Trustee

OrganizationChoose LovePosted 10 Oct 2025 Closing date 31 Oct 2025Choose Love's board has grown significantly since our independence in May 2024. Our nine trustees bring expertise spanning humanitarian programming, finance, communications, legal affairs, and international development. We meet quarterly, with sub-committees convening beforehand to scrutinise our work and ensure we maintain the highest standards of governance whilst remaining agile enough to respond to crises affecting displaced communities worldwide.Our current challenge is ambitious: to scale our impact whilst maintaining the independence and integrity that defines our work. Since 2015, we have supported displaced people globally through grassroots partnerships, refusing government funding to ensure our response is driven solely by community needs. As we strengthen our governance structures, we are strategically recruiting trustees who can help us navigate complex humanitarian landscapes, amplify our voice, and ensure our programmes deliver meaningful, sustainable change.Position 1: Programmes TrusteeThis role offers a unique opportunity to shape humanitarian programming at a critical juncture. You will join and potentially lead our Programmes Sub-Committee, working at the intersection of strategy and implementation. Your responsibilities will include developing our programme strategy for board approval, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives, and monitoring programme quality across diverse geographical contexts.What makes this role exceptional is the direct impact you will have. You will safeguard our reputation whilst promoting staff and partner wellbeing, identify and mitigate risks in volatile environments, and collaborate with our Executive Leadership Team to advance our strategic aims. Your expertise will directly influence how we support displaced communities—from emergency response to long-term resilience-building.This position is ideal for someone with deep humanitarian programming experience who wants their governance expertise to translate into tangible outcomes for vulnerable populations. You will help us navigate the complexities of working in crisis contexts whilst maintaining the grassroots partnerships that make our work effective.Position 2: Communications Trustee and Sub-Committee ChairThis is an opportunity to lead our Communications Sub-Committee and shape how Choose Love engages with the world. You will safeguard and promote our public image whilst working closely with our Executive Leadership Team to approve communications strategies, social media policies, and online engagement frameworks.Your role extends beyond oversight; you will refine policies before board approval and collaborate with our Finance and Audit Committee on strategic risk management. This intersection of communications and risk makes the position particularly dynamic, requiring someone who understands both reputation management and strategic governance.What makes this role compelling is the platform it offers. Choose Love has built a powerful voice in humanitarian advocacy since 2015. As Communications Trustee, you will help us amplify that voice, reach new audiences, and ensure our messaging resonates whilst maintaining the authenticity and independence our community values.Both positions offer three-year terms, renewable twice, with quarterly board meetings and regular sub-committee engagement. You will join a passionate, diverse board committed to making governance meaningful, not bureaucratic and to ensuring every decision we make serves displaced communities effectively.What are we looking for?Choose Love seeks trustees who combine strategic expertise with genuine commitment to humanitarian principles. Our ideal trustees bring professional excellence alongside deep alignment with our mission of solidarity and empowerment.Position 1: Programmes TrusteeWe are seeking someone with substantial experience in humanitarian, development, or social justice contexts. Ideally, you will have worked with organisations supporting forcibly displaced people, refugees, or marginalised communities, bringing practical understanding of the challenges these populations face.Critical to this role is direct involvement in designing, implementing, or overseeing programmatic activities. You must be able to critically assess and approve programme strategies, ensuring they align with organisational goals whilst remaining responsive to community needs. Experience monitoring programme quality and evaluating impact is essential, you will need to distinguish between well-intentioned initiatives and those that genuinely deliver sustainable change.Strong teamwork skills are vital. You will collaborate with board members, sub-committees, and our Executive Leadership Team, requiring diplomatic communication and the ability to build consensus. Experience chairing or leading committees is desirable, as we hope you will eventually lead the Programmes Sub-Committee.Sensitivity to grassroots partners and affected communities is non-negotiable. You must value the voices of those we serve, ensuring our programmes embody solidarity rather than charity. Familiarity with charity governance, trustees' legal duties, and compliance requirements in England and Wales is beneficial, though not essential if you bring exceptional programmatic expertise.Position 2: Communications TrusteeThis role requires proven ability to develop and oversee communications strategies. You should have a strong understanding of public relations, media engagement, and digital platforms—particularly social