Independent Legal Trustee at Rise North East

Role Type: Trustee

Application deadline:

Salary: £

Role description: Board Member

For this specific Trustee vacancy, we are looking for someone with expert knowledge or understanding of general legal principles, with a professional qualification or professional experience in this area, in order to:

• Advise and support Rise in any areas requiring a legal perspective (e.g. corporate governance).
• Provide advice and challenge on strategy, vision, performance, resources and standards of conduct, from a legal and regulatory perspective.
• Identify key issues and trends that may impact on Rise.

Job summary

We are looking for someone who demonstrates the following qualities and skills, or the potential to develop them with training and support.

• A willingness and ability to understand and accept their legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities as a trustee and to act in the best interests of the organisation.
• An ability to think creatively and strategically, exercising good, independent judgment, and the ability to work effectively as a Board member.
• Experience of leadership/Board level engagement in the charity, private, public or voluntary sectors.
• A personal passion for the role of movement, physical activity and sport in society.
• An authentic desire to make a difference by contributing to improving the overall health, wellbeing and quality of life of communities across the Rise region.
• Experience, or understanding, of business and/or strategic planning.
• Experience, or understanding, of organisational management.
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex issues, with a willingness and ability to challenge and probe. The ability to discuss and debate and to constructively challenge ideas and decisions where necessary.
• Strong inter-personal communication skills. The ability to form good working relationships both within and outside the Board.
• A collegial approach to decision-taking.
• Alignment with the mission, vision and values of Rise.
• Knowledge, or experience, of the responsibilities of a charity Trustee.
• Knowledge, or understanding, of the communities in Northumberland, Tyne & Wear and/or County Durham.

Find out more about the purpose and key function of trustees, and the commitment required, in our job pack.on the Rise website - Independent Legal Trustee - Rise North East

How to apply

To apply, please submit:

1. An up-to-date CV and short covering letter (no more than 2 sides of A4), or a short video/audio clip application (no more than 3 minutes), explaining your interest and suitability in becoming a trustee of Rise. Please highlight your specific expertise in relation to the essential and desirable skills and experience we are looking for, including any other information that you think is relevant in support of your application, for example, what you can offer to the organisation.
2. Two recent professional references.
3. A completed Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form.

Please email your application to Recruitment@RiseNorthEast.co.uk with “Trustee of Rise” in the subject line of your email.

If you would like to receive a hard copy or alternative format of this content, please contact the same email address.

If you would like an informal chat about the role, please contact Clare Morley (CEO) via Clare.Morley@RiseNorthEast.co.uk.

Information:

Closing date for applications has been extended to 9am on 22 May 2026

About Rise

Rise is a leading health and wellbeing charity, and we are passionate about the role that physical activity can play in making a difference to the communities that need it most.

Our team of friendly experts work closely with regional partners across health, education, transport and more to show how physical activity can tackle inequalities and help solve some of the biggest issues affecting our communities.

Rise plays a key role in:

• Providing access to employment and training
• Improving mental health
• Enhancing child development and education
• Creating health and sustainable places in which to live and work
• Integrating activity for health improvement, prevention and condition management
• Support the health and wellbeing of the workforce

We also advocate for policy change, share best practice and provide insight, guidance, and support. Our population in the North East of England lives with significant social, economic, and environmental inequalities. We know that physically inactive populations are often the most marginalised and most likely to be adversity affected by inequalities.

Our Values

Our values are the foundation of how we act individually and collectively as the Rise team. We will:

• Catalyse Change –We believe that change is possible and we are ready to lead the exploration
• Positively Disrupt –To challenge the norm and cause radical change through innovation and learning
• Collaborate –Together we are greater than the sum of our parts. People make the change.