Area secretary volunteer roles in belfast
Use your expertise to shape education, influence communities, and grow as a leader. Roles available at colleges England.
Are you a business leader or corporate professional looking to make a meaningful impact outside the boardroom?
By becoming a volunteer governor at a further education (FE) or sixth form college, you’ll help shape the strategic direction of an organisation that transforms lives through education and skills—while strengthening your own governance experience and leadership credentials.
Why it’s relevant to professionals like you
Further Education colleges train over 1.6 million learners annually, preparing the skilled workforce that keeps our economy moving—from engineers and IT specialists to healthcare professionals and construction experts.
As a college governor, you’ll sit on the board of an FE institution (and registered charity), where your insight into strategy, risk, people, or finance will have a direct impact on how public funds are spent, how performance is measured, and how learners are supported to succeed.
This is an opportunity to:
- Apply your corporate skills in a charitable leadership role
- Gain board-level experience and enhance your CV
- Contribute to local economic growth and social mobility
- Support a vital sector during a time of transformation
What you’ll do
As part of a governing board, you’ll:
- Set strategic direction: Help define the college’s mission and goals
- Hold leadership to account: Monitor finances, performance, and outcomes
- Ensure governance excellence: Make decisions in the best interests of learners and stakeholders
- Act as a charity trustee: Ensure financial sustainability and legal compliance
You’ll also engage with senior leaders and external stakeholders, including local employers, regulators, and community partners.
Who we’re looking for
We welcome professionals from a broad range of sectors, including but not limited to:
- Finance, Audit & Risk
- HR, People & Culture
- Strategy, Transformation & Operations
- Technology, AI & Digital
- Legal, Governance & Compliance
- Marketing, PR & Communications
- Education, Apprenticeships or vocational courses
What matters most is your strategic thinking, commercial awareness, and commitment to helping others succeed.
Prior education experience is not required. Full induction and training are provided, with access to DfE-funded development and peer mentoring where needed.
Time commitment
Expect to give approximately 1–2 days per month, including:
- Attending board and committee meetings (in-person or remote)
- Reading papers and preparing questions
- Participating in training and occasional college visits
The time commitment is manageable alongside a full-time role—and many employers actively support staff to take on governance roles as part of their professional development.
Where you’ll be needed
Some colleges offer remote governance and meetings take place online. This may suit you best, or we may suggest a role where you volunteer on a hybrid basis at a college within a reasonable distance from you. We are recruiting governors for colleges across England, with new opportunities added regularly.
What’s in it for you?
· Enhance your board-level and governance experience
· Develop strategic oversight and leadership outside your day-to-day role
· Expand your professional network
·Give back in a way that creates long-term, measurable impact
· Gain exposure to the education, charity, and public sectors
Ready to step into a strategic, purpose-driven leadership role?
If you’re ready to bring your corporate insight to the education sector and help shape the future of skills, opportunity, and social mobility—we’d love to hear from you.
Apply now to become a volunteer college governor.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
We are seeking a new Chair to provide strategic leadership at a time when demand for our advice services is at an all-time high. Help shape our vision, champion our mission, and make a tangible difference in the lives of those facing challenges.
About Citizens Advice East Berkshire
Citizens Advice East Berkshire offers crucial help and advice when people need it most. No one but Citizens Advice sees so many people with so many different kinds of problems, and that gives us a unique insight into the challenges people are facing today.
What will you be doing?
We are at an important stage in our development and we are seeking a new Chair to replace our current Chair who will be standing down as her term finishes. We have ambitious plans for our future and we are looking for a Chair who can help drive our mission forward.
Building on our successes to date, we want a new Chair to lead us through the next exciting phase of our journey. You will have a strong background and track record of providing leadership at board and/or senior executive level and will have a passion for supporting people facing tough life challenges. You should have the judgement and vision to operate effectively at strategic level and you should demonstrate the skills and expertise to help drive our mission forward. We are looking for someone with 3 years+ professional experience in one of the fields of Fundraising strategy, Governance, Operations management or Advice / Advocacy.
We are looking for someone who has:
- Experience of operating at a senior strategic leadership level within an organisation
- Successful track record of achievement through their career
- Experience of charity governance and working with or as part of a Board of Trustees
- Passion for supporting people facing tough life challenges
- Ideally has served as a Chair or Vice Chair and is familiar with leading a Board
What are we looking for?
You’ll need to:
- Understand the type of work undertaken by a local Citizens Advice and the Citizens Advice network
- Understand and accept the responsibilities and liabilities of a trustee
- Be non-judgmental and respect views, values and cultures that are different to your own
- Have a good basis of leadership skills (and preferably you have served within a Board, ideally as Chair or Vice Chair or led a Committee)
- Have the ability to facilitate and lead meetings
- Have good interpersonal skills
- Have good listening, verbal and written communication skills
- Be able to exercise good independent judgment
- Have good numeracy skills to understand accounts with the support of the treasurer
- Be willing to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection
- Be willing to undertake mandatory training in your role
- Line manage and support the Chief Executive Officer
What difference will you make?
Citizens Advice East Berkshire makes transformational differences to people who need support when facing life crises. As Chair you will play a significant part in ensuring we are able to expand and grown our services to make a significant difference to many more individuals and families.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
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Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Location: Fully flexible / Remote – open to applicants anywhere in the UK
Time Commitment: Approx. 2 – 4 hours per month
About Us
Unseen Expeditions UK is a newly forming Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) supporting mission-led charities and expedition projects across the UK and internationally. Our flagship initiative, The Unseen Mile, is a 4.5-year journey covering 25,000 miles across 37 countries. Through this and future projects, we aim to inspire, raise awareness for important causes, and share unique storytelling and learning experiences from the field.
We are currently recruiting our initial trustee board to help launch and register the charity.
Role Overview
We are seeking a General Trustee to join our board, support strategic decision-making, and help ensure effective governance. This is a key role in shaping the charity’s early operations, supporting registration, and contributing to the delivery of our mission.
Key Responsibilities
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Attend quarterly trustee meetings (in person or virtually) and participate in board decision-making
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Support governance, strategy, and operational planning for the CIO
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Contribute ideas, experience, and skills to help the charity grow
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Assist with compliance, reporting, and adherence to charity law and CIO regulations
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Support trustee recruitment, induction, and development as needed
Person Specification & Requirements
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Interest in charity governance, mental health, and expedition-led projects
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Willingness to work collaboratively with a small, remote trustee team
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Commitment to the mission and values of Unseen Expeditions and its partnered charities
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Comfortable working remotely and communicating online with a UK-wide board
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UK-based (required for legal trustee responsibilities)
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Approx. 2 - 4 hours per month commitment (more during start-up if possible)
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Basic tools for communication (email, phone, video calls)
What You’ll Gain
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Opportunity to help shape and govern a new, high-profile charity from launch
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Hands-on experience in charity leadership and governance
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Contribution to awareness-raising and adventure-led impact projects
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Recognition for your role in mission-driven initiatives, including The Unseen Mile and future projects
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Flexible, fully remote role within a passionate, purpose-driven team
Registered Charity
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To inspire communities, raise awareness for mental health, and support mission-led charities through adventure, storytelling, and charitable impact.