LLLGB Job Description – TrusteeJune 08
Job Description for La Leche League Great Britain Trustee
Job title: DirectorThe Board of Trustees of La Leche League Great Britain is known as the LLLGB Council of Directors and also acts as the management committee of the charity. A Director can be either a General Director or a Department Director. This job description covers areas that are common to all Directors
Payments: No trustee of a charity can receive payment for acting as a trustee. Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.
Duties:
- To attend LLLGB Council of Directors’ meetings (usually held on a Saturday in March and June, and a Saturday or weekend in November) and the AGM (a Saturday in October). If unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances apologies should be sent to the Chair
- To use any specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the COD reach sound decisions (by reading necessary documents and papers; participating in discussions, both at meetings and by email; acting as a channel for Leaders’ ideas and opinions)
- To ensure that LLLGB complies with its governing document (Memorandum & Articles of Association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations
- To ensure that the organisation pursues its objectives as defined in the governing documents
- To ensure that LLLGB policy is set with reference to the Bylaws, and Policy and Standing Rules Notebook of La Leche League International (LLLI), to whom LLLGB is affiliated
- To ensure that the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects (ie the charity must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objects, no matter how worthwhile or charitable those activities are)
- To contribute actively to the Council of Directors’ role in giving firm strategic direction to LLLGB, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets
- To safeguard the good name and values of LLLGB and by extension that of LLLI
- To ensure effective and efficient management of the organisation
- To ensure the financial stability of the organisation
- To protect and manage the property of the charity and to ensure proper investment of the charity’s funds
- To help appoint staff as necessary and monitor their performance
Person Specification:
A Director should have
- A commitment to LLL, and to LLLGB in particular (this commitment demonstrated by being a paying member of the organisation)
- An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
- Good, independent judgement
- An ability to think creatively
- Strategic vision
- An ability to work effectively as part of a team
- A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
- A willingness to speak out
- A willingness to offer to take on work that needs doing, without waiting to be asked
- To be in agreement with LLL Philosophy:
La Leche League philosophy is based on 10 concepts:
Mothering through breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way of understanding and satisfying the needs of the baby
Mother and baby need to be together early and often to establish a satisfying relationship and an adequate milk supply
In the early years the baby has an intense need to be with his mother which is as basic as his need for food
Breast milk is the superior infant food
For the healthy, full-term baby breast milk is the only food necessary until the baby shows signs of needing solids, about the middle of the first year after birth
Ideally the breastfeeding relationship will continue until the baby outgrows the need
Alert, active participation by the mother in childbirth is a help in getting breastfeeding off to a good start
Breastfeeding is enhanced and the nursing couple sustained by the loving support, help and companionship of the baby's father. A father's unique relationship with his baby is an important element of the child's development from early infancy
Good nutrition means eating a well-balanced and varied diet of foods in as close to their natural state as possible
From infancy on, children need loving guidance which reflects acceptance of their capabilities and sensitivity to their feelings
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