Chair of the Samaritans Scotland Committee (Trustee)

Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy, and Samaritans’ vision is that fewer people die by suicide. That’s why we work tirelessly to reach more people and make suicide prevention a priority.  As we all begin to emerge from an extraordinarily challenging period, with many facing hardship, it has never been more important for Samaritans to be here. We are looking for a Scotland Committee Chair and Trustee who will bring exceptional skills and experience to our organisation, combined with shared values.

In April 2022 we will launch a new UK & ROI strategy and accompanying strategic delivery plan for Scotland.  With a strong heritage from 60 years of providing our Listening Service, we are now taking great strides to extend our reach within communities who need us most. And we are building our influence and service to improve prevention and support for those at risk of suicide and self-harm.

In Scotland, we are moving from strength to strength and want to build our in-nation governance to underpin our aspirations to extend our reach and impact.  There are great opportunities for Samaritans in Scotland and we are seeking a Scotland Committee Chair who can support us to take forward reforms to our board and lead effective governance of the fast-growing work of our Scotland Office.  This is a non-remunerated/voluntary role.

The successful applicant will bring experience and knowledge with which to lead Samaritans, a deep commitment to our mission and values, and the ability to provide effective support and challenge to the Board of Trustees. As a Trustee, you will play a key role in shaping the means of achieving our vision and will promote and develop Samaritans, ensuring we remain accessible, relevant, available, sustainable and consistently driven to delivering our mission both in Scotland and across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland.

You’ll be based in Scotland with a robust understanding of the civic and political landscape we work in. You’ll be passionate about embedded equity, diversity and inclusion in all we do. You’ll have a senior / executive level background in a complex organisation with experience of working collaboratively to deliver change and increased impact.  You will have previous governance experience with time to invest in this role.

Time commitment – As a minimum, attendance is required at four Scotland Committee meetings and four Board of Trustee meetings each year, a Board of Trustees away day, two Regional Council meetings and the annual meeting of Council of Samaritans. Additional activity between committee meetings will also be required to develop the committee membership and Scotland agenda.

For further details please download the full candidate brochure.

To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter to Ailsa Sutherland, Director at FWB Park Brown at fwb@fwbparkbrown.com.  For an initial confidential discussion please call our Edinburgh office on 0131 539 7087.

Closing date for applications is 10^th January 2022.

Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person they are. We warmly welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.

We are dedicated to making reasonable adjustments to support candidates throughout our recruitment process. We are flexible in how we receive information and if you would like to apply via a different format, please let us know by email or phone, details of which can be found within the job description.