The EA relies on the expertise of the Trustees to make its crucial important work possible. Your skills, knowledge, and experience could help us do even more amazing things together.
- Perhaps you’re looking for a new challenge, or a new way to use your professional skills. Some of our Board members are retired, and find that being a Trustee is a way for them to use the skills and knowledge they developed throughout their careers.
- Maybe you’re early on in your career and keen to develop your professional networks and improve your career prospects. The experience you’ll gain and the contacts you’ll make as a Trustee of the EA could be really valuable for your personal and professional development.
About the role
Time commitment: The Board of Trustees meets four times each year, usually in March, May, September, and December. The meetings last a couple of hours and take place online via Zoom. In between meetings the Chair might ask the Board for their insight on particular topics by email. You will also be expected to attend the EA’s AGM (held online, in early June), and the EA’s Annual Conference (held on a Saturday in June, in central London).
Personal liability: The EA is incorporated by Royal Charter, which means that the EA has a “legal personality” and enters into legal relationships in its own name. The EA, therefore, is responsible for any debts or liabilities that may arise from its legal relationships. However, there are some exceptions; but these are rare and generally involve an element of fault on the part of the Trustee concerned. The Essential Trustee guide provides more information about these exceptions. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations has also produced a helpful table explaining the different types of personal liabilities for Trustees.
Expenses: There is no remuneration for this role. Reasonable expenses incurred in the discharging of your duties as a Trustee will be reimbursed.
The statutory duties of a Trustee:
- Ensure your charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit
- Comply with your charity’s governing document and the law
- Act in your charity’s best interests
- Manage your charity’s resources responsibly
- Act with reasonable care and skill
- Ensure your charity is accountable
Induction and training: Don’t worry if you haven’t volunteered as a Trustee before. Every new Trustee receives a full induction from the Chair and Chief Executive.
Timing: The term of service is for three years in the first instance, though you can be re-elected for further terms. New Trustees are usually welcomed to the Board in June each year at the AGM.
About you
Your experience and knowledge: You’ll have expertise or experience in one or more of these areas:
- Primary and early years education
- Secondary and further education
- The study and teaching of creative writing, linguistics, and language
- Charity governance
- Experience of leadership and partnership building in the GLAM sector
- Media
- Publishing
Your qualities and characteristics: You will:
- Be enthusiastic about the Association’s mission
- Be willing to commit time and effort to regularly attend Board and other meetings, and to participate actively in such meetings
- Be able to bring independent judgment, impartiality, fairness, tact, and diplomacy to the role
- Be committed to the principles and practical implementation of equality, diversity, and inclusion
- Have an understanding of or willingness to learn about the discipline of English
- Have an understanding of or willingness to learn about the role and responsibilities of trustees, managers, staff, and volunteers, and to distinguish between these roles and to maintain appropriate boundaries
- Be able to work effectively as a member of a team
We’re particularly keen to see applications from under-represented minorities.
How to apply
Applications should be made using the online application form. The form asks you to tell us a little bit about yourself; you’ll need to answer a couple of questions.
You will also need to send us a letter of support from your employer if you’re currently working; this is so that we know your employer will allow you the time to attend Board meetings. If you’re not working at the moment, you’ll need to send us a reference from someone who knows you well (but isn’t related to you). We’ll let you know when to send these documents to us once we’ve received your application.
All applications will be reviewed by the Board.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to have a conversation with the Chair, Deputy Chairs, and the Chief Executive Officer.
Eligibility
You must be at least 16 years old to be a Trustee of a charity that is a company or a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), or at least 18 to be a Trustee of any other sort of charity.
You must be properly appointed following the procedures and any restrictions in the charity’s governing document.
You must not act as a Trustee if you are disqualified unless authorised to do so by a waiver from the Commission. The reasons for disqualification include: being bankrupt or having an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA); having an unspent conviction for certain offences (including any that involve dishonesty or deception); being on the sex offenders’ register.
You will need to declare any existing or potential conflicts of interest when you apply.
You will need to be a member (or willing to become a member) of the EA to be eligible.
- English is facing significant challenges in the recruitment of students to English A Levels, as well as the broader sociological challenge of the rise in popularism and the focus on science, technology, and engineering as the most valuable (and profitable) career choices. You can be part of helping the world to see the value of English to all of our lives at this exciting and challenging time.
- If you don’t have a background in English, that’s great! We welcome applications from anyone with an interest in English, and in fact a perspective from a fresh pair of eyes could be exactly what the EA needs.