Trustee vacancy for Charity/ Company Secretary
We are looking for an experienced Charity/Company Secretary to join the trustee board of this London-based expanding charity, bringing live classical music to children who might not otherwise experience it. This is a great opportunity to join a dynamic music education charity, helping to guide the next exciting phase of its journey.
What will you be doing?
Overall
The secretary has a key role, together with the Chair, of organising the meetings and ensuring the general smooth running of the charity.
- ensure that trustee meetings are properly administered
- ensure other meetings, such as the AGM, and events are properly administered
- monitor trustee and staff action points arising from meetings
- ensure that requirements of Companies House are met, and that list of Directors at Companies House is kept up-to-date
- ensure that annual returns are made to regulatory bodies as appropriate, on time, and in the correct format
Specifically Trustee Meetings
- Plan and prepare the trustee meetings and the AGM with others as appropriate.
- Planning meeting dates, booking venues, sending out notifications, minutes and other papers.
- Liaise with the Chair of Trustees to form agenda; gather papers from Treasurer, CEO, Fundraising Officer (and others depending on agenda); send out agenda and supporting papers two weeks before the meeting. This should include minutes from the previous meeting.
- Minute trustee meetings or ensure that another minute taker is available. Write them up and circulate for comment asap after the meeting. Prepare final version for approval and signature at next meeting.
- Gather paperwork for AGM to include: Chair’s review, Trustee Report and Accounts (3 copies for signing – Companies House, Independent Examiner, AMP). One trustee has to resign and is re-elected each AGM, in rotation – so agree with Chair who this is in advance.
Company Secretary
- Keep details of Directors (Trustees) up to date with Companies House and on Charity Commission websites
- Send a signed copy of Trustee Reports and Accounts to Companies House
- File annual confirmation statement with Companies House
What are we looking for?
We are looking to strengthen our board by appointing new trustees to help us in our next stage of growth and development. We have a specific requirement for an experienced Charity and/or Company Secretary to work with our new Chair in ensuring the smooth running of the organisation and fulfil our legal and administrative requirements as a charity and incorporated company.
Currently, our Board is eight strong and the majority have been with Apollo for less than two years, so we're full of ideas and energy. To ensure the longer-term sustainability of Apollo we need to expand our reach beyond our current operating base of a few London boroughs. We will need to market ourselves into new areas, within London and beyond, and this will require investment in staff; broadening our fundraising base; securing longer-term funding; and developing a new operating model to manage our activities.
In Trustees, we look for people who are passionate about what we do; who can contribute to our expansion plans; and who can challenge our current thinking and processes in a constructive way.
In summary, we are at a pivotal point in our journey and we are seeking motivated and dedicated Trustees who are willing to give their time to ensure that the Charity can reach a much broader audience of children in London and beyond. As a Board, we meet four times a year, and your primary role as Charity Secretary will be ensuring the effective running of those meetings. As a Trustee you will naturally share a collective responsibility to ensure that Apollo sticks to its mission; is financially sound; and continues to add value across the areas it works.
What is most important is that you get what we do and have the passion and willingness to contribute towards our mission and longer-term expansion plans.
As an experienced charity and/or company secretary you will:
- be organised, methodical and have an attention to detail
- be able to take good minutes and keep accurate records
- have knowledge of company law relating to the Company Secretary's role
Apollo Music Projects is committed to building a board which is reflective of the communities it serves. Applications are particularly welcome from candidates from minority ethnic backgrounds.
What difference will you make?
Your impact will be contributing to the next stage of Apollo's growth and as charity secretary, you will play a key role in ensuring the effective operation of the board of trustees during this exciting time of expansion.
Moving beyond our established base presents some significant challenges. The expansion strategy raises questions about our approach to fundraising; our ability to market ourselves; as well as how we develop our operating model. You will be joining the Board as we begin this journey and will play a key role in ensuring we navigate through these challenges effectively.
We are not looking for trustees to help us stay where we are. We're looking for trustees who can support us in taking Apollo to the next stage.
What's in it for the volunteer?
What we do makes a difference to children. We open their minds to new experiences and at the end of the programme, children are able to sit through an orchestral concert and be inspired and mesmerised by what they see and hear. In 2018/19 we operated in 26 schools in London, concentrated predominantly in the boroughs of Hackney, Islington, Tower Hamlets and Haringey. There is no reason why we should 'stick to our patch' - what we offer is unique. This is an opportunity to get involved in a charity with an enthusiastic and committed Board of Trustees, keen to make their mark.
Before you apply