EAUC Trustee - UK and Ireland - Remote

Renumeration: Voluntary with reasonable expenses paid

Positions available: Two

Closing date: 18th May 2026

Opportunity

This is a unique opportunity to join the EAUC Board, bringing your sustainability leadership to a purpose-driven charity at the intersection of sustainability. We seek people who are committed to our mission, purpose and values and social justice principles and who bring one or more of the following:

• Insight into the further education or skills sectors.
• Cross sector organisational leadership insight.
• Sustainability academic and/or research experience.

We especially encourage applications from people who are currently under-represented on our board with regards to age, ethnicity and disability.

About us

The EAUC is the leading body for sustainability in the post-16 education sector in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Primarily a membership body, we serve 300 organisations whilst also working to change systems that enable sustainability action. We’re both a charity and a company limited by guarantee and are always not-for-profit.

Our vision

A post-16 education system that creates a world with sustainability at its heart.

Our purpose

We exist to lead and empower the post-16 education sector to embed sustainability in everything it does. We promote holistic whole organisation approaches where leadership and governance, estates and operations, teaching and learning and collaborations are all actively driving sustainability so that we’re equipping learners for their lives, being responsible organisations and shaping society for the better.

We do this by:

• Supporting our members to create meaningful sustainability change.
• Convening our network to generate solutions to shared challenges.
• Creating systems change to establish a more enabling environment for sustainability action.

Our goals for 2030

We know our organisation is built on solid foundations, but we need to increase the scale and pace at which we work. We want to be more ambitious and more impactful, unleashing our potential as a catalyst of transformational change across our sector. By 2030:

• Our members will be achieving their ambitious sustainability goals.
• All publicly funded post-16 education organisations in the UK and the ROI will be engaged through our work.
• We will provide unparalleled expertise on sustainability in post-16 education.
• The systems and frameworks which shape post-16 education will promote and embed sustainability action.

Our values

We are first and foremost values led. Our values set out what you can expect from us, and what we expect from those we work with.

Our team

EAUC is committed to building a more diverse and inclusive organisation – including employees, trustees, fellows, members and partners.

Shared attributes across our board include:

• Commitment to the EAUC and its mission, vision and values.
• Understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship.
• Willingness to put time and effort into the trustee role.
• An understanding of, and commitment to, Nolan's seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Personal qualities

• Sound independent judgement.
• Impartiality, fairness and confidentiality.
• Willingness to speak one’s mind.
• Tact and diplomacy.
• Respect for others.
• Desire to learn new skills.

Specific abilities

• Strategic vision.
• Creative thinking.
• Effective team member.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Experience

Interest in sustainability issues such as climate change, education for sustainability or social responsibility.

The statutory duties of our trustees are to:

• Ensure that the EAUC complies with its governing document (our articles of association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• Ensure that the EAUC pursues its objectives as defined in its governing document and through its strategic plan.
• Ensure the EAUC uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objectives: the charity must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objectives, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are.
• Contribute actively to give firm strategic direction to the EAUC, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against them.
• Safeguard the good name and values of the EAUC.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the EAUC.
• Ensure the financial stability of the EAUC.
• Protect and manage the assets of the charity and to ensure the proper investment of the charity's funds.
• Appoint the Chief Executive Officer and monitor their performance.
• Ensure a mechanism is in place to review and assess the effectiveness of the EAUC’s governance.

In addition to these, each trustee uses their own specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the board reach sound decisions. This may involve:

• Scrutinising board papers.
• Leading discussions.
• Focusing on key issues.
• Providing guidance on new initiatives.
• Other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.
• Act as an ambassador.
• Represent EAUC.

The application and appointment process

Ultimately it is the EAUC’s membership which votes on proposed trustees rather than them being appointed through an application and interview process. This process is outlined in our Articles of Association.