Post: Member of the Board of Directors
Location: Edinburgh and Glasgow
Objective:
The role of the Board of Directors is to work under the direction of the Convener to ensure probity, to provide governance and to work in partnership with the Chief Executive to achieve the aims of Children in Scotland. It meets at least four times per annum in Edinburgh and Glasgow plus the Annual General Meeting in November each year.
Responsibilities
The has primary responsibility to undertake the following:
- To ensure that the organisation conducts its business in accordance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association and in adherence with relevant legislation.
- To govern Children in Scotland within best practice frameworks.
- To attend Board of Directors meetings and relevant sub-committees and contribute actively to the role of the Board of Directors in determining strategy, approving policy, and monitoring organisational performance.
- To ensure that the organisation's resources are deployed in pursuance of its objects and that its finances are systematically accounted for, audited and made publicly available.
- To oversee the management of existing services and the development of new ones.
- To foster effective relationships between members of the Board of Directors, staff, service users, other stakeholders and others who are important to Children in Scotland.
- To participate where appropriate in the recruitment of senior staff.
- To safeguard the good name and the ethos of Children in Scotland and to promote the organisation and its work, along with fellow members of the Board of Directors and staff, to existing and potential funding agencies, donors, supporters and beneficiaries.
- To contribute any specific skills, knowledge and experience to assist the Board of Directors to reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising reports and consultations, leading discussions, chairing of or attendance at working groups as well as providing specific advice and guidance on issues where you have particular expertise.
Person Specification
Members of the Board of Directors will be committed to the aims and ethos of the organisation and to ensuring that its activities are in the interests of beneficiaries. Previous board membership experience would be preferred.
Current members will come from a range of backgrounds and experience.
Currently we require a director who has significant experience in strategic and organisational management and/or strengths in IT, media/marketing. We would welcome applicants from the private sector.
Members of the Board of Directors should have, or be prepared to gain, an understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities inherent in the role.
To discuss the post informally, please contact Lara Moir, Director of Corporate Services on 0131 222 2406 or email to lmoir@childreninscotland.org.uk
Note (1)
Organisational Structure
Children in Scotland is governed by a Board of Directors led by our Convener the Hon Lord Reed, which meets at least four times per year. Day to day direction is provided by our Chief Executive, Dr Bronwen Cohen, supported by two operational directors, Dr Jonathan Sher and Heather Macnaughton. We employ 48 staff and have recently been awarded Investors in People Status. Our head office is in Edinburgh but we also have a regional offices in Stirling.
Current Directors
The current Board of Directors is listed below.
The Hon Lord Reed (Convener)
Professor J Stewart Forsyth
Professor Keir Bloomer
Gillian Donald CA
Janet Balloch
Graham Bell
Celia Gardiner
Phil Robinson
Councillor Kirsty West
Councillor Mary Smith
Terms and Conditions of Service
| Renumeration | The position is voluntary. Directors do not receive any remuneration for their services as directors, but they are entitled to reimbursement of any expenditure incurred by them carrying out their duties. |
| Time Commitment | The Board meets at least four times per year. In addition board members will be invited to attend the AGM and any “Away Days”. Meetings last no more than 3 hours. These meetings require significant reading in preparation. In addition there will be a number of committees for delegated business, such as the Policy and Nominations committee which meets as needs be. Directors may also undertake some delegated individual tasks with staff recruitment and may, from time to time, represent the Board at events across Scotland. |
| Length of Appointments | The articles of the company provide for the retirement and reappointment of directors. The principle is that directors will be appointed for up to four years and may be re-appointed for a further four years. |
| Qualifications | Successful candidates will be required to produce original certificates for verification of qualifications. |
| Eligibility to work in the UK |
Successful candidates will be required to provide proof of their eligibility to work in the U.K. |
Criminal Records Checks
Appointment of successful candidates for posts which will have regular
contact with children, young people and/or vulnerable adults will be subject
to a satisfactory criminal records check.
All candidates should read this further information.
Applications for any open vacancies are invited by post or electronically. Simply download the Guidance Notes, Application Form and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form, complete both of the forms and return them to us at the addresses below.
Applicants should use Application Form 1, which should be printed off, completed and posted to us along with a copy of the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.
Please ensure that you refer to the Guidance Notes when completing the Application Form.
The Guidance Notes and Application Form 1 are in Portable Document Format (PDF). You can read and print them using Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you do not have this software, you can download and install it free of charge by clicking the "Get Acrobat Reader" button below.
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Please note that if more than one post is applied for a separate application form will be required for each post.
If posting applications then please send them marked for the Office Manager and clearly label envelope "PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL".
For information, email recruitment@childreninscotland.org.uk
or contact us at
Children in Scotland, Princes House, 5 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh EH2
4RG
Tel: 0131 228 8484. Fax: 0131 228 8585.
Children in Scotland is the national agency for voluntary, statutory and professional organisations and individuals working with children and their families in Scotland. It is committed to becoming an equal opportunities employer; we would welcome applications from minority ethnic groups and disabled people.
For more information on our Equal Opportunities Policy, click here.