Are you passionate about transforming lives through education? The Costa Foundation, Costa Coffee’s global charity partner, is seeking a new Trustee to join our board and guide the charity through our next exciting phase of development. As a member of our Projects Committee, you’ll work with our Executive Director to decide which education-focused projects to fund with our long-standing partners to change children’s life stories in rural coffee growing communities around the world and in the UK.
You’ll have a strong commitment to the Costa Foundation’s mission and values, think strategically with sound judgement, have a collaborative nature, with strong interpersonal skills, ability to be a critical friend and willingness to dedicate time and energy to the role. Prior board experience is helpful but not essential.
Informed by our most recent skills matrix, we are particularly seeking candidates who can bring significant expertise in one or more of the following areas where the board wishes to strengthen its capability:
* Education: Passion and experience relating to education, ideally in an international context
* International Development: Practical knowledge of international education (or other relevant area) projects, community development, or working with global partners, especially in coffee-growing regions.
* Monitoring & evaluation: Strong experience of measuring impact from projects and programmes on communities beyond numbers
* Academia: Research or teaching in relevant subject area at higher education academic institution
* Safeguarding: Experience of developing and applying safeguarding policies and practices strategically in an international setting
As a Trustee, you’ll contribute to achieving our current three-year strategy taking us to 20 years of the Costa Foundation in 2027, ensure good governance, and help us deliver life-changing education-focused projects for coffee-growing communities around the world and in the UK.
Key responsibilities
* Review proposals for new projects as part of our Projects Committee to decide which projects receive funding, as well as monitoring and evaluation data collated annually from current projects.
* Contribute actively to the Board’s role in giving strategic direction to the Foundation, setting overall policy, defining goals and evaluating performance.
* Ensure the charity complies with its governing document, charity law, and other relevant legislation or regulations.
* Safeguard the vision, mission, reputation and values of the Costa Foundation.
* Oversee the financial stability of the organisation and ensure proper investment of the Foundation’s funds.
* Engage with stakeholders and represent the Foundation as an ambassador.
Our board meets quarterly, including an in-person strategy day, and the Projects Committee meets a further three times a year. Both are a mix of in-person meetings in central London and virtual meetings. We’re keen to enrich our board with experience from around the globe and particularly welcome applicants from coffee-growing communities.
This is a voluntary role (travel expenses will be covered). Trustees may be given the opportunity to visit the communities where the Foundation has funded projects with all expenses covered.
If you’re eager to make a genuine, lasting impact, we want to hear from you! Share your CV (max two pages) and a cover letter (max one page) outlining what inspires you to join our board, and how your talents align with the expertise we’re seeking, by emailing info@costafoundation.com or applying through LinkedIn by Monday 12th January 2026.
Join us in changing children’s life stories!
You can read more about the Costa Foundation here: https://www.costafoundation.com/