BWW Exclusive - Association Secretary - Guide Dogs

We are very excited to be working with Guide Dogs in their search for an Association Secretary. Guide Dogs is the world’s largest assistance dog organisation and the only organisation to breed and train guide dogs in the UK. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to join a leading charity organisation and be part of supporting people through the challenges of sight loss.

The role is predominantly remote-based with occasional travel required to the office based in Hillfields, Reading. The full job description can be seen below, with further information available upon request.

Job Profile

Job Title: Association Secretary

Directorate: Office of the CEO

Reports To: Chair of Trustees (Governance matters & Performance)

                  CEO (Operational matters)

Disclosure Check Level: None

Location: Remote based with designated office of Hillfields, Reading

Overall Role Purpose

The Association Secretary helps people with sight loss to live the life they choose by ensuring that the charity remains compliant with company, charity and regulatory requirements, so that it can continue to provide services to the sight loss community. The association secretary ensures that Trustees are adequately advised in order to lead, govern and manage the organisation.

Key Responsibilities as Association Secretary

• The Association Secretary plays a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth operation of Guide Dog’s board and governance framework.
• The role involves advising the Chair and Trustees on relevant board and corporate governance matters, and supporting them to deliver effective Board papers and Board meetings. It also involves ensuring compliance with relevant Board-related statutory and regulatory requirements, including the Charity Commission, maintaining high standards of corporate governance, including identifying and implementing future governance and regulatory changes, and providing administrative support to the Board of Trustees.
• The Association Secretary supports the efficient implementation of decisions made by the Board of Trustees, ensuring Guide Dogs for the Blind Association and any subsidiary companies, and the Pension Trust, act in compliance with relevant legislation and the regulatory requirement of reporting and public accountability.
• Act as the formal named contact (in compliance with statutory requirements) to various regulatory bodies supporting the Chairman, Trustees and Chief Executive in developing and maintaining key external relationships for Guide Dogs, including, but not limited to: the Charity Commission, Companies House, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR), the Information Commissioner.
• In collaboration with the Chair, prepare agendas and minutes for board meetings, committee meetings, and annual/other general meetings, distributing meeting notices and minutes in a timely manner.
• Prepare and publish meeting packs, working with the Executive team to deliver high quality Board and Committee meeting papers.
• Support the administration of the DB Pension Trust - including meeting preparation and ad hoc requests, particularly cash disinvestments
• Enable the proper conduct of meetings of the Board, the Annual General Meetings of the Members, and all other Committee meetings. This includes ensuring that all meetings meet the requirements of Guide Dogs’ charitable objects and Articles, providing assurance for the Chairman and Trustees that their decision making is at all times legitimate, sound and practicable, undertaking or overseeing agenda preparation, minute writing to the required standard and follow up of agreed actions for all Board and committee meetings.
• Act as membership secretary in relation to Guide Dogs formal membership to maintain and administer the register and all applications.
• Support the recruitment, training, appraisal of, and succession planning for, Trustees including the delivery of the annual Board Effectiveness evaluation.
• Maintain and complete Trustee attendance schedules for the annual report.
• Oversee maintenance of the statutory registers, and the completion and filing of all annual returns and other notifications to statutory bodies as required, bearing the accountability and liability for any failures to comply with statutory requirements.
• Provide legal and regulatory advice and support to the directors of the Pension Fund Trust and to manage their specialist external advisors.
• In partnership with the Communications team, ensure effective communication between the board and relevant third parties.
• Draft Board-related external communications for review and support their issue following approval.
• Manage and inspire an Assistant to the Association Secretary to support the effective performance of the Guide Dog’s board and governance framework.

