Trustees
Citizens Advice Scotland
Trustees
Edinburgh
Scotland’s Citizens Advice Network is the largest independent advice service in the country providing free, impartial and confidential advice. We use people’s real-life experiences to influence policy and drive positive change. Our vision is for a fairer Scotland where everyone has the advice and information they need to realise their rights, and where the barriers to accessing those rights are effectively challenged.
The Citizens Advice Network was born in the shadow of the Second World War and we have over 80 years’ experience of helping people through crises. We have emerged from the pandemic lockdowns into the immense challenges of the cost of living crisis which has brought a further increase in demand for advice as inflation soared, energy bills went up and incomes remain flat. We are currently delivering a three year strategy from 2022-2025 which focuses on rebuilding resilience after the impact of COVID so that the Network can respond to the demands of the cost of living crisis, embedding our progress in digital services achieved during that period, promoting the value of locally led service delivery, and building the Network to deliver more effective outcomes for the people of Scotland.
The current Board shaped this strategic direction following extensive consultation with Citizens Advice Bureaux and Citizens Advice Scotland staff and we are looking for new Trustees who share our vision and who will promote and support the delivery of this strategy. The positions on offer are not remunerated but the real reward is being part of our extraordinary team and knowing you will play a key role in shaping Scottish society for the better.
Together with the rest of the Trustees you will help ensure the highest levels of governance and strategy development for CAS. You will be responsible for acting in the best interests of the organisation and its beneficiaries, and along with fellow Trustees for managing strategic risk and ensuring compliance and accountability with the articles of association, external regulators and the law. You will be a team player with a passion to make a difference to the lives of people in Scotland.
You will have a commitment to our Vision, Aims and Mission and will be prepared to contribute your time, skills and experience to support success of the organisation and the wider Network. Central to our current strategy are a set of values which set out who we are, how we work and what we believe in – person-centred, empowering, supportive, inclusive and collaborative. You will be expected to demonstrate these values in your leadership.
We are committed to representing the diversity within the communities that we serve, and having conducted an Inclusion and Diversity assessment of our Board we would particularly welcome applications from the following groups:
- People from ethnic minority backgrounds
- LGBTQ+ people
- People with a disability
Having conducted a skills audit of the Board we are also particularly interested in receiving applications from people with the following professional backgrounds:
- Finance and Accountancy
- Law
The CAS Board is made up of an independent chair and twelve trustees. Six of those trustees represent Citizens Advice Bureaux (internal trustees) and six of those trustees are otherwise independent of the Citizens Advice Network in Scotland (external trustees). We are currently recruiting for 1 internal trustee and 2/3 external trustees.
If you would like to discuss the roles in further detail please contact Debbie Shields or Lauryn Pringle on 0141 212 7555.
Further information is available at https://aspenpeople.co.uk/cas
Closing date for applications: Monday, 15th May 2023
To apply, please submit a CV and covering letter/supporting statement (in one document) expressing why you are interested in this opportunity.