Chair of Board of Trustees

​Join our team

We are on the lookout for a dynamic individual to become our new Chair of the Board of Trustees. In this pivotal role, you will lead our Board of Trustees, chair meetings, provide crucial support to the very experienced Centre Manager, and serve as a spokesperson for our charity. This is your chance to work alongside a vibrant and passionate team of Trustees, staff and volunteers in an organisation that’s making a real difference.

Who we’re looking for

You don’t need prior experience as a Chair or Trustee; what matters most is your commitment, skills, and enthusiasm. Our existing Chair is happy to job share and provide a comprehensive handover while you settle into the role.

We are seeking a dedicated woman Chair who can steer our Board through a period of change, seize new opportunities, and navigate disruptions.

Ready to join us?

If you share our commitment to transforming the lives of minority ethnic women through learning and support, we want to hear from you! Check out the job description and person specification at https://rclc.org.uk/2023/10/16/reading-community-learning-centre-2/ and apply today.

Other opportunities

If being Chair doesn’t sound quite right for you, but you’d still love to get involved, we are also keen to welcome new Trustees who share our vision. If you’re interested, please get in touch with us today. Together, we can make a meaningful impact and create a brighter future for the women we serve. Join our passionate community and help us write the next chapter of our journey!

Role description

· Prepare for and lead Board meetings, including the preparation of Board agendas with Treasurer and Manager

· Make sure that best practice, policies and regulations are followed by the organisation

· Ensure strong governance of the charity and compliance with the legal duties,

· responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship

· Lead robust discussion at Board meetings and make sure any decisions are put into practice

· Make sure the Board as a whole stays objective, balanced and effective

· Always act in RCLC’s best interest

· Attend relevant external meetings as an RCLC representative

· Review funding applications, with the support of other staff and Board members

· Speak with and offer support to the Centre Manager regularly and challenge where necessary.

· Generally pick up on issues that require discussion with staff or the Board and make sure that these are discussed quickly and effectively, and that decisions are reached and acted upon.

· Make sure that the skills of staff and those on the Board are used effectively; set up sub- committees or working groups where necessary

· Keep an overview on our organisation’s affairs and ensure annual strategy review involving Board and senior staff takes place

· Assist in recruiting new trustees to ensure inclusive Board with appropriate skills.

· Work alongside the Manager to strengthen partnerships with voluntary and statutory sector organisations

Person specification

Essential

· Passionate about refugee and migrant women’s empowerment and advocating for equal rights and treatment

· Leadership ability including motivational skills and working effectively as a member of a team

· Integrity, strategic vision, and good independent judgement, forming decisions for the good of the charity

· Willing and able to devote the necessary time and effort to Chair duties

· Effective communication skills, be tactful and diplomatic; able to speak your mind whilst open to the views of others

· A good listener with an interest, passion, and empathy for migrant and refugee women and

· their issues

· Demonstrate a commitment to prioritising equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of work

Desirable

· Understanding of the legal responsibilities and liabilities of being a trustee

· Ideally, some prior experience of Committee/Trustee/Chairing work

· Fundraising experience

Time Commitment:

· Board Meetings: Minimum of 6 Board of Trustee meetings per year (usually held on weekday evenings, after close of business), plus preparation and reading of documentation; some meetings are held online

· Board matters: Meetings with Treasurer, Company Secretary and Committee Chairs on planning and governance matters, and to contribute to and ensure progress on key initiatives.

· People Management: Regular planning and update meetings with Manager (and other senior management) to support their activities and advise on ongoing business and management challenges.

· Stakeholder Engagement: Attendance at, and contribution to, major events (one or two a year), contribution to key stakeholder and funder meetings (typically between 6 and 8 a year), and support to media relations, as a spokesperson for the organisation.

Due to these commitments, the candidate will live within travelling distance of central Reading or be prepared to travel Reading at least once a month. The time commitment required will be at least 4 hours per week, although timings will usually be flexible unless attending meetings at

specified times. The current Chair is willing to support you for at least the first year.

Application process and closing
date

If you share our passion for transforming
minority ethnic women’s lives through the power of learning and support, and
have the qualities we are looking for, please apply to join us. You do not need
to have been a Chair or a trustee before; as long as you have a good mix of the
skills and experience we’re looking for, then we’d love to hear from you. We are looking for a committed
woman Chair who can steer the Board through a period of change, opportunity and
disruption.

We are also interested in new trustees if you would like
to contact us.

Please send your CV and a cover letter to
Aisha Malik- [email protected] explaining why you are
interested in the role; what skills/experience you would be able to offer; and
where would people say they
saw your values in your life/work?

If you would like more
information or
to talk about the role please
contact the current Chair, Sarah del Tufo on [email protected] to agree a convenient time to talk.

By Friday 24th November 2023 by 5pm

All applications will be reviewed in the strictest confidence and data will be held in accordance
with GDPR policies and procedures.

Thank you for your interest, we look forward to
hearing from you.

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