Action for Carers Trustee
Background and purpose
Trusteeships are unpaid voluntary roles and are non-executive, meaning that they do not carry out the day-to-day work of the charity.
The Action for Carers Surrey (ACS) board meets four times a year to oversee, support and hold to account the executive/senior team.
Collective duties and accountabilities of a board of trustees
As a whole, the board are responsible and liable for the governance and functioning of the charity, they are accountable in varying degrees to a variety of stakeholders, including: carers (the charity’s service users), supporters, partners, funders, the Charity Commission and Companies House. One of their key responsibilities is to ensure that the organisation is focussed on achieving the strategy.
Trustees may also sit on sub committees of the board, or they may take on additional roles and advise/question the CEO on matters such as safeguarding, employee wellbeing and fundraising as deemed necessary.
The partnership between the board and the Chief Executive Officer and other senior staff is essential to the delivery of good governance, with the board taking the lead on strategic matters and the CEO and staff responsible for the operational delivery. Within this partnership, members of the board are encouraged to be a critical friend, speak their mind and challenge the senior team.
About our trustee board
The board holds the charity accountable to its vision ‘to enable all unpaid carers to have a voice and access support to improve their quality of life and wellbeing.’ In doing so, lived experience of having caring responsibilities is important – as detailed in our Articles of Association, 60% of our Board of Trustees must be carers, or have been a carer.
Alongside lived experience, we want our board to have a diverse professional skill set and be representative of communities that we serve within Surrey. ACS is particularly looking for board members with professional experience in fundraising, communications, HR and Finance. Most importantly, ACS is looking for members who will ask the tough questions and effectively challenge the leadership team as it implements a new 5-year strategy.
Training on governance, safeguarding, data protection and confidentiality will be provided. Trustees will also be offered learning and development opportunities throughout their tenure. Whilst this is a voluntary role, reasonable expenses such as travel expenses are paid.
Interested in joining the board?
This is your opportunity to apply for this very rewarding role and to have a genuine impact on a local charity and the young/adult carers that we support.
To arrange an informal confidential conversation with Jamie Gault, CEO, email [email protected].
To apply send your CV along with a covering letter to [email protected].
More about the role and our current Trustees, here.