 

Key Accountability as Whistleblowing Officer

 

• To serve as the point of contact for receiving whistleblowing reports, ensuring that complaints are managed confidentially and securely.
• To assess the nature and seriousness of the complaint to determine the appropriate course of action.
• To protect the identity of whistleblowers, especially in cases where anonymity is requested.
• To ensure that whistleblowers are protected from any form of retaliation or discrimination as a result of their disclosure.
• To oversee any independent investigation, ensuring it is thorough, impartial, and conducted within a reasonable time frame.
• To ensure that all aspects of the investigation are properly documented.
• To be responsible for reporting findings to the CEO and Chairman of Audit & Risk Committee or other relevant stakeholders within the organisation and where necessary, be responsible for reporting to external regulatory bodies or law enforcement agencies.
• Monitor the implementation of corrective actions or changes in policies based on the investigation’s findings.
• Develop and maintain the policy and procedure for whistleblowing; deliver training programs to educate employees about the whistleblowing process, including how to report misconduct and their rights as whistleblowers.
• To advocate for a positive ethical culture within the organization, encouraging open communication and ethical behaviour.

 

Guide Dogs is a learning organisation and we are committed to fostering a positive climate for continuous learning. We expect all our people to demonstrate commitment and actively participate in continuous professional development (CPD).

Breadth/Scope of Accountability

People Accountability

Number of Direct Reports: 1

Number of Indirect Reports: 0

Application of this Job Profile

All employees are required to carry out other such duties as may reasonably be required to fulfil their role and support functional and organisational objectives.

All employees must also:

• Comply with all organisational policies
• Promote the vision and values of the organisation
• Engage in continuous personal development

This job profile is accurate as at the date shown above. It does not form part of contractual terms and may be varied to reflect or anticipate changes to the role.

Working at Guide Dogs

As well as other services to enhance the lives of people who are blind and partially sighted, we breed and train guide dogs and companion dogs. Staff and volunteers in all our locations support this work. Therefore, all employees must be comfortable working in environments where dogs may be present.

Guide Dogs is a volunteer-involving organisation and as such all staff are required to support volunteers in their roles. This may or may not mean the direct supervision of volunteers but will require all staff to play a supporting role. From time to time you may be asked to support / volunteer your time at Guide Dogs events that take place outside of normal working hours. All employees will be expected to advocate for Guide Dogs at all times and be a fundraiser.

Guide Dogs is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults with whom we work. We expect all of our employees and volunteers to demonstrate this commitment.

Guide Dogs will require proof of identity and the right to work in the UK.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential

• Fully qualified CGI practitioner, or qualified legal or financial practitioner with relevant extensive Company Secretarial experience.
• The jobholder will be expected to maintain membership of the relevant professional bodies and to demonstrate commitment and active participation in continuing professional development (CPD)

Job-Related Experience

Essential

• The technical content of the role is high, requiring substantial experience of working as a company secretary at a senior level. Sound knowledge and experience of effective corporate governance and best practice, legal and regulatory requirements including data protection.
• Proven track record of challenging and advising at Chair/Board/CEO level.

Knowledge

Essential

• Sound knowledge and practical application of Company Secretarial governance and compliance function.
• Experience of the application of Data Protection law into business processes

Desirable

• Knowledge of company secretarial governance and compliance function in the charitable sector.
• Pensions and investment funding.

 

Skills and Competencies

Essential

• Ability to influence and advise Trustees and senior managers, balancing legal and governance requirements against the practical application and implementation of strategic decisions, without compromising or undermining Guide Dog’s strategy.
• An ability to use personal judgement and influencing skills to highlight and challenge issues.
• Ability to work unsupervised, retaining high self-motivation, initiative, and drive, as well as working effectively in teams across all levels.
• Ability to communicate complex and technical information in an easy and accessible manner both verbal and written to others as detailed above, instilling confidence throughout.
• Ability to conduct whistleblowing/fraud/corruption investigations.
• Excellent committee support skills including minute writing.

Safeguarding

If the role does or may involve working with children, young people or vulnerable adults, or supervising those that do, we’ll also be assessing ‘safeguarding competencies’ as part of the process. These are:

• Appropriate motivation to work with vulnerable groups;
• Emotional awareness;
• Working within professional boundaries and self-awareness; and
• Ability to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and adults and protect from harm.

Mobility

Prepared to travel to other Guide Dog sites. Occasional overnight stays.