Trustee Roles & Trustee Vacancies

Trustee Roles with NED Capital

NED Capital works with experienced professionals who want to serve as charity trustees, treasurers, chairs and board members of housing associations, education bodies and other not-for-profit organisations. This page is for candidates. If you are a charity looking to appoint, our trustee recruitment page explains how we run board searches for organisations.

We are a search firm rather than a jobs board. Most of the trustee mandates we work on are retained and confidential, and we identify candidates through research and direct approach within our network rather than by public advertisement. Some roles do appear on our jobs board, but the most reliable way to be considered for trustee opportunities is to register as a candidate so that we can match you to mandates as they come in.

Searches are run by our senior search team under founder Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Fellow of the ICAEW and former listed-company finance director. Call 0203 137 2496 or email recruitment@nedcapital.co.uk if you would like to talk about trustee roles before registering.

What Is a Charity Trustee?

A trustee is a member of a charity’s governing body. Depending on the charity’s legal structure, the board may be called the board of trustees, the board of directors (in a charitable company), the council or the board of governors. Whatever the name, trustees are responsible for the charity’s strategic direction, its governance and its financial oversight, and they hold ultimate legal responsibility for the organisation under charity law.

The Charity Commission regulates charities in England and Wales, and the Charities Act 2011 sets the legal framework. In Scotland the regulator is OSCR. Where a charity is also a company, its trustees are company directors as well and owe duties under company law.

Trustee roles differ from commercial non-executive director roles in two important ways. First, most trustees of charities are unpaid. They serve voluntarily, although reasonable expenses can be reimbursed, as the Commission explains in its guidance on trustee expenses and payments (CC11). Second, trustees act in the interests of the charity and its beneficiaries rather than shareholders. Our article on the difference between a trustee and a NED covers the distinction in more detail, and NED vs trustee vs advisory board member compares all three roles.

Despite those differences, the skills that make an effective trustee are closely aligned with those of a good NED: strategic thinking, financial literacy, independent challenge, sound judgement on risk and the ability to work constructively with an executive team. That is why many executives and non-executives hold a trustee role alongside their commercial career, and why trusteeship is often a strong first step towards a portfolio of board roles.

The Six Main Duties of a Trustee

The Charity Commission’s guidance The Essential Trustee (CC3) sets out six main duties. Anyone considering a trustee role should read it in full, but in summary trustees must:

• Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit. Everything the charity does should further the purposes set out in its governing document.
• Comply with the charity’s governing document and the law. That includes charity law, company law where relevant, and the regulations that apply to the charity’s activities.
• Act in the charity’s best interests. Trustees must make decisions for the charity, not for themselves or anyone else, and must manage conflicts of interest.
• Manage the charity’s resources responsibly. Funds and assets must be used only to further the charity’s purposes, with proper controls and an appropriate approach to risk.
• Act with reasonable care and skill. Trustees should use their own skills and experience and take advice where they need it.
• Ensure the charity is accountable. The charity must meet its reporting obligations and be able to show that it is complying with the law and is well run.

The Charity Governance Code sets out good practice beyond the legal minimum, covering organisational purpose, leadership, integrity, decision-making, board effectiveness, equality and openness. Charities that recruit through a search firm usually expect trustees to understand and support the Code. The Commission’s guidance on charities and risk management (CC26) is also useful reading for candidates with a finance or audit background.

Types of Trustee Role We Recruit For

The trustee mandates we work on fall into a few broad categories. Each calls for a slightly different profile, so it helps to know where your experience fits.

Treasurer and finance trustees. Many charities need a trustee with a professional finance background to act as treasurer, chair the finance or audit committee and give the board confidence in its financial reporting, reserves policy and controls. Chartered accountants and senior finance executives are in steady demand for these roles. Our page on chair of the finance committee recruitment describes the skills boards look for.

Chairs of trustees. The chair leads the board, works closely with the chief executive and sets the tone for governance. Charities usually look for candidates who have already served as a trustee or non-executive and have experience of chairing meetings or committees. See our chair recruitment page for how we approach chair searches.

Specialist trustees. Boards often recruit for a specific skills gap: legal, digital and technology, fundraising, marketing, property, safeguarding, clinical or people and culture. A specialist trustee does not need sector experience, but they do need to apply their expertise in a governance role rather than an operational one.

Housing association and social housing boards. Housing associations are regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing and often pay their board members. These roles carry significant financial and regulatory responsibility. Our housing association board member search page covers them in more detail.

