Trustee - Southwark charity behind Appleby Blue - Volunteer

Specifically, we're looking for someone who understands the key features of effective governance, including tools and techniques for strategic planning, risk management and the principles of effective change management. Alongside that, we want a strong lived or learned understanding of Southwark and the communities we serve, with insight into both local strengths and the barriers that can affect opportunity and wellbeing. Given our growing role in shaping housing and ageing policy beyond our borough, we also welcome candidates who bring national or international expertise in our areas of work.

Beyond that, we're looking for experience in one or more of

• Organisational development and governance
• Land, housing and property development
• Community development and place-based leadership
• Accounting and finance

In terms of how they'll operate someone who thinks strategically and can contribute to developing and monitoring our strategic priorities and goals; who builds and supports their perspective through sound reasoning and clear communication; who's able to raise challenge and disagree respectfully and constructively; who abides by the principle of collective decision-making and stands by the Board's decisions even where their own view differs; and who thinks carefully about risk, without letting it hold the organisation back. A good level of IT literacy is also important.

And personally someone who acts with integrity; is flexible and adaptable in how they work with others; is committed to good governance and high ethical standards; demonstrates commitment to active participation in governance beyond Board and committee meetings; and is willing to acquire the knowledge needed to be effective, with an ongoing commitment to learning and development.

Hybrid

What will you be doing?

We currently have nine Trustees, and we're looking for two new Trustees to join them as we deliver an ambitious new ten-year strategy.

You would be joining at a pivotal moment. We are scaling up our housing development pipeline, working to secure the partnerships and funding that will let us build significantly more almshouses for older people across Southwark. We have just launched a new Community Investment Strategy for 2025–2030, shifting towards longer, more flexible funding and deeper relationships with the organisations we back, and we continue to grow our direct work with young people through One Southwark. Following the success of Appleby Blue, we are also being asked to share what we've learned with other boroughs and housing providers, which means thinking seriously about how a relatively small, place-based charity builds influence at a national level.

Our Trustees are legally responsible for the governance of the charity, working together to ensure United St Saviour's Charity achieves its charitable objectives. This means helping to shape and hold the organisation to a clear strategy, ensuring our assets and resources are used only for charitable purposes, and making sure we operate in line with the law at all times. Trustees provide support and constructive challenge to the Chief Executive and senior staff, and each serve on at least one, and up to two, committees. Alongside effective leadership from the Chair, our Trustees work collectively — contributing their own skills, knowledge and experience to strengthen the Board's decision-making, and standing by decisions reached collectively even where their own individual view may have differed.

We're looking for Trustees who will bring their own networks, ask sharp questions of our strategy, and help our senior team navigate the choices ahead, particularly as we take on more development risk and grow to match our ambitions.