Secretary to the Board of Trustees

Job title: Trustee Secretary also known as Secretary of Trustees

Commitment: 5 hours per month (approx.) which includes Board meetings.

Board meetings: Held 5 times a year both in-person and (a minimum of 2) online. One is also an ‘away day’

Contract type: Part-time

Location: Ideally located in the south of England and able to travel to Ox/Bucks/London region for board meetings.

Salary: Voluntary position. Travel expenses will be paid at 25p per mile.

Deadline for applications: 15th March 2025 (applications may close early so please apply asap)

About Been There:

Been There is a charity that uses an app to connect people aged 18 and over with a vetted and trained Mentor to help with any body image issues they may be experiencing. This gives them the opportunity to speak to someone who has ‘Been There’ themselves. Our Mentors are here to support, empower and, most importantly, listen.

About the role:

Been There is looking for an enthusiastic and experienced individual to join a small, supportive and dynamic team as a Trustee and Secretary of the board. Alongside relevant experience, you will also possess an ability to work to tight deadlines, prioritising multiple tasks, and will be a natural team player with excellent written and spoken English.

Main Responsibilities:

●       To liaise with the chair and chief executive to plan, arrange and produce agendas and supporting papers for trustee meetings and for drafting the subsequent minutes

●       To act as charity secretary and ensure that charity law, and regulatory requirements of reporting and public accountability are complied with

●       Ensure that all meetings comply with the requirements of the governing document

●       Arranging and administrating trustee meetings and any sub-committees in line with legal, and other regulatory requirements, and in accordance with the governing document

●       Advise and guide the board on any legal and regulatory implications of the charity’s strategic plan

●       Acting as the custodian of the governing document, in liaison with the trustees, reviewing its appropriateness and monitoring that the charity’s activities reflect the objects set out in the governing document. Also, to act as the holder of statutory registers and books, and other legal and important documents such as insurance policies

●       Supporting the trustees in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities, organising trustee induction and ongoing training

●       Ensuring that trustee decisions are implemented in accordance with the charity’s governing document or other internal operational procedures

●       Ensuring the charity’s stationery, including electronic communications (emails, websites etc.), orders, invoices, cheques and other relevant documents include all the details required under company law and, if applicable, charity law and/or VAT law

●       Plan and prepare the committee meetings and AGM with others as appropriate (planning dates, booking rooms, sending out minutes and other papers

●       Minute committee meetings or ensure another minute taker is available

●       Accurately record decisions and actions in the minutes and report to the next committee meeting on the progress of actions and the result of decisions

●       Taking ownership of the reviewing and updating of policies by the Trustees.

Person Specification

Individuals are sought who have a strong empathy with any body image issues and related mental health concerns. Experience, skills and expertise in charity law, an interest in the well-being of people combined with an in-depth understanding of our work and ambitions are particularly sought.

Knowledge, skills and understanding:

●       Record keeping, information retrieval and dissemination of Management Committee data/documentation to the trustees and relevant parties

●       Writing agendas and concise minutes

●       Knowledge of Charity law and the voluntary sector

●       Commitment to the organisation and a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort

●       Preparedness to make recommendations to the board and a willingness to speak their mind with diplomacy

●       An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship

●       An ability to work effectively as a member of a team

●       Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

●       Commitment to promoting equality and diversity.

●       Ability to organize time and work to deadlines.

To apply for the Trustee Secretary position at Been There, please submit your CV and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and interest in the role.

Thank you for your interest.

Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Statement:

Diversity, equity and inclusion are at the heart of what we value as an organisation. Been There is an equal opportunities employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other status protected by law. Our recruitment team are happy to support any reasonable adjustments that are needed within the recruitment process.

Further Information

Context – Being a Trustee

The Board of Trustees is jointly responsible for the overall governance and strategic direction of the charity, its financial health, the integrity of its activities and developing the organisation’s aims, objectives and goals in accordance with the governing document, and legal and regulatory guidelines.

All trustees should also be aware of, and understand, their individual and collective responsibilities, and should not be overly reliant on one or more individual trustees in any aspect of the governance of the charity.

The statutory duties of a trustee are:

●       To ensure the organisation complies with its governing document.

●       To ensure that the organisation pursues its objectives as defined in its governing document.

●       To ensure the organisation applies its resources exclusively in the pursuit of its objectives - the charity must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objectives, no matter how 'charitable' and 'worthwhile' 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 organisation and to ensure the proper investment of the organisation's funds.

●       If the organisation employs staff, appoint the CEO and monitor his or her performance.

In addition, with other trustees to hold the charity “in trust” for current and future beneficiaries by:

●       Ensuring that the charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction and is focused on achieving these.

●       Being responsible for the performance of the charity and for its “corporate” behaviour; ensuring that the charity complies with all legal and regulatory requirements.

●       Acting as guardians of the charity’s assets, both tangible and intangible, taking all due care over their security, deployment and proper application.

●       Ensuring that the charity’s governance is of the highest possible standard.

●       Trustees are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement at the time of joining the board.

●       As well as the various statutory duties, any trustee should make full use of any specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the board make good decisions.