Board Trustees x 3

The Opportunities

ShelterBox delivers aid to families devastated by conflict or disaster, giving them safe shelter and the tools to rebuild their community. They believe in a world where no family is left without shelter.  Their aim is to ensure that the needs of those who require their support are met promptly and effectively.  To do this, ShelterBox is building partnerships across the sector and within the countries where they work.

ShelterBox is seeking to appoint new Trustees to their Board who have the skills and experience to help drive ShelterBox forward, providing strategic vision and effective oversight for our international programme of work.  They are looking for someone with demonstrable experience and skills in disaster or humanitarian relief, Fundraising & Communication, Digital Technology, Human Resources. The individual will have to Chair on the Operations Sub-committee. Trustees are responsible under the governing documents of ShelterBox for the governance of the charity. Management and administration are delegated to the CEO and staff of the organisation.

As a Trustee, you’ll serve for a period of 3 years and then retire but are eligible for re-election unless you have already served for 9 consecutive years.

You’ll possess a commitment to the aims and objectives of ShelterBox and to promoting the interests of people displaced by a disaster and a willingness to devote time and effort to the work of the Board and the capacity to commit to at least 10 days per year for ShelterBox. This will include quarterly board meetings (in Truro/London respectively) and assigned sub-committee meetings (Operations/Audit, Risk & Compliance/ Finance & Fundraising)

Shelterbox hopes to increase the diversity of their Board.  They would be keen to increase the number of women, younger people, individuals from a BAME background, and members of the LGBTQ community on the Board.

Position type: Voluntary (circa ten days per year)

Responsible to: Chair of Trustees

Key Responsibilities

As a member of the board:

• To ensure that ShelterBox is beneficiary led in our decision-making processes
• To agree and regularly monitor ShelterBox’s strategic direction, ensuring that the strategy will deliver on the organisation’s charitable aims and objectives.
• To ensure that ShelterBox functions within the legal, charitable and financial requirements set by statutory and regulatory authorities and that it strives to identify and achieve best practice in the management of these areas.
• To ensure the effective and efficient administration of ShelterBox by defining goals and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
• To act in the best interests of ShelterBox as a whole and to put the interests of ShelterBox before those of any other organisation or person 

As a Trustee:

• To use any specific skills, knowledge and experience to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This will include the scrutiny of proposals, leading and initiating discussions, providing advice or guidance on new initiatives and utilising any specialist expertise and experience.
• To chair and/or attend bodies given delegated authority by the Board such as committees.
• To participate in Trustee and Chair appraisal processes, including giving and receiving feedback and conducting Trustee exit interviews.
• To adhere to the principles and processes set out in the ShelterBox Governance Manual.
• To safeguard the good name and of the organisation and actively demonstrate adherence to ShelterBox’s values.

Promotion of the Organisation

• To seek opportunities which expand the promotion and awareness of the organisation’s work. Using the media appropriately to raise the organisation’s profile.
• To act as spokesperson when appropriate and authorised.

Role Description 

Essential Experience and Qualities

• Management or trustee/non-exec director experience in not-for-profit organisations, business, government or trades unions
• The ability to articulate a strategic vision and understand the implications for an organisation’s operations.
• The ability to exercise sound and independent judgement while working effectively as a member of a team.
• A demonstrable understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship and an appreciation of the personal implications.
• The specific skills and experience that are required by the Board to ensure it has the breadth and depth of expertise it needs to fulfil its governance and oversight role.
• A strong commitment to championing human rights, equality and diversity

Desirable Experience & Qualities

• Demonstrable experience and skills in one of the following areas: Humanitarian Programming/
  Aid Relief, Fundraising & Communications, Digital Technology, Human Resources
• Understanding of Black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities and an ability to bring diverse perspectives to the Board
• Understanding of good charitable governance and the role of Trustees

Trustee eligibility

• A trustee is required to act reasonably and prudently in all matters relating to ShelterBox. Trustees are required to undertake a full DBS check, to sign ShelterBox’s Code of Conduct and to declare potential conflicts of interest on an ongoing basis.
• There are rules which disqualify certain people from being a trustee of a charity. It is an offence to act as
  a charity trustee while disqualified unless the Charity Commission has given a waiver under section 72(4) of the Charities Act 1993

Trustee Information Pack

Trustee Pack

How to apply

To apply for one of these Trustee roles, kindly send through a Microsoft Word version of your CV and a cover letter detailing why you are suited to this role. Please mark it for the attention of Tim Wingrove, email address: [email protected].  Please subject your email with the following reference: SHLTR-Trustees.

Please note that the interview dates for this role will be confirmed with you should your application be successful.