HON TREASURER CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK

Welcome to Wildlife Trust!

Hon Treasurer Candidate Information Pack

Contents Page 1 About Devon Wildlife Trust 2 2 Why we need an Hon Treasurer 3 3 The Trust culture and working environment 4 4 Trust Governance 4 5 The Role of Trustee 5 6 The Recruitment and Selection Process 7 ANNEXE 1 Role Description 9

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1. About Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT)

Established over fifty years ago by a small group of volunteers, DWT is the only charity that exists to protect all wildlife in Devon and to safeguard Devon’s unique natural environment. We work to ensure that anyone can contribute towards and benefit from a natural environment, rich in wildlife that is for everyone and valued by all. Our strategic plans include the creation and management of havens for wildlife; the use of ambitious, innovative and large-scale conservation approaches to protect and enhance wildlife in the wider landscape; species reintroductions; wide reaching education and engagement programmes; high quality research; and campaigning and advocacy work at regional and national level. DWT operates three wholly owned subsidiary companies: Devon Wildlife Enterprises (DWE) delivers commercial ecological consultancy work and gifts its profits to the Trust; Devon Wildlife Services (DWS) operates our visitor centre in East Devon - Seaton Jurassic; and Warren Crocus Company Limited holds the lease for land and property owned by DWT at . Along with 7 other Wildlife Trusts, we also jointly own and run South West Wildlife Fundraising Limited (SWWFL), a business which works to recruit new members. At DWT we believe that: -

 Devon is a truly outstanding place with exceptional wildlife;

 Wildlife has intrinsic value, bringing colour, beauty and wonder to our lives;

 Wildlife is relevant to every part of our lives; everything we do has an impact on it, and the natural environment affects our health, our wealth and our state of mind;

 The natural environment and wildlife are under immense and growing threat, here in Devon, across the UK and globally;

 Everyone can make a positive contribution to Devon’s wildlife, and can benefit from it. You don’t have to be an expert to make a difference.

We are focussed locally, but have national reach; we know Devon and care passionately about its wildlife, but we are also part of a national network of 47 Wildlife Trusts - known collectively as (TWTs) - so our work makes a difference for wildlife everywhere. Our website provides a good overview of the range and reach of our work and provides details about our many assets (properties and nature reserves). You can also find a link to our Trustees Annual Report and Annual Accounts on the website under About Us; How We Are Funded. http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/how-we-are-funded

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You can find out more about the work of the The Wildlife Trusts (TWTs) at www.wildlifetrusts.org/

2. Why we need an Honorary Treasurer

Our current Hon Treasurer, Richard Clack, is retiring from the Board of Trustees after six years in this role as he has come to the end of his term of office.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as Honorary Treasurer of Devon Wildlife Trust. If you are passionate about wildlife and the environment, as I am, then becoming a Trustee of DWT provides an excellent opportunity to be part of a dynamic and forward looking charity that puts its mission first and is strategically placed to play a major contribution in Devon towards protecting our wildlife and enhancing the environment, both for its own intrinsic worth and for the enjoyment and wellbeing of all the people of Devon. My time at Devon Wildlife Trust has been a very rewarding one and I feel pleased and honoured to have been able to have played my part.”

Richard Clack – Honorary Treasurer

The Hon Treasurer is an unpaid role, but a vital one, which supports excellent governance within the Trust. As part of their role as a DWT trustee, the Hon Treasurer will have an oversight role for DWT group finances - providing scrutiny and challenge where appropriate and fulfilling a high level and general advisory and reporting function to the Board.

The Hon Treasurer is not expected to carry out day to day financial management activity, to draft financial policies, to produce reports or anything else that is ‘operational,’ and good financial governance is a responsibility shared by all trustees and DWT’s senior leadership team:

 DWT has a finance team, led by an experienced finance manager, which is overseen by the Director of Resources and Marketing (DRM).  The DRM is responsible for ensuring that DWT adheres to legal and compliance obligations; that effective financial controls are in place and adhered to; that good quality financial information is available to the Board; and that all aspects of DWT’s financial management are delivered to a high standard;  Trust committees, involving the Hon Treasurer, support scrutiny and development in key areas such as annual budget setting, quarterly financial reviews, remuneration, pensions and investments so that financial oversight is collective responsibility;  Advice on more complex financial matters is provided by the Trust’s accountants,

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legal and investment advisors.

