Volunteer Trustee and secretary to join board of conservation and education charity

What will you be doing?

Our trustees tell us that they love making a real difference through applying their skills and networks to support and develop our work. You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to a growing charity at a time of change and development. We've recently refreshed the Board with new trustees and there is a lot of excitement about the next phase of growth of our charity. We are looking for someone with enthusiasm and commitment to our charitable purposes, and a diversity of life experience and skill is welcome. Please note this advert is for the role of secretary of the board. Simultaneously, we are also looking for another person to take on the role of treasurer of the board. In addition to the general responsibilities of all trustees, the Board Secretary also has some specific responsibilities: 

Work with Chair and CET Manager to agree the annual schedule of Board meetings and AGMs Work with Chair to draft, finalise and circulate Board meeting agendas Take minutes at Board meetings, AGMs and EGMs, ensuring that they are accurate and stored on the CET Trustees Sharepoint system Maintain the organisation of the CET Trustees Sharepoint filing system Create and maintain Board Meeting Action Trackers, following up with relevant individuals to ensure completion of actions Ensure that accurate and up to date CET information is held with the Charity Commission and Companies House Create and maintain list of current CET policies, flagging to the Board as and when these come up for renewal/review Assist with the planning, coordination and communication of AGMs Support the recruitment and onboarding of new Trustees Organise relevant training for Trustees Work with Chair to conduct regular Board skills audits Work with CET manager on joint tasks to facilitate effective Board/ Staff workstreams Flag any areas of concern to the Chair.

What are we looking for?

In addition to the general responsibilities for all trustees as set out above, the Board Secretary also needsadditional skills and experience as follows:

Experience in the administration of senior-level meetings An understanding of how Boards work A working knowledge of Charity governance and decision-making structures Good IT/digital and minute-taking skills Attention to detail and ability to follow up/through actions

What difference will you make?

For a small charity, we have a large impact! Over the last 20 years over 50,000 people have been able to gain an in-river perspective by wading through Deptford Creek. Without the work and dedication of the small staff team, trustees and volunteers, we would not be able to welcome over 7,000 visitors per year, nor conserve these important habitats in the fast-developing surrounds of Deptford. The role of secretary is a fundamental function we require and we are looking for someone who will help manage the administration and governance of the charity alongside the Chair and CET manager.