If you’re passionate about helping people in the local community and you want to help change people’s lives for the better, then we have a fantastic opportunity to join our current Board of Trustees as Chair of Trustees.
We are seeking someone to Chair our existing team of trustees and support our staff and volunteers to help maximise the impact of the work carried out by the charity. As part of the board, you will share responsibility for offering Good Company strategic direction, leadership and a commitment to good governance.
Who We Are
Good Company (Surrey) is a local registered charity tackling poverty in Epsom, Ewell, Banstead, Tadworth, Leatherhead and surrounding areas. Our mission is to see a community free from poverty, where everyone can afford life’s essentials. Our charity offers a wide variety of community projects – these include:
- Epsom and Ewell Foodbank (5 centres)
- Epsom and Ewell Refugee Network
- Poverty Truth Commission
- Epsom Pantry
- Banstead Pantry
- Support work and advice cafes (3 venues)
- Cost of the School Day project
Details About the Role
Key Responsibilities:
- Chair and participate in trustee meetings, including providing strategic direction and ensuring Good Company delivers on its mission.
- Foster collaboration, ensure effective governance, and facilitate excellent decision-making. You will also support in the preparation of the agenda and board papers.
- Partner and support the Managing Director, helping to foster a strong and supportive relationship between the staff team and Trustees.
- Work closely with Treasurer and Managing Director to ensure effective budgeting and financial management.
- Ensure the trustee team and senior staff leadership team has the right mix of skills and experience and taking the lead on recruitment where appropriate.
- Represent the charity at relevant stakeholder meetings and public events.
Person Specification:
- Demonstrate an interest and commitment to the work, values and vision of Good Company.
- Senior leadership and strategy development experience
- Financial management and budgeting experience
- Team management experience
- Willingness to be available to Managing Director on a regular basis and staff for advice and enquiries on an ad hoc basis
- Good, independent judgement and strategic vision
- An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship and of the respective roles of the Chair, Trustees and Managing Director.
- Experience of chairing meetings and facilitating diverse groups
- Charity governance experience (either through senior leadership or previous trustee role) (desirable)
- Charity volunteer experience (desirable)
- Commitment to local community in East Surrey (desirable)
We are looking for candidates that are willing to devote the necessary time and effort to ensure the charity is supporting the community at its best. We were founded on Christian values of being compassionate, kind, trusting, engaged, non-judgemental and resourcing. Not every member of the team is a Christian, but we all subscribe to the same values and hope that new team members will too.
We are committed to diversifying our board of trustees so we can better understand how different people experience poverty and be better equipped to meet the wants and needs of our communities. We encourage applications from people with lived experience of poverty and from minoritised ethnic, disabled and LGBTQ+ communities.
Time Commitment:
- Five trustee meetings per year – 7.30pm to 9.00pm on a weekday evening, usually in person in an Epsom location. In between meetings, trustees may additionally be called on to provide advice and support to staff typically by reviewing and responding to plans and policies via email.
- Regular catch-ups with the Managing Director (typically 45min to 1 hour every fortnight via Zoom)
- Staff/trustee half-day strategy sessions (once or twice a year)
Term:
Three years initially but can be extended as Trustees, including the Chair may serve for a maximum of two terms of up to three years each
Please note this position is unremunerated; however all reasonable expenses will be paid.
Application Process
Please email your CV along with a short covering note highlighting why you would like to be Chair of Good Company’s Trustee Board and how you fulfil the Person Specification to recruitment@goodcompany.org.uk by 10am Friday 4 October.
If you have any general queries on this role, please contact Jonathan Lees, Managing Director & Founder on 07878 378946.
Prior to interview, shortlisted candidates will be invited to meet Jonathan Lees, Managing Director for an informal chat and chance to see the charity in operation.
Interviews by panel of Good Company Trustees will be held in person on evenings of 16th and 17th October.
It is then anticipated that the successful candidate will attend Good Company Trustees Meeting 7.30pm 28 November as a trustee (with current Chair in place) and will then take over Chair role from January 2025.
