Chair of the Board of Trustees

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Recruitment pack

ROLE DESCRIPTION

Governance

  • Lead the board’s development of best practice in governance
  • Ensure that board time is used effectively on strategic issues
  • Chair the Governance Committee, and liaise with the Audit and Risk Committee as necessary
  • Monitor trustee-engagement with the charity and trustee code of conduct compliance
  • Provide opportunities for each trustee’s knowledge, skills and experience to be used to best advantage for the benefit of the charity
  • Ensure that new board members are properly inducted into their duties as trustees

Meetings

  • Chair board and general meetings of the charity, determining all procedural questions, ruling on any adjournments needed and resolving any disputes arising
  • Set the agenda for board and general meetings, in liaison with the Chief Executive
  • Facilitate constructive and open but respectful discussion at meetings, with all relevant factors being fully considered and clear decisions reached
  • Balance the general policy of open meetings in the interests of transparency with closed (in-camera) sessions for those matters where confidentiality is required

Staff

  • Act as the main channel between board and staff
  • Meet regularly with the Chief Executive, offering support and guidance
  • Work with the Chief Executive to ensure board access as required to professional advice to inform discussions and decisions
  • Conduct the Chief Executive’s appraisal

External relations

  • Work with the Chief Executive to ensure appropriate representation of the charity to the Wikimedia movement, the media, the authorities and the general public, including acting as spokesperson as needed

PERSON SPECIFICATION

  • The ability to provide effective leadership to the board, ensuring meetings are run effectively and decisions are made in a timely fashion
  • A good understanding of best practice within charity governance and familiarity with charity finance
  • Understanding of and commitment to promoting the values, aims and objectives of Wikimedia UK, with the ability to act as an advocate and leader for the charity
  • Committed to promoting and supporting equity, diversity and inclusion at board level and across Wikimedia UK’s work
  • Committed to working collegiately with the Board of Trustees and the Chief Executive

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Wikimedia UK is the national platform for open knowledge, bringing together practical and policy expertise about Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia projects. Delivering impact of over 1 billion views each year and engaging thousands of people through advocacy, education, outreach and partnerships, Wikimedia UK demystifies and drives engagement in open access to information.

Key documents relating to the charity are as follows:

The organisation’s articles, policies and procedures are all publicly available on our wiki:

Wikimedia UK's Board of Trustees provides strategic guidance, direction and oversight for the charity as a whole while recognising and respecting the domain of staff responsibility. In particular, the board:

  • sets and maintains our direction, vision, mission and values, and helps develop strategy for effective charitable impact
  • sets and maintains the policies, practices, budgets and other processes necessary to deliver those aims
  • selects and supports the CEO who has oversight of operations, staff and employment procedures
  • maintains fiscal oversight and accountability, including risk management and ensuring that the charity operates in a prudent and solvent manner
  • ensures that the law and our Articles of Association are complied with
  • promotes and champions the charity
  • maintains its own effectiveness as a board

We have a board of up to 11 trustees who are appointed for three-year terms. Most trustees are elected however we can have up to four co-opted trustees at any one time. Trustees of Wikimedia UK are expected to sign the Code of Conduct and to declare any actual or potential conflicts and personal interests.

Full board meetings are held quarterly, as are meetings of the two formal sub-committees (Audit and Risk, and Governance). The meeting schedule for 2021 is online here.

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