About this role - Trustee
We’re looking for someone with significant fundraising and engagement expertise to join our Board as a Trustee.
As a trustee, you’ll play a critical role in setting our strategic direction, supporting and challenging the Executive Group, and setting and upholding our values and culture. The Board agrees our annual plan, budget and performance targets. It monitors the charity’s performance and is responsible for managing risk and our compliance with regulatory and statutory requirements.
Most of our trustees have a personal connection to MS, either because they’re living with MS themselves or because someone they care about is.
We’ll expect you to share our values and have – or be prepared to develop – an understanding of MS. And you’ll need to be sure you can commit the time and energy it’ll take to be an active and effective member of our Board.
Terms of appointment
Trustees are appointed to a three-year term, and can be reappointed for one further term, based on their performance in the role. This role is voluntary and is unpaid.
Download our Trustee of the MS Society role description (PDF 41KB)
Skills and lived experience
We’re looking for someone with significant fundraising and engagement expertise to join our Board of Trustees. We will also consider diversity of lived experience when deciding who to nominate.
We’re particularly keen to hear from you if your lived experience could enrich our Board’s understanding of what matters to:
- younger people with MS
- LGBTQIA+ people
- people with Black, Asian or minoritised ethnic heritage
- people with advanced MS and the people who care for them
Time commitment
Being a Trustee involves:
- Attending four in-person Board meetings during the year (these are daytime meetings during the week)
- Attending committee meetings – you’ll be asked to join the Board’s Strategic Implementation and Finance Committee that also meets four times during the year (shorter, usually online, daytime meetings during the week)
- Depending on your skills, lived experience and availability, you may also be invited to participate in optional working groups (usually online)
- Preparing to attend Board, committee and working group meetings by reading the papers provided
- Attending other events to represent us and connect with our MS community
Board meetings are held in London. The majority of our committee and working group meetings take place online. Our London office has been designed with accessibility, inclusivity and flexible working in mind.
We welcome applications from throughout the UK and we don’t want finances to be a barrier to anyone thinking of applying to join our Board. We’ll book your travel and accommodation to attend meetings and reimburse other out-of-pocket expenses.
Learning and development
You’ll take part in a comprehensive induction programme, including online sessions with the teams who lead on delivering our ambitious strategy. You’ll also learn about your responsibilities as a Trustee.
You’ll be paired with Trustee and Executive buddies to help you settle in, and you’ll have regular check-ins with our Chair and Governance team. You’ll have lots of opportunities to connect with the MS community and get involved in the areas of our work that interest you the most.
You’ll attend our annual Strategy Development Day. You’ll benefit from in-person/online facilitated training and eLearning modules. And you’ll have access to our Board Reading Room, where you’ll find a comprehensive range of internal and external resources to support you in your role.
Important information
Some people are automatically disqualified by law from being a Trustee. For example, anyone who is an undischarged bankrupt, or who has been convicted of an offence involving deception or dishonesty, unless that conviction is spent. If appointed, you will be required to sign a Trustee Declaration of Eligibility and Responsibility Form.
The role of Trustee is also subject to a disclosure check. As part of your application, you are required to consent to apply for a disclosure check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or its equivalent. If you have any questions, please contact our Governance Manager on 020 8438 0839 or by email at [email protected] in confidence.
How to apply
We’re working with Starfish Search Ltd to help us to identify candidates with the expertise and lived experience our Board needs. Follow the link below to find out more about how to apply.
Interviews will take place online on Monday 17 June 2024 with a panel of trustees. They'll decide who to nominate, based on their expertise and lived experience. All panel members have completed unconscious bias training.
The Board of Trustees will ratify the nomination, and the MS Society Members (the Trustees and Chairs of National Councils) will appoint them.
You can apply for this role until Monday 13 May.
You may also be interested in
The next research breakthrough is in reach
Your donation will help stop MS.
One-off donation
Monthly donation
