Committee Roles and Responsibilities -

Chair, Treasurer and Secretary

Information kindly supplied by West Sussex EESI Project (Crawley and Horsham Area)

A board of trustees or management committee is made up of a number of individuals who have been formally elected (according to the organisations Constitution). Each individual should be on the board because of what they can bring to the organisation which can include specific skills, knowledge or perspective. Some trustees will take on more specific roles, who are often called ‘Honorary Officers’ these are the chairperson, treasurer and secretary.

The Chair - - - - - - Leadership

The treasurer - - -  Financial Management

The Secretary - - - Organise meetings, takes minutes etc.

The Chair

The chair’s role can differ from one organisation to the next but the basis of

this role is in providing leadership to the management committee. Acting as a

chair can be a time-consuming role, it is therefore important that the person

chosen has the time as well as the skills to bring to the position.

The general responsibilities of the chairperson will be:

• To ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document, including the organisation’s objectives, charity law, company law and any other relevant legalisation or regulations.
• To ensure that the organisation applies its resources solely in pursuing its objectives.
• To actively contribute to the board of trustees’ role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting and evaluating targets.
• To safeguard the good name and vales of the organisation
• To ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation
• To protect and manage the property of the charity and to ensure the proper investment of the charities funds
• To ensure the financial stability of the organisation
• If the organisation employs staff, to appoint a chief executive and monitor his / her performance

The Chairperson should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience that

they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions.

More general duties of the chairperson include:

• Planning a cycle of board meetings
• Setting agendas for board meetings
• Chairing the management committee meetings and annual general meetings. In this context, the chair has a vital role in ensuring that meetings run smoothly and effectively and that members are able to contribute when they wish to and are brought to a consensus of opinion.
• Assisting with the management of the organisation. The chair may find him /herself involved in tasks such as overseeing budgets and expenditure, signing cheque's, liaising with the treasurer and signing letters.
• Ensuring that decisions taken at meetings are implemented
• Acting as a spokesperson where appropriate
• Contributing impartially and objectively to decision making

It is important to distinguish between governance and management, but the

chairperson will:

• Lead the process of appraising the performance of the chief executive
• Sit on appointment and disciplinary panels
• Liaise with the chief executive to keep an overview of the organisation’s affairs and to provide support as appropriate.
• Liaise with the chief executive to develop the board of trustees
• Liaise with the chief executive to facilitate change and address conflict within the board and within the organisation

Chairperson specification

• The Chairperson will have:
• A commitment to the organisation
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
• Strategic vision
• Good, independent judgement
• The ability to think creatively
• Willingness to (where appropriate) speak their mind
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team
• Leadership skills
• Experience of committee work
• Tact and diplomacy
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Impartiality, fairness and the ability to respect confidences

In most circumstances it is useful for the chair to have knowledge of the type

of work undertaken by the organisation and a wider involvement with the

voluntary sector and other networks.

The Treasurer

The overall role of the treasurer is to:

• Maintain an overview of the organisation’s affairs and finances on behalf of the whole board
• Ensure the organisations financial viability
• Ensure that proper financial records and procedures are maintained

The general responsibilities of the treasurer are:

• To ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document, including the organisation’s objectives, charity law, company law and any other relevant legalisation or regulations.
• To ensure that the organisation applies its resources solely in pursuing its objectives. (The organisation must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objectives, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are)
• To actively contribute to the board of trustees’ role in giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting and evaluating targets.
• To safeguard the good name and vales of the organisation
• To ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation
• To protect and manage the property of the organisation and to ensure the proper investment of the charity’s funds
• To ensure the financial stability of the organisation
• Where appropriate the treasurer should be involved in the appointment of a chief executive

Additional duties of the treasurer include;

Overseeing, approving and presenting budgets, accounts and financial statements

• Being assured that the financial resources of the organisation meet its present and future needs
• Ensuring that the organisation has an appropriate reserves policy
• Preparation and presentation of financial reports to the board
• Ensuring that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place
• Liaising with any paid staff and volunteers about financial matters
• Advising on the financial implications of the organisation’s strategic plans
• Ensuring that there is no conflict between any investment held and the aims and objectives of the organisation
• Monitoring the organisation’s investment activity and ensuring its consistency with the organisation’s policies and legal responsibilities
• Ensuring the organisation’s compliance with legislation
• Ensuring equipment and assets are adequately maintained and insured
• Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and disclosed in the form required by funders and relevant statutory bodies.
• If external scrutiny of accounts is required, ensuring that they are scrutinised in the manner required and any recommendations are implemented
• Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities
• Contributing to the fundraising strategy of the organisation
• Making a formal presentation of accounts at the annual general meeting and drawing attention to important points in a coherent and easily understandable way
• Sitting on appraisal, recruitment and disciplinary panels as required

Treasurer specification:

The treasurer will have:

• A commitment to the organisation
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
• Strategic vision
• Good, independent judgement
• Ability to think creatively
• Willingness to (where appropriate) speak their mind
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team
• Financial qualifications and /or experience
• Some experience of charity finance, fundraising and pension schemes
• The skills to analyse proposals and examine their financial consequences
• Preparedness to make perhaps unpopular recommendations to the board
• Willingness to be available to staff for advice and enquiries when necessary.

It should be noted that all of the trustees are responsible for the organisations finances. Each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions.

The Secretary

Usually the main job of the secretary is to keep minutes (notes) of meetings and to distribute them to management committee members. Any other roles that the secretary should take on can be decided by the

management committee as a whole - with the agreement of the secretary, of course!

Secretary Specification

The Secretary will have:

• Good organisation skills
• Ability to take effective and accurate minutes
• Good communication skills