Board Trustee | LGBT Foundation
Manchester, UK
Role Type
Board Non Executive
Workplace
Remote
About the Role
LGBT Foundation is appointing new Trustees to join its Board. Trustees act as both directors of the company and members of the charity. They are collectively responsible for the organisation’s strategic direction, governance, and long-term resilience.
Trustees are expected to contribute approximately 8 hours per month, which includes:
• Quarterly Board meetings, usually held on Saturdays and attended in person
• An Annual General Meeting each autumn
• Participation in two standing committees, each meeting four to six times annually, typically online
• Occasional involvement in selected campaigns, learning opportunities, or events
In between meetings, trustees are expected to review board papers and contribute to ongoing conversations via email. All trustees receive a structured induction, including time with the Chair, CEO, and other board members, as well as access to mentoring and annual training aligned to the Board’s development needs.
The Board is supported by three formal committees:
• Finance, Audit, Risk and Governance
• People, Performance and Resources
• Fundraising and Marketing
Each committee includes trustees, members of the senior leadership team, and where appropriate, external advisors.
Trustees are not remunerated, but reasonable expenses are reimbursed.
Requirements
This is a strategic and values-led governance role. Trustees must demonstrate sound judgement, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to LGBTQ+ equity. While previous board experience is not essential, applicants must have the time, focus, and integrity required for effective governance.
All trustees must be able to:
Understand and carry out the responsibilities of charity trusteeship
Engage in collective decision-making with openness and respect
Champion equity, inclusion, and anti-racism
Uphold the organisation’s reputation and charitable purpose
To complement the skills of the current Board, LGBT Foundation welcomes applications from individuals with experience in:
Financial management, audit, risk, or procurement
Fundraising, income generation, or partnership development
Legal or regulatory practice in a charity, employment, or governance context
Human resources, organisational development, or inclusive leadership
Digital transformation, artificial intelligence, or technology strategy
LGBT Foundation is committed to increasing board diversity. Applications are especially encouraged from people of colour, trans and non-binary people, disabled people, individuals aged under 30 or over 50, and those with lived experience of migration, asylum, or refugee systems.
About the Organisation
LGBT Foundation is one of the UK’s longest-standing and most impactful LGBTQ+ charities. Established through grassroots activism in the 1970s, it now delivers the broadest range of LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing services of any charity in the sector.
Each year, LGBT Foundation directly supports more than 45,000 people and reaches an additional 600,000 online. The organisation operates locally, nationally, and internationally, with services including:
• Mental health support and counselling
• HIV prevention and sexual health outreach
• Domestic abuse and housing support
• Services for older LGBTQ+ people and young adults
• Advocacy, research, and policy influence
• Volunteer-led community safety patrols
• National helplines and training
LGBT Foundation has shaped public discourse and policy across five decades. It played a visible role in the abolition of Section 28, the introduction of the Gender Recognition Act, the legalisation of equal marriage, and the development of national LGBTQ+ health policy. Its current work is focused on trauma-informed care, intersectional service design, and systems change.
The organisation is guided by four core values:
• Passion — for creating inclusive, affirming spaces
• Integrity — through professional and ethical standards
• Empowerment — to support individuals and communities to thrive
• Respect — to celebrate diversity and difference
The charity is chaired by Jax Effiong, with day-to-day operations led by Dr Paul Martin OBE, CEO. It employs a diverse workforce and is currently implementing a whole-organisation inclusion strategy. One third of trustees and advisors are people of colour, 33 percent of staff identify as trans or non-binary, and 35 percent identify as disabled.
LGBT Foundation exists to ensure that all LGBTQ+ people can live full, safe, and equal lives — and that hope and joy remain part of the queer experience.