Trustee Vacancies

Trustee Vacancy

  •  Brighton based charity
  • Circa 10 committee meetings per year (usually remote), plus annual away day
  • Unremunerated

St Luke’s Advice Service (SLAS) is a small charity founded on Christian values, based in central Brighton. We help some of the most vulnerable people in Brighton and Hove by providing practical support and advice to help them overcome financial hardship and access benefits they desperately need. Last year our small team of paid staff and volunteers helped over 800 people.

What makes us special is the time and compassion we offer each person who approaches us for help. We help people become whole again and feel connected to their community so they can overcome their financial crises and/or benefits issues and get back on with their lives. We are highly regarded in the City and work in partnership with several other organisations. 

We are a values-based organisation, and our trustees are a critical part of an organisation that is people-centred and forward-thinking. Our Board ensure the charity is fit for the future, well governed, and support the staff and volunteering team in their operational delivery. 

We are now looking for two new trustees willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to our organisation and who will broaden the diversity of thinking on our board. You may not have previous board level or trustee experience, but if you have the motivation, transferable skills and potential, and the time to devote to this meaningful role, we will ensure that you receive an effective induction, and training in the areas of specific responsibility that you will take on.

We are particularly keen to appoint trustees with an interest in supporting the charity with fundraising and/or communications and public relations. We will provide support and training for those trustees joining St Luke’s Advice Service who do not have experience of these skills. These trustee roles may be of interest to those keen to gain leadership experience and specialist skills in either fundraising or external communications and profile raising, or those with extensive experience looking to give back to the community, and/or to apply their skills to a new sector.

To learn more about this opportunity please see the full trustee role profile and look at our website.

If you would like to discuss this trustee vacancy before applying, please contact Kathryn Mountford (Trustee) on kathryn.mountford@stlukesadviceservice.org.uk to arrange an informal chat.

Please submit your CV and a short covering letter setting out your interest in and motivation for the trustee role and the key skills that you have to Kathryn Mountford at kathryn.mountford@stlukesadviceservice.org.uk by Thursday 7 March 2024. If shortlisted, there will be a more formal interview with the Chair and a trustee in March 2024.  

 

Role profile: Trustee

Our trustees play a vital role in making sure that St Luke’s Advice Service achieves its core purpose. They oversee the overall management and administration of the charity. They also ensure that St Luke’s Advice Service has a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision and is properly funded. Just as importantly, our trustees 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.

Duties:

  • Support and provide advice on St Luke’s Advice Service’s purpose, vision, goals and activities.
  • 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 Service Delivery Manager in the exercise of their duties.
  • Keep abreast of changes in charity’s operating environment.
  • Contribute to regular reviews of St Luke’s Advice Service’s own governance.
  • Attend Trustee Committee meetings, adequately prepared to contribute to discussions and making balanced and well-informed decisions, considering short- and long-term objectives.
  • Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect 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.

As a small charity, there will be times when the trustees will need to be actively involved beyond Trustee Committee meetings. This may involve scrutinising or preparing board papers, leading discussions, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, presenting externally, or directly supporting the Service Delivery Manager on projects or aspects of operational delivery in which the trustee has special expertise.

Personal skills and qualities

  • Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees and to act in the best interests of the organisation.
  • Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member.
  • Demonstrable enthusiasm for our vision, mission and objectives.
  • 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 mentoring and advising the other trustees and the Service Delivery Manager on subject specific matters, to supporting the latter with relevant operational matters.
  • Specialist knowledge relevant to the specific trustee role (or a willingness to learn and apply specialist skills and knowledge and to keep up to date in this area). We are currently keen to recruit those with fundraising and/or corporate communications/PR skills, or a willingness to learn these skills and apply them to support our charity.
  • 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.

 Time commitment

The time commitment can be flexible depending on the time each trustee has available and the needs of the charity. The following gives an indication of the expected minimum commitment.

  • Preparing for and attending 10 Board meetings annually, currently on Friday mornings, lasting up to 90 minutes. Our meetings are held mainly remotely, with occasional ones in person at the Brighthelm Centre in central Brighton.
  • Attending an annual strategy day, and our annual AGM.
  • Preparing and providing project support/specialist area work – averaging approximately three hours a month, although this varies depending on strategic and operational priorities.
  • Attending occasional external events, such as training courses or networking opportunities.