Trustee Vacancies

• A trustee vacancy for an HR specialist
• Brighton and Hove based charity
• Circa six committee meetings per year (mixed remote and face to face), plus annual strategy and vision day.
• Unremunerated
• Some requirement to visit the office to establish relationships with staff and volunteers
• This is a local appointment which would suit someone resident in Brighton & Hove

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

About us:

For over 25 years, we’ve been dedicated to providing practical support and advice to some of the most vulnerable individuals in Brighton and Hove. Our small team of paid staff and volunteers offers compassionate assistance to help individuals overcome financial hardship through budget management and debt advice, and to access essential welfare benefits. Last year alone, we assisted over 900 people, making a real difference in their lives. We are highly regarded in the City and work in partnership with other organisations with a shared agenda.  

Why join us?

As a values-based organisation, our trustees play a critical role in shaping the future of our charity. We’re looking for a trustee 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.

Our trustees play a vital role in making sure that St Luke’s Advice Service achieves its core purpose. They 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, 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.

What we’re looking for:

We’re looking for an HR trustee who, along with their standard trustee duties, will actively oversee and contribute to that specific aspect of our work.  We are keen to hear from anyone with transferable skills and motivation to deliver on the trustee role (see role profile below) and in particular we are keen to hear from those with skills in:

• human resourcing
• volunteer management

We have recently recruited excellent trustees to take the lead in strategic vision and communications and are now looking for a local trustee to focus on HR and volunteering matters. 

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.

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.

The impact of your role:

As a trustee of St Luke’s Advice Service, your contribution will directly shape the future of our work and the wellbeing of the community we serve. The role we are seeking will have the following impact:

• HR and Volunteer Management Trustee: With a focus on the people who power our charity, you’ll make a meaningful difference in how we manage and develop our team. From supporting our dedicated volunteers to advising on staff policies and recruitment, your role will ensure our charity remains inclusive, well-resourced both now and in the future, and a place where everyone can thrive.

Together, these roles will enable SLAS to continue delivering essential services to those in need, while also building our capacity to help more people, more effectively. Your input will ensure we remain resilient, compassionate, and impactful as we adapt to the evolving needs of our community.

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 leadership and management 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.  The trustee role profile is set out below:

• Support and provide advice on St Luke’s Advice Service’s purpose, vision, goals, strategy and activities.
• Attend Trustee Committee 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.

Each Trustee is usually assigned one or more areas of specific responsibility such as governance, finance, strategy development, fundraising, HR and volunteer management, policy management or business planning and /or to hold a specific role such as Chair or Deputy Chair, Complaints Officer, Charity Secretary and is asked to support the organisation in these aspects.

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 Director of Operations and Fundraising on projects or aspects of operational delivery in which the trustee has special expertise.

Personal skills and qualities

• Specialist knowledge relevant to the specific trustee role and willingness to learn and keep up to date in the area of HR management and volunteer management.
• 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.
• 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 is envisaged that this role will be quite ‘hands on’ in terms of staff and volunteer management and it will be important for the HR trustee to build good relationships with those in the office through face-to-face engagement.
• Attendance at Trustee meetings either online or in person.

Time commitment

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

• Preparing for and attending six Board meetings annually, currently on Friday mornings, lasting up to 90 minutes. Our meetings are held a mix of remote online meetings and face to face meetings in person at the Brighthelm Centre in central Brighton.
• Attending an annual strategy day, and our annual AGM. Both of these are in person.
• Preparing and providing project support/specialist area work – averaging approximately five hours a month
• Attending occasional events, such as training courses or networking opportunities, and visiting the SLAS team in our Brighton office.

Interested in joining us?

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

Please submit your CV and a short covering letter outlining your interest and motivation for the trustee role to the same email address by midnight on Sunday 31^st May 2026.