Non executive director volunteer roles in Belfast

Are you a strategic leader with a passion for social justice and positive change?

We are seeking an inspiring and committed Chair of Trustees to lead our board and guide Amos Trust, an established, well-run charity with a high profile. We are dedicated to:

• Supporting Palestinian rights and self-determination;
• Advancing gender equality; and
• Addressing climate change and environmental sustainability.

The Amos Chair and Board play a vital role in the life of the charity. Together, they work to ensure effective governance, compliance with charity law, and clear strategic direction. They manage operational risks, support the Director and team, and act as ambassadors to engage supporters and influencers. Trustees typically sit on one of the board’s sub-committees (Finance and Risk, Fundraising, or Communications) or short-term working groups.

Job Description
The Chair provides strategic leadership to the charity and the Board of Trustees, ensuring it is well-governed, financially sound, and delivering on its aims. The Chair also line-manages, supports, and holds the Director to account.
 

Key Responsibilities
Governance and Leadership

• Lead the Board of Trustees to fulfil its governance and strategic responsibilities.
• Ensure compliance with governing documents, charity law, and Charity Commission guidance.
• Promote a culture of integrity, transparency, and collective responsibility.
• Oversee trustee recruitment, induction, succession planning, and board effectiveness.

Strategic Direction

• Support the Board in setting, approving, and reviewing the strategic plan and annual objectives.
• Encourage creativity and innovation while ensuring risks are properly managed.
• Guide the organisation through periods of growth, change, or complexity.

Relationship with the Director

• Line-manage the Director, providing support, constructive challenge, and appraisal.
• Maintain a clear separation between governance and operational management.
• Serve as a strategic sounding board for the Director.

Board Management and Communications

• Chair Board meetings effectively, ensuring robust discussion and timely decision-making.
• Set agendas with the Director and Secretary, ensuring trustees receive clear, timely information.
• Manage potential conflicts of interest.

Financial Oversight and Risk

• Partner with the Treasurer to oversee risk management and long-term financial sustainability.
• Support the development of diversified, resilient income streams.

External Representation

• Represent the charity publicly and advocate for its mission.

Person Specification
Essential
Experience

• Governance experience serving on a non-profit or business board/committee.
• Proven leadership or management experience.
• Experience guiding organisations through change or complexity.

Skills and Attributes

• Ability to advise, challenge, and offer constructive feedback collaboratively.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an inclusive chairing style that builds consensus and utilizes individual trustee talents.
• Comfortable with appropriate risk in a fast-moving, responsive environment.
• Deeply committed to Amos Trust’s mission, values, and diversifying the board and staff.

Desirable

• Knowledge or experience in one of Amos’s three core areas of work.
• Prior experience as a Board Chair.
• Experience managing or overseeing a Chief Executive or Director.
• Ability to interpret financial reports and accounts.

Tenure, Time Commitment and Process
The Chair and trustees are appointed for a four-year term, renewable for a further four years. The Chair contributes an average of 1 to 2 days per month.
The Board meets 4–5 times a year for two hours (typically outside standard working hours), with two meetings held in person. We streamline procedural matters to ensure meetings focus on key strategic issues.
We are committed to building a diverse board and warmly encourage applications from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.

Location: Based in the UK.

Change Agents UK is an established sustainability education and future skills charity. We use education and recruitment to empower people and organisations with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to create a better, more sustainable future for everyone. Helping people from all walks of life to become “change agents”.

We are seeking new trustees and directors of our charity and non-profit trading subsidiary boards. Trustees and directors play vital roles in making sure that Change Agents UK is well-governed and achieves sustained growth of impact and progress towards our goals. This is a fantastic opportunity to put your professional skills to use supporting a dynamic and ambitious charity.

What we are looking for

We are looking for people willing to bring energy, enthusiasm and commitment to the role, who can actively support our growth and who will broaden the diversity of thinking and skills on our Board.

Personal skills and qualities:

• A strong personal commitment to the principles of sustainability
• Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities as a trustee or director and to act in the best interests of the organisation.
• Ability to think creatively and strategically, to exercise sound, independent judgment and to work effectively as a board member.
• Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion.
• Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
• Charity trustees must be at least 18 years of age and must not be disqualified from serving as a trustee

We are particularly keen to hear from applicants who have experience in the following: working with or in schools, colleges or multi-academy trusts or in training/skills provision; fundraising, bid-writing or corporate partnerships or recruitment and general HR.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive board, welcoming and valuing people from all backgrounds and a broad range of perspectives and experiences. You do not need previous board experience to apply and will be provided with induction and support in the role.

