Job Description – Trustee

Title: Trustee, City and Guilds of London Institute (CGLI) known as City & Guilds Foundation

Accountable to: Chair of the Board of Trustees

Time commitment: 1 – 2 days per month (depending on role on the Board). Note: The Trustee Board meets four times a year.

Term: 3 year term, renewable once. Conferred by our Council.

A Pivotal Moment to Join Our Board

To support this moment of ambition and renewal, we are recruiting up to five new Trustees. We are looking for individuals who bring expertise across the following areas, recognising that skills may overlap across candidates:

  1. Skills & Education

Deep understanding of the UK skills, education and employment landscape including policy, vocational pathways, and the challenges facing those furthest from opportunity.

  1. Investment (Potential Investment Sub- Committee Chair successor)

Senior experience in investment management, endowment strategy, or financial stewardship in a charity, institutional, or commercial context. This individual will be well-positioned to succeed the current Investment Committee Chair in due course.

  1. Audit & Risk (Potential Audit and Risk Committee Chair successor)

Professional background in audit, risk management, financial controls or regulatory compliance –  ideally with experience as a committee member or chair in a charity or regulated environment.

  1. Foundation / Philanthropy/ /Impact

Experience working in or for a Foundation, grant-making body, or philanthropic organisation, with an understanding of social investment, impact measurement and community-focused funding.

 

We are also interested in individuals with People / HR experience, or someone who has senior experience  with a significant employer committed to good practice in skills development or relevant  industry sector. Someone who has insight into workforce development, skills investment, and the future of work. Particularly welcome is experience in sectors that engage with the communities and employers the Foundation serves.

We are also committed to building a Board that reflects the diversity of the communities we exist to serve. We actively welcome applications from people with lived experience of barriers to employment, skills and education, and from groups currently under-represented in charity governance.

Role Purpose

Trustees of the City & Guilds Foundation share collective responsibility for the governance, strategic direction, and financial stewardship of the charity. Working collaboratively with fellow Trustees and the executive team, each Trustee plays an active role in ensuring the Foundation delivers high-impact, evidence-driven outcomes and maintains the highest standards of transparency, accountability and integrity.

Trustees will be expected to contribute their specific expertise inside and outside formal Board meetings and committees, , through advisory input, or wider ambassadorial engagement.

In addition, all trustees share core governance responsibilities set out below.

Key Responsibilities

Governance and Accountability

  • Participate actively and constructively in Board meetings and relevant sub-committees.
  • Ensure the Foundation complies with all legal, regulatory, and constitutional requirements as a registered charity.
  • Act in the best interests of the Foundation and its beneficiaries at all times, managing conflicts of interest appropriately.
  • Promote a culture of impact, inclusion, learning, and accountability across the organisation.

Strategic Leadership

  • Contribute to the development and periodic review of the Foundation’s strategy, mission, and impact objectives.
  • Provide informed challenge and support to the Chief Executive and senior leadership team.
  • Help ensure organisational resources are deployed effectively in pursuit of the Foundation’s charitable purposes.
  • Maintain oversight of performance, risk, and financial stewardship, including the Foundation’s investment portfolio.

External Engagement and Advocacy

  • Act as an ambassador for the Foundation, supporting its reputation and widening its reach.
  • Build and maintain constructive relationships with employers, funders, policymakers, delivery partners, and communities.
  • Support the Foundation’s influencing work, ensuring it speaks with authority and credibility on skills, workforce development, and social mobility.

Board Development

  • Contribute to a positive, inclusive Board culture in which all voices are heard and all Trustees can contribute fully.
  • Support the induction of new Trustees and the ongoing development of the Board’s collective effectiveness.
  • Participate in the Foundation’s governance review processes and any renewal of Board practices.