Governance Volunteer Roles

We are recruiting several board member roles including Secretary and Treasurer and general Non-Executive Director. All board members share these responsibilities and requirements:

~ Provide governance oversight over our legal and financial duties as a Community Interest Company. 

 ~Guide OSN staff, team leaders and contractors, to deliver our mission and strategy. 

For some responsibilities on the Board i.e.the legal, finance and fundraising, will require a degree of management of our delivery due to these being underdeveloped areas within the organisation.

About Circles South East

Circles South East, based in Oxfordshire, is an award-winning charity which works to reduce the impact and instances of sexual harm through prevention, rehabilitation, education and safeguarding.

We have a long record of working within the field of reducing impact of sexual harm. We work with Survivors and others impacted by sexual violence to help them heal and perpetrators to help them to avoid re-offending. 

We are organisational members of the BACP, and take referrals from organisations such as Victim Support, Children’s and Social Services, Rape Crisis, Probation Victim Liaison Units, GP Surgeries etc as well as from potential clients themselves.

Volunteers are at the core of what we do, and operate across all aspects of our work.

What will you be doing?

Trustees ensure their charity has a clear strategy and that all decisions put the needs of the service users first. They safeguard the charity’s assets – both physical assets, including property, and intangible ones, such as its reputation. They make sure these are used well and that the charity is run sustainably. They hold the CEO to account and provide support and encouragement to them and the team. Trustees are jointly responsible for all their decisions and work together to ensure the charity delivers it’s aims.

A full list of duties can be found in the candidate pack attached.

This role is mainly home-based.

What are we looking for?

We are particularly, but not exclusively, interested from hearing from people with the following skills/experience:

· Legal

· Business

· Marketing & Branding

· London communities. We work in a lot of London communities and have no one on our board with knowledge of this part of the UK

We would especially welcome applicants who are from Black, Asian or other minoritised ethnic groups, people with a disability, and young people under the age of 35’ who are all under-represented on our board. We strongly value the contribution that people with these characteristics would bring to our board discussions.

What difference will you make?

We are looking for a Trustees to contribute to our plans for an exciting future. While continuing to provide Circles across the South East we aim to further develop our complementary services of counselling, victim support and training. We are constantly innovating new methods to deliver our goals and currently have two funded pilot projects which we hope to further develop. We have recently secured sustainable funding for our core Circles work providing trustees with a fabulous opportunity to be part of the charity as we build on this.

Commitment:

Estimate of time needed: up to five hours per month.

The board normally meets 5 times a year. The board meetings are quarterly and usually take place 4-6pm on a weekday. We are currently meeting remotely.

Chairwoman - LAWRS

Voluntary, up to 5 hours per week

Salary: unpaid role, expenses paid

Location: Hybrid work (monthly Board meetings are currently being held remotely)

Become a Trustee of Pregnant Then Screwed- Our vision is for a society where care is valued and in which pregnant women and mothers in all their diversity are enabled to fulfil their potential; creating a stronger, happier, better future for us all.

Trustees are integral volunteers who steer the course of Pregnant Then Screwed. We're currently seeking up to 5 new trustees as some current board members are concluding their terms this year and we’re keen to diversify our board.

We are looking for individuals inspired by our mission, and are seeking to appoint board members with experience, skills and expertise that will enhance our ability to tackle the discrimination mothers face.

We are seeking individuals with these general skills :

• Strategic vision, integrity, and independent judgement.

• Creativity in problem-solving.

• Understanding of trusteeship legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities.

• Experience in committee work.

• Tact and diplomacy.

• Dedication to investing necessary time and effort (approximately 2 days per month).

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Impartiality, fairness and discretion.

• Knowledge of charity law, governance, and financial management.

• Proficiency in monitoring and evaluating performance in the charity sector.

• Engagement in fundraising and engagement activities for Pregnant Then Screwed.

• Provide guidance on new initiatives and other issues in your area of expertise.

And would particularly welcome applications from candidates with a track-record in the following areas (we do not expect you to have ALL these):

• Digital Communications: Utilising digital platforms for effective communication.

• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): Commitment to promoting EDI.

• Safeguarding Adults: Knowledge and experience in safeguarding.

• Charity Fundraising: Developing and executing fundraising strategies.

• Research and Data Analysis: Gathering, analysing, and interpreting data.

• Membership Development: Implementing strategies to attract and retain members.

• Engaging Corporates: Building and maintaining corporate relationships.

• A good working knowledge of either the political landscape in Scotland and/or the childcare sector in Scotland - its challenges, policies and opportunities for improvement. As well as being well networked with Scottish Parliamentarians / relevant Scottish charities / those in the Scottish childcare sector.

• Experience of Working in the Trade Union sector: Familiarity with union dynamics and issues.

• Human Resources (HR): Understanding HR practices, especially related to maternity discrimination.

• People and Culture: Experience of developing organisational culture in alignment with our commitment to equity and inclusion.

