Chair of Trustees
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Summary
Our Chair of Trustees is responsible for leadership, some representation, and for relationships with CEO, Trustees and volunteers.Detailed description
About us
We think that nobody in our communities should have to face going hungry. That’s why we provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food to local people who are referred to us in crisis. We are part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.
We supply emergency food parcels to people across Chesham, Amersham, Missenden, Prestwood, Wendover, all the Chalfonts, Gerrards Cross and Denham, relying on donations from the general public and permanent collection bins in participating local supermarkets.
We work with over 100 referral partners that assess needs and issue vouchers for food parcels which we supply through our distribution centres and via a home delivery service.
The Foodbank was founded over ten years ago by local churches and community groups in Chesham working together with the aim of stopping hunger in our local area. Over time, due to need in adjacent areas and thanks to our volunteers and partners, we extended our coverage and now have distribution centres in Chesham, Prestwood, Wendover and Chalfont St Peter.
Demand for our services has increased year on year with an exceptional doubling of the number of clients supported though the Covid-19 pandemic. We were able to do meet this need during the pandemic by setting up a delivery service with a team of volunteer drivers to deliver the food parcels directly to the homes of those people in need.
Thanks to prudent management since its foundation, the Foodbank is financially sound. Our immediate priorities include finding and equipping a new warehouse and distribution centre suitable for the current expected levels of demand for our services.
Strategy
Our strategic plan 2021/22 to 2024/25 to achieve our Purpose aligns with the Trussell Trust’s 2020-25 national strategy to change communities, change policy and change minds. The Chiltern Foodbank Strategy defines our Purpose, Aims and Values and provides a framework for our operations over the three-year period.
Our purpose is to ensure that nobody in our communities has to wonder where their next meal is coming from. The three specific aims to achieve that purpose over the three years to 2025 are:
· Enable everyone in our community to access food when they need it
· Reduce the need for clients to return to the foodbank
· Help address the causes of extreme poverty.
This will require us to:
· Increase awareness among those who may need to use our service
· Ensure that our services are accessible at the time of need
· Support other services that help our clients
· Improve our understanding of our clients and their needs
· Build public awareness of food poverty and its causes
· Gather data and generate evidence to influence national and local policy
· Develop effective partnerships and networks
· Attract, retain and motivate the volunteers on whom our service depends.
VALUES
Our values align with those of the Trussell Trust, adapted to reflect our local commitments and circumstances. They underpin everything we do:
• Compassion: We stand in solidarity with people that need our help, and are committed to their wellbeing. We always uphold and protect their dignity.
• Justice: We are motivated by a desire to see a more just society. It’s not right that anyone is facing hunger and poverty. Everyone should have enough income to afford the essentials. • Community focus: We believe we all share the responsibility to support one another in our communities. To create change, we must work together for a fairer society.
• Dignity: We recognise the innate value of each individual person and seek to prioritise the other person’s needs and concerns in the spirit of mutuality and friendship, regardless of background.
Our people
The work of the foodbank is carried out by dedicated volunteers, under the leadership of the Foodbank CEO, Diane Rutter, who is the only paid employee.
Volunteers are essential to everything we do. We will continue to rely on volunteers to deliver all aspects of our work. The CEO is likely to remain the only paid member of staff.
Chiltern Foodbank has approximately 80 active volunteers. They fulfil a wide variety of roles such as the packing and distribution of food parcels, collecting donated food, warehouse management, and communications. We will need to ensure that the foodbank has sufficient volunteers to carry out the full range of current and future functions, using appropriate media to attract volunteers with specific skills when necessary.
We will provide necessary training for all volunteers, keep them fully informed about our work & achievements, seek their opinions and treat them with respect they deserve.
Governance
Chiltern Foodbank is registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation of which the only voting members are its charity Trustees who together form the Trustee Board. There are currently seven Trustees.
The Trustee Board has ultimate responsibility for the governance of the organisation and:
· sets the strategic direction, defining vision, values, and priorities
· ensures the foodbank is well run, achieves its aims and objectives, and effectively manages performance and risks
· ensures that the foodbank is run in an inclusive way that benefits the whole community.
Trustees are appointed by a resolution of the Trustee Board and serve for a term of three years from their date of appointment. Each Trustee may offer herself/himself for appointment for up to two further terms.
