Opportunity Position - Trustee

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Trustee Secretary also known as Secretary of Trustees 
Commitment: 5 hours per month (approx.) which includes Board meetings. Board meetings are held every other month for 2 hours (two via Zoom and one per quarter in London)
Contract type: Part-time
Salary: Voluntary position. Travel expenses will be paid at 25p per mile.
Deadline for applications: 31 December 2022
 

About Their Future Today

 

The aim of TFT is to bring and keep families together and see an end to the unnecessary and harmful institutionalisation of children in Sri Lanka.

From early parental intervention to stop neglect and abuse, through to fostering, adoption and reuniting families, we work tirelessly to make the children of Sri Lanka's lives better, forever. 

 

We work at a grassroots level to improve social and health care while providing education and vocational training for institutionalised and disadvantaged children. We reunite abandoned children with safe families and support until self-sufficient. Our inclusive work is preventing abandonment in the community and we are creating a recognised model to help overcome stigmas to give every forgotten child the right to a family, their education, and their right to a life.

 

About the role

 

TFT are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced individual to join a small, supportive and dynamic team as a Trustee and Secretary of the board. Alongside relevant experience, you will also possess an ability to work to tight deadlines, prioritising multiple tasks, and will be a natural team player with excellent written and spoken English.

 

Main Responsibilities

 

• To liaise with the chair and chief executive to plan, arrange and produce agendas and supporting papers for trustee meetings and for drafting the subsequent minutes

• To act as charity secretary and ensure that charity law, and regulatory requirements of reporting and public accountability are complied with

• Ensure that all meetings comply with the requirements of the governing document

• Arranging and administrating trustee meetings and any sub-committees in line with legal, and other regulatory requirements, and in accordance with the governing document

• Advise and guide the board on any legal and regulatory implications of the charity’s strategic plan

• Acting as the custodian of the governing document, in liaison with the trustees, reviewing its appropriateness and monitoring that the charity’s activities reflect the objects set out in the governing document. Also, to act as the holder of statutory registers and books, and other legal and important documents such as insurance policies

• Supporting the trustees in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities, organising trustee induction and ongoing training

• Ensuring that trustee decisions are implemented in accordance with the charity’s governing document or other internal operational procedures

• Ensuring the charity’s stationery, including electronic communications (emails, websites etc), orders, invoices, cheques and other relevant documents include all the details required under company law and, if applicable, charity law and/or VAT law

• Plan and prepare the committee meetings and AGM with others as appropriate (planning dates, booking rooms, sending out minutes and other papers

• Minute committee meetings or ensure another minute taker is available

• Accurately record decisions and actions in the minutes and report to the next committee meeting on the progress of actions and the result of decisions

 

Person Specification

 

Individuals are sought who have a strong empathy with our mission to help children and families. Experience, skills and expertise in charity law, an interest in the well-being of children combined with an in-depth understanding of our work and ambitions are particularly sought.

 

Knowledge, skills and understanding:

 

• Record keeping, information retrieval and dissemination of Management Committee data/documentation to the trustees and relevant parties

• Writing agendas and concise minutes

• Knowledge of Charity law and the voluntary sector

• Commitment to the organisation and a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort

• Preparedness to make recommendations to the board and a willingness to speak their mind with diplomacy

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

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

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Commitment to promoting equality and diversity.

• Ability to organize time and work to deadlines.

 

Context

 

The Board of Trustees is jointly responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity, its financial health, the integrity of its activities and developing the organisation’s aims, objectives and goals in accordance with the governing document, and legal and regulatory guidelines.

 

All trustees should also be aware of, and understand, their individual and collective responsibilities, and should not be overly reliant on one or more individual trustees in any particular aspect of the governance of the charity.

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Additional application instructions

Please note: This is an unpaid role. Please send an up-to-date CV and a short personal statement outlining your experience and why you would like to become involved (no more than 500 words) to joel@theirfuturetoday.com

 

We request no contact from agencies or media sales.