Join Scottish Book Trust's Board of Trustees

Scottish Book Trust is Scotland’s national reading charity. We believe that reading and writing for pleasure can transform lives – supporting mental health, breaking the poverty cycle, improving employability and inspiring creativity. Every year, our programmes reach over three million people across Scotland, from babies receiving their first Bookbug bag to adults discovering the joy of storytelling.

You'll find us in schools, libraries and community spaces across Scotland – in towns, cities and in isolated rural communities. We bring books to life for children in care, families experiencing hardship, people in prison and anyone who may not otherwise have access to the joy of reading. In short, we go wherever we’re needed most.

About the role

We are looking for up to three new Trustees to join our Board and help guide this work. Trustees play a vital role in shaping our strategy, ensuring good governance, and championing our mission to make books and stories accessible to everyone.

We want a Board that better reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We particularly encourage applications from people who are currently underrepresented on our Board, including people from minority ethnic communities, disabled people, LGBTQ+ people, and people with lived experience of poverty or marginalisation. We also welcome younger voices and first-time Trustees, and we provide training, mentoring and ongoing support.

We’re interested in your values, your ideas and your lived experience, as well as any professional skills you may bring.

Experience in any of the following areas would be helpful (but not essential – and you do not need to meet all of these):

• Strategic thinking and leadership
• Advocacy or influencing decision-makers
• Education, culture or community engagement
• Finance, audit or risk management
• Fundraising or financial planning
• Working with the Scottish Government or local authorities

Download the Trustee recruitment pack

How to apply

Applicants are invited to apply with a CV and a brief letter outlining their interest in the charity and how they would contribute to the organisation.

We are committed to making the application and interview process accessible. If you would like information in a different format, to apply in a different way (for example via audio or video), or need reasonable adjustments, please let us know.

To apply, please email [email protected](this link will open in a new window) by 31 January 2026 with your CV and a short letter (or another format if you prefer) outlining how you would contribute to the organisation.

Candidates selected will be invited to interview with the Chair, Trustees or Senior Management Team in February 2026.

We recognise our responsibility in protecting vulnerable groups. Appointment will be conditional on securing an appropriate level of disclosure for the position from Disclosure Scotland.

For any additional information, please email [email protected](this link will open in a new window).