4 Director of charitable operations volunteer roles in Bristol

Opportunity: Chair of the Finance and Risk Sub-committee, Board of Trustees

Open School East is at a pivotal moment in its development and is seeking a Chair of the Finance and Risk Sub-committee to help shape its next chapter.

Deadline for applications: Wednesday 30th September 2026

We are interested in hearing from candidates with expertise in:

• Finance: A person with experience in finance management or accounting, with the capacity to provide a strategic overview of finances, ensuring viability, compliance with relevant legislative frameworks, effective use of resources and ensuring that proper financial records and procedures are maintained.

We are especially keen to hear from people with knowledge of, or an interest in, education and the arts. By committing your time and expertise to our two meetings a quarter (full Trustee meeting and Chairing the Finance and Risk Sub-committee meetings), you can become part of a leading arts education charity, making a real difference to emerging creatives of all ages and from all backgrounds.

We also warmly welcome people who bring lived experience of the barriers OSE seeks to dismantle including people of colour, disabled people, those from working class backgrounds, or people with experience of marginalisation in the arts or education sectors.

About Us

The Child Beale Trust is a registered charity dedicated to public recreation, wildlife conservation, and education. Based at Beale Wildlife Park, our unique operations include a vibrant 40-acre zoo set within 350 acres of picturesque Thameside land.

Our core purpose is to preserve and enhance Beale Park as a place of natural beauty, wildlife conservation, and meaningful discovery for generations to come. To connect people with nature through conservation, education, and accessible outdoor experiences that inspire care for the environment and wellbeing for all.

By joining our board, you will play a critical strategic role in ensuring our activities remain values driven and mission-led on these charitable objectives, protecting this beautiful asset for generations to come whilst delivering impact for our beneficiaries. To secure our governance and drive our mission forward, we are expanding our board. We are explicitly looking for mission-led individuals who want to help us deliver on our charitable objectives.

We are currently seeking five distinct specialists to join our board:

• 1. Zoo or Veterinary Specialist -The Role: Provides high-level governance oversight for Collection, animal welfare, veterinary protocols, and captive breeding standards -Who you are: A registered vet, zoologist, or senior animal care professional who understands BIAZA and Zoo Licensing Act compliance.

• 2. Education Specialist (wildlife focussed) - The Role: Helps shape our educational outreach, school workshop strategies, and curriculum-linked visitor learning programs. - Who you are: A teacher, educational consultant, or learning coordinator with a passion for wildlife.

• 3. Visitor Recreation Specialist - The Role: Guides the strategic development of our public visitor experiences, family attractions, and park play/leisure assets.- Who you are: A professional from the leisure, tourism, or visitor attraction sector who understands how to optimise visitor experience and income.

• 4. Marketing & Communications Specialist - The Role: Advises on strategies to grow ticket sales, boost annual memberships, enhance digital marketing, and protect brand PR. - Who you are: A senior marketing manager, PR director, or commercial growth expert. 

• 5. Legal & Compliance Specialist - The Role: Provides oversight on health and safety, public liability, employment law, and charity governance frameworks.- Who you are: A qualified solicitor, legal counsel, risk compliance manager or H&S qualified professional. 

Our Culture & Values, Equal Opportunities, Diversity & Accessibility. How we work together matters just as much as our professional expertise. We pride ourselves on a board culture rooted in collaboration and mutual support. We welcome trustees who are open minded, listen generously to alternative viewpoints, and desire to work collectively in a positive, constructive environment to champion the charity’s goals. 

The Child Beale Trust is a fully inclusive and equal opportunities employer and charity. We value diversity and positively welcome applications from all backgrounds, regardless of age, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. 

Please apply even if you do not meet every piece of criteria listed above. We are always seeking to increase diversity of thought, experience, and background on our board. If you share a deep passion for our mission and believe you bring other relevant skills or perspectives that could help us grow, we would love to hear from you. 

How to Apply

Please submit your CV along with a brief covering paragraph outlining your background, which area you feel you can support, and why you are passionate about supporting our conservation and education goals.

Note: This is a voluntary position with only reasonable expenses paid.

Who we are

The Humane League UK (THL UK) is dedicated to ending the abuse of animals raised for food by influencing the policies of leading food companies, advocating for stronger animal protection laws, and encouraging individuals to take action. We are part of a global network of organisations working to create a future where all animals are treated with respect and compassion.

Thanks to our effectiveness, The Humane League has been named Top Charity by the independent evaluator Animal Charity Evaluators for every rating period since 2012.

