Trustee

British Councilsupports peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide.

We work directly with individuals to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK. We support them to build networks and explore creative ideas, to learn English, to get a high-quality education and to gain internationally recognised qualifications.

Working with people in over 200 countries and territories, we are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2021–22 we reached 650 million people.

About us

Founded in 1934, the British Council is a charity - one of the largest in the UK – and a public body. We build connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. 

We are present in more than 100 countries across the world. We have a global reach of 650 million people through face-to-face, digital, and publication and broadcast channels.

The opportunity

This is an opportunity to take on a significant role in an organisation with a strong social purpose and in excess of £800 million of revenue which contributes to funding its arts and culture, and educational programmes.

We are looking for people with a global perspective who are passionate about building bridges and giving people around the world access to networks which would otherwise be out of their reach.

The person-to-person connections that are at the heart of the British Council’s activities have never been more important than in this time of increasing tensions between and within nations.

The Board of Trustees is made up of 15 members who are guardians of the British Council’s purpose and are ultimately accountable for the organisation’s actions and performance.  

About you

You will be driven by a strong sense of social purpose and the desire to make a difference.

You will have a strong track record in corporate finance and/or audit at a senior level in a complex organization.

You will have experience of operating at a strategic level and of influencing high level and complex strategic choices which have long-term implications for an organization.

You will be familiar with rapidly changing internal and external scenarios which may have involved significant organizational transformation.

 You will have digital literacy and capability.

You will have strong communication skills and be a good relationship builder.

You will have a proven capacity to inspire and innovate.

You will have strong geopolitical awareness.

You will be able to manage ambiguity and complexity.

If that sounds like you, we want to hear from you. We particularly welcome candidates from the devolved nations, the regions of England and from diverse backgrounds.

Further details

If you would like to understand more about this post, then please reach out to [email removed - click apply for more details] and our colleagues will be able to immediately support by sharing the complete Role Profile.

If you are interested in the post and feel that you are suitable for the role, then we would really like to hear from you, so please apply on our career site by Sunday- 7th of May (23:59 Eastern Europe Time).

Applications to this role can only be considered when made through the Apply section of our career’s website.

A connected and trusted UK in a more connected and trusted world.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Statement

The British Council is committed to policies and practices of equality, diversity and inclusion across everything we do. We support all staff to make sure their behaviour is consistent with this commitment. We want to address under representation and encourage applicants from under-represented groups, in particular, but not exclusively, on grounds of ethnicity and disability. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria are guaranteed an interview and we have Disability Confident Employer Status. We welcome discussions about specific requirements or adjustments to enable participation and engagement in our work and activities.

 The British Council is committed to safeguarding children, young people and adults who we work with.

 We believe that all children and adults everywhere in the world deserve to live in safe environments and have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, maltreatment and exploitation as set out in article 19, UNCRC (United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child) 1989.

 Appointment to positions where there is direct involvement with vulnerable groups will be dependent on thorough checks being completed; these will include qualification checks, reference checks, identity & criminal record checks in line with legal requirements and with the British Council’s Safeguarding policies for Adults and Children.