Trustee

For almost 500 years, we ve supported Southwark s communities. Now we re looking for two new Trustees to help shape our next chapter — including building on the legacy of Appleby Blue, our RIBA Stirling Prize-winning almshouse. United St Saviour s Charity is a place-based community investor in Southwark, providing almshouses, grant-funding and community programmes that build resilience and connection across the borough. Over the last decade we ve nearly doubled our housing provision and delivered Appleby Blue — a social housing development for older people that went on to win the RIBA Stirling Prize, the UK s most prestigious architecture award. This role is for you if: You understand what effective governance looks like — strategic planning, risk management, and change management You have a strong lived or learned understanding of Southwark and its communities, including both local strengths and the barriers that affect opportunity and wellbeing You bring experience in one or more of: housing and property development, organisational governance, community development, or finance and accounting You re comfortable raising challenge and disagreeing constructively, while standing by decisions the Board reaches collectively You have a good level of IT literacy No previous trustee or board experience is required — a genuine willingness to learn matters just as much What you ll do As a Trustee, you ll share collective responsibility for our governance, working alongside fellow Trustees and the Chair to hold the organisation to a clear strategy, ensure our assets and resources are used well You ll contribute your own skills and experience to strengthen the Board s decision-making, sit on at least one, and up to two, committees, and act as an ambassador for the charity s values and reputation. You ll be joining at a pivotal moment: we re scaling up our housing development pipeline, delivering a new Community Investment Strategy for 2025–2030, and increasingly being asked to share what we ve learned with other boroughs and housing providers as our national influence grows. We re looking for people with experience in one or more of: Organisational development and governance — overseeing organisational development, governance, HR, or strategic oversight Community development — community work and wealth, charitable organisations, social investment, or grant-making Housing, land and property — housing, property development, planning, property management or property investment Finance and accounting — accounting, financial management, investment portfolios, and managing financial risk responsibly You don t need all four — one or more is enough. Alongside that, we re looking for a strong lived or learned understanding of Southwark and the communities we serve, and a good level of IT literacy. No previous trustee or board experience is required. Location and time commitment Based in the London Borough of Southwark — Board and committee meetings take place at our offices and almshouses. This is a voluntary role (reasonable expenses met) requiring four Board meetings a year, a Strategy and Reflection Day, and membership of one to two committees, each typically meeting four times a year. How to apply Send a CV and covering letter to Alison Benzimra, Director of Strategy and Operations, by 14 October 2026 , setting out why you re interested and how your skills, experience and background fit what we re looking for. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview with a panel drawn from the Board in November 2026.