Global Dialogue has a friendly and collegiate board with a range of expertise and experience. Although trustees occasionally meet in person in London, most board meetings are held online and remote participation is always possible, and we welcome applications from outside the UK. We have a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and always value applications from people with personal experience of the issues our hosted programmes seek to address. At this stage in our development, we also value expertise in one or more of the following areas:

• Diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-racism or anti-oppression work
• An international perspective on human rights or social justice work, from individuals based either in the UK or overseas; we are particularly interested in hearing from potential trustees from the global south
• Grantmaking experience, especially with participatory or trust-based approaches • charity finance, particularly in relation to a larger charity
• Brand, communications and voice

If you share our commitment to advancing rights, equity and diversity in philanthropy, we would be delighted to hear from you. For full details of the role, see the Trustee Application Pack.

Overall Purpose of Role

• To ensure on behalf of the Board that Plateful Cafe’s assets are properly managed, only used for approved purposes, and applied as effectively as possible
• Jointly oversee the financial affairs of the organisation and ensure they are legal, constitutional and within accepted accounting practice

Main Responsibilities

• Share the responsibility of jointly reporting the financial position (balance sheet, cash flow, fundraising performance etc).
• Jointly oversee the production of necessary financial reports/returns, accounts and audits and the production of an annual budget and propose its adoption at the last meeting of the previous financial year.
• To ensure jointly that proper accounts and records are kept and that Plateful Cafe meets its legal obligations in respect of its financial affairs and financial reporting
• To ensure jointly that Plateful Cafe’s financial resources are spent in line with good governance and legal and regulatory requirements
• To be jointly instrumental in the development and implementation of Plateful Cafe's financial policies
• To jointly supervise and assist Finance assistants

Main Tasks
- Liaising with the appropriate member(s) of volunteers responsible for Plateful Cafe’s
financial activities and financial record-keeping
- Make members aware of their financial obligations and take a lead in interpreting
financial data to them.
- Monitoring that financial systems and controls are in place and adhered to
- Assist the fundraising team and team with Funding applications with the finance
questions
- Assist with preparing budgets and other financial information for funding bids
- Assist volunteers with the preparation of financial reports for funders
- Acting as a financial spokesperson for Plateful Cafe as appropriate
- Ensure proper records are kept and that effective financial procedures and controls
are in place, ie:

• Cheque signatories
• Purchasing limits
• Purchasing systems
• Petty cash/ float
• Others as appropriate

- Appraising the financial viability of plans, proposals and feasibility studies.

- Lead on appointing and liaising with auditors/an independent examiner.

- Undertake bookkeeping duties and/or oversee the finance volunteer ensuring posting
and bookkeeping is kept up-to-date.

- Maintain the petty cash system and regularly process petty cash claims.

- Regularly carry out reconciliations/ oversee regular reconciliations by the finance
volunteer.

- Arrange payments to creditors as appropriate and arrange appropriate signatures on
payments.

- Make the necessary arrangements to collect payments from debtors and bank
payments promptly.

Qualities
 Knowledge and experience of current and fundraising finance practice relevant to
voluntary and community organisations.
 Knowledge of bookkeeping and financial management (as necessary).
 Good financial analysis skills.
 Ability to communicate clearly
 Previous usage of Free Agent system preferable
 Attention to details
 Preferable previous experience on payroll
 Experience on preparing budget

NNRF is seeking a new Chair to work in partnership with our members and trustee board to lead the organisation into its next phase of development. We are seeking someone with excellent leadership skills and governance experience, who is passionate about the needs of refugees and asylum seekers. 

Established in 2000, we are an independent registered charity set up to work with and for refugees and asylum seekers in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. Our Vision is a society where asylum seekers and refugees are welcomed, receive fair and compassionate treatment and the support to rebuild their lives. 

NNRF currently employs 50 staff members and has a Trustee Board of 12 who ensure the charity runs according to its constitution and statutory obligations. Board meetings are held in person, bi-monthly. Most trustees also sit on one or more sub-committees reporting to the Board. 
Key Duties and Responsibilities of the Chair of NNRF 

The Chair along with the other board members has the primary function of holding the management team to account, ensuring they work effectively to promote the charity’s objectives. 

To this end you will provide inclusive leadership, ensuring that each trustee fulfils their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity. The Chair will also support the Director and ensure that the Board functions as a unit and works closely with the entire workforce, including volunteers, to achieve agreed objectives. You will act as an ambassador and the public face of the charity in partnership with the Director. 

Six Board meetings are held per year. The Chair is supported by an active Board and is expected to have regular meetings with the vice chair, the treasurer, and the director. The chair may be called upon to represent the Charity at occasional events with key stakeholders. The Chair sits on the finance and human resource committees which meet monthly, and is supported by the treasurer, vice-chair and secretary to the Board.

Process of selection

All trustees are elected by our membership at the annual general meeting in November. The current board will nominate candidates for election following an interview with the Chair and Vice-chair. The nomination would require the prospective Chair to attend board meetings as a co-opted member prior to the AGM. 
If elected as a board member, the new Chair will be mentored by the current Chair in the first few six months of the role. The Board will review the Chair’s appointment after six months.