As a Trustee the commitment and energy you display will make a direct difference to the charity and everyone it helps. Being a trustee can be hard work and, for most, it’s unpaid. The trustees have the ultimate responsibility for running a charity, for its property, finances and the employment of any staff or volunteers. But being a trustee is also immensely rewarding, providing both expected and unexpected opportunities for personal development. And while you bring your skills and energy to running the charity, you will also find you are gaining new experience and knowledge. For instance, you will help plan the strategic future of the charity and its work, be involved in developing and managing staff and volunteers and make policy decisions for the charity. You will also ensure it’s accountable to its beneficiaries, to the Charity Commission and the public in general.

But you won’t be on your own. You’ll be joining a team of trustees and becoming part of the 900,000 charity trustees in England and Wales. Effective trustee boards need a range of people with a good mix of skills. The best boards are also diverse, with people who have a real understanding of the needs to be met and others with good financial, business and management experience. The rewards of working with, and learning from, people from different backgrounds and skills will be great.

Duties and Responsibilities

The duties of a trustee are:

• to ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document, organisation law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations.

• to ensure that the organisation pursues its objectives as defined in its governing document

• to ensure the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objectives, i.e. the organisation must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objectives, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are

• to contribute actively to the board of trustees' role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets

• to safeguard the good name and values of the organisation

• to represent the company at functions and meetings as appropriate

• to declare any conflict of interest while carrying out the duties of a trustee

• to be collectively responsible for the actions of the organisation and other trustees

• to ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation

• to abide by the organisation’s policies and procedures with a particular regards to the safeguarding and the equal opportunities policies.

• to ensure the financial stability of the organisation

• to protect and manage the property of the organisation and to ensure the proper investment of the organisation's funds

• to make sure the organisation is properly insured against all reasonable liabilities

• to appoint and support the employees and monitor their performance

• in addition to the above statutory duties of all trustees, each trustee should use any specific knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This

will involve scrutinizing board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, and providing advice and guidance requested by the board on new initiatives, or other issues relevant to the area of, the organisation's work in which the trustee has special expertise

• to attend meetings, and to read papers in advance of meetings

• to attend sub-committee meetings as appropriate

• to participate in other tasks as arise from time to time, such as interviewing new staff, helping with fundraising

• to keep informed about the activities of the organisation and wider issues which affect its work

Trustee Person Specification

Each trustee must have:

• integrity

• a commitment to the organisation and its objectives

• an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship

• a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to their duties as a trustee

• strategic vision

• good, independent judgment

• an ability to think creatively

• willingness to speak their mind

• an ability to work effectively as a member of a team

• lawful eligibility to act as a trustee

The board of Trustees will need skills and experience in the following areas:

• setting targets, monitoring and evaluating performance and programmes in commercial and non-profit organisations

• financial management

• the type of work being done by the organisation

• legal matters

• fundraising

• recruitment and personnel management, including a knowledge of

• employment legislation

• public relations

• marketing

• computers and information technology

• campaigning

• education and learning

• strategic business and succession planning

The Trustee board seeks to maintain a membership that has a wide-ranging level of experience so that the Board as a whole has the skills and experience to draw upon in its governance and decision making roles.

Please contact Julie Blackmore by clicking the apply button below or ring 01622 692383 to request further information and application form.