About our Council of Management

Each Church Action on Poverty member is entitled either to stand for election, or to nominate someone else (provided they are willing to stand). We particularly welcome nominations of people with personal experience of poverty and people from black, Asian or other ethnic minority backgrounds.

Council of Management job description

Church Action on Poverty has a board of trustees, called the Council of Management, whose members have the power and responsibility for running the organisation. Meetings of this Council are held quarterly, as are meetings of an elected Officers’ Group.

Task

Council members are elected for a period of three years which is renewable. It is expected that prospective members will be able to contribute in some of the following ways to the Council’s work:

• Ensuring that all the charity’s activities are within the law
• Deciding on the charity’s mission and purpose
• Guarding the charity’s ethos and values
• Developing and agreeing the charity’s policies
• Developing and agreeing the charity’s strategic plan
• Agreeing the budget and monitoring financial performance
• Ensuring the charity has adequate resources
• Ensuring the charity’s property, assets and other resources are protected and managed effectively
• Monitoring the charity’s programme and services
• Ensuring accountability as required by law (the Charity Commission, Inland Revenue, Registrar of Companies, etc.)
• Appointing the Chief Executive and annually reviewing his/her salary and other benefits
• Reviewing annually the performance of the Council of Management
• Supporting the senior staff team and reviewing their performance
• Acting as a court of appeal for personnel matters

Person specification

It is expected that members of Church Action on Poverty’s Council of Management will have:

• Experience of some of the tasks listed above
• Understanding of at least some of the issues on which Church Action on Poverty works
• Sympathy with the values of the organisation

As far as possible, attempts are made to ensure that members of the Council reflect the geographic spread of the organisation (England, Scotland, Wales) as well as the diversity of its membership (gender, disability, etc.)

People who have experience of poverty are particularly encouraged to join. This means that at the time of a particular election, the Director may indicate attributes in prospective members which would be especially welcome.

Method of working

Council of Management meetings are held usually on the third Saturday in the months of January, April, July and October.These meetings are held either on Zoom or in person in Manchester, with one usually residential in order to allow time for in-depth discussion of future programmes.

Council members are occasionally asked to attend events on behalf of Church Action on Poverty, and there is also an Officers’ Group you may be invited to join.

Employment of staff

At present, Church Action on Poverty employs 13 staff, who are currently mostly working from home, in different locations across the country. The Council of Management has overall responsibility for recruitment and many other issues such as health and safety.

Finance

The Council of Management is responsible for ensuring the organisation is run on a sound financial basis. There is an elected Treasurer who liaises with the Finance Manager who has day-to-day responsibility for financial affairs. The Treasurer and the Finance Manager report to the Council of Management, its Officers’ Group and to the AGM.

Fundraising

This is carried out by the staff team, with guidance from the Council of Management.

Payment of expenses

Any reasonable expenses incurred in the course of Council of Management business will be reimbursed.

Nominations

If you would like to stand for election or nominate someone else to join the Council of Management, please use the form below.