Trustee and Governors

Charities, community groups and schools have trustees, governors or a management committee who are responsible for controlling the management and administration of the organisation.

What are Trustees?
A trustee is someone who is entrusted with something. A trustee in a non-profit organisation looks after the organisation’s assets and makes sure that the organisation does what it was set up to do. A trustee may also be called a member of a management committee or a board member.
Trustees stand back, think ahead, hire & fire, carry the can, and are in charge.

Responsibilities of trustees include:

• Accepting collective responsibility for directing the affairs of the organisation,
• Ensuring compliance with legal requirements (eg. health & safety, employment law, company law, Charity Commission, filing of statutory accounts and reports),
• Ensuring the organisation does what it was set up to do,
• Keeping an overview of the risks the organisation faces, and how to mitigate them,
• Acting reasonably & prudently and taking expert advice when needed,
• Ensuring the organisation’s funds are invested, disposed of, or applied wisely,
• Supporting and challenging the staff and/or volunteers,
• Having a clear picture of where the organisation is going, the challenges it faces and the key decisions needed,
• Believing in the work of the organisation and acting as an ambassador.

The work of a trustee typically includes:

• getting to know the organisation and to understand its work,
• making decisions
• attending meetings (typically 2-3 hours every 6-8 weeks) and reading papers,
• appointing new staff,
• reviewing the charity’s accounts and fixing its budget for next year,
• signing off the annual return to the Charity Commission,
• deciding whether to enter into contracts, for example, with the local authority,
• serving on a working party or sub-committee,
• planning for the future
• considering, with senior staff, how the need for the charity’s services might develop over time,
• exploring ways to increase income and to manage resources more effectively.

Skills and Qualities Required

Serving as a trustee is an excellent opportunity to use and to develop skills in strategic planning and the overall management of an organisation.
You need:

• the desire to make a difference to your local community.
• strategic vision and an ability to think creatively,
• the ability to work as part of a team of diverse people,
• a willingness to listen to others and to speak your mind,
• commitment to the organisation, and a willingness to devote sufficient time to being a trustee.

You should expect to serve for at least a year to make a real difference to the organisation and to gain useful experience – people who become trustees usually find it so rewarding that they stay longer!

If you would like to find out more about becoming a trustee or school Governors please contact us or you can view our current trustee vacancies here.