Trustee

Title: Trustee

Location: Our trustees are based across the world and the majority of Board meetings are held virtually. In-person Board meetings are held at key strategic times and to ensure effective governance, roughly every 12-18 months.

Time commitment: At least at 10 days a year, although Trustees often give more time – ideally 15-20 days. Four Board meetings take place a year (in March, July, October and December), mostly online, and lasting about 3 hours. In-person board meetings will be 2 days.  The next in-person board meeting will take place in Spring 2026.

The Finance Audit and Risk Committee and the Governance and People Committee also take place four times a year, and all of these are virtual meetings.

Term: Trustees are appointed for a term of three years which may be renewed once.

Remuneration: None. This is a volunteer role (in line with UK charity legislation). However, reasonable expenses to undertake the role will be covered.

Following a governance review, an audit of existing Trustees, and considering Trustee retirements due in 2026, we are looking to appoint a number of new trustees.

The Trustees of Practical Action share responsibility for governing the organisation and directing how it is managed and run by the Executive Team. Trustees make sure that the charity is carrying out the purposes for which it was set up and is in the best possible position to achieve its aims.

Trustees promote and safeguard the organisation's reputation. Each brings their own unique skills and experiences to support and shape our strategic direction and work. We have a particular interest in candidates with strong experience in the following areas:

• Supporting us to diversify and grow our funding base, especially through philanthropy and climate finance.
• Opening doors to potential donors and providing intelligence to inform our approaches to donors.
• A strong background in charity finance and UK charity governance (one Trustee may take on the role of chairing the Finance Audit and Risk Committee). Knowledge of the UK pension environment would be useful.
• Experience of senior organisational management and leadership.
• Understanding the local contexts and partners of our work in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

In addition, these are our key behaviours for all Board members:

• A commitment to the mission, values and work of Practical Action.
• Strategic vision.
• Analysis and critical thinking with good, independent judgement.
• Curiosity and constructive challenge with the ability to think creatively.
• Valuing diversity, welcoming diverse views.
• Learning, encouraging change and innovation.
• Team players, with humility and ability to get on well with others.
• Commitment to developing Practical Action, not just for attending meetings but also the important work in between – including opening doors to funders and partners and giving expert advice.
• Understanding - or willingness to learn swiftly - and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship of a UK charity.

For more information and to apply, please click on 'apply'.

Practical Action is looking for additional trustees

Practical Action exists to change the systems that keep people in poverty and vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, nature loss and pollution. We work alongside communities to build resilient livelihoods and inclusive, thriving societies.

Over 50 years ago, our founder – radical economist and philosopher E.F. Schumacher – published his influential book Small Is Beautiful: A Study of Economics as If People Mattered. He believed in the principles of local people leading their own development. That ethos has always been, and will continue to be, the driving force behind our organisation.

Since then, we’ve continued to build a strong reputation and a track record for people-centred, sustainable development. And now, we’ve launched a bold new organisational strategy to take us to 2030, shaped to respond to the scale of the climate emergency and the rapidly changing world around us.

This is an exciting time to join us.

Your skills, experience, and passion could play a vital role in our next chapter.