Trustee

The deadline for applications is Sunday 17th November 2024.

Location:               Global

Location type:      Hybrid

Reporting to:        Board Chair

Annual salary:      The role of Trustee is voluntary

Contract type:      Trustees serve a three-year term to be eligible for re-appointment

Candidate level:    Board

 

MAP’s Mission

Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) works for the health and dignity of Palestinians living under occupation and as refugees. MAP is the leading UK charity delivering health and medical care to those worst affected by conflict, occupation, and displacement in the occupied Palestinian territory and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

 

Job Purpose

Medical Aid for Palestinians is seeking to appoint at least two, and up to four, additional Trustees, one of whom is to be appointed as Chair-designate.

The Trustees are the governing body of MAP and are, collectively and personally, ultimately responsible for all the charity’s activities. MAP is a company limited by guarantee, so the Trustees are also the legal Directors of the charitable company.

Trustees are responsible for providing appropriate oversight, governance and strategic leadership to MAP in the pursuit of its charitable purposes.

MAP particularly welcomes applications from people with one or more of the following:

· Palestinian heritage or lived experience in the occupied Palestinian territories.

· Professional medical or clinical expertise, particularly in the contexts of international development and/or conflict.

· High-level experience in advocacy, campaigns and communications.

· High-level experience in fundraising.

 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Values

· Uphold MAP’s charitable aims and fundamental values.

· Ensure that MAP’s fundamental values are reflected in Board and Committee discussions, and decisions and promoted throughout MAP’s work.

· Safeguard the good name and reputation of MAP.

Relationships

· Build and maintain effective relations between the Board, MAP’s staff (in the UK, the occupied Palestinian territories and Lebanon) and its external stakeholders.

Strategy and Performance

· Contribute actively to the Board’s role in giving strategic direction, setting overall policy, defining objectives and setting targets.

· Keep informed about the activities of MAP and wider issues which affect its work.

· Regularly review and evaluate the performance of the charity’s management in meeting agreed goals and objectives.

· Ensure MAP’s projects and programmatic activities are critically monitored and evaluated.

· Ensure the Board’s decisions are effectively implemented by the Chief Executive Officer.

· Ensure MAP’s long-term sustainability.

Stewardship

· Ensure that MAP complies with its constitution, charity law, company law and other applicable legislation and regulations.

· Promote a high standard of governance in compliance with regulatory requirements and the Charity Governance Code.

· Ensure that MAP remains financially viable and resilient.

· Ensure that MAP makes proper use of its financial and other resources in pursuit of its charitable objectives.

· Ensure that financial controls and systems of risk management are appropriate and robust.

· Ensure that the Board is kept fully informed by way of timely and relevant information.

· Participate in the appointment of the CEO and other staff as appropriate.

 

Board Activities

· Participate fully in the work of the Board.

· Participate in Board induction, training and evaluation, individually or as a member of the Board, as appropriate.

· Attend Board and applicable sub-committee meetings, and read the papers provided in advance of the meetings.

· Participate in individual and Board performance appraisals, and attend any additional training recommended as a result of the evaluation process.

· Uphold the highest standards of integrity and probity.

 

Person Specification

Skills and Abilities

· Understands MAP’s aims and objectives and are aligned with the organisation’s fundamental values.

· Has prior governance experience at board level or equivalent, which may be in the charity, public or private sectors.

· Ability to think strategically.

· Ability to base their judgements on relevant and reliable evidence.

· Capacity to work effectively as part of a team and take an inclusive and collegial approach to discussions and decision making.

Background and Experience (Chair-designate)

The new Chair-designate will be an individual of exceptional calibre who can guide and enhance the strategic development of MAP. They will additionally demonstrate the following:

· A strong personal connection to MAP’s aims and objectives.

· Proven track record of strategic leadership in complex international operations.

· Demonstrated success in chairing Boards or governance committees.

· A clear appreciation of the governance role of the Board and the delegation of specified responsibilities to management.

 

Terms and Conditions

Duration

The Trustee will be appointed to serve for an initial term of three years. At the end of the initial term, the Trustee will be eligible to be re-appointed for up to two further three-year terms.

Location

There are no requirements regarding a Trustee’s location. MAP’s head office is in Central London. Trustees are encouraged to attend meetings in person, but if this is not possible, videoconference facilities are provided.

Remuneration

The role of the Trustee is a voluntary one and is therefore unpaid. However, MAP will reimburse all out-of-pocket expenses reasonably incurred by the Trustee in the course of their duties.

Time Commitment

Immediately following an appointment, MAP will agree on a personalised induction plan. The time commitment for this plan will depend partly on the Trustee’s prior knowledge and experience.

MAP hold a minimum of four board meetings a year, conducted on a hybrid basis as noted above. These normally last between three and four hours including a break. There is usually also one full-day session per year dedicated to strategic planning, for which attendance in person is highly desirable.

The Trustee will be expected to join one of the sub-committees of the board. Sub-committee meetings are also held four times a year, on a hybrid basis, and normally last around two hours.

In addition to preparing for and attending meetings, the Trustee will be expected to participate in routine governance activities such as training, appraisals, and recruitment or exit interviews.

Ordinarily, the above commitments would entail between one and two days per month. Applicants are advised that, since the events of October 2023, MAP’s activities have expanded enormously and some of the current Trustees have been contributing significantly more time than this.

The deadline for applications is Sunday 17th November 2024.

 

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Daryl Upsall International actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion. In recruiting candidates, we seek candidates with the proven skills required; irrespective of race, gender, religion or belief, age, disability or sexual orientation.