The main focus of the Hon Treasurer’s role is to provide trustee level quality assurance and to act as a critical friend to the Board and the senior leadership team on financial matters.

A willingness to become a DWT trustee, a recognised financial qualification and experience of financial management are the key criteria for the role of Hon Treasurer. The successful candidate will be joining an organisation that is in a strong financial position, has excellent financial controls and invests appropriately in its finance function. S/he will be valued by the staff and trustee team and will work closely with the Chair, CEO and DRM. Anyone who undertakes this role will benefit from a friendly, collegiate environment and can feel that they are making a crucial contribution towards our highly regarded charity. Further details about the Trust and the role of trustee can be found below. A full Role Description can be found as Annexe 1 of this document.

3. The Trust culture and working environment We are a welcoming community of people – members and supporters, volunteers, partners and staff - who share a love of Devon’s wildlife and who work together to protect it. Our beliefs and our values reflect those things that make people proud to work for us and want to support us. Our values are summarised as follows: -

We are committed to excellence in all our work and hold a number of accreditations: Investors in Volunteers, Investors in People (Silver award) and ISO14001 for

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environmental management. We are registered with the Fundraising Regulator and adhere to the Fundraising Code of Practice.

4. Trust Governance DWT is governed by a Board of Trustees which meets at least quarterly. The Board is the ultimate leadership and decision-making body for the Trust, responsible for ensuring effective governance, setting the Trust’s strategic direction and policies, and ensuring compliance with all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements, including the Charities Act and Companies Act. The rules and regulations to which the Board is accountable are set out in the Trust’s Articles of Association. An Executive Committee to the Board meets quarterly to provide another level of scrutiny and to act as an advisory group and sounding board for the CEO and senior leadership team around finance and significant operational matters. Various other sub committees and working groups scrutinise and support staff remuneration, trustee nominations, volunteer relationships and Board development. DWT trustee representatives sit on the DWE, DWS and Warren Crocus Company Boards. Designated roles – the Chair and Hon Treasurer - are currently trustees elected annually by the Board of Trustees.

The Board has recently adopted the Charity Governance Code 2017, which sets standards of best practice for governance, and is reviewing current practice in the light of this. https://www.charitygovernancecode.org/en

5. The Role of Trustee 5.1 Trustees are critical to the charity; they provide overall leadership, monitor and scrutinise the charity’s performance and help to shape the long-term future of the work we do. The role of the Board of Trustees is to govern the charity in line with DWT’s mission, values, charitable objectives and statutory and regulatory requirements, and to provide overall strategic direction to the organisation. See Annexe 1 for the full Role Description. 5.2 We hope that serving as a trustee with Devon Wildlife Trust will be a rewarding experience and this section outlines what we expect from trustees and what trustees can expect from us.

5.2.1 Time and Commitment

 In a calendar year all trustees are expected to attend: o Board meetings (currently held five times a year including two away days) o The Trust’s Annual General Meeting (held in the autumn). o Any sub-Committees s/he is involved in (usually held every quarter); o Any ad-hoc working groups s/he is involved in. There are currently three evening Board meetings a year and two Saturday daytime meetings. Meetings are currently held in or at Woodah Farm near

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Doddiscombsleigh in the Teign Valley. We can provide support with transport to and from meetings if required.

 All trustees are expected to provide an ongoing contribution of ideas and opinion through meetings and discussions held via email.

 For all meetings, trustees should allow several hours of preparation to ensure they are well-informed and have read the meeting papers in full.

 On occasion, we ask trustees to represent the charity at functions and meetings, and act to act as spokespeople, ambassadors and advocates for the Trust.

 Trustees are expected to stay abreast of issues relevant to the Trust and are encouraged to take an interest in the wider conservation sector and other relevant sectors beyond Devon. This includes a broad understanding of the national movement of The Wildlife Trusts.

 We encourage trustees to help to develop the Trust’s networks with key partners, funders, donors and other supporters whenever the opportunity arises to increase the charity’s influence, to promote a culture that understands and values our supporters, and to build the Trust’s presence and profile in a range of communities.