Education boards. Multi-academy trusts, further education colleges, universities and independent schools all recruit trustees, governors and council members. See our education NED recruitment page and our board member search for education bodies.

What Charities Look For in a Trustee

Charity boards recruit against a skills matrix, so the strongest candidates are those who can show clearly which gap they would fill. Beyond the specific skill, boards consistently look for the following.

Commitment to the cause. A genuine connection to the charity’s mission matters. Boards want trustees who will stay engaged through difficult periods, not people looking for a line on a CV.

Time and availability. A typical trustee role involves board meetings every two to three months, committee work, reading board papers and occasional events or visits. Be realistic about how much time you can give, alongside any executive role.

Governance mindset. Trustees oversee rather than manage. The best candidates understand the difference between holding the executive to account and doing the executive’s job.

Independence and integrity. You will be asked about conflicts of interest, other directorships and any connections to the charity. Trustees must also not be disqualified from acting, and charities will check this as part of appointment.

Diversity of perspective. Many boards are actively seeking to broaden the range of backgrounds, ages and lived experience around the table, in line with the Charity Governance Code. If you would bring a different perspective to a board, say so.

How to Find a Trustee Role

There are several routes to a first or further trustee appointment. Most successful candidates use more than one.

1. Register with a board search firm. Many larger charities and housing associations appoint through retained search. Registering with NED Capital means we can consider you for mandates that are never advertised.
2. Watch the jobs boards. Our jobs board lists live board roles. Volunteering platforms such as Reach Volunteering also advertise trustee vacancies, particularly for smaller charities.
3. Use your network. Tell people you are looking. Many trustee appointments still come from personal introductions, especially for smaller and local charities.
4. Prepare a board CV. A board CV is different from an executive CV. It should lead with governance experience, committee work and the skills you would bring to a board. Our guide to NED CVs and portfolio branding explains how to write one.
5. Read up on governance. Our NED knowledge centre and the Commission’s guidance on what being a charity trustee involves are good places to start.

If you are new to board roles altogether, our guides on how to become a non-executive director and how to get your first NED role apply equally to trusteeship. A first trustee role is often the most accessible route to building governance experience.

How Our Trustee Search Process Works for Candidates

When you register with us, we review your background against the trustee and board mandates we are working on and those we expect to start. If there is a fit, a member of our senior search team will contact you to talk through the role, the organisation and what the board is looking for.

If you are interested, we will ask you about your motivation for the role, your relevant skills, your time availability and any potential conflicts of interest. We then present a shortlist of candidates to the charity’s nominations committee or chair. Shortlisted candidates usually meet the chair and one or two other trustees, and sometimes the chief executive, before an appointment is made by the board.

Throughout the process we treat your details as confidential. We will not put your name forward for any role without your agreement. If a particular mandate is not right for you, we will keep your details on file for future opportunities.

Charities appointing through us can expect the same discipline: a clear brief, a structured assessment of every candidate and a process aligned with the Charity Governance Code. That is set out on our client-facing trustee recruitment page, and charities preparing for an appointment can also read our guide on how to appoint a charity trustee.

Trustee Roles as Part of a Board Portfolio

For many candidates, a trustee role sits alongside paid non-executive work as part of a broader board portfolio. Trusteeship develops skills that transfer directly to commercial boards: chairing committees, overseeing risk, holding an executive team to account and working with regulators and stakeholders. Equally, experience on commercial boards is valuable to charities facing financial pressure, regulatory scrutiny or major change.

Our article on non-executive directors on charity and not-for-profit boards discusses how the two worlds compare and what commercial directors need to adjust when they join a charity board. Candidates interested in the wider not-for-profit sector can also read about our charity NED recruitment work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are trustee roles paid?
Most charity trustee roles are unpaid, although reasonable expenses can be reimbursed. Some housing associations and a small number of larger charities pay their board members where the governing document and the law allow it.

Do I need previous board experience to become a trustee?
No. Many charities welcome first-time trustees, particularly where they bring a specific professional skill. Chair and treasurer roles usually call for previous board or committee experience.

How much time does a trustee role take?
It varies by charity, but a typical commitment is a board meeting every two to three months plus committee work and preparation. Larger charities and housing associations may ask for more.

Can I be a trustee while working full time?
Yes. Most trustees combine the role with an executive career. It is sensible to check that your employer is supportive and that there is no conflict of interest.

How do I register for trustee roles with NED Capital?
Use our candidate registration page and mention that you are interested in trustee roles. We review every registration against live and upcoming mandates.