THL UK is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to furthering equity and inclusion, and we value diversity. We seek people from a wide range of backgrounds who will bring a fresh perspective to the team, not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it makes us stronger. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer, demonstrating our commitment to recruiting, retaining, and supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, based on their skills and talent.

The Position

We are seeking two new Trustees to add to the current Board of four voluntary members.

Board members (trustees) of THL UK are responsible for providing strategic leadership, ensuring strong governance, and safeguarding the organisation’s mission, values, and financial sustainability.

This is a voluntary position, and trustees are expected to act in the best interests of the charity and in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements.
 

Whether you are an experienced charity trustee or looking for your first board position; if you believe you can share our commitment for ending the abuse of animals raised for food and have the qualities, knowledge and experience we are looking for, then we’d love to hear from you.

For full details about the role of trustees please view our information pack which you can find in the application resources below.

If you would like to watch a recording of our recent webinar where we discussed the role in more detail, you can view this by following the link to our website.

Person specification and requirements for this role

While specific experience in animal protection is not essential, all Board members must:

• Demonstrate a commitment to the aims and values of THL UK.

• Understand and accept the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of trusteeship.

• Bring a strategic mindset and the ability to make well-reasoned, independent decisions.

• Be able to communicate in ways that build understanding and trust, and contribute positively to collaborative team working.

• Be willing to devote the necessary time and effort to the role.

• Be committed to moving forward with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion best practices.

Specialist Expertise Sought

In addition to the general requirements above, we are particularly seeking candidates who can bring expertise in one or more of the following areas:

1. Charity Governance

• In-depth knowledge of charity governance best practice, preferably gained through prior trustee, board, or senior charity leadership experience.

• Understanding of regulatory compliance and governance frameworks for UK charities.

• Legal skills relating to charity law, contracts, risk management, or related fields (desirable).

2. Charity Fundraising

Experience and understanding of charity fundraising, with particular relevance to EA-aligned funding environments.

• Knowledge of charity fundraising principles, governance considerations, and ethical fundraising practice.

• Understanding of the Effective Altruism funding landscape, including grant-making bodies, donor expectations, and impact-led funding criteria.

• Experience supporting or advising on grant applications, funder relationships, and individual donor stewardship.

3. Farmed Animal Campaigning

Knowledge of campaigning and advocacy within animal protection movements, with a particular focus on farmed animals.

• Understanding of the strategic landscape of farmed animal protection, including corporate campaigns, legislative advocacy, public engagement, and movement priorities.

• Experience of designing, advising on, or evaluating campaigns that seek measurable improvements for farmed animals.

• Awareness of the wider animal protection movement, including key organisations, campaign tactics, risks, and opportunities for collaboration.

• Scientific or veterinarian understanding and experience with farmed animals (desirable).

We welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds and with a range of perspectives. Having reviewed existing Trustees' diversity we would particularly welcome applications from ethnic minorities, disabled people and marginalised groups.

Where candidates bring similar skills and experience, we may take lived experience or background into account to help us build a more representative and inclusive board.
 

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute actively to the Board’s role in giving strategic direction, setting overall policy, defining goals, and evaluating performance.

• Ensure that THL UK complies with its governing document, charity law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations.

• Oversee the financial health of the charity, approving annual budgets and monitoring financial performance.

• Champion the fundraising work of THL UK in various ways–for example by introducing new donors from your network, actively promoting THL UK’s fundraising initiatives (like our end of year appeal), or by donating directly if you have the means to do so.

• Protect and promote the charity’s values, reputation, and effectiveness.

• Support and challenge the executive team to achieve the organisation’s objectives.

• Act as an ambassador for THL UK, promoting its work to stakeholders and the public.

• Participate in Board meetings (typically four per year) and occasional sub-committee meetings, as well as contributing advice and guidance outside formal meetings when required.

Key competencies

• Strategic thinker: Looks at consequences, implications, interdependencies, and indirect effects, all in both the short and longer term. Looks beyond the immediate goal or issue and with the greater context, not just the content of the moment. Is able to think and act creatively in difficult situations.

• Problem solver: Identifies issues, effectively structures problems, analyses information to produce insights and generates wise, actionable recommendations. A forward-looking thinker who anticipates the needs of the organisation.

• Effective: Strategically able to focus our energy, resources and talent toward impactful actions that will reduce, and ultimately end, the abuse of animals for food.

• Communication and strong interpersonal skills: Ability to communicate in ways that build understanding and trust and can adapt to different tones and styles and be able to engage with people from all walks of life.