Closing date:  15^th August 2025

Interview date: TBC

West Sussex County scouts is looking to appoint a new Chair to its Board of Trustees. The Trustee Board is a team of volunteers who work together, as charity trustees, to make sure Scouts is run safely and legally. At the heart of their role is a focus on strategy, performance and assurance. Effective Trustee Board governance helps our volunteers deliver fantastic programmes that give young people skills for life.

The board of trustees is responsible for, but not exclusively:

Managing money

• Have enough money for now and in the future. This means having a reserves policy and making sure fundraising takes place, if it’s needed.
• Have a budget in place. Trustees then agree how to manage the budget with other volunteer teams.

Ensure Compliance with Scouts policies and relevant legislation including:

• POR, safety, safeguarding, data protection and equality diversity and inclusion policies. As well as relevant Charity Commission Regulations.
• Follow employment law if staff are employed, and act as a responsible employer in line with relevant legislation and Scout values. Make sure effective line management is in place for each staff member, which can be delegated to others.
• Create Trustees Annual Report and Statement of accounts
• Have Statement of Accounts audited by an appropriate person before the Annual General Meeting. If they’re a registered charity, they’ll need to share it with the charity regulator.
• Hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Look after buildings, insurance and property:

• Look after records of ownership of property and equipment.
• Have the right insurance for people, buildings, and equipment.
• Make sure buildings and equipment are working well.

Manage risks:

• Maintain a risk register and put the right risk mitigations in place.

Help the charity to operate well, today and in the future:

• Work with Lead Volunteers to meet their charity aims.
• Champion, the Volunteering Culture and make sure volunteers are aware of it, reflect on it, commit to it, and apply it in their teams.

The role of the Chair:

• Lead the Trustee Board
• Plan when Trustee Board meetings should take place, and decide the agenda
• Lead Trustee Board meetings and the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
• Liaise with Lead Volunteers.
• Lead the recruitment of new trustees
• Support the Trustees by organising inductions, checking in to see how they’re getting on, and carrying out annual reviews.
• Represent the County at Regional meetings
• Work with District Chairs to ensure knowledge, good practice and learnings are in place.

Skills and attributes of candidates:

• Enthusiastic
• Good Organisational Skills
• Good Listener.
• Good communication Skills.
• Good IT skills
• Knowledge of The Scout Association (not essential).

A satisfactory DBS (Disclosure barring Service) check is required for this position.

To apply please complete the attached application form and e mail to:

[email protected]

West Sussex County Scout Council is an equal opportunities employer.