Trustee Role Description

Northumberland Theatre Company (NTC) is a registered charity and company and is governed by its charitable objects and Memorandum and Articles of Association.

All Board Directors – Trustees in charity law – are usually also Members of the Charity. All Members are entitled to attend and vote at General Meetings but the Trustees have certain legal, financial and fiduciary duties in law. The requirements of some funding bodies also place responsibilities on the Trustees.

Our trustees are the people that have overall oversight of the charity. They are not involved in running the charity on a day-to-day basis as we have a small team of staff to do this. However, our board of trustees collectively make decisions about the approach the charity will take and its future direction. They make sure that, as an organisation, we have the policies and procedures we need to show that we are complying with our legal obligations. They provide support, ideas and constructive challenge to our staff team to test our thinking and help the charity to achieve the best it can and demonstrate the difference that we make.

We currently have 8 trustees, but we can have up to 12.

This role specification is intended to act as a checklist of these responsibilities and to define any other duties expected of Trustees. It is intended to be a helpful document to assist with the smooth running of the charity.

Meetings and time commitment

· We hold trustee meetings every quarter generally on a Monday at 5 pm

· The agenda and papers are usually emailed to each trustee a week before to give you plenty of time to read them.

· At least once a year we spend a day together to think about our future plans and to provide training to trustees as a group.

· Being a trustee is a voluntary role, but the charity will pay for out-of-pocket expenses eg. for travel to trustee meetings.

Other things to note

· If you haven’t been a trustee before we can provide extra training and/or ask another trustee to be a ‘buddy’ to talk through trustee papers, answer questions you have and provide support.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Legal and Financial Duties

1 To ensure that the Charity operates in accordance with general and Charity Law. This includes the filing of statutory returns, returns to the Charity Commission and HMRC

2 To ensure the prudent financial management of the Charity. To exercise financial control; to scrutinise statements of the financial position; to discuss and decide on annual budgets and to review and, if required, approve revised budgets. To approve the financial regulations.

3 To ensure the Charity keeps proper accounts and that appropriately audited or examined accounts are produced annually and submitted to the Charity Commission and funding bodies.

4 To ensure the payment of taxes due to HM Revenue and Customs.

5 To appoint bankers and cheque signatories and to make clear decisions about staff spending powers.

6 To ensure that the Charity’s assets are safeguarded and are well managed and maintained.

7 To ensure that the Charity is properly insured and complying with the law.

NB: Trustees should note that if the Charity is not run within the limits of its financial resources, it is possible that they could be held personally liable for the Charity’s debts if they are not seen to have acted prudently. It is therefore essential that Trustees are kept well informed of the Charity’s financial position.

Employment and Personnel Duties

(Trustees should note that the Board of Trustees is the employer of the staff.)

1 To appoint the Artistic Director and Chief Executive (one position.

2 To define the Charity’s employment policies, including equal opportunities, recruitment, pay, grievance & disciplinary, appraisal, sickness, expenses, holidays and training. Child/vulnerable adults protection policy/procedures must also be in place.

3 To approve the staffing structure and to take part in recruitment if required.

4 To agree the job descriptions, person specifications and terms of employment of senior appointments and the outline terms and conditions for other staff and to review levels of pay.

5 The Chair of the Board should act as the Artistic Directors line manager in terms of support / appraisal and grievance / disciplinary procedures.

6 To ensure the safe and efficient use of premises for both staff and the public.

Policy and Planning

1 The Board defines organisation policies, sets policy priorities and determines strategies for the implementation of the policies, always bearing in mind its charitable objectives. In particular, the Board should discuss and decide on the 3-year business plan. All Trustees should be familiar with and have a good understanding of all policy documents.

2 The Board should monitor all aspects of service delivery and policy implementation on a regular basis.

3 The Board should regularly review all areas of policy and policy implementation documents and make appropriate revisions. (This includes a review of this document.)

Advocacy

1 To promote Northumberland Theatre Company, its activities and needs to the private, public and voluntary sectors to enhance the charity’s profile and assist with fundraising for the company.

2 To act as a listening post in order to provide any information which may be of assistance to the Charity.

3 To act as an enthusiastic ambassador for the charity at all times.

Management

1 To establish a cycle of meetings with appropriate papers to service the Board efficiently.

2 To establish a system of communications and delegated decision making so that urgent decisions can be made and acted upon between Board meetings.

3 To appoint additional Trustees with specialist knowledge and skills as required.

4 To establish fixed term working parties on specific issues if required.

Artistic

1 To approve NTC’s programme of activities, being satisfied that policy and other agreed priorities, as well as financial projections, will be met.

2 To monitor artistic activities.

Attendance and Availability

1 At monthly Board meetings or any “emergency” meetings and at all General meetings, which will normally coincide with Board meetings.

2 At performances by the charity.

3 At other key events run by NTC.

4 At Sub-Committee or working party meetings if a member.

5 To provide advice and support to the senior staff, either by telephone or in person, if required.

Chair’s Delegated Duties (This is not a full role specification for the role of the Chair.)

1 The Chair is the leader and spokesperson of the Board and as such must keep closely in touch with the Charity and its activities. The Chair will normally represent the Charity at outside events, though may delegate to another Trustee.

2 The Chair of the Board is the line manager of the Artistic Director.

3 Additionally the Chair acts as the decision maker on any matters that cannot be progressed without Board authorisation, but cannot wait until the next Board meeting. Ideally the Board will delegate specific powers over matters in progress to the Chair, but this is not always possible. However, no financial decisions can be made by the Chair alone.

4 All decisions made by the Chair between meetings will be brought to the full Board for ratification and must be within agreed policy parameters.

5 In the absence of the Chair, the duties and powers of the Chair will be undertaken by another Trustee.