity.

Within the Board you will help embed a strategic mindset and support decisions that strengthen organisational sustainability and impact.

Trustee role profile for everyone is to:

Support and provide advice on St Luke’s Advice Service’s purpose, vision, goals, strategy and activities.
Attend Trustee Board meetings, adequately prepared to contribute to discussions and making balanced and well-informed decisions, considering short- and long-term objectives.
Approve operational strategies and policies and monitor and evaluate their implementation.
Ensure adequate funding is secured to deliver the service and oversee the charity’s financial plans and budgets, monitor and evaluate progress and review and approve financial statements.
Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.
Ensure that key risks are identified, monitored and controlled effectively.
Provide support and challenge to our Director of Operations and Fundraising in the exercise of their duties.
Keep abreast of changes in the charity’s operating environment.
Contribute to regular reviews of St Luke’s Advice Service’s own governance.
Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect the charity’s interests, to the exclusion of personal and/or any third-party interests.
Contribute to the broader promotion of St Luke’s Advice Service’s objectives, aims and reputation by applying your skills, expertise, knowledge and contacts.
Hold one or more specific area of responsibility and be involved beyond meetings in directly supporting the Director of Operations and Fundraising on projects or aspects of operational delivery.

Personal skills and qualities

Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member.
Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees and to act in the best interests of the organisation.
Demonstrable enthusiasm for our vision, mission and objectives.
Specialist knowledge or skills relevant to the specific trustee role and willingness to learn and keep up to date in this area (for these roles its either, skills in communications, income management or, strategic planning or organisational development and strong analytical assessment skills .
Willingness to lead according to our values.
Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion.
A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
The ability to move easily from strategic thinking to operational delivery and the ability to mentor and advise others
Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Terms of appointment

This is a voluntary and unpaid position.
It can be delivered mainly remotely or hybrid but with occasional visits to the Office.
Trustees are initially appointed by the Board and Chair, and confirmed or re-elected at an AGM.
There is no time limit but trustees should ideally be prepared to commit to be in role for at least 2 years

Interested in joining us?

For informal inquiries or to discuss the role further before applying, please contact Martin Poole at [email protected].

Please submit your CV and a short covering letter outlining your interest and motivation for the trustee role to [email protected] by midnight on Sunday 7 September 2025. If shortlisted, there will be a more formal interview with the Chair and one of the trus