Trustees (Board members)

INFORMATION FOR APPLICANTS

ABOUT THE ROLE

We renew our Board membership on a rolling basis and are currently seeking three new Trustees (Board members) to take up this unpaid voluntary position. We are interested in hearing from individuals with lived experience, professional expertise or a passion for peacebuilding and mediation support. In addition, we are also looking for individuals with finance and governance experience as we are seeking a Chair for our Risk and Audit Committee.

We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. We are particularly keen to hear from people from (or currently based in) Africa or Asia. We are committed to having global representation and perspectives on our Board and to ensuring diversity and gender equality within our organisation in order to ensure dynamism at its heart.

Each Trustee makes a unique individual contribution. We also welcome applications from young people and those who have not previously served as a Trustee at all. If you are new to the idea of being a Trustee we will provide support and training to enable you to take on the responsibilities of the role. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us to discuss.

Our organisation is guided by our Board, which is responsible for the governance and strategic direction of the charity. Being a Conciliation Resources Trustee is an influential and valuable role and you will make an important contribution to our peacebuilding work, our institutional security, and our future direction. This is an opportunity to contribute to and learn from a leading peacebuilding organisation.

TIME COMMITMENT

To fulfil the role effectively, it is expected that the time requirement will be 8-10 days per year. There are usually four Board meetings a year, one of which can be extended to include a staff retreat. Board meetings are held in a hybrid format – in person in London and online. Board members are expected to attend at least one in- person board meeting a year together, most usually in September/October. We will financially cover trip costs for in-person meetings. Trustees also join one of our Board sub-committees (Risk and Audit, Keeping People Safe, People and Culture, and Remuneration). The term of office is three years and the maximum number of consecutive terms is two.

About US

Conciliation Resources was born from the idea that people living in areas of violent conflict should be at the heart of its resolution. This idea remains central to how we work. From humble beginnings with two second-hand computers and a donated office space in London, we now have more than 80 staff and over 100 partners working in 20 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific.

OUR VISION

Our vision is a world where every person feels safe within a just society.

OUR PURPOSE

To work with others to prevent violent conflict and create the conditions for lasting peace.

OUR VALUES

Collaboration: We pursue peace through cooperation and dialogue and are reliable and respectful of others.

Commitment: We are dedicated to long-term solutions to conflict and demonstrate patience and perseverance in our work.

Creativity: We listen, learn and are open to challenge from others in order to adapt and find creative ways to bring about change.

Courage: We are prepared to have difficult conversations, show leadership and challenge convention.

We acknowledge that racism and colonial practices are built into society and international relations, and also into the international development sector. We recognise that, as part of this sector, Conciliation Resources is part of a system that gives us certain privileges and power, and we need to be conscious of this in how we work and learn. We are committed to being an organisation that practices anti-racism.

WHAT WE DO

Conciliation Resources is an international organisation committed to stopping violent conflict and creating more peaceful societies. Since 1994 we have worked with people impacted by war and violence, bringing diverse voices together to make change that lasts. We connect the views of people on the ground with political processes, and share experience and expertise so others can find creative responses to conflict.

Our work is based on reciprocal partnerships with outstanding and committed individuals and organisations. We work with over 80 local and international partners, which include peacebuilding NGOs, women’s organisations, government agencies, academic institutions, journalists, private companies and networks.

Regions in which we have programmes include: East and Central Africa (Central African Republic, South Sudan and Uganda), the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia and Kenya), West Africa (Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria), India and Pakistan (Kashmir), the South Caucasus, South East Asia (Philippines) and the Pacific (Papua New Guinea and Fiji). Thematic priorities that underpin our work include: climate change and conflict; gender and inclusion; peace process, dialogue and mediation support; dealing with the past; mental health and peacebuilding; and how to achieve and sustain political settlements.

TRUSTEE SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL

• Commitment to the charity’s objectives, aims and values and a willingness to devote time to carry out responsibilities of the role.

• Willingness to develop an understanding, and acceptance, of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of Trusteeship.

• Excellent interpersonal skills being able to engage with staff, colleagues on the Board and to be able to represent us to diverse communities and audiences.

• Incisive and insightful thinker able to contribute to the organisation’s strategic and creative thinking.

• Integrity and an ability to exercise sound, independent judgement, political impartiality and the ability to think creatively in the context of the organisation and external environment.

• Self-aware, emotionally intelligent, strong interpersonal and communication skills.

DESIRABLE

• Experience of working with teams and leaders from different perspectives and cultural backgrounds.

• Knowledge of peacebuilding or global perspective – knowledge and experience of work in the international arena.

• Networking capabilities and connections to networks that could support Conciliation Resources.

• An understanding of current developments on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in the UK or the international charity sector.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply to be a Trustee of Conciliation Resources, please provide the following:

• A letter of interest explaining your motivation for applying, your interest in the role and how you meet the requirements for the position of Trustee. This should be a maximum of two sides.

• An up-to-date CV.

Upon application, you will be provided with a link to our diversity monitoring survey. This survey is voluntary, anonymous and not linked to your application. This assists us in our monitoring of the diversity of applicants for all roles in Conciliation Resources.

All the above should be emailed to [email protected] clearly marked “Trustee Application” in the subject line. All applications will be acknowledged and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis by members of the Board Nominations Committee. The deadline is no later than 30 November 2025.

It is likely interviews will be held online.

Closing date: 30 November 2025

Interviews: January 2026

These dates may be subject to change and applicants will be advised in advance should this happen. Please let us know if there are dates when you will not be available or if you might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Jonathan Cohen, Executive Director at [email protected]

Download: Trustee Pack 2025