Closing date: 10 August 2025
The Poetry Translation Centre (PTC) is seeking to appoint up to five new trustees to its board, including a new Chair. This is an exciting opportunity to help guide a unique arts organisation as it looks to the future following the success of its 20th Anniversary Programme in 2024. The PTC is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation that works with poets, translators and community groups to deliver events, workshops and artist development programmes, as well as award-winning dual-language poetry collections.
About The Organisation
The PTC (registered charity 1123056) is the only UK organisation dedicated to translating and promoting contemporary poetry from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Our website holds a growing archive of poems translated from forty languages and counting. We organise readings and poetry tours, deliver hands-on translation workshops, and offer both established and emerging poets and translators creative opportunities rooted in a celebration of multilingualism.
In 2020, we launched the Sarah Maguire Prize for poetry in translation, named in honour of the PTC’s founder. The 2024 prize was judged by Ian McMillan, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanái, and Ghareeb Iskander, and won by Natalia Bukia-Peters and Victoria Field for their translation of On the Contrary by Georgian poet Lia Sturua. The biennial prize will open again for submissions later this year.
Since 2021, we have introduced artist development programmes for emerging poets and translators, so far including the hugely successful Queer Digital Residency, which paired queer-identifying translators and poets across the UK and Argentina, and three iterations of UNDERTOW, a creative development scheme for young poets who live polylingual lives.
The PTC’s publishing arm is home to the acclaimed World Poet Series, which presents the work of contemporary poets from around the world in dual-language pocket editions. Recent publications have won English PEN Awards and been shortlisted for the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation and the Ted Hughes Award.
Our Board of Trustees
Our Board oversees the strategic direction and artistic vision of the PTC, supports the charity’s small, dedicated team, and ensures its assets are protected through strong governance in areas such as finance and management. Trustees are active champions of the PTC, helping to raise both funds and awareness for our work.
Joining the PTC’s Board of Trustees offers a meaningful opportunity to support the arts in a direct, hands-on way. You’ll be guiding a pioneering organisation with a proven track record in working with UK diaspora communities to promote and celebrate poetry from around the world.
“What a privilege to serve on the PTC board and interact with the dedicated staff team to advance poetry in translation and nurture links across communities.” (Janet Remmington, PTC Trustee since 2018)
To find out more about the PTC please visit our website: www.poetrytranslation.org
Who are we looking for?
We are building a board with a broad range of skills, experiences, and perspectives. We are particularly interested in individuals with expertise in one or more of the following areas:
- Charity or arts sector governance
- Fundraising or partnership development
- Community outreach or audience development
- Literary translation or publishing
- Financial management
- Human resources
- Environmental sustainability
- Equity, diversity, and inclusion
Minimum requirements (essential)
- Experience in at least one of the areas listed above
- Appreciation of and commitment to the PTC’s mission, including:
- Promoting poetry in translation
- Working with diaspora communities in the UK
- Celebrating multilingualism and the art of translation
- Willingness to contribute time, energy, and expertise to help drive the charity forward
- Willingness to act as an advocate for the PTC, including through sharing contacts and helping to build partnerships and secure funding
Additional requirements (desirable)
- Previous experience of committee or board work in the arts, charity, or cultural sectors
- Professional or voluntary experience in an organisation supporting literary translation
- Professional or voluntary experience working with diaspora communities in the UK, particularly outside of London
Trustee commitments
- Prepare for and contribute to quarterly Board meetings (held online)
- Review Board papers and provide strategic input on plans, policies, and budgets
- Sign off on the charity’s annual plan and budget
- Attend the annual in-person “Together Day” in London (expenses covered)
- Serve a three-year term, with the option for renewal
- This is a voluntary, unremunerated position
Additional Chair requirements
- Proven leadership experience in the arts, charity, or cultural sectors
- Prior experience being part of a board or committee
- Strong communication and facilitation skills
- Confidence in acting as an ambassador for the organisation in external settings
Additional Chair commitments
The Chair plays a vital leadership role, working closely with the Director and steering the work of the wider Board. Specific responsibilities include:
- Coordinating the work of the Board and ensuring effective governance
- Leading on communication between the Board and the staff team
- Being the primary point of contact for the Director, who reports directly to the Chair
- Overseeing the recruitment and induction of new Board members when needed
- Actively representing the organisation as appropriate – this may include attending meetings with funders, speaking at public events, or representing the PTC in the media
How to apply
Please email the following to PTC Director Nariman Youssef on nariman@poetrytranslation.org, using ‘Board application – Chair’ or ‘Board application – Trustee’ in the subject line:
- Your CV (2 pages max)
- A statement of interest / cover letter (500 words max), explaining why you are interested in joining the PTC’s Board of Trustees and what you would bring to the position.
- Please indicate in your application whether you’re applying as a Trustee or Chair, or if you’d like to be considered for both.
We welcome candidates from all backgrounds and are particularly invested in having our Board of Trustees reflect the diversity of the artists we work with and the communities we serve. We will take positive action around this by guaranteeing an interview to any applicant who self-identifies as being from a diaspora heritage background and who has proven experience in any role in the arts, charity, or cultural sectors.
Candidates must be based in the UK.
Closing date for applications: 10 August 2025.
Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a 30-minutes online informal interview. Dates to be confirmed.
If you have any further questions about the application process or the work of the PTC, please contact Sam Dodd on sam@poetrytranslation.org or Nariman Youssef on on nariman@poetrytranslation.org. We look forward to hearing from you.
