Chair of Trustees

Chair of Trustees

Role Description 

The Chair leads the Fish Legal committee of senior non-executive volunteers.  The Fish Legal Committee Members have fiduciary responsibility on behalf of Fish Legal’s members. All committee members are automatically appointed as directors of the ACA Trustee Company Limited, which is responsible for overseeing and managing the investment portfolio which comprises Fish Legal’s “fighting fund”.  The Chair works closely with the Chief Executive and the legal team in developing Fish Legal’s strategy.  

Fish Legal is an unincorporated membership association using the law to protect fish stocks and the rights of its members throughout the UK.  It is united in a collaborative relationship with the Angling Trust, the national representative and governing body for angling in England.  Joint membership packages with the Angling Trust are available for individuals, clubs, fisheries and other categories.

General responsibilities

· To provide leadership of the Fish Legal committee and ACA Trustee Company Ltd. Board, strategic guidance for the executive and ensure that the legal team is able to fulfil its role in full compliance with its legal and regulatory obligations;

· To oversee Fish Legal’s financial management and administration; 

· To ensure the proper governance of the organisation; 

· To serve as a Director on the Angling Trust Ltd. Board and to maintain a close collaborative relationship with that organisation.

Leading the Committee 

Specific duties include: 

· Overseeing the regular review of the association’s vision, mission and values; 

· Overseeing continuous review and development of a long-term strategy for the association within the vision, mission and values established by the Committee; 

· Setting the “ tone at the top” and being a personal role model as regards the focus, values and behaviours of the organisation, its directors, management, employees and volunteers; 

· Ensuring that the Committee has and maintains the optimum blend of skills, experience and diversity in the context of Fish Legal’s strategic mission and its ongoing development; 

· Building an effective leadership team: energising and building team spirit amongst the Committee and executive management; 

· Reviewing performance against annual plans, targets and performance; 

· Ongoing review of the performance of the Committee members and Chief Executive;

· Ensuring that the Executive have taken appropriate steps to protect the organisation from undue risk; 

· Overseeing fulfilment by the executive of the organisation’s constitutional, regulatory and legal obligations; 

· Overseeing the management systems and structures of the association so that it can carry out its work effectively, accountably and safely; 

· Overseeing protection and enhancement of the reputation of the association; 

· Seeking opportunities to expand and promote awareness of the association’s work, achievements and potential; 

· Representing the association in the media appropriately to raise the organisation’s profile in conjunction with the executive and the Angling Trust

Essential experience

· Substantial board experience, ideally at Chair or other senior level in the public, private or voluntary sector, or substantial board experience as a member of a National Governing Body of sport or recreation or a Charitable Trust; 

· Experience of working in partnership with other organisations, both within and across sectors; 

· Experience of representing a major organisation to senior figures at national and international level;

· Experience and basic understanding of finance and investment management.

Desirable experience

· Experience in strategic management of a small or medium sized organisation; 

· Technical knowledge of environmental issues affecting marine and freshwater fisheries;

· Knowledge of, and enthusiasm for sport and recreation, including the way it is organised and run; 

· Knowledge of voluntary and community sector governance practice; 

· Working knowledge of UK law, ideally litigation and environmental law.

Essential Skills 

· A person who can quickly command confidence and respect, and exercise influence in the field of environmental water management; 

· Excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate the Board's policies to others, but also to listen to the concerns of its staff and membership and reflect them back accurately to the Board; 

· Ability to get on well with a wide range of people, to build networks and make connections; 

· Skills in strategic leadership, chairmanship, negotiation, teamwork, diplomacy, managing people and resources.

Personal qualities

· Energy and determination; 

· Passion for protecting fish and the marine and freshwater environment generally;

· Personal integrity and credibility.

Time Commitment 

· On average 1 day per month. There are usually 4 Fish Legal Committee meetings (which are held on the same day as ACA Trustee Company Ltd. Board meetings) and 3 Legal Advisory Committee meetings in a year, all normally held in London. The  Chair of the Fish Legal Committee is also a member of the Angling Trust Board which meets 4 times a year/The AGMs of Fish Legal and the Subscribing Members Association of the Angling Trust are held on the same day, usually in October.

· Applicants should complete an application form and send it, along with a current CV or a description of the skills, knowledge and attributes you would bring to the Boardroom, marked “Personal” to Georgina Miller, Company Secretary, Angling Trust, Eastwood House, 6 Rainbow Street, Leominster, HR6 8DQ.

Closing date for applications 16 June 2017