Devon Air Ambulance Trustees & Devon Air Ambulance Trading Company Ltd Non-Executive Directors
Trustees and Non-Executive Directors are crucial to Devon Air Ambulance and ultimately contribute to helping us save lives.
It’s important that our Trustees and Non-Executive Directors reflect the community that Devon Air Ambulance serves and bring different experiences and backgrounds that add a huge amount of value to our organisation. By having diverse Boards, for both the Charity and Trading Company, we will be better able to make great decisions, be more innovative and creative. DAA has been through a significant period of change in the past few years with becoming a Care Quality Commission regulated independent healthcare provider, welcoming a new H145 helicopter and three critical car cars into service, an organisational restructure, not to mention of course a pandemic that impacted every aspect of our organisation. We continue to plan for growth and development of our service with exciting plans for a new HQ and operations centre that are in the early stages of development.
We are looking for people who can support our journey, be critical friends and help shape our organisation to be fit for the future. We would also like to receive Expressions of Interest for the Chair of the DAA Trading Company Board. Additionally, DAA is particularly keen to have Trustees or Non-Executive Directors who can bring the following areas of expertise: pre-hospital or emergency care, clinical governance, leadership, organisational development, fundraising, property development, finance and environmental sustainability.
It is essential applicants are familiar with or able to learn how to use Microsoft Teams and standard MS Office software to a reasonable level.
What can a Trustee expect from Devon Air Ambulance?
- Training – our Trustees receive an induction and then a phased training programme including governance and finance training. Some training may be role specific.
- Trustee Buddy – you’ll be paired with one of our experienced board members who can offer guidance and support.
- Skills development – you can expect to develop the following skills in your role as a Trustee: critical thinking, strategic planning, good governance practice, charity sector, aviation and health service provider experience.
How to apply
Please submit a written expression of interest, of no more than one side of A4 in length, giving us details about you as a person, any relevant qualifications or experience and, importantly, what you feel you can bring to the board and what you are looking for from us! Please refer to the Application Pack for further information on expectations of a Trustee and Non-Executive Director.
Application deadline: Midday on Monday 30th September 2024
Interviews will be held at the end of October 2024
If you would like to have an informal chat to find out what life as a Trustee or Non-Executive Director of DAA is like, please contact us and we will organise a suitable time for you to speak with Will Matthewman, Chair of Trustees, to find out more information.
Trustees are selected without regard to sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, marital status, gender orientation and religious beliefs in accordance with the organisation’s Equality, Diversity & Inclusion policy.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Our trustees play a vital role in making sure that Upbeat Communities achieves its core purpose. They oversee the overall management and administration of the charity, and they also ensure we have a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision. Just as importantly, they support and challenge the leadership team to enable Upbeat Communities to grow and thrive, and through this, empower refugees to thrive.
Through regular meetings, strategy days and written reports provided to the board, trustees are able to set the direction of the organisation, develop its strategic objectives and support and keep the staff team accountable in delivering on these
strategic goals.
Trustee meetings are currently held every 2 months either in person in Derby or online (hybrid). We have an annual strategy away day and trustees are also invited to be part of our sub-committees. Trustees are requested to be available to attend occasional ‘unscheduled’ meetings or engage in email communications which address urgent business as it arises, join working groups when needed and spend time preparing for meetings by reading and considering the papers circulated before meetings.
Benefits of Being a Trustee
We believe being a trustee of Upbeat Communities offers a number of fantastic
benefits:
- Strategic decision-making that positively impacts the lives of over a thousand
- asylum seekers and refugees every year
- Supporting an innovative, talented and passionate staff team as they develop
- our work and explore new services and ways of working
- Being part of a committed and focused trustee team working to see the charity
- grow
- Using your skills, experience and passion to contribute to an effective and wellfunctioning
- board
- Opportunities to learn new skills and experiences to contribute to your own
- personal development
Duties
Any individual acting as a trustee for Upbeat Communities would be required to
carry out the following:
- Promote the vision, mission and values of the charity
- Ensure Upbeat Communities and its representatives function within all legal and
- regulatory requirements applicable, and in line with its constitution, continually
- striving for best practice in governance
- Determine the overall direction and development of Upbeat Communities
- through good governance and clear strategic planning
- Approve operational strategies and policies, and monitor and evaluate their
- implementation
- Oversee Upbeat Communities’ financial plans and budgets and monitor and
- evaluate progress
- Review and approve the charity’s financial statements
- Ensure that key risks are being identified, monitored and controlled effectively
- Provide support and challenge to Upbeat Communities’ Chief Executive in the
- exercise of their delegated authority and affairs
- Contribute to regular reviews of Upbeat Communities’ own governance.
- Attend Board meetings, and be adequately prepared to contribute to
- discussions.
- Use independent judgment, acting legally and in good faith to promote and
- protect the charity’s interests, avoiding any personal conflict of interests
- Take appropriate professional advice in all matters where there may be a
- material risk to the charity
- Maintain confidentiality about all aspects of the trustee’s business
Finance Specific Duties
- Lead on the strategic financial management of the charity at board level
- Liaise with our outsourced finance team (including our Finance Director)
- Chair the finance sub-committee (which meets 6 times per year ahead of every
- board meeting)
- Maintain a clear grasp of the charity’s financial position and ensure full and
- timely financial transparency and information disclosure to the board
- Support the board of trustees in financial decision making processes
- Review and approve annual budgets
- Advise on banking and investments
- Take an active role in the financial audit process
- Contribute to the financial management of our trading subsidiary (Upbeat
- Enterprises Limited)
Empowering individuals and families to thrive as they rebuild their lives.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.