SLA PR and Communications Trustee - Volunteer Role

Location: Hybrid
Closing Date: 18th June 2024
Job type: Volunteer role
Hours: c20 days per annum
Salary: Not applicable - this is a voluntary unpaid role, but expenses will be covered when applicable.

The School Library Association is a small charity dedicated to supporting all who work within school libraries – whether full time school library staff, or teaching or support staff with responsibility for the library.  

Our mission is to build a community to share best practice and to work towards all schools in the UK having their own (or shared) staffed library to help all children and young people and fulfil their potential.  

We are looking to appoint a Trustee with experience in Public Relations and External Communications in corporate, government or charitable settings to support the work of the SLA in reaching the wider educational community about the added value a well-run school library brings to the educational attainment, literacy skills and wellbeing of pupils throughout their education. We also work hard to engage the support, influence and awareness of all political parties in the importance of school libraries, and of businesses who might be both beneficiaries of a more literate and inquisitive workforce as well as wishing to support charitable work in under-represented or deprived areas.   

Our Board currently has a mix of Trustees from business and the school library and educational sectors which helps to strengthen the range of skills and perspectives the SLA and its CEO tap into. We have recently invested in a new website and back office system which will substantially improve our ability to personalise our offering to members and our potential reach to new members.  

In advocacy terms, our involvement in the Great School Library campaign (our CEO is the joint chair), and through running our own Awards, has raised our profile considerably in recent years and we wish to continue this journey in the coming years.  

The SLA has, over the last 5 years, made huge changes to its organisational and governance structure, Board strength, and employee skills base. Trustees joining us now will help to take us on the next stage of our exciting journey to reach more members and schools and help children achieve their full potential.  

Skills and personal qualities required: 

• PR and communications planning 
• Crisis communications and incident management 
• Social media support 
• Marketing planning 
• Email and other channels of communication to members  
• Experience of working with professional committees  
• A team player, willing to support the Board and SLA staff as required  
• Initiative and generosity – someone willing to both propose ideas and develop the thinking behind them 
• Energy and enthusiasm – a passion for literacy and the lasting benefits this brings children from all walks of life 

The Board currently consists of 9 Trustees including an experienced Vice Chair, Treasurer and Hon Secretary.  

Time required: c20 days per annum. This is a voluntary, unpaid role, but expenses will be covered when applicable. Board meetings are mostly online with 2 in person currently.  
 
To download a full role description, click here.  If you are interested in this role and would like an informal chat to develop your understanding of what is required, and the satisfaction it can bring, please contact our CEO, Alison Tarrant, on [email protected] or Vice Chair Amanda Whiteford on [email protected]. Alternatively, you can apply directly here.