Trustees / Board Observers (pro-bono, voluntary, 3-5 days per year*)

Our multi-award winning charity is seeking additional trustees to join our board.

Initially, trustees join as board observers - "charity trustees in training". Observers attend the charity's quarterly board meetings to observe the work of the charity and discuss our progress towards our goals and help shape our strategic vision. This is an ideal opportunity to learn what trustee-ship is about, to discover more about our charity, our team and our work.

We especially welcome applications from people who have not previously been a trustee of a charity. Each board observer is "buddied up" with a more experienced trustee to develop their governance skills. Our charity also arranges online training via the NCVO in all aspects of charity governance, to develop your skills over 6-18 month period, with a view to becoming a trustee by mutual agreement at that point.

We are seeking people with the specific skills outlined below, to compliment the existing balance of skills and experiences on our charity's board. We are particularly interested in discussing the role with people :

who have a grants and trusts fundraising background, or who have prior community fundraising experience in another voluntary sector setting

OR

who have professional media/press/communications/marketing/social media/SEO experience

OR

who have professional human resources experience 

We particularly welcome applications from people who traditionally have had fewer opportunities to volunteer as a board observer or trustee, including :

• People aged under 40 years old
• People who have not previously been a board observer or trustee with a charity
• People from ethnic minority backgrounds or heritage

* Ordinarily board meetings are held 4 times per year, for 2-3 hours, on a Saturday by Zoom. There are occasional, additional working group meetings held via Zoom 4 or 5 times throughout the year, at times to suit the working group members. Additionally, in 2023 we plan to hold a 1-day board away-day on a Saturday during the first half of the year. The venue is TBC, however travel and accommodation expenses will be paid to enable attendance. 

Haemochromatosis UK is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee and so prospective board observers/trustees must be eligible to act as trustee and as a company director. Further details on these responsibilities can be found here :

• Charity Commission
• Companies House

Board observers must comply with the charity's policies, including the board observer/trustee conflict of interest policy and volunteering agreement.

Application Process
If you would like to discuss the role informally with an existing board member before applying, please contact our Clerk to the Board (clerk@huk.org.uk) with a suggested 3 or 4 days and times for a discussion, by phone or Zoom.

Interviews will be held on the evenings of Wednesday 15th and Wednesday 22nd February 2023. We hope to appoint board observers before the end of February.

To apply, download the board observer application form from our website here : https://www.haemochromatosis.org.uk/careers.

Please complete and return the application form with a copy of your CV/resume (maximum 2 sides of A4). Completed applications should be sent to careers@huk.org.uk or by post marked for the attention of our CEO.

Closing date : Noon on Friday 3rd February 2023.

No agencies, please.