Board members will need to make sure that the charity follows current employment law if the charity employs individuals. This includes:
Putting in place policies, procedures and processes will help mean the charity remains legal and establishes a good work environment.
The employment policies and procedures section will help trustees define, regulate and inform how their organisation operates.
A chief executive is the most senior staff role in a charity and is often the public face of the organisation. They:
For a charity with a staff structure, it’s common for this to be led by a chief executive who manages the staff team. They have responsibility for leading the organisation on a day to day basis. The ongoing management of the chief executive is normally delegated to the Chair. The Chair and Chief Executive can meet regularly.
The relationship between a board and the chief executive should be a partnership. Although the board remains responsible for all of the charity’s work, it’s common that wide-ranging authority will be delegated to the chief executive to run the charity. It’s helpful for a board and chief executive to agree on how they want to work together.
We recommend framing this discussion on the relationship around the two key areas below. The questions here are designed to guide your discussion.
Clearly defining the chief executive role and expectations helps to make sure responsibilities are clear. This also helps the board understand what decisions the chief executive has the delegated authority to make.
The board should set out realistic and achievable personal objectives for the chief executive. The regular meetings between the chair and chief executive are an opportunity for the Chair to monitor progress against personal objectives, offer support and discuss priorities.
In board meetings, the chief executive should be expected to report on progress against the charity's strategy and objectives. This is different from the management relationship the Chief Executive has with the Chair in that it is an opportunity for the board to collectively examine the work of the organization together.
The nature of a chief executive’s role varies depending on lots of factors such as the charity’s income size, areas of work. I’is helpful to view the relationship as a balance which needs to be regularly reviewed and discussed.
The governing body must make sure it has the appropriate policies and processes in place to support and manage staff and volunteers. Boards need to make sure the Charity has a clear approach to volunteer management.
The recruiting and managing volunteers section helps board members understand the role of volunteers and establish these systems.
Last reviewed: 29 April 2022
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