Role description
Lay Trustee
Job title: Lay Trustee (one role to be appointed as Deputy Chair)
Remuneration: These Trustee roles are a voluntary commitment not accompanied by any financial remuneration. Reasonable expenses such as travel or childcare may be claimed.
Location: Holborn, Central London (Hybrid) – meetings are held on the LSE campus or virtually.
Time commitment: Trustees commit approximately 10–12 days per year, including four to five Board meetings and relevant Sub-Committee meetings. The Deputy Chair will require additional capacity (approximately 2-4 hours per month) for 1:1 coaching with the student Chair (General Secretary) and liaison with the CEO.
Reporting to: Chair of the Board (General Secretary)
Purpose: The London School of Economics Students’ Union (LSESU) is seeking three experienced Lay Trustees to join our Board during a defining period of transformation. As a high-profile, student-led charity, we represent 11,000+ students at a world-class institution. With a new Chief Executive in post and a major review of our governance and commercial strategies underway, these Trustees will provide the strategic steer and professional expertise needed to ensure long-term sustainability. The Deputy Chair will play a particularly critical role, acting as a mentor to our elected student leadership and serving as a vital bridge between the Board and the Executive team to ensure stability and strategic focus.
Key responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Transformation
Provide strategic oversight and "constructive stretch" during a period of significant organisational change and governance review.
Support the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team in delivering a renewed commercial partnerships strategy, ensuring the Union’s physical assets and venues are utilised to their full potential, and that we’re delivering impact for students.
Contribute to the development of long-term sustainability goals that balance student-led representation with financial resilience.
Champion the Union’s commitment to equity, inclusion, and the empowerment of a diverse international student body.
Governance and Accountability
Ensure the Union operates within its charitable objectives and complies with charity law, LSE regulations, and constitutional requirements.
Oversee financial health and risk management, providing a "cool head" when navigating complex reputational or operational risks.
Monitor organisational performance, ensuring that student voices are effectively translated into impactful services and advocacy.
(Deputy Chair) Lead on the formalisation of the joint line management of the CEO, ensuring clarity, accountability, and professional support.
Board Effectiveness and Mentorship
Act as a mentor to the student Trustees, specifically supporting the General Secretary in their role as Chair.
Provide pragmatic, expert advice outside of formal meetings on specific areas of expertise (e.g., HR, legal, or commercial ventures).
Use independent judgment to navigate the complex environment of a high-profile Students' Union, backing firm decisions once reached.
Support the induction of new student leaders, ensuring continuity and institutional memory despite the natural turnover of student roles.
Relationship with the Executive and Chair
(Deputy Chair) Work closely with the General Secretary (Chair) and CEO to ensure the Board operates effectively and maintains a positive, collaborative culture.
Engage directly with leadership on strategic priorities, offering professional wisdom to navigate competing risks.
Act as a sounding board for the CEO, providing coaching and challenge to help them lead the organisation through its next chapter.
Person specification
Experience
Established Board Experience: A proven track record of strategic leadership at Board level; this is not suitable for a first-time Trustee.
Specialist Expertise: Significant experience in at least one of the following priority areas:
Governance & Leadership: Previous experience as a Chair or Vice-Chair of a charity or commercial board (essential for the Deputy Chair role).
Advocacy & Campaigning: Previous experience managing advocacy and campaigning in a charity, think-tank, or government context, with expertise in navigating legal or regulatory constraints and empowering others to build coalitions and strategic partnerships would be an advantage.
Commercial & Venue Management: Pragmatic experience in asset maximisation, partnerships, or hospitality.
HR & People Strategy: Experience managing complex stakeholder groups, people issues or high-level complaint processes.
Sector Knowledge: Familiarity with the Higher Education sector or Students’ Unions is highly desirable for at least one appointee.
Knowledge and Skills
Mentoring & Coaching: Ability to support and empower young, elected leaders while maintaining professional boundaries.
Strategic Risk Management: Ability to navigate high-profile reputational risks with an "unflappable" and calm demeanour.
Commercial Acumen: Understanding of how to balance a social/student-led mission with the need for robust commercial performance.
Communication: Highly developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build trust in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
Personal Attributes
A calm, seasoned professional who remains objective and decisive under pressure.
A genuine commitment to student voice, democracy, and the unique mission of the LSESU.
Sympathetic to the student workload and life, with an empathetic yet professional approach to engagement.
A deep commitment to the Nolan Principles of Public Life and the values of equity and inclusion.
Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, politically active, and sometimes challenging environment.
