The Hansard Society is looking for several new Trustees to join our Board. Three current Trustees will soon complete their second three-year term in office. We are therefore building a pipeline of new Trustees to join the Board over a managed transition period. We are particularly interested in candidates with expertise in:

• charitable fundraising (e.g. cultivating high-net-worth donors or running successful online small-donor campaigns); or

• digital communications and engagement (especially through social media); or

• building stakeholder partnerships (e.g. securing sponsorships for events or projects).

The Board of Trustees

The Board currently comprises nine members: the Chair, the Treasurer and seven Trustees.

You can find information about the current members of the Board on our website.

Charity Trustees are those responsible – under the charity’s governing document – for controlling its administration and management. The role of the Board of Trustees is to receive assets from donors, safeguard them and apply them to the charitable purposes of the Hansard Society.

A member of the Board of Trustees works with the other members of the Board to hold the Hansard Society ‘in trust’ for current and future beneficiaries. Trustees must always act in the best interests of the Hansard Society, applying the same duty of care that a prudent person would use when managing the affairs of someone for whom they have responsibility. The Board of Trustees must act collectively as a group and not as individuals.

The Hansard Society is both a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. Accordingly, our Trustees are also registered as Directors at Companies House.

As a Trustee you will…

• ensure that the Society complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations;

• attend quarterly Board meetings, the AGM and other meetings as required;

• actively participate in the collective decision-making process;

• ensure the Society has clear strategic direction and resources are aligned to meet its objectives;

• regularly review and update risk management;

• ensure satisfactory financial controls and procedures are in place;

• appoint the Director, set the terms and conditions of appointment, and ensure succession planning;

• hold the Director to account for the delivery of the Society’s objectives.

• safeguard the Hansard Society’s reputation;

• support the staff by sharing sector specific knowledge, expertise and contacts;

• attend events and act as an ambassador for the Society and its work; and

• assist with fund-raising, in accordance with any requests made by staff or fellow members of the Board.

You will be the right person for this role if you have:

• expertise in at least one of the three core areas where we are looking to strengthen the Board namely:

  • charitable fundraising (e.g. cultivating high-net-worth donors or running successful online small-donor campaigns); or

  • digital communications and engagement (especially through social media); or

  • building stakeholder partnerships (e.g. securing sponsorships for events or projects).

• a commitment to the principles of parliamentary democracy and the mission of the Hansard Society and its non-partisan values and ethos;

• an understanding of charity governance and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship (previous Board experience would be an asset but is not required);

• good communication and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and act as an ambassador for the Society;

• the highest standards of integrity, probity, ethics and conduct;

• good political, social and economic awareness of the Society’s operating environment;

• strong analytical skills and objective, independent judgement;

• an understanding of the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion and how to apply them in an organisational setting; and

• an ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to take decisions in the best interests of the Hansard Society.

Next steps

For full details about the role, the Hansard Society and the application process, please read the information pack which can be downloaded on our website.