TRUSTEE SECRETARY

Secretary Job Description 

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 (the charity must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objects, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are).  

• To contribute actively to the board of trustees' role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.  

• To safeguard the good name and values of the organisation.  

• To ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.  

• 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.  

In addition to the above statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives or other issues in which the trustee has special expertise. 

Additional duties 

Either personally or by delegation, the secretary should: 

• Receive agenda items from other trustees/staff  

• Prepare agendas in consultation with the chair and chief executive  

• Circulate agendas and supporting papers in good time  

• Check that a quorum is present  

• Minute the meetings and circulating the draft minutes to all trustees  

• Ensure that the minutes are signed by the chair once they have been approved  

• Check that trustees and staff have carried out action agreed at a previous meeting  

• Circulate agendas and minutes of the annual general meeting and any special or extraordinary general meetings  

• Sit on appraisal, recruitment and disciplinary panels as required  

Secretary person specification 

• Commitment to the organisation  

• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort  

• Strategic vision  

• Good, independent judgement  

• Ability to think creatively  

• Willingness to speak their mind  

• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship  

• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team  

• Nolan's seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership  

• Organisational ability  

• Knowledge or experience of business and committee procedures  

• Minute-taking experience, if this is not being delegated to staff