Chair of the Board of Trustees

The overall role of the chair is help organise and run trustee meetings. They are responsible for ensuring that the organisation is following correct governance and meeting its charitable duties.

Chair of Bath Sound

In addition to the general responsibilities of a trustee, duties of the Chair include the following.

·       Providing leadership to the organisation and the board by ensuring that everyone remains focused on the delivery of the organisation’s charitable purposes in order to provide greater public benefit

·       Chairing and facilitating board meetings

·       Giving direction to board policy-making

·       Checking that decisions taken at meetings are implemented

·       Representing the organisation at functions and meetings, and acting as a spokesperson as appropriate

·       Bringing impartiality and objectivity to decision-making

·       Planning the annual cycle of board meetings and other general meetings where required, for example annual general meeting

·       Setting agendas for board and other general meetings

·       Developing the board of trustees including induction, training, appraisal and succession planning

·       Addressing conflict within the board and within the organisation, and liaising with the chief executive (if staff are employed) to achieve this

Where staff are employed:

·       Liaising with the chief executive to keep an overview of the organisation’s affairs and to provide support as appropriate

·       Leading the process of supporting and appraising the performance of the chief executive

·       Sitting on appointment and disciplinary panels

·       The vice-chair acts for the chair when the chair is not available and undertakes assignments at the request of the chair

Person specification

In addition to the person specification for a trustee, the treasurer should have the following qualities.

·       Leadership skills

·       Experience of committee work

·       Tact and diplomacy

·       Good communication and interpersonal skills

·       Impartiality, fairness and the ability to respect confidences.

In most circumstances, it would also be desirable for the chair/vice-chair to have knowledge of the type of work undertaken by the organisation and a wider involvement with the voluntary sector and other networks.