Friends of the Earth, Birmingham
Secretary: environmental organisation - Volunteer
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We're seeking a Society Secretary
We're seeking a Society Secretary to support our Birmingham-based environmental Community Benefit Society, potentially as a member of our Board of Directors (optional).
What difference will you make?
All board members make a big contribution to ensuring our organisation is effective in using its resources to support its environmental cause. Our campaigns group plays a big role in the city's environmental and social justice sphere and our building is much loved and highly used by many activist groups around Birmingham. The Secretary will be able to make us more effective by keeping our governance efficient, organised and fully in accordance with our constitution and best practice.
What are we looking for?
For the Board as a whole we’re seeking people with a commitment to environmental and social justice, a cooperative nature, and experience of making a significant contribution to organisational development. For the Society Secretary role we're looking for
- Knowledge of the Co-operative & Community Benefit Societies Act (although this can be learned)
- Experience of governance within, or working on the Rules of, a co-op or comparable member-based organisation
- Experience of record-keeping
- Able to read and interpret accounts
- Good organisational and administrative skills
- Commitment to attend meetings and accept responsibility for the performance of key tasks as allocated by the Board
- Strength of character to ensure the Board operates correctly regarding legal and financial requirements.
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We are proud of the diversity already represented on our Board and are committed to building a Board that better reflects the city’s population. We particularly welcome applications from people from minority ethnic backgrounds and women. We are also particularly keen to involve young people in our governance in order to hear youth perspectives, support intergenerational dialogue and support young people’s inclusion in this sector and leadership roles.
We welcome applications from suitably skilled individuals who have not undertaken voluntary sector board or management committee roles, and will provide support, training and mentoring as needed to help those new to such roles to fulfil their potential.
Hybrid
What will you be doing?
BFoE exists to promote positive environmental change. As well as campaigning on vital local to global issues we have a thriving community building, The Warehouse in Digbeth, which is a space for activists, non-profits and green businesses. Campaigns activity is delegated to our thriving campaigns group, which meets weekly, so the Board's work is mainly on governance of the organisation as a whole and ensuring the operation of the building meets our objectives. The Society Secretary's role is to ensure (mostly by oversight of senior staff responsibilities) the Society abides by its governance obligations and good practice. This role can be done as a member of the board or otherwise, depending on the successful candidate's preference. Attendance of most board meetings is preferred in order for the Secretary to take minutes, but this can be delegated to board members and staff.
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We have 5 members of staff, and income is primarily from rent and sessional space hire. BFOE has issued community shares and has been generating a modest annual surplus in recent years.
Apart from board meeting minutes, staff undertake most of the practical/time-consuming governance responsibilities such as producing the annual report and organising meetings. The Secretary's role tends to be advice and oversight as needed.
Other board business, depending on whether the individual wishes to join the board and what capacity they have, might include joining subgroups or decision panels on staff recruitment, our Cafe, risk, business planning or energy improvements. But these are entirely optional extras.
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