Secretary

Are you retired, finished with full-time childcare, or working part-time? Do you still want to learn, develop new interests, and make new friends in a relaxed environment? Do you live in or near to Crawley? Crawley u3a may be just what you are looking for. We run groups from Exercise sessions, Air Rifles, Art, Music, Book Clubs, Chess, History, Languages, Social Events, Poetry and so much more.

We are looking for new members to join our committee as trustees to help us continue running our groups for our members and continuing the work we do in Crawley. In particular, we need urgently to recruit a Secretary.

The secretary ensures the board of trustees runs meetings efficiently, keeps accurate records, and ensures the charity complies with legal and regulatory requirements by maintaining governance documents and advising the board. Key duties include preparing meeting agendas, taking minutes, managing correspondence, and filing documents with the Charity Commission and Companies House, and the Third Age Trust (the national coordinating body for the u3a), and acting as the "conscience" of the charity.

Key Responsibilities:

· Meeting Management: Arrange and prepare for trustee board and committee meetings, including booking rooms, preparing agendas in consultation with the Chair, and sending out notifications.

· Record Keeping: Take accurate and impartial minutes of meetings, detailing decisions, actions, and votes, and maintain all records properly.

· Governance and Compliance: Ensure the charity adheres to its governing documents and relevant charity and company laws, advising the board on their legal duties and responsibilities.

· Correspondence and Administration: Manage official correspondence, maintain calendars of key dates (like annual reports and AGMs), and handle other administrative tasks to support the board.

· Record Maintenance: Ensure that records with the Charity Commission and Companies House the Third Age Trust are up-to-date and that trustees are appointed correctly.

· Trustee Support: Help arrange the induction and training of new trustees and provide them with the information they need to make informed decisions

What skills do I need?

Skills Required:

· Strong listening, oral, and literacy skills.

· Good organisational and time management skills.

· Ability to work effectively as part of a team.

· Commitment to the charity's mission and values.

· Sound judgement and strategic thinking.

At the moment our trustees meet formally in 4 quarterly meetings and we do not expect that to change. We also hope to recruit members to assist the new secretary in sundry

administration tasks. Our retiring chair and secretary will arrange suitable induction and will offer continuing support if needed.

When do I need to be available?

	Morning	Afternoon	Evening
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

Details

Meet formally 4 times a year. Tasks to be completed as needed and flexible.