Governance Manager

Governance Manager

Starting Salary: £43,461 - £46,819 (inc London weighting) – This is the full-time salary, and the salary will be pro rate based on the hours of the post.   

Contract: FTC for approximately 6 months 

Job Profile

CAFOD, one of the 15 member agencies that make up the Disasters Emergency Committee, is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales and stands alongside vulnerable communities across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.  

CAFOD is seeking a Governance Manager to temporarily support our Leadership & Governance team. Reporting directly to CAFOD’s Director and managing the Leadership & Governance Officer, you will play a critical role in ensuring effective governance, strategic leadership, and strong Trustee relations during this interim period. This is a part-time position requiring two days of commitment per week for approximately six months.  

Key Responsibilities

During the period of cover, some of the key responsibilities include:  

Governance & Strategic Leadership 

• Providing oversight of CAFOD’s Governance work & assisting in the further development and funding of CAFOD’s governance. 

• Identify emerging trends in governance and ensure that learning is reflected in CAFOD’s work and proposals. 

• Working with the relative department heads to advise the Leadership Team on the likely impact of new initiatives on CAFOD’s current strategy.  

• Ensuring CAFOD’s work is in line with Charity Commission requirements and ethical standards are maintained.  

 Engagement & Reporting  

• With the Leadership and Governance Officer and L&G Assistant, to support the Director of CAFOD in managing the relationship between the Board of Trustees and Leadership Team. 

• Ensure that all aspects of the Leadership Team and Board meetings are organised and conducted effectively in line with CAFOD’s governance principles. 

• Providing strategic guidance and support to CAFOD’s Trustees and Leadership Team 

• Developing a plan for the production of CAFOD’s Annual Trustees Report, and project manage its delivery.  

• Assist with the external communication of CAFOD’s governance work with key donors and supporters.  

Team Leadership  

• Providing management/mentoring to the Leadership & Governance Assistant where applicable.  

• Working with the Leadership & Governance Officer in planning a governance work programme for 2025. 

• Provide guidance and oversight of all critical projects and support the team to deliver its objectives on time and to budget. 

• Overseeing the recruitment and induction of trustees to CAFOD’s Board.  

Safeguarding 

All CAFOD staff share the responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.  

Person Specification 

ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience of leading areas of governance alongside building strong professional relationships with trustees.  

In addition, the essential criteria for the role will include: 

• Experience of direct governance work in a registered charity  

• Experience in being responsible for all governance activity, including liaison with the Charity Commission and servicing a Board of Trustees 

• A collaborative and supportive management approach, with experience in managing staff especially in a small team setting. 

• Ability and willingness to transfer skills in facilitating the development of staff. 

Reward & Benefits  

At CAFOD we value our employees and are committed to offering a healthy work–life balance and promoting the well-being of our employees. 

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer great benefits including enhanced sick pay and a dedicated employee assistance programme.  

CAFOD is committed to being an anti-racist organisation and we are keen to increase the diversity of our teams. We are particularly keen to seek out applications from people of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. 

There's room for everyone: Catholics and non-Catholics; people of all faiths and none. We employ people in all corners of the world, of all ages and ethnicities. The result? A friendly and open-minded organisation. 

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults  

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behavior as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. 

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.