Trustee

We are excited to be working with WCS Care to recruit a Trustee to join their Board. We are seeking an enthusiastic individual with skills which will complement and add to the board, specifically with professional experience in the following areas:

• Residential adult care, in particular older people and/or working age adults with physical disabilities (excluding mental health and those with special needs). An understanding of the regulatory background and context will be beneficial including knowledge of CQC.

To be a Board Member you should possess the following attributes:

Leadership Qualities:

• Ability to identify and critically evaluate business challenges and to focus on achieving these without losing sight of the values of the organisation

• Be forward-thinking, motivating, and optimistic while maintaining a sense of commercial reality

• Able to challenge the status quo when required and to embrace change with confidence while also able to recognise and value/affirm existing good practice and decisions (will not challenge for challenge sake)

• Able to make bold, clear, timely decisions while keeping the values of the organisation in focus

• Ability to listen carefully and consider all points of view

• Able to be confident, considered, and assertive in discussion and in defending own point of view while prepared to be swayed by a winning argument or evidence to the contrary.

• Focused on results; able to lead/encourage positive resolution of problems, promoting learning from experience rather than blaming

• Understands and accepts accountability for decisions and role/responsibilities

• Understands, accepts and able to adhere to strategic role and responsibilities of Board members versus strategic/operational role of executive team

• Demonstrates ownership of strategic financial responsibilities of Board members and confidence in this responsibility.

• Demonstrates strong and convincing communication and motivating skills as WCS ambassador

• Demonstrates honesty, integrity, and professionalism at all times

Time Commitment

The Board meet five times a year in January, March, July, September, and November. Meeting times are usually 5.30 to 7.30pm except for the September meeting which is our annual ‘awayday’ taking a more detailed look forwards. The dates are published over a year in advance and your attendance is expected.

All but the September meeting may be attended in person or virtually, however in-person attendance is encouraged. The September meeting is in person only. In addition, you will join at least one of our committees: Project Commissioning; Finance; and Quality and Practice; or our Safeguarding sub-committee, all of which meet separately from the main Board meetings. These meeting are during the day and usually take a couple of hours four times each year. Working groups with a short life are occasionally set up with volunteer members.

Members of the Executive Team are encouraged to draw upon the specific expertise of Trustees when needed.

Please note, like most trustee roles, this role is unpaid.