Trustee

Purpose 

The Trustee role is voluntary with meetings taking place a minimum of once a quarter. Trustees are responsible for: 

• controlling Navigates management and administration 

• ensuring that Navigates income and property are used only for the purposes set out in the 

• governing document and for no other purpose 

• acting reasonably and prudently in all matters relating to the charity 

• acting in the best interests of the charity. 

Main Duties 

1) Comply with Navigates governing document and law. The successful Trustee and your co-trustees must: 

• Make sure that the charity complies with its governing document 

• Comply with charity law requirements and other laws that apply to Navigate 

• As a Trustee, you should take responsible steps to find out about legal requirements for example, by reading relevant guidance or taking appropriate advice when you need to. 

2) Act in Navigates best interests, you must: 

• Do what you and your co-trustees (and no one else) decide will enable the Charity to carry out its purposes 

• With co-trustees make balanced and adequately informed decisions, thinking about the short term and charities future 

• Avoid putting yourself in a position where your duty to Navigate conflicts with your personal interests or loyalty to any other person or body 

• Not receive any benefit from Navigate unless it is properly authorised and is clearly in the charity’s interests; this also includes anyone who is financially connected to you. 

3) Manage Navigates resources responsibly–the successful trustee(s) must act responsibly, reasonably and honestly (duty prudence). The trustees must: 

• make sure Navigates assets are only used to support or carry out its purposes  

• avoid exposing the assets, beneficiaries or reputation to undue risk 

• Not over-commit the charity 

• take special care when investing or borrowing 

• comply with any restrictions on spending funds 

4)  Act with reasonable care and skill 

• must use reasonable care and skill, making use of your skills and experience and taking appropriate advice when necessary 

• should give enough time, thought and energy to your role, for example by preparing for, attending and actively participating in all trustees’ meetings (once a quarter). 

5)  Ensure that Navigate is accountable by complying with statutory accounting and reporting requirements. You should also: 

• be able to demonstrate that your charity is complying with the law, well run and effective  

• ensure appropriate accountability to members, if your charity has a membership separate from the trustees 

• ensure accountability within the charity, particularly where you delegate responsibility for particular tasks or decisions to staff or volunteers 

Essential – 

The successful candidate(s) will meet the Charities Commission eligibility criteria, specifically:  

• You must be at least 16 years old to be a trustee of a charitable company or a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO), 

• You must not act as a trustee if you are disqualified under the Charities Act, unless your disqualification has been waived by the Commission. 

• Fit and proper persons - Finance Act 2010 requires all of the charity’s managers (including trustees) to be ‘fit and proper persons’. 

• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks – an enhanced DBS check: this will include a check against the relevant barred list. 

• A client focused approach to service delivery 

• Excellent communication skills 

• Ability to think creatively 

• Competent IT skills 

• Knowledge, skills or experience in one or more of the following areas: PR/Marketing/Communications, Fundraising, Education, Mental Health / Health and Wellbeing 

Desirable - The successful candidate(s) may evidence; 

• Knowledge/experience of the free advice/charity sector 

• Knowledge/experience of Social Policy Issues 

• A sound understanding of money and debt advice processes, procedures and ethics.