Kingston LGBTQ+ Forum (the “Forum”) is looking for a secretary to join our board of trustees. 

We especially welcome and will prioritise expressions of interest from women, People of Colour, trans people and people with trans histories. This is to improve diversity among our trustees and enable us to better serve our beneficiaries.

The Forum is a charity run exclusively by volunteers and managed by a team of trustees. The Forum provides services and activities for LGBTQ+ people in Kingston upon Thames.

We are looking for a reliable and skilled person who cares about local LGBTQ+ people, to help us make Kingston a better, healthier and more inclusive place for LGBTQ+ people. You will be required to maintain the administration of the Forum’s trustee board by ensuring the smooth running of the board of trustees; and preparing for, and keeping a record of, trustee meetings.

Trustee role description

Title: Trustee and secretary of Kingston LGBTQ+ Forum

The duties of a trustee are to:

1. Make sure that the Forum complies with its constitution, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations;
2. Make sure that the Forum pursues its objects as defined in its constitution;
3. Make sure that the Forum applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects (ie the Forum must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objects, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are);
4. Contribute actively to the board of trustees’ role in giving firm strategic direction to the Forum, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets;
5. Safeguard the good name and the values of the Forum;
6. Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the Forum;
7. Ensure financial stability of the Forum; and
8. Protect and manage the Forum’s property and to ensure the proper investment of the Forum’s funds.

The additional duties of a secretary are to:

1. Support the chair in facilitating the smooth functioning of the board of trustees;
2. Receive agenda items from trustees;
3. Prepare meeting agenda in collaboration with the chair;
4. Make arrangements for meetings by booking spaces, organising refreshments, and assisting those with additional needs;
5. Create and circulate materials among trustees in advance of meetings;
6. Keep an accurate record of trustee meetings and monitor progress of action items between meetings;
7. Take minutes of General Meetings and Annual General Meetings and circulate them among trustees; and
8. Submit information and reports to the Charity Commission with the guidance of the chair.

In addition to the above duties, each trustee should use any special skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.

Person specification

To be a Forum trustee you must:

1. Care about LGBTQ+ people in Kingston upon Thames;
2. Be willing to devote the necessary time and effort;
3. Have strategic vision and the ability to think creatively;
4. Have good, independent judgement, and be willing to speak your mind;
5. Understand and accept the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of being a trustee; and
6. Abide by Nolan’s seven principles of public life, which are:
   1. Selflessness;
   2. Integrity;
   3. Objectivity;
   4. Accountability;
   5. Openness;
   6. Honesty; and
   7. Leadership.

In addition, to be the secretary of the Forum, you must:

1. Good organisational and project management skills; and
2. Knowledge or experience of charity administration procedures.

Further information

Our constitution is available, here.

Our most recent annual report and accounts can be found on the charity commission’s website, here.