Trustee

About the role: We are a rapidly growing charity at a pivotal moment in our evolution. We are looking for an exceptional person to take on the role of Trustee. 

We have a diverse Board of 12 Trustees from various backgrounds within the corporate and charity sector; each bringing their own expertise and knowledge to help further the Foundation’s growth. The Board is made up of quarterly board meetings and also sub-committees for Governance, Environment, Finance & GP, Social Benefit and Scotland.

About the Charity: At the Wilderness Foundation we work to keep people healthy and our planet wild! Since its inception in 1976 we have recognised the power of nature to bring about transformational personal growth and change the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged people for the better. By connecting people to nature through our dynamic outreach programmes, we have achieved a strong track record of building resilience for those with challenging lives and introducing employment opportunities to young people who have been all but written off by society.

Each year we reach over 8,000 people across our diverse range of projects, including those struggling with mental health issues. Our experienced outdoor facilitators and therapists are uniquely skilled in empowering them to go beyond what they thought was possible. They build their resilience, whilst teaching them strategies, tools and techniques to look after their physical and mental wellbeing. In return, they have embraced our ‘leave no trace’ ethics, learnt to love nature and work with us to conserve it into the future.

Main Duties of a Trustee (as listed by the Charity Commission)

• Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes to the public benefit

• Comply with the charity governing document and the law

• Act is the charity’s best interests

• Manage the charity’s resources responsibly

• Act with reasonable care and skill

• Ensure the charity is accountable

• Dedication to the charity’s cause and objectives and willing to act as the charity’s ambassador to external bodies, individuals, charities and companies.

Key tasks of the Treasurer/Trustee: Oversee the monitoring of the organisation’s finances on behalf of the whole board of trustees, to report regularly on them to the board, lead the Finance and General Purposes Committee and to make sure that money and property are properly managed. They will ensure that bookkeeping, record keeping, and budgeting are done properly. This includes:

• Ensuring proper systems are in place for budgeting, financial control and reporting;

• Overseeing and monitoring procedures to reduce the risk of fraud;

• Keeping all trustees properly informed about the state of the organisation’s finances and business processes;

• Ensuring financial reports to the trustees are comprehensible and properly discussed;

• Ensuring accounts and other financial reports are produced in the proper form and on time as required by other bodies (such as the Charity Commission & OSCR, & Companies House);

• Overseeing the appointment and communications with auditors or independent examiners, according to legal requirements.

• Monitor the overarching strategic management of the organisation’s financial resources, and report to the CEO and the board.

• Oversee the charity’s financial risk-management process and report financial health to the board of trustees at regular intervals.

• Act as a counter signatory for online banking and applications to funders.

Main Responsibilities:

• Ensure all strategic plans are financially appraised and budgets are aligned to both short-term and long-term objectives each year.

• Suggest alternative scenarios while evaluating strategic plans as part of the risk management process and as part of performance and reporting scenarios.

• Ensure a high standard of management accounting is maintained in order to support informed financial decisions and efficient management of daily operations.

• Support the CEO to prepare, produce and monitor the management accounts regularly.

• Create greater transparency and accountability to improve resource allocation and charity’s image by adding specific measures as per the Charities Statement of Recorded Practice (SORP) guidelines

• Explain technicalities of accounts in plain language which is fully understood by the trustees.

• Develop a reserves policy and safeguard the organisation’s finances.

• Keep the board informed of free reserves position regularly and provide advice to cope with changing circumstances.
• Chair finance committees in line with standing orders and terms of reference and report findings/developments back to the board of trustees.

• Advise on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plans.

Time Commitment

• The Treasurer/Trustee will be expected to visit the charity office at least once every two months to meet with the Finance Team and/or CEO.

• The board meets a minimum of 4 times a year and the Treasurer/Trustee is expected to be available for all meetings, in person or virtual – dates agreed in advance.

• The Treasurer/Trustee will Chair the Finance & General Purposes Committee which meets 4 times a year.

Location: Board meetings are conducted at either the Charity office (CM3 3FE) or virtually, by prior agreement.

To apply: please submit your CV to [email protected]

What skills do I need?

Preferably from a commercial background, we welcome applications from those with a strong understanding and track record of financial management, strategy and governance. Experience of fundraising would be an added bonus