Trustee

​Trustee Role and Responsibilities: Trustees have a strategic leadership role in The Westway with ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of the charity, ensuring that it is solvent, well run and delivering the charitable outcomes for the benefit of the public for which it has been set up. The Trustees are responsible for ensuring that The Westway is run in compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements, particularly in respect of The Charity Commission.

In addition to the normal trustee role, we seek trustees to act as the ‘Lead’ person in one area of the Charities work: i.e., Fundraising, Safeguarding, Health & Safety, Service Delivery, Networking etc.

We are particularly interested in appointing a Trustee with fund raising and grant application experience at this time.

Time Commitment: The Westway is a small charity which runs an active community centre, with a small staff and a team of local volunteers. The Trustees actively support the work of The Westway and its staff and volunteer team and activities.

The Trustees meet regularly throughout the year (usually monthly and ad hoc as required) and also liaise and make decisions between meetings by phone and email. Preparation for meetings is important, reading papers and considering proposals. (As a rough estimate, the time commitment for these matters is approximately 6 hours per month.) Trustees may also take up specific offices, including Chair, Secretary, or Treasurer.

Trustees individually or in groups also manage projects outside of Board meetings, including working with the staff and other volunteers of the charity. The time commitment for Trustees with specific skills and key areas of involvement will vary.

Fundraising and other events and activities take place from time to time, and Trustees often contribute to these, either as representatives of the Board, or as volunteers. (The time commitment for these activities varies and may be up to 1-2 days per month.)

Skills required: Trustees have a strategic leadership role in The Westway, guiding the charity and its staff to deliver on the Objectives which directly benefit its members and the community. Trustees have a responsibility to work together to make collective and sound decisions. Trustees must be:

· Committed to The Westway’s Objectives and its strategy for delivering these, and to acting for the benefit of the charity, its members, and the community.

· Willing to devote the necessary time and effort to their duties as a Trustee.

· Able to act with integrity, vision, and good independent judgement, avoiding conflicts of interest.

· Good communicators, able to listen, show empathy and consider the views of others, and be willing to speak their mind with tact and diplomacy.

· Aware of the legal responsibilities and liabilities of a trustee.

· Able to work effectively as a member of a team, including potentially leading a dedicated project, committee or working group.

· Proactive, flexibility and enthusiastic to get involved.

It would also be beneficial for a Trustee to have:

· Prior experience of committee or trustee work.

· A knowledge of the local area and community, and charitable work such as that undertaken by The Westway to benefit local people.

· Awareness of the financial and political pressures that can affect the effective working of the voluntary and community sector.

· Experience of working within the voluntary sector.

Knowledge of any of the following specialisms: fund-raising, governance, marketing and event management, HR and people management, office systems, media relations, property and facilities management.

Eligibility: You must not be disqualified from acting as a Trustee under the Charities Act and if selected, you will be required to sign a declaration of eligibility, and to declare any potential conflicts of interest.

​For an application pack, to discuss the role, or to arrange a visit to the centre, please email: [email protected]​