This is an unremunerated voluntary role, but out-of-pocket expenses may be claimed.
Role of the chair
The Chair is a Trustee of Chiltern Foodbank with specific responsibilities for leadership, representation, partnership with the CEO, effective relationships with and between Trustees, volunteers and partners.
Leadership
The Chair leads the Trustee Board in ensuring that it is fulfilling its responsibility for the governance and strategic direction of the organisation with specific responsibilities to:
· preside at Board Meetings
· ensure that the organisation has effective mechanisms to monitor the implementation of decisions made by the Board
· maintain knowledge of the Chiltern Foodbank’s activities and progress against objectives
· ensure that the Trustee Board holds relevant discussions and makes decisions which further the objects of Chiltern Foodbank
· assess the quality and progress of the work of the foodbank.
Representation
The Chair, along with the CEO, is the principal public face of the organisation. The Chair will, as appropriate:
· contribute to the development of strong relationships with key stakeholders
· represent Chiltern Foodbank as appropriate with its partners, and community and voluntary organisations
· act as a spokesperson or signatory for the organisation.
Partnership with CEO
The Chair will work in partnership with the CEO by:
· supporting the CEO in achieving their objectives
· leading the process of supervising and appraising the work of the CEO
· helping the CEO to develop and deliver an operational plan consistent with the organisation’s aims, objectives, values and resources.
Effective relationships
The Chair will ensure that there are effective relationships among all those engaged in the work of Chiltern Foodbank, including:
· attend and preside at Trustee Board Meetings
· ensure that appropriate procedures are in place to comply with current legislation and best practice in the voluntary sector
· ensure that the organisation has effective mechanisms to monitor the implementation of decisions made by the Board
· ensure that appropriate communication systems are in place between Trustees, volunteers and partners
maintain knowledge of the organisation’s activities and progress against objectives to ensure that relevant discussions occur at the board level and that decisions are taken
· awareness of the quality and progress of the organisation’s work and to the morale of directors, staff and volunteers.
Who are we looking for
Our current Chair, Roy Abraham, is stepping back due to ill health. His successor must be willing and able to serve for a full term of three years and to devote, on average, at least half a day per week to the role.
The role requires proven leadership skills including the ability to plan and chair effective Board Meetings, the ability to support and encourage the CEO and maintain a close working relationship with Trustees, Trussell Trust, referral partners and volunteers.
Our Chair will meet the following person specification.
Personal behaviour and style
· Demonstrable commitment to the aims, objectives, and values of Chiltern Foodbank, recognizing that it is a Christian organisation
· Passionate about bringing an end to food poverty
· Listens to others and provides decisive leadership when required
· Integrity, diplomacy, and sensitive approach
· Good communication and interpersonal skills
· Impartiality, fairness, and the ability to respect confidences
· Commitment to equality and diversity.
Knowledge and experience
· Good understanding of the causes and impacts of poverty on individuals and families
· Previous board level experience, ideally in a non-profit organisation
· Experience of leadership and governance, including strategic planning and performance management
· Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of being a Trustee of a non-profit organisation.
· Ideally, previous professional or voluntary experience with a foodbank or other organisation dedicated to the relief of poverty.
Skills and abilities
· Leadership skills, including the ability to support and encourage the CEO and maintain a close working relationship between all those involved in the work of the foodbank
· Sufficient time to prepare for and participate in meetings and other activities, and to represent the organisation externally
· Strong communication and interpersonal skills, able to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and audiences
· Ability to plan, prepare and chair effective meetings of the Board and other committees.
Eligibility
Applicants should work or live in the area served by Chiltern Foodbank or have demonstrable close connections with the area. They must be over the age of 18 and eligible to work in the UK.
In addition, under the Charities Act 2011, someone may not be a Trustee if:
· they have been disqualified from acting as a company director (unless special permission has been granted by the court to act for a particular company); or
· they are an undischarged bankrupt (unless special permission has been granted by the court).
APPLICATION AND SELECTION
Candidates are asked to provide:
a cv/resumee
· a personal statement detailing how you meet the person specification included in this document
· contact details of two references.
All applications will be considered by comparing the personal statement against the role and experience requirements. All applications will be acknowledged, and shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for informal interview.
If you are interested – please get in touch!