Safeguarding Lead Trustee
Closing date: December 31, 2024
About the Role
Role type: Voluntary role, travel expenses reimbursed
Location: Remote, open to applicants eligible to work in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
Responsible for: N/A
Accountable to: Board of Trustees, members & regulators
About Nightline Association
Nightlines provide an anonymous and confidential listening and information service, run by students for students at their university. They work to improve student mental health and wellbeing and are open at night when no other university welfare services are available. Nightline services now cover over 100 universities and colleges, or over 1.5 million students, across the UK thanks to an incredible team of over 2,500 trained student volunteers.
The Nightline Association is the registered charity that supports, promotes and develops Nightlines. Nightline Association is run entirely by volunteers, who get to play a hands-on operational and strategic role in the running of a national charity. By volunteering for the Nightline Association you will not only gain more awareness of the work of the Association and the charity sector, you will also gain transferable skills and make new friends.
Role Description
We are seeking to appoint a Trustee Safeguarding Lead to provide strategic oversight and leadership for the organisation, particularly in the area of Safeguarding.
The purpose of your role is to work alongside the other trustees to ensure that the Association is working towards its charitable purposes, is complying with all applicable rules and laws, and is making best use of its resources to achieve its aims.
Whilst safeguarding is the responsibility of all trustees, as Trustee Safeguarding Lead, you will provide support to the CEO and the Operational Safeguarding Lead in their operational roles, promoting safeguarding within the organisation and our affiliated Nightlines, providing a strategic, advisory and governance role.
Being a charity trustee with the Association is a rewarding experience and gives a unique opportunity to support and shape a national mental health charity at the highest level. Now is an exciting time to join us as we have recently transitioned from a volunteer-led organisation to a staff-led model, which is opening up new opportunities.
Trustees have legal responsibility for the Association’s management and administration. They are ultimately responsible for the Association’s work and are accountable to both the Association’s legal members and its regulators such as the Charity Commission for the good governance of the Association.
Trustees take considered and informed decisions in the best interests of the Association. Trustees are not expected to be experts on all areas of their work but are expected to seek guidance and support where necessary and to bring their own knowledge and experience to contribute to discussions.
You can find out more about being a Charity Trustee from the Charity Commission, the Scottish Charity Regulator and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland.
Duties and Responsibilities
Principal tasks & responsibilities
- Make decisions in the best interests of the Association
- Be an ambassador to champion the role and importance of safeguarding throughout the organisation
- Chair the Safeguarding Steering Committee, ensuring safeguarding policy and procedure is reviewed regularly, providing consistent oversight and accountability of safeguarding practice across the organisations and associated Nightlines
- Support fellow Trustees in developing their individual and collective understanding of safeguarding
- Properly prepare for meetings of the Board and Committees in order to make informed and considered decisions
- Take an active part in meetings, listening to the views of others, assessing information, and contributing and challenging where necessary
- Communicate effectively with other trustees, volunteers and staff in and between meetings
- Ensure professional advice is sought where needed in order to make properly informed decisions
- Be accountable to the Association’s members
- Represent the Association at meetings and events
- Act as a spokesperson for the Association where appropriate
- Work with and support other trustees, senior volunteers and staff
Legal & Governance
- Ensure that the Association complies with its governing documents, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations including reporting requirements
- Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the Association, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place
- Avoid any personal conflicts of interest and, where conflicts arise, ensure that they are declared and managed in accordance with the Association’s governing documents
- Ensure that appropriate governance is maintained for safeguarding practice
- Ensure that the Association is compliant with safeguarding legislation
Strategic & Risk Management
- Ensure that the Association pursues its stated objects, as defined in its governing document, by developing and agreeing a long-term strategy
- Ensure that the organisation’s strategic plans align with safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance, and the safeguarding expectations of the Charity Commission and other regulators
- Assess risk and safeguard the reputation, finances, aims and values of the organisation
- Ensure that the organisational risk register reflects the safeguarding related risks
- Ensure that the Association defines its goals and evaluates performance against agreed targets
- Safeguard the good name and values of the Association and the Nightline movement
Operational Oversight
- Follow proper and formal arrangements for the appointment, supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of senior volunteers and staff
- Provide oversight of any safeguarding allegations against staff or volunteers, together with the Operational Safeguarding Lead.
- Provide strategic advice and guidance to the CEO and Operational Safeguarding Lead on safeguarding matters
Financial
- Ensure the financial stability of the Association
- Protect and manage the property of the Association and ensure the proper investment of the Association’s funds
- Ensure that the Association applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its charitable objects (i.e. the Association must not spend money on activities that are not included in its own objects, however worthwhile or charitable those activities are) for the benefit of the public
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
- Eligible to be a Company Director & Charity Trustee (see “eligibility” below)
- Professional experience in a strategic safeguarding role
- Excellent communicator, verbal and written – approachable, clear and professional
- Strategic and creative approach – not being afraid to change the way we do things to improve outcomes
- A strong team-player – a contributor of opinion and thoughts, whilst having the ability to collaborate and be accepting of others views
- Logical approach to decision making – ensuring difficult decisions are taken calmly on the best available information, and with the beneficiaries of the charity in mind
- Ability to chair meetings effectively and efficiently.
- Ability to critically review safeguarding policy, practice and strategy, scrutinising quality assurance data and commissioning audits from the Operational Safeguarding Lead as needed.
- Up to date knowledge of safeguarding related legislation and best practice guidance.
- Commitment to the vision and aims of Nightline Association
- Commitment to equality and diversity – seeking to ensure that Nightline best reflects the population it serves at all levels
- Professional integrity – leading a culture of honesty, openness, fairness and trust
- Willingness to give the minimum time commitment
Desirable Criteria
- Strategy / business management with the ability to plan and develop the charity
- Previous experience with a telephone helpline or mental health charity (or similar)
- Managing and engaging volunteers and/or young people
- Previous experience as a company director and/or charity trustee
- Understanding of the Nightline movement and/or the wider student mental health sector
Commitment
The core commitment for all trustees is to attend the following meetings, including time spent preparing by reading papers, asking questions and seeking advice in advance:
Board of Trustees. Board meetings are held every three months. These are usually held at the weekend and last from about 10am – 4pm. One of these meetings is held in-person each year, with the others being online. Additional meetings may be called for urgent matters – these would be held online at weekends or in the evenings.
Trustee Committees. All Trustees are expected to serve on at least one of the Trustee committees. Meetings are usually held online at weekends or in the evenings. The successful applicant to this role will chair the Safeguarding Steering Committee which meets quarterly.
General Meetings. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is usually held at our Annual Conference in the summer on a weekend. Additional general meetings may be called in extraordinary circumstances.
Trustees may also be asked to attend other meetings and away days during the year to help contribute to the development of the Association.
How to Apply
Instead of collecting CVs, we ask all candidates to complete the application form on our website and the anonymous equal opportunities monitoring form. In your application we ask that you reflect on relevant experience and competencies that make you a good fit for this role. The deadline for application is 12:00am, 31 December 2024.
Anonymised applications will be shortlisted by a panel based on how well the applicant fits the person specification. We will contact you no more than 10 working days after the closing date to inform you whether you have been shortlisted for an interview. Interviews are conducted over Google Meet, and there may be a second interview stage depending on the outcome of the initial interviews.
For any queries about the recruitment process or requests for reasonable adjustments to support your application, please contact applications@nightline.ac.uk.
Date Posted: September 20, 2024