media and online engagement, where Choose Love has built significant reach.Leadership experience is essential. You will chair our Communications Sub-Committee from the outset, requiring demonstrated capacity to guide teams and collaborate effectively with executive leadership and fellow board members. Experience refining communications policies and managing reputational risks is crucial, as is the ability to work collaboratively with our Finance and Audit Committee on strategic risk management.You must be skilled at safeguarding organisational reputation whilst promoting Choose Love's public image authentically. Sensitivity to our mission, values, and the voices of grassroots partners is essential our communications must amplify the experiences of displaced communities without exploiting them.Qualities for Both PositionsBeyond Technical Skills, We Seek Trustees WithCommitment to Choose Love's mission and values: joining a hard-working trustee board deeply committed to solidarity, transparency, and accountability.Integrity, sound judgement, and the ability to act in the best interests of the organisation.A collaborative and inclusive approach to decision-making.Strong communication skills, including the ability to listen and contribute constructively.Strategic thinking and the ability to balance short-term priorities with long-term goals.Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of governance and organisational culture.A willingness to actively engage in the life of the charity beyond board meetings.Diversity FocusGender: We particularly encourage applications from women.Lived experience: We particularly encourage candidates who have first-hand experience of forced displacement and/or the refugee experience.What difference will you make?Our trustees are not motivated by titles or prestige—they are driven by the tangible difference their expertise can make to displaced communities worldwide. Our recruits will not only compliment our existing members but also enhance the board's achievements.The nine exceptional trustees we have recruited bring diverse backgrounds and extensive experience across sectors, including humanitarian aid, finance, legal affairs, and international development. Their collective knowledge directly strengthens our capacity to respond effectively to crises, manage resources efficiently, and advocate powerfully for those we serve. Each trustee has joined our board because they believe in our mission and understand that their skills can amplify our impact.The work of our trustees has immediate and far-reaching consequences for the communities we support. Through their strategic oversight, they ensure every pound donated is used effectively, that our partnerships with grassroots organisations are robust and sustainable, and that our programmes respond to genuine needs on the ground. Their governance expertise enables us to maintain our independence—a cornerstone of our work—by refusing government funding and remaining accountable solely to displaced people and our donors.Our trustees' commitment to excellent governance means we can operate with greater transparency and sustainability. They have established robust sub-committees that meet before quarterly board meetings, scrutinising our financial management, safeguarding practices, and strategic direction. The diversity of our board reflects our understanding that complex humanitarian challenges require varied perspectives. Our trustees bring lived experience, cultural competency, and professional expertise that enrich our decision-making and ensure our work remains relevant and respectful. Their three-year terms, renewable for up to nine years, provide both continuity and fresh thinking.Since 2015, Choose Love has exceeded expectations in supporting displaced people globally. This success has been possible because of our community's unwavering support, but sustainable growth requires strong foundations. Our new trustees provide exactly that—ensuring we can continue responding to humanitarian crises whilst building long-term resilience.As we strengthen our governance structures, our mission remains unchanged: to support displaced communities with dignity and advocate for a more just world. Our trustees understand that their role is not ceremonial but transformational—their decisions directly affect whether families receive shelter, whether children access education, and whether communities can rebuild their lives. This sense of purpose drives everything they do, ensuring Choose Love continues to stand stronger than ever.Additional InformationYou can download the following documents:Trustee Recruitment Pack (Sept 2025).pdfHow to applyBefore you applyThe applications & cover letter should explain three key areas of focus:which trustee role do you wish to apply foryour motivation,what you would bring to the role that you are applying for along with a copy of your CV.All applications should be received by 5pm of 31st October 2025. If you have any queries or wish to hear more about this amazing opportunity, applicants will have the opportunity to speak to the People Team and / or the Chair, board of trustees. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an initial interview with the Executive Leadership Team and SLT, followed by a final interview with a panel of three Trustees and the CEO. Interview dates are planned for the week beginning 1st December 2025.Job detailsSourceChoose LoveTypeVolunteer OpportunityCareer categoryProgram/Project ManagementYears of experience5-9 yearsShare Share this on Facebook Share this on X Post this on LinkedIn