Duties of trustees & directors

• Support and direct Change Agents UK’s vision, goals, strategy and activities.
• Actively promote and champion the work of the Change Agents UK, amplifying messages, campaigns and supporting our growth
• Approve (as part of the Board and with input from the Executive Team) financial plans and budgets and monitor and evaluate progress.
• Ensure that key risks are being identified, monitored and controlled effectively.
• Review and approve Change Agents UK’s financial statements (with the advice of an Independent Examiner/Auditor).
• Provide support and challenge to the CEO/Executive Team
• Keep abreast of changes in Change Agents UK’s operating environment and charity regulation
• Contribute to regular reviews of Change Agents UK’s own governance and policies.
• Attend Board meetings adequately prepared to contribute to discussions and participate in decision-making.
• Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and protect Change Agents UK’s interests, to the exclusion of their own personal and/or any third-party interests.
• Contribute to the broader success of Change Agents UK’s objects, aims and reputation by applying your skills, expertise, knowledge and contacts. There will be times when the Trustees will need to be actively involved beyond Board meetings. This may involve reading and commenting on board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, presenting externally, or other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.
• Utilise your own network to promote the work and activities of Change Agents UK.

Axial Spondyloarthritis International Federation (ASIF) is looking for a passionate and experienced, voluntary, legal/governance Trustee to join our Board and help shape the future of our international membership charity supporting people living with axSpA worldwide.

This voluntary role is ideal for someone with strong knowledge of UK charity law and/or governance and risk management.  If you are a confident communicator with extensive legal and/or governance experience and a desire to use those skills to support an international charity, we would love to hear from you.  Your expertise, insight and judgement could help ASIF to further its work to improve the quality of life for people living with Axial Spondyloarthritis across the world.

Role purpose
The Legal/Governance Trustee will contribute to the effective governance and strategic leadership of the charity.  They will provide strategic oversight, ensuring the organisation acts within legal frameworks, charity regulations, and its own governing documents.  They advise on compliance, manage risk and promote high standards of governance.  This voluntary, non-executive role requires legal expertise, knowledge of UK Charity Commission compliance and commitment to ASIF’s mission.

Key responsibilities

• Actively participate in Board meetings and relevant Board committee meetings (F&GP), providing objective advice on legal, governance and risk issues.
• Work with the Chair, Director of Operations and other trustees to ensure the charity maintains the highest standards of governance, complies with all relevant laws and regulations and delivers on its mission.
• Contribute to the development and scrutiny of organisational strategies, policies, and procedures to ensure accountability
• Strategic advice: Provide legal expertise on strategic decision, risk management and safeguarding
• Assist in drafting or reviewing trustees’ reports, policies, and contracts (in particular grant contracts)
• Contribute to the identification of, and where appropriate, mitigate organisational risks, including reputation and financial, ensuring sustainability.

Time commitment:1-4 hours per month 

Person specification

• Qualified solicitor or barrister or charity governance expert with strong understanding of UK charity law, compliance and governance frameworks.
• Helpful to have an understanding of the governance of an international membership charity.
• Ability to think creatively and contribute to long-term planning.
• Dedication to ASIF’s mission and willingness to devote the necessary time.
• Ethical standards, integrity and sound, independent objective judgement.
• Because ASIF is registered in the UK, it is advisable for business purposes to have two UK-based trustees.  This Trustee should be UK-based.

Other information

• ASIF is a UK registered CIO, number 1205000
• ASIF’s governing document is its constitution which can be found here
• The position is voluntary/unremunerated.  Reasonable expenses incurred in the course of duties will be reimbursed in line with the charity’s policy.
• Term:  initial co-opted, then elected for 3-year term with potential for reappointment (to a maximum of 9 years).

Application process

If you are interested in this role, please send an introductory email to Jo Davies, Director of Operations.

General responsibilities of all our trustees

• To be accountable for ensuring our Charity complies with its governing documents, charity law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• To ensure that our Charity pursues its charitable objects as defined in the constitution.
• To ensure that we apply our resources exclusively in furtherance of our objectives, while working flexibly to meet the changing needs of our beneficiaries.
• To contribute actively to the Board of Trustees’ role of giving firm strategic direction to the Charity, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets and standards.
• To act with integrity and avoid any personal conflicts of interest or misuse of charity funds or assets and to act in the best interests of the Charity and its beneficiaries, to safeguard our name and values.
• To ensure the financial stability of ASIF and to ensure that risks it is exposed to are properly assessed and managed.
• To assist the Chair and to support and monitor the Director of Operations.
• To use reasonable care and skill in their work as a trustee, using personal skills and experience as needed, plus any specific knowledge or experience to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decision, to ensure that the charity is well-run and efficient and ensure external professional advice is sought where necessary.
• In conjunction with the other trustees to ensure that delegated responsibilities are met.