Founded in 1934, the British Council is a charity incorporated by Royal Charter aiming to support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We deliver our mission through uniquely combining the UK’s rich expertise in arts & culture, education and the English language, our global presence and relationships in over 100 countries, and our unparalleled access to young people with a global reach of 650 million individuals through face-to-face, digital, publication and broadcast channels. 

We operate a substantial English teaching and assessment revenue-generating arm that helps to support our purpose. We are also a public corporation and non-departmental public body that receives grant in aid from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), so we have a unique governance structure and operate under public service scrutiny.

We take a long-term approach to building relationships and operate at arm’s length from government, working with governments and our partners in the culture, education, and English language sectors, in the UK and globally. We work directly with individuals too to help them gain the skills, confidence and connections to transform their lives and shape a better world in partnership with the UK.

We are currently looking for a trustee with a substantive background in arts and culture in either the subsidised or commercial sectors, to assist the Board in championing this vital aspect of our work. The successful candidate might well be a prominent artist, writer, curator or choreographer; a practitioner in the fields of experimental media; or an academic art historian. They may have experience of leading or working with major arts and cultural organisations in either the public or commercial sector, delivering original creative content over a sustained period. Like all of our trustees, the individual will possess strong communication skills and be a powerful advocate for the UK’s creative sectors.

We particularly welcome candidates from the devolved nations, the regions of England, those with lived experiences in the other countries in which the British Council operates, and candidates from the Global Majority.

For further details, including the job description, person specification, please select 'Download Further Details' below. Candidates wishing to apply should submit a CV (including comprehensive details of key achievements and responsibilities) along with a covering letter which fully addresses the competencies outlined in the role description and person specification quoting reference number 7557.

The closing date for applications is 9:00am on Monday 14th October 2024. 

The British Council will be supported in this appointment by executive search firm Perrett Laver. Any initial enquiries should be directed to Isabela Betoret at isabela.betoret@perrettlaver.com and +44 (0)20 7340 6248.

Accessibility

For a conversation in confidence, please contact Isabela Betoret at isabela.betoret@perrettlaver.com and +44 (0)20 7340 6248.

Should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, please contact Anna Sloan on anna.sloan@perrettlaver.com.

If you have comments that would support us to improve access to documentation, or our application processes more generally, please do not hesitate to contact us via accessibility@perrettlaver.com.

Inclusion

Perrett Laver believes that excellence will be achieved through recognising the value of every individual. A broad range of perspectives, backgrounds and opinions amongst our global community of colleagues is crucial in maintaining our culture of openness, intellectual curiosity, and creativity. We take an active role in supporting under-represented communities and groups in becoming better and more fairly represented in the leadership of all organisations. We also know that diverse and inclusive teams have a positive impact on our ability to identify, engage and secure candidates from these groups.

Our commitment to inclusion across race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, identity, and experience drives us every day – for clients, for candidate identification and in the recruitment, development and retention of colleagues. 

To ensure inclusion on the basis of age, disability, ethnic or national origin, family circumstance, gender, gender identity, marital status, nationality, political or religious beliefs, race, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, we would like to specifically invite applications from under-represented groups.

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