Charity trustees are collectively responsible for the overall governance, strategic direction and effective management of B Healthy Together. Trustees work together to ensure that the organisation operates in accordance with its charitable purposes, meets its legal and regulatory responsibilities, and makes a positive difference to the communities it serves.

As a charity trustee, you will share collective responsibility for the organisation’s governance, strategy, financial oversight and accountability. You will be expected to act in the best interests of B Healthy Together and contribute constructively to the Board’s decision-making.

The general duties of trustees include:

• Seeking, in good faith, to ensure that B Healthy Together acts in a manner consistent with its charitable purposes.
• Acting with the care and diligence that it is reasonable to expect of a person managing the affairs of another person.
• Acting in the best interests of B Healthy Together and managing any conflicts of interest appropriately.
• Ensuring that B Healthy Together complies with the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 and other relevant legal and regulatory requirements.

Trustees are expected to:

• Participate actively in Board meetings: Attend bi-monthly Board meetings, contribute to discussions and participate in collective decision-making. Trustees should prepare for meetings by reading relevant papers and information in advance.
• Understand the responsibilities of trusteeship: Develop an understanding of the role and responsibilities of a charity trustee, including through reading the B Healthy Together Constitution, reviewing relevant guidance from the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), and attending appropriate training.
• Engage with the organisation’s work: Develop a good understanding of B Healthy Together’s activities, the services it provides, the communities it serves, its work with partner agencies and the key requirements of its funders.
• Contribute skills, experience and insight: Share your knowledge, experience and perspective to support the Board’s discussions, strategic development and oversight of the organisation.
• Support the staff team appropriately: Work collaboratively with the CEO and staff team, offering advice, encouragement and constructive challenge where appropriate, while respecting the distinct governance and operational responsibilities of trustees and staff.
• Work collectively and constructively: Contribute to an inclusive, respectful and collaborative Board environment, recognising that trustees share collective responsibility for decisions made by the Board.
• Promote the interests of B Healthy Together: Act as an ambassador for the organisation where appropriate, helping to raise awareness of its work and the issues affecting the communities it serves.

Working with the Staff Team

B Healthy Together recognises the value that trustees can bring through their skills, experience, networks and professional insight.

To maximise our collective capacity as trustees and ensure that support for the staff team is structured and effective, a number of core areas of work have been identified.

Where appropriate, individual trustees may take an interest in or support particular areas of the organisation’s work. This will be agreed collaboratively with the Board, CEO and relevant staff members, taking account of the trustee’s skills, experience, interests and available capacity.

Trustee involvement may include:

• Developing a detailed understanding of current priorities, activities and challenges by engaging with relevant staff members and the CEO.
• Acting as an appropriate point of contact for staff, offering support, advice and constructive challenge within the boundaries of the trustee role.
• Bringing relevant updates, questions and issues to the Board to support informed discussion and collective decision-making.
• Sharing knowledge, experience and connections that may help strengthen the organisation’s work and impact.

Trustees should not become involved in the day-to-day management of the organisation or direct the work of individual staff members. The CEO is responsible for operational management, with the Board providing appropriate governance, oversight and support.

Core Areas of Focus

The following core areas have been identified as important to the work of B Healthy Together:

• Evaluation and impact: Understanding and supporting the organisation’s approach to measuring its impact and demonstrating the difference it makes.
• Fundraising: Supporting fundraising activities, income generation and the development of sustainable funding opportunities.
• Internal policy development and HR: Contributing to the development and review of organisational policies and supporting good governance and employment practices.
• Marketing and communications: Supporting awareness of B Healthy Together’s work, its services and the issues affecting the communities it serves.
• Community engagement: Supporting meaningful engagement with the communities B Healthy Together serves and helping ensure their experiences and perspectives inform the organisation’s work.

Trustees are not expected to have expertise in every area. The Board will work together to make effective use of the skills and experience of its members, identify gaps in knowledge and provide opportunities for learning and development.

Commitment to B Healthy Together

Being a trustee is an opportunity to contribute to the governance and development of an organisation working to support healthier communities and improve people’s lives.

We welcome trustees who are committed to B Healthy Together’s charitable purposes, willing to contribute their time and experience, and keen to work collaboratively with fellow trustees, the CEO and staff team.

All trustees share collective responsibility for the organisation and are encouraged to contribute in ways that reflect their skills, experience and interests.

Please contact Alan Surgeon for a confidential discussion about the post. Suitable candidates will be invited to apply with a CV and cover letter via the Apply form below.

📧 [email protected]