Trustee at OneKind

Trustee Recruitment

The overall responsibility of the Board of Trustees, and therefore of every Trustee, is to safeguard the assets of OneKind and to ensure that the Charity achieves its objects and complies with its governing document, Scottish and UK charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation.

Essential Skills

• A commitment to the objectives of OneKind
• The ability to devote an appropriate amount of time and effort to OneKind
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship under Scottish charity law

Principal Duties

Each Trustee should work with other Trustees and senior staff to:

• Establish and promote OneKind’s vision, principles, strategic aims and objectives.
• Ensure that policies, operations and priorities are in keeping with the aims of OneKind.
• Monitor and review OneKind’s performance against the strategic aims and ensure that all activities fall within the Charity’s stated objects.
• Ensure that OneKind functions within the legal and regulatory framework of Scottish charity law and strives to achieve best practice in governance.
• Ensure the effective and efficient administration, and financial stability of OneKind.
• Uphold the fiduciary duty invested in the Trustee position, undertaking duties in the best interests of OneKind.
• Monitor significant changes in the external environment and ensure an appropriate response.

Main Tasks

• Take part in formulating and regularly reviewing OneKind’s strategic aims and objectives.
• Contribute the specific skills, knowledge and experience in support of OneKind’s operations, fundraising, financial and administrative activities.
• Be adequately informed about the work of OneKind
• Play an active part in ensuring that the Board of Trustees exercises its responsibilities and fulfils its objectives in any discussion or communication with third parties, adhere to the Trustee Board’s decision and OneKind’s policies and safeguard the good name and values of OneKind.
• Regularly attend and adequately prepare for meetings of the Board and any Committees.
• Promote awareness of OneKind to third parties.
• Perform such other tasks as may be requested from time to time by the Board of Trustees, the Chairman or the Chief Executive.
• Respect and observe in practice the distinction between the duties of Trustees and those of senior staff.
• Maintain good relations and communications with other Trustees, and senior staff.
• Declare an interest in any matter in which they, or any individual or organisation with which they are “connected” stands to gain an advantage and take no part in the decision made by the Board of Trustees on that matter.
• Adhere to the Code of Conduct for Trustees of OneKind.

Time Commitment

• Every Trustee is expected to prepare for and participate in regular Board meetings (currently bi-monthly, each lasting around two hours), and may be asked to serve on a working group.
• Trustees may be asked to support senior staff in certain projects, initiatives or areas in which they have specialist skills, knowledge or experience.
• The minimum time commitment is probably in the region of 6 days a year for Board matters. In addition, there will be an expectation that Trustees will attend the annual planning and strategy day.

Person specification

• A commitment to the organisation and to animal welfare issues
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
• Strategic vision
• Good, independent judgement
• An ability to analyse proposals and
• Possess strategic vision and think creatively
• A willingness to speak your mind
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• An ability to work effectively as a member of a team
• A willingness to be available to the Chief Executive, and staff, for advice and enquiries on an ad-hoc basis.

For further information about the charity visit their website.