Introduction
Recruiting trustees is necessary for the growth and evolution of our network. We need a broad experience base, from skills and lived experience, in order to produce a high quality of work.
It is important to take time to recruit trustees to ensure that potential trustees are a right fit for us as a board, but also that the board is a right fit for them. It also means that we can develop a board with a range of skills, capabilities, experiences and thus beliefs and ideas. With diversity of people, comes diversity of thought, which is a necessity for a board that is representative of the LGBT+ community.
Planning the recruitment
Every year, 4 months before the AGM, the board decide whether they need to actively recruit new trustees. In addition, if during the course of the year, any trustees announce their intention to leave, or is removed from the board by a two thirds majority vote, for example by failure to attend three board meetings in a year, the board will decide whether they need to recruit new trustees.
The board will refer to their governing documents to determine whether new trustees should be elected or co-opted, and recruit in line with the appropriate process.
The board will agree on one trustee to lead the recruitment process. This trustee will make sure the recruitment is kept on the board’s agenda, that progress is made and that this policy is reviewed after the recruitment. Actions and responsibilities may be delegated to other board members.
What is the role and who we are looking for?
In order to determine the trustee role to be filled, we will conduct a skills audit to collate the relevant skills needed to further the aims of the network. Upon analysis of the skills audit, trustees will discuss skill gaps we have and what to include for the role requirements and preferred skills in the advert, alongside LGBT+ Network for Change’s basic trustee role description.
Advertising the roles
Vacant trustee roles will be advertised via word of mouth, referral, recruitment sites and via the Network’s website and social media.
Some recruitment sites we may wish to use include: LinkedIn, http://www.charityjob.co.uk/, https://do-it.org/channels/trustee-finder, https://reachvolunteering.org.uk/im-an-organisation
Written advertisements provide information on the LGBT+ Network for Change website’s recruitment section, including about the work we do, including the charity number, why applicants should become a trustee, role requirements, preferred skills, contact details and the closing date for applications.
We advertise trustee vacancies for a minimum of three weeks before our given response deadline.
Selecting the best people
- We ask candidates to submit an expression of interest form.
- One trustee is given the task of responding to expressions of interest and managing the email account.
- Upon discussion of applications within the recruitment sub-group, selected applicants will be invited to an interview.
- If the interview is successful, trustees will be given an opportunity to observe a board meeting.
- The person who is leading the recruitment process writes thank you letters to everyone who has expressed an interest in the vacancy, whether or not they are successful.
Review and development
The board will review the trustee recruitment process after each trustee is successfully recruited. The new trustees should be encouraged to feed in what went well and what could be improved in their view.
If any changes to this policy are needed, the changes shall be made and a revised policy put to the board/committee for adoption. This policy shall be reviewed after each trustee is successfully appointed.