TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR JOB DESCRIPTION

November 2013

Introduction:

The Rainforest Foundation UK’s Board of Trustees have a duty to manage the business and affairs of the charity. The Board of Trustees must act in accordance with the RFUK’s policies, to meet the Mission Statement, strategic goals and objectives of the organisation. The RFUK is also a registered charitable company, and the Board of Directors are responsible for ensuring the company acts in accordance with its Articles of Association and Memorandum of Association. All of the RFUK’s Trustees are also Directors and together the Board of Trustees and Board of Directors are referred to as the ‘Board’.

The members of the Board are stewards who act on behalf of the RFUK’s constituents, including service recipients, funders, members, and supporters. It has the principal responsibility for fulfilment of the organisation's mission and the legal accountability for its operations. As a group the Board are in charge of establishing a clear organisational mission, forming the strategic plan to accomplish the mission, overseeing and evaluating the plan's success, hiring a competent Executive Director and providing adequate supervision and support to that individual, ensuring financial solvency of the organisation, interpreting and representing the organisational stakeholders, and instituting a fair system of policies and procedures for the organisation’s administration and management. Each Board member shall work in partnership with the other members of the Board, the Executive Director and other senior staff in-

  1. Setting and maintaining the organisational vision, mission and values to ensure that:

1.1. The charity has a clear vision, mission and strategic plan (to be agreed by the board) and that there is a common understanding of them by the Board and staff;
1.2. The business, operational and other plans that support the vision, mission and strategic priorities;
1.3. The Executive Director’s annual and longer term objectives and targets that support the achievement of the vision, mission & strategic priorities;
1.4. Board policies support the vision, mission and strategic priorities;
1.5. There are effective mechanisms to listen to the views of current and future beneficiaries;
1.6. There is a regular review undertaken of the external environment for changes that might affect the charity;
1.7. The need for the charity and for its services is reviewed;
1.8. The method is agreed for measuring objectively the progress of the charity in relation to its vision, mission, strategic objectives/priorities, business plans and annual targets, and to receive regular reports on the performance of the charity;
1.9. The good name and values of the organisation is safeguarded.
  1. Developing and monitoring of the organisational strategy by:
  2. Contributing actively to the Board’s role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets;
  3. Approving the overall allocation of resources, budgets, and strategy documents.
  4. Using any specific knowledge or experience they have to help the Board reach sound decisions. (This will include scrutinizing board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, and providing advice and guidance on the area of the organisation's work in which the Board member has special expertise);
  5. Whenever possible, assisting the organisation in their fundraising activities (in relation to identifying alternative funding opportunities).
  1. Ensuring compliance with the statutory duties of the Board as per the governance documents and other related policies by:
  2. Attending meetings, and reading papers in advance of meetings;
  3. Attending sub-committee meetings as appropriate;
  4. Participating in other tasks as may arise from time to time, such as interviewing new senior staff, helping with fundraising;
  5. Keeping informed about the activities of the organisation and wider issues which affect its work.
  1. Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation by:
  2. Selecting, managing and supporting the Executive Director;
  3. Appointing the Executive Director, setting his/her terms and conditions and ensuring that the Executive Director and the charity invest in the Executive Director's ongoing professional development.
  4. Receiving regular reports from the Executive Director on progress towards agreed strategic priorities;
  5. Holding the Executive Director to account for the management and administration of the charity;
  6. Ensuring that the Executive Director receives regular, constructive feedback on his/her performance in managing the charity and in meeting his/her annual and longer term targets and objectives;
  7. Ensuring that the charity has a governance structure that is appropriate to a charity of its size/complexity, stage of development, and its charitable objects, and that enables the Boar to fulfil its responsibilities.
  1. Establishing and monitoring policies by:
  2. Reviewing and approving key internal policies;
  3. Approving and issuing guidance for staff as necessary;
  4. Maintaining systems for reporting and monitoring;
  5. Approval and issuing of an ethical framework for staff and stakeholders.
