Volunteer Trustee with Legal Expertise in Watford

Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care is seeking a new Trustee with legal expertise to help guide the charity's strategy with particular attention to governance and regulatory responsibilities. This voluntary role is ideal for someone with strong knowledge of commercial law, governance, risk management and preferably experience in charity law.

Application Process

Please submit a covering letter outlining how your skills and experience would contribute to Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care in your role as trustee, together with a recent CV. The supporting statement should demonstrate why you want to join our Charity, your suitability for this role and specifically address the key elements of this role specification. Final selection will be via a two-stage formal interview process with the Chair of Trustees, Chief Executive and other trustees. If successful, the following will be required:

• Volunteer application form and appropriate references
• Enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service, DBS check
• Online course in data security, information governance and other essential learning
• Legal documentation required to become a charity trustee

If you would like to talk to someone about this role in more detail, please call Shirley Burns, EA to the Board of Trustees on 01923 33 03 30 or via email ceoffice@renniegrovepeace.org.

Main duties of the job

• Actively participate in Board meetings and relevant Board committee meetings (e.g. Governance), providing objective advice on strategic direction, performance and resources.
• Work with the Chair, Chief Executive and other trustees to ensure the charity maintains the highest standards of governance, complies with all relevant laws and regulations and delivers on its mission.
• Contribute to the development, scrutiny and approval of organisational strategies, major projects and investment decisions, ensuring alignment with long-term goals.
• Champion the charity's values, diversity and inclusion and ethical standards at all times.
• Support the organisation in complying with its governing documents, charity law, and other relevant legislation.
• Safeguard the organisation's assets and ensure they are applied exclusively for charitable purposes.
• Support the Board in understanding legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities.
• Contribute to setting and reviewing the organisation's strategic direction.
• Monitor performance and ensure accountability across all areas of operation.
• Ensure financial stability and integrity, approving budgets and monitoring expenditure.
• Act as an ambassador for the organisation, promoting its mission and values.

About us

At Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care, we provide palliative and end of life care support, including bereavement services, within Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire. Our patient services are available to adults, as well as patients transitioning into adult services. Bereavement support is offered for all ages to families of patients and those around them, as well as throughout the community, in schools and workplaces. We are proud to offer care in the place that best suits the individuals' needs, whether that's at home, in a care home, in a short stay in our inpatient unit, out in the community, or in our purpose-built Living Well Centre facilities. As a hospice care charity, we have offered this support, free of charge, for over 40 years. Our staff team of 340+ includes a wide range of patient-facing disciplines plus operational support based in Watford, Tring, St Albans, Chalfont St Giles and Berkhamsted. The Charity is now one of the larger UK hospice charities, reaching a GP population of 797,037 of whom 75% live in Hertfordshire and 25% in Buckinghamshire. Our mission is to provide the quality hospice care that our community needs.

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities:

• Governance and strategic leadership
• Actively participate in Board meetings and relevant Board committee meetings (e.g. Governance), providing objective advice on strategic direction, performance and resources.
• Work with the Chair, Chief Executive and other trustees to ensure the charity maintains the highest standards of governance, complies with all relevant laws and regulations and delivers on its mission.
• Contribute to the development, scrutiny and approval of organisational strategies, major projects and investment decisions, ensuring alignment with long-term goals.
• Champion the charity's values, diversity and inclusion and ethical standards at all times.
• Legal oversight and stewardship
• Support the organisation in complying with its governing documents, charity law, and other relevant legislation.
• Safeguard the organisation's assets and ensure they are applied exclusively for charitable purposes.
• Support the Board in understanding legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities.
• Contribute to setting and reviewing the organisation's strategic direction.
• Monitor performance and ensure accountability across all areas of operation.
• Ensure financial stability and integrity, approving budgets and monitoring expenditure.
• Act as an ambassador for the organisation, promoting its mission and values.

Person Specification

• Qualified solicitor or barrister or significant experience in legal practice
• Strong understanding of charity law, company law, compliance and governance frameworks
• Commitment to the organisation's values and objectives
• Experience and understanding of the role of Company Secretary
• Experience at senior leadership level
• Exceptional communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic thinker, capable of balancing detail with the bigger picture, and exercising sound independent judgement
• Deep commitment to the mission, vision and values of the charity, including principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.