 All trustees are expected to have an acceptance and understanding of the legal duties and responsibilities of trusteeship.

 Trustees serve in terms of 3 years and will not normally serve more than two consecutive terms.

5.2.2 Approach and Attitude

 In their role, we require all trustees to uphold DWT’s values and the standards embodied in Nolan's Seven Principles of Public Life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

 Trustees are expected to view this voluntary position in the following ways: o with a commitment to fulfilling one’s statutory duties; o to feel involved and to care, with a deep commitment to the objectives of the Trust; o with a willingness to work as part of a team in achieving those objectives; o with a wish to personally develop, seeing a significant part of being a trustee as opening oneself up to new concepts and experiences; and o with an ability to exercise good judgement about the boundaries of the trustee role in relation to operational matters.

 We ask that trustees create an atmosphere of trust at and between meetings: listening to others with an open mind; treating other trustees, the CEO and DWT staff with

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respect and consideration; debating and challenging constructively; making decisions impartially; putting the interests of the charity first; and abiding by the decisions of the majority.

5.2.3 Eligibility

 All trustees are required to make a declaration that they are eligible to serve before they take up the role. To be eligible to serve as a trustee, an individual must not have unspent convictions for any offence involving deception or dishonesty; have been adjudged bankrupt and not been discharged; have made an arrangement with creditors and not been discharged; have been removed from the office of charity trustee on the grounds of misconduct or mismanagement in the administration of a charity; are subject to a disqualification order under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 or the Insolvency Act 1986.

 To be a trustee you must be, or become, a member of the charity.

5.2.4 Conflicts of Interest

 All trustees will be asked to make declarations relating to financial, professional, personal or prejudicial interests. Broadly this means any interest that conflicts with the charity’s mission and values and/or which hinders their ability to act fairly, impartially and in the best interests of the charity.

5.2.5 What you can expect from DWT

 To feel part of the team – to share in the Trust’s successes and challenges.  To be kept well informed about the day to day work of the Trust and have opportunities to meet the staff team and get personalised access to DWT’s projects and activities.  To be provided with high quality, timely information to support your statutory responsibilities and to aid good decision making.  To have the opportunity to have your views heard and respected, to get involved in aspects of the role that particularly interest you, and to feel that your skills and your contribution are valued, are being put to good use and are helping to further the Trust’s objectives.  To be remunerated for out of pocket expenses related to your role in line with DWT’s expenses policy.

6. The Recruitment and Selection Process

 Potential new trustees are invited to complete an Hon Treasurer application form (please do not send a CV) and submit the form by email to Hannah Andrews HR & Central Services Assistant [email protected] – please use ‘Hon Treasurer Application’ in the subject line of your email.

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 Application Forms are available from the DWT website or upon request. The deadline for applications is Friday 5 April.  Applications will be short-listed by the DWT Nominations Committee. The Committee will consider how applicants meet the Person Specification for a trustee and Hon Treasurer, any specific desirable skills a candidate may have and the need to ensure that the Board is inclusive and representative.  If a candidate is not short-listed on this occasion, they will be contacted by 18 April  Short-listed applicants will be notified by 11 April and will be invited to meet representatives of the Nominations Committee for a friendly and informal interview. Interviews will be held on 15, 16, or 18 April depending on candidate availability.  The Nominations Committee will then recommend candidates to the DWT Board of Trustees for consideration by email.  The successful candidate will be notified by 26 April that they are being recommended to the Board for formal co-option onto the Board1. A co-opted trustee has to stand for election at the next AGM – this will be in November 2019, exact date to be confirmed.

We aim to be as fair and transparent as possible in our selection process, and are looking for a wide range of outlook and experience in our trustee team. By experience, we don’t just mean work based knowledge and skills. Life experience, volunteering and community involvement and personal passion are equally important. If you would like more information or wish to have an informal chat, please contact Sarah Loweth on 01392 279244 or [email protected].

1 The Board of Trustees has the power to co-opt trustees. You become a trustee from the date of the Board’s decision and the Charity Commission and Companies House are notified of your appointment. DWT’s Articles of Association require that any trustee co-opted during the year has to stand for election by the membership at the next AGM.