  1. Creating and adhering to the employment procedures by:
  2. Creating, approving and ensuring compliance with comprehensive, fair and legal HR policies in relation to: recruitment, terms and conditions, support, appraisal, remuneration and discipline.
  1. Ensuring compliance with governing document(s) by:
  2. Adhering to the governing document(s), organisational law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations;
  3. Being collectively responsible for the actions of the organisation and other trustees
  4. Exercising the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances.
  1. Ensuring accountability by:
  2. Ensuring that the organisation is accountable as required by law to the Charity Commission, HMRC, Customs and Excise, Companies House and any other professional bodies that regulate the activities of RFUK, and provides these bodies with any information they may require;
  3. Ensuring that the RFUK is accountable to donors, beneficiaries, staff, volunteer, and the general public by publishing annual reports and accounts as well as communicating effectively with the public;
  4. Ensuring that there are mechanisms for beneficiaries, employees, volunteers, other individuals, groups or organisations to bring to the attention of the Board any activity that threatens the probity of the charity.
  1. Ensuring compliance with the law by:
  2. Maintaining familiarity with the rules and constitution that governs the organisation, to ensure compliance with its governing documents ;
  3. Ensuring that the organisation complies with its governing documents, organisation law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations and to review these regularly;
  4. Declaring any conflict of interest while carrying out the duties of a Board member or any changes to their legal status that could have such a conflict:
  5. Abiding by the equal opportunities policy;
  6. Exercising effective overall control of the charity’s financial affairs and to ensure that the way in which the charity is administered is not open to abuse by unscrupulous associates, employees or volunteers; and that the systems of control are rigorous and constantly maintained;
  7. Overseeing the compliance with the relevant Health and Safety legislation;
  8. Ensuring that the organisation is adhering to Employment legislation;
  1. Maintaining proper fiscal oversight by:
  2. Ensuring that the RFUK has satisfactory control systems and procedures in place for holding in trust for the beneficiaries all monies, properties and other assets and to ensure that monies are invested to the maximum benefit of the charity, within the constraints of the law and ethical and other policies laid down by the Board;
  3. Being accountable for the solvency and continuing effectiveness of the charity and the preservation of its endowments;
  4. Protecting and managing any property and assets and ensuring the proper investment of the charity’s funds;
  5. Ensuring that the income and property of the charity is applied for the purposes set out in the governing document and for no other purpose;
  6. Ensuring that funds are spent wisely, within the set budgets and in adherence with the charity’s policies
  7. Approving the annual budget, financial audits and statement.
  1. Managing risk and providing protection from liability by:
  2. Ensuring sufficient insurance is in place to protect the organisation from legal costs and any other liabilities;
  3. Ensuring that the major risks to which the charity is exposed are reviewed at least on a periodic basis and that systems are established to mitigate or minimise identified risks;
  4. Ensuring that intangible assets such as organisational knowledge and expertise, intellectual property, the charity’s good name and reputation etc. are properly valued, utilised and safeguarded.
  1. Maintaining effective board performance through:
  2. Productive meetings;
  3. Adhering to standards of trustee conduct;
  4. Ensuring sufficient levels of skill and expertise are present on the Board: ensuring that the Board has the skills required to govern the charity well, and has access to relevant external professional advice and expertise.
  5. Developing strengthening activities aimed at the Board Members’ skills and experience;
  6. Effective recruitment and induction processes;
  7. Regularly reviewing the performance of the Board;
  8. Ensuring that there are succession plans for the Chair and the Executive Director.
  1. Promoting the organisation through
  2. Their own behaviour, governance oversight and activities on behalf of the organisation and Board, ensuring that this enhances and protects the reputation of the organisation.
  3. Acting as ambassadors for the Charity, including promoting awareness of its work and seeking opportunities to increase its resources, standing and influence by:
  4. Approving any statements of RFUK values and mission
  5. Assisting in building good relations with stakeholders
  6. Assisting with specific fundraising and public relations initiatives when appropriate, and making approaches for donations on behalf of the charity
  7. Attending relevant events and where required, representing the organisation