Rainbow Migration, the longest-running UK charity dedicated to supporting LGBTQI+ people through the asylum and immigration system, is seeking a trustee who will also serve as the organisation’s Treasurer.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about our vision that LGBTQI+ people can settle in the UK and lead fulfilling lives, and our mission to support LGBTQI+ people through the asylum and immigration system and influence policy and practice.

You should also be committed to our values:

At Rainbow Migration, we don’t just accept difference – we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it. We particularly encourage applications from people who have sought asylum on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics.

We provide emotional and practical support for LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum, offer legal information and advice on asylum and partner/spouse visas, and carry out campaigning, policy work and strategic litigation. We also train lawyers and other organisations working with LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum.

We have a team of 21 full- and part-time staff, including an Operations and Office Manager and Bookkeeper who maintain the day-to-day accounting records, prepare budgets and produce quarterly management accounts. Staff work in a hybrid way; our office by the Oval cricket ground has desks for 5 staff.

We also have volunteer lawyers delivering advice on applications for partner and spouse visas, and a Refugee Advisory Panel which gives input and feedback on operational and strategic matters.

We currently have nine trustees with skills and experience covering lived experience of the immigration system, law (public law, asylum and human rights), business management, communications, fundraising, safeguarding, lived experience involvement and anti-oppression. All but two of our current trustees live in London but we welcome trustees who live anywhere in the UK.

Being a trustee is a rewarding role. Trustees are volunteers who bring their expertise to shape our strategy and direction, and help ensure we remain an authoritative organisation on LGBTQI+ asylum and immigration. They have overall legal responsibility for the charity, make sure our finances and resources are well used to implement our mission, and are required to participate fully in the governance of the charity. Trustees also play a role as ambassadors for the organisation and our work. For more information see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charity-trustee-whats-involved or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8TIkLLwwdQ.

We provide numerous resources for trustees to receive training on good governance and the duties of a trustee, as well as on charity finance. Trustees also receive training on safeguarding, cyber-security and data protection. Other training can be arranged to suit your needs, with training costs covered by Rainbow Migration. You will also have induction meetings with Rainbow Migration staff, and a hand-over period with the present Treasurer. “Buddying up’ with an existing trustee is also offered to all new trustees.

Expenses incurred in relation to fulfilling trustee duties can be paid by Rainbow Migration (e.g. travel, phone top-ups).

We are looking for people who can commit to being a trustee for at least three years. Each trustee has to be re-elected once every three years. The maximum term limit for being a trustee is nine years, in line with Charity Commission guidance.

Trustees meet on a weekday evening five times per year. Meetings are usually held on Zoom except in December when we meet in person in London. For face-to-face meetings, travel costs for trustees will be paid by Rainbow Migration.

Preparation for the meetings involves a time commitment of two to four hours for detailed reading of papers, which are provided several days in advance. There may be additional meetings in 2026 as part of our work on anti-oppression and to develop our next organisational strategy.

The Treasurer also chairs the Finance Subcommittee, which meets on a weekday evening at the end of each quarter. The Treasurer also provides ad-hoc guidance to staff on accounting and other financial matters between meetings, in particular when the annual accounts are being prepared. They also liaise with our Independent Examiner or Auditor on matters outside the scope of staff responsibility or expertise. The present Treasurer prepares the primary financial statements and notes, from the underlying accounting records at the year-end, for inclusion in the Annual Report and Accounts; the successful candidate will need to decide whether to continue with this approach or if there is a suitable alternative.

Trustees are volunteers so you will not receive payment for your time.

If you would like further information about the role or to have an informal discussion with our Executive Director or an existing trustee, please contact recruitment@rainbowmigration.org.uk.

The steps below are to give you an indication of the process and how long it could take. The steps and timings could change.

Step one: application

Please send to recruitment@rainbowmigration.org.uk by 9.30 am on Friday 27 February:

1. Your CV
2. Either a covering letter or email, or a video or audio recording (no longer than 2-5 minutes) explaining why you are applying

When writing your covering letter or email or making your video or audio recording:

1. Please explain why you are interested in being a Rainbow Migration trustee and the charity’s Treasurer
2. Tell us about your skills and experience, which could be from employment, training, volunteering, interests or life experience, and how you meet the person specification
3. Explain if you have used AI to help with your application in any way and the reason why. Transparency is valued, so applications that are obviously written with AI without explanation will not be considered

We would also be grateful if you could complete this optional monitoring form.

Step two: informal interview (anticipated for March 2026)

Applications will be shortlisted by the Executive Director, Chair and current Treasurer.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview on a weekday evening with the Chair and Executive Director, which can be online or in-person in London (the costs of participating or attending can be paid by the charity). We will send candidates some of the interview questions in advance. The interview will be less formal than a job interview. For example, we will not give scores to your answers and we will try to make it more like a conversation.

Step three: due diligence (anticipated from April to June 2026)

As the Treasurer will be a signatory to our bank account, the successful applicant will be required at the point of conditional offer to disclose all unspent criminal records and subsequently to undergo a basic DBS check. See our website for more information.

We will also take up two references, ask you to sign a few declarations, and request copies of photo ID and proof of address

Step four: trustee meeting (May 2026) and induction (June to December 2026)

The preferred candidate will be invited to observe a board meeting so that both they and the organisation can feel confident that the role and organisation is right for them.

This will be followed by induction meetings, training and a substantial amount of induction reading.

Step five: appointment and handover (August to December 2026)

We anticipate the new Treasurer will be able to attend their first board meeting as a Trustee in August 2026.

Induction will continue.

We aim to allow for an overlap or hand-over period between the outgoing and incoming Treasurers.

Purpose

Key responsibilities