Role Description

Role: Chair of The Board of Trustees
Term of Office: Max. 2 terms of three years
Remuneration: Unpaid, Travel and Subsistence Expenses reimbursed

Requirements of the role

The Chair will hold the Board and Executive Team to account for the Charity’s mission and vision, providing inclusive leadership to the Board of Trustees, ensuring that each Trustee fulfils their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity.

The Chair will also support, and, where appropriate, challenge the Chief Executive and ensure that the Board functions as a unit, and works closely with the Executive of the charity to achieve agreed objectives. The Chair will focus on the Charity’s governance and regulatory compliance and act as an ambassador and a public face of the Charity, working in partnership with the Chief Executive helping him or her achieve the mission of the organisation. They will help to optimise the relationship between the Board and its staff/volunteers.

General Responsibilities:

• To ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• To ensure that the organisation pursues its objects as defined in its governing document.
• To ensure the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects.
• To contribute actively to the Board’s role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
• To ensure the financial stability of the organisation.
• To protect and manage the property of the charity and to ensure the proper investment of the charity’s funds.
• To lead the process of appraising the performance and act as line manager of the Chief Executive.
• To ensure the suitability of Trustees and that each Trustee complies with the Trustee Code of Conduct and to take appropriate action where necessary where there is non-compliance or conduct issues.
• To be aware of Equality Diversity & Inclusion characteristics and ensure that these are considered appropriately throughout all work undertaken

Additional duties of the Chair:

• Provide leadership for the Trust, its Board of Trustees, staff and members.
• Review the annual cycle of Board meetings.
• Set agendas for Board meetings.
• Chair and facilitate Board meetings.
• To have the casting vote if the Board cannot reach majority.
• Give direction to Board policy-making.
• Monitoring implementation of decisions taken at meetings.
• In emergency situations authorise immediate action required to minimise damage to the organisation.
• Represent the organisation at functions, meetings.
• Act as a spokesperson as appropriate.
• Bring impartiality and objectivity to decision-making.
• Liaise with the Chief Executive to keep an overview of the organisation’s affairs and to provide support as appropriate.
• Lead the process of annually appraising the Trustee Board members.
• Liaise with the CEO to develop the Board of Trustees.
• Facilitate change and address conflict within the Board and within the organisation, liaising with the CEO (if staff are employed) to achieve this.

Governance

• Ensure that the governance arrangements are working in the most effective way for the Charity, and in line with regulatory requirements
• Encourage positive change where appropriate, and address and resolve any conflicts within the Board
• Appraise the performance of the Trustees and the Board on an annual basis
• Ensure that the Board of Trustees is regularly refreshed and incorporates the right balance of skills, knowledge and experience needed to govern and lead the charity effectively, and which also reflects the wider population
• Work within any agreed policies adopted by the charity