Trustee

Job Description

Board of Trustee Job Description & Person Specification

The key general responsibilities of a Trustee are:

Strategic – defining and approving MIRUS Mission and Vales, the Aims and Objectives arising from these, and arriving at appropriate policy decisions to take them forward.

Stewardship – to have responsibility for our assets, their presentation and exploitation, and assessing risks.

Monitoring – to oversee the effective management of MIRUS and its service delivery, selecting and supporting the Directors Management Team, and ensuring that good human resources practice is pursued for its staff.

Governance – ensuring that trustee business is effectively conducted in line with the law and Charity Commission requirements.

Promotion of and advocacy for MIRUS to external clients and personnel.

The duties of a Trustee are:

* Ensure that Mirus complies within the law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
* Ensure that the organisation pursues its objectives and monitoring these.
* Ensure the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objectives, i.e. the organisation must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objectives.
* Contribute actively to the Board of Trustees’ role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
* Safeguarding the good name and values of Mirus.
* Declare any conflict of interest while carrying out the duties of a trustee.
* Ensure the financial stability and viability of the organisation and understand and take account of the financial implications of the decisions made.
* Be collectively responsible for the actions of the organisation and other trustees.
* Abide by MIRUS’s Equal Opportunity policy.
* Protect and manage the property of the organisation and to ensure the proper investment of the organisation’s funds.
* Make sure the organisation is properly insured against all reasonable liabilities.
* To regularly attend Trustee meetings and participate in discussions and decision making.
* To attend appropriate training events and visit MIRUS’s service users in their homes in order to keep in touch and understand MIRUS’s activities.
* Participate in other tasks as arise from time to time, such as interviewing new staff, to keep informed about the activities of the organization and wider issues which affect IHT and its work.
* In additional to the above statutory duties of all trustees, each trustee should use any specific knowledge and/or experience they have to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This will involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, and providing advice and guidance requested by the board on new initiatives, or other issues relevant to the area of the organisations work in which the trustee has special experience.
* To coach and mentor potential new trustees to Mirus
* To treat information gained a Trustee in confidence.

Trustee Person Specification:

Each trustee must have:

Commitment:

· Ability to understand and accept the duties and liabilities of being a Trustee

· Empathy with the vision, mission and aims/objectives of Mirus

· A willingness and ability to devote the necessary time and effort to the duties of a trustee

· A commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices

Focus:

· Ability to think and apply knowledge strategically

· Ability to think creatively

· Ability to keep mission-focused

· Ability to analyse and evaluate management information and other evidence

· Willingness to listen and learn

Communication & Team Working:

· Ability to communicate clearly and sensitivity and to take an active part in discussions

· Ability to influence and engage

· Ability to work effectively in a group

· Willingness to express their own opinion in a reasoned way, whilst also listening to the views of others

· Ability to challenge constructively and ask questions appropriately

Accountability:

· Ability to exercise sound and independent judgment

· Willingness to make and stand by collective decisions, including those which may be unpopular

· Ability to manage difficult and/or challenging situations

· Ability to maintain confidentiality on confidential and/or sensitive information

Collectively the Board of Trustees will need skills and experience in the following areas:

· Social Care

· Person Centred Planning and Self Directed Support

· Financial Management

· Issues affecting people with learning disabilities

· Setting targets, monitoring and evaluating performance in non-profit making organisations

· Strategic Planning

· Legal matters

· Recruitment and personnel management, including a knowledge of employment legislation

· Local Government functioning

· Welfare benefits

· Marketing & Public relations

· Voluntary organisations

· Service User participation and Involvement

· Advocacy Representation

· Quality Assurance

· Housing