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ANNEXE 1 – ROLE DESCRIPTION

Hon Treasurer of Devon Wildlife Trust – Role Purpose and Overview The Hon Treasurer will fulfill their responsibilities as a trustee of Devon Wildlife Trust and, working with the Chair, CEO, Director of Resources and Marketing and Finance Team Leader:

 Maintain a strategic overview of DWT’s financial activities, and provide critical insight to the Board as to sustainability and effective and appropriate use of resources;  Ensure DWT maintains the highest level of financial governance and reporting;  Ensure that DWT has key financial policies in place and that they are up to date and that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place;  Monitor key financial risks to the organisation and ensure that identified mitigation activity is robust and carried out.

Trustee Duties  To attend all scheduled meetings and contribute actively to the Board of Trustees’ collective role in: o giving strategic direction to the charity, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and monitoring performance; o ensuring that the charity complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations; o ensuring that the charity pursues its objects as defined in its governing document; o ensuring that the charity applies its resources effectively and exclusively in pursuance of its objects; o ensuring the financial stability of the charity and ensuring the proper investment of its funds; o monitoring organisational risks and actions needed to minimise them; o protecting and managing the property and assets of the charity; o ensuring the effective and efficient management and administration of the organisation, delegating the day-to-day management of the charity to the CEO; o supporting the CEO in his/her role, and holding the CEO to account; and o safeguarding the reputation and values of the charity.

 To use their specific skills, knowledge and experience to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions

 To represent the charity at functions and meetings, and act as a spokesperson, ambassador and advocate for the Trust when required.

 Help to develop the Trust’s networks with key partners, funders, donors and other supporters in order to increase our influence, to promote a supporter-focussed culture within the Trust and to build the Trust’s presence and profile in a range of communities.

 Be accountable to the Board and to DWT’s members.

Hon Treasurer Responsibilities  Maintain an overview of DWT’s financial activities, ensuring that they remain sustainable and that the charity uses its resources effectively and appropriately

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in the delivery of its mission;

 Ensuring that budgets etc. are prepared according to a framework that trustees understand and have confidence in;

 Commenting and advising Trustees on the financial implications of DWT’s Strategic Plan, annual Business Plans for the charity and its subsidiaries;

 Leading the DWT Investment Working Group to monitor investments;

 Monitoring implementation of DWT’s Reserves Policy and regularly reviewing it to ensure it underpins the financial resilience of the charity and is compatible with the charity meeting its strategic objectives;

 Monitoring regular reviews of DWT’s pension provider;

 Liaising with the external auditors annually and as required and monitoring that any recommendations/management points arising from the annual audit are implemented/addressed;

 Liaising with the Chair to ensure effective financial reporting and governance;

 Presenting on financial matters at the AGM.

Time Commitment

The Hon Treasurer role requires a contribution of, on average, 2 days per month in addition to routine trustee responsibilities and commitments.

Diversity DWT is committed to achieving equality and valuing diversity across the organisation and is seeking to better reflect this commitment in relation to the Board of Trustees. We would welcome trustee applications from all sections of the community. We are currently under-represented by women, younger candidates and those from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) background.

Length of Service Trustees serve in terms of 3 years. A trustee will not normally serve for more than 2 consecutive terms.

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Person Specification

Essential criteria for becoming a trustee A strong personal commitment to the mission and values of Devon Wildlife Trust Confirmation of a willingness and ability to devote the necessary time and effort required for the role. Confident and with effective communication and influencing skills Proven experience of contributing towards collective decision making in a professional or voluntary capacity Able to effectively and objectively analyse information and willing to ask questions and to challenge where needed to inform and promote good decision making A team player who can build mutually respectful relationships with others Personal credibility, with an ability – and willingness - to act as an organisation champion with a variety of stakeholders A record of personal integrity and behaviours consistent with Nolan's Seven Principles of Public Life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship Confident user of IT with access to email and the internet A member of DWT Qualified under charity law to act as a Trustee

Essential Criteria Hon Treasurer A recognised financial qualification and relevant financial experience Ability to scrutinise and analyse financial information, but also able to step back from the detail to provide good, strategic insights Able to simplify and communicate complex financial information to a range of audiences and abilities The time, capacity and willingness to fulfil the full requirements of this role. Desirable Criteria A good understanding of and/or experience of charity finances and charity governance.

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