Trustee – Sense International - London, UK (Voluntary Role)

Trustee – Sense International (Voluntary Role - 3 Positions)

This Job Posting Has Expired.

Who We Are

Sense International is the only international non-governmental organisation dedicated to supporting people with deafblindness and their families around the world. Sense International supports programmes in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Romania, Peru, India, Bangladesh, and Nepal.

Our vision

Our vision is of a world in which all people with deafblindness can be equal and active members of society.

Our mission

Our mission is to work in partnership with others across the globe – people with deafblindness, their families, carers and other professionals – to remove barriers in societies and systems, so that people with deafblindness are fully included and can fulfil their potential.

The Role (Role Overview)

Working alongside our Chief Executive, Kavita Prasad, and the Senior Leadership Team, our trustees steer the organisation in achieving its charitable aims and setting its strategic direction. We are looking to recruit three new Trustees. We are looking for candidates with an interest in our work and cause. Based on our recent Trustee skills audit we are looking for:

• At least two trustees who are business leaders with connections in the corporate world and/or have experience of fundraising and generating income, and
• One trustee with lived experience of disability and/or caring for a family member with disability and/or experience of international development and disability.

People with backgrounds/knowledge of the geographies that Sense International works in would be most desirable. Trustee roles are not paid but reasonable expenses can be paid. There is no requirement to have served on a Board previously, and we are keen to diversify the range of voices, perspectives and backgrounds represented.

Opportunity ID: 276703

Organisation: Sense International

Role: Trustee (Voluntary - 3 positions available)

Location for Board Meetings: Islington, London, UK (Hybrid options available)

Remuneration: This is a voluntary, unpaid role. Reasonable expenses can be paid.

What We Do

Sense International’s 2022-2027 strategy aims to remove barriers in societies and systems, so that people with deafblindness are fully included and can fulfil their potential, in line with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. The ambitions of our strategy are to uphold and realise the rights of people with deafblindness:

• Innovate: People with deafblindness are included in national systems.
• Inform: People with deafblindness, and the people who support them, have more information, skills and knowledge.
• Influence: People with deafblindness are recognised in laws, policies and budgets.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure the organisation carries out the statutory responsibilities of a trustee in an efficient and effective manner in keeping with its objectives and mandate.
• Represent and promote Sense International’s vision and values internally and externally, and to serve occasionally as a spokesperson and public representative for Sense International when requested.
• Contribute to development of strategy and setting the strategic direction and ensure high level oversight of delivery of the organisation’s strategy.
• Ensure good governance and compliance including risk management, identifying and addressing issues that require the attention of the Board.
• Support Sense International’s fundraising efforts.
• Contribute to sub-committees and ad-hoc bodies as considered appropriate by Board (e.g. Fundraising Advisory Committee, Finance and Audit Committee, Programmes Advisory Committee).
• Bring specific skills and experience to the Board and to lead on issues connected to these if asked by the Chair.

The Board meets at least quarterly in London, with meetings held late afternoon on a weekday. We prefer to hold our meetings face-to-face, with most of our Trustees attending in person. However we can offer hybrid options and are flexible to accommodate the right candidates. Trustees are encouraged to support other Sense International events and provide ad-hoc support to the Executive and Senior Leadership Team in between meetings. They are also encouraged to join the board sub committees who support the work of the board. These committees meet at least quarterly.

Person Specification

Essential

• Ability to consistently devote time and effort to the role.
• Ability to contribute to strategic thinking.
• Ability to communicate your area of specialism to other members of the board with different specialist knowledge.
• Evidence of personal integrity and high ethical standards and strong values consistent with those of Sense International.
• Ability to understand financial information.
• Commitment to diversity and for the respect and dignity of our stakeholders and their experience and expertise.
• Open to learning.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including teamwork.
• Ability to mobilise personal networks for fundraising and advocacy purposes.

Desirable

• Experience of charity governance and understanding of the respective responsibilities of Trustees and staff.
• Knowledge of international development, disability or other human rights issues.
• Experience of working in the international development sector or a background in any of the eight countries where SI works.

HOW TO APPLY

Closing Date: Sunday, 15th June 2025.

To apply, please visit the Sense Careers portal via the link below.