Chair of the Trustee Board

What will you do?

● complete an induction for your role

● maintain an awareness of how the local Citizens Advice is operating

● plan the board meetings including the dates and the agenda, with the Company/Charity Secretary and the Chief Officer

● read papers for board meetings and attend six board meetings per year

● facilitate the trustee board meetings by leading the meeting, ensuring that agenda items are discussed, enabling all members to contribute their views and take part and seeking clarification where necessary

● ensure that decisions and actions taken at board meetings are carried out

● ensure that the board decisions are made within the remit of the Citizens Advice membership agreement, governing documents and policies

● monitor attendance and commitment of all trustees

● provide or arrange for training or support for trustees if needed

● with other trustees and the Chief Officer, recruit a trustee board with a diverse range of skills, experience and knowledge with an aim to promote trusteeship to underrepresented groups that represent the community

● ensure that all trustees receive an induction and the training needed for them to fulfil their role

● be proactive in recruiting successors to key positions such as Chair, Treasurer etc

● arrange or provide support and supervision for the Chief Officer including an annual appraisal

● together with the Treasurer, ensure proper management and control of local Citizens Advice finances

● together with the Chief Officer, represent the local Citizens Advice in relationships with funders or potential funders, local events and in the community

● work together with all trustees and ensure that the board can:

♦ set policy and strategy direction, set targets and evaluate the performance of Citizens Advice Richmond

♦ monitor the financial position of Citizens Advice Richmond ensuring that it operates within its means and objectives, ensuring there are clear lines of accountability for day-to-day financial management

♦ monitor whether the Citizens Advice Richmond complies with its governing document and meets the required standards

♦ seek the views of all sections of the community and monitor how well the service meets the needs of the local community

♦ ensure the service plans for the recruitment and turnover of staff and volunteers

♦ review its own work and how effectively it operates including action for improvement

♦ work on specific projects to further the strategic objectives of Citizens Advice Richmond

What's in it for you?

● make a positive impact for people in your local area by ensuring the local Citizens Advice is sustainable and meeting the needs of the community

● meet people and build relationships with trustees, staff and other volunteers

● build on your governance, leadership and strategy skills

● increase your employability

And we'll reimburse expenses too.

What do you need to have?

You'll need to:

● understand the type of work undertaken by a local Citizens Advice

● understand and accept the responsibilities and liabilities as trustees

● be non-judgmental and respect views, values and cultures that are different to your own

● have a good basis of leadership skills

● be able to facilitate and lead meetings

● Have good interpersonal skills

● have good listening, verbal and written communication skills

● be able to exercise good independent judgment

● have good numeracy skills to understand accounts with the support of the treasurer

● be willing to learn about and follow the Citizens Advice aims, principles and policies, including confidentiality and data protection

● be willing to undertake training in your role

How much time do you need to give?

You will need up to one day a week for the regular activities, but this will vary. Trustee boards usually meet in the evenings, and you'll likely need to give 12-15 hours per year to attend these. Sub-committees meet quarterly and a further 4-6 hours per year are required for these.

Valuing inclusion

Our volunteers come from a range of backgrounds and we particularly welcome applications from disabled people, people with physical or mental health conditions, LGBT+ and non-binary people, and people from Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities.

If you are interested in becoming a trustee and would like to discuss flexibility around location, time, 'what you will do' and how we can support you please contact us.