At a glance

Skills

Fundraising strategy
Governance
Strategic development and planning
Change management
General / operations management
Project / programme management
Health and safety

Where

Southport, PR8 3DW

Mainly at home

Travel limit? Trustees should ideally live within 25 miles of the Centre, knowledge of the local area is essential

Time

Either in or out of office hours Estimate of time needed:
0-5 hours / month Trustee meetings (approx. 2 - 3hours) are held at least every 6 weeks Specialist roles (eg: Chair or Treasurer) may require additional input

Deadline

31 Jan 2025

Help make Southport, Ormskirk & the surrounding area a better place for animals - become a Trustee of the RSPCA Southport Ormskirk & District Branch to make a real difference

What will you be doing?

Are you passionate about animals and their welfare?
Do you want to give sick, injured, abandoned, and abused animals another chance in life and see the joy a rescued animal can bring to local families?
Do you have professional skills in accountancy, business management, community engagement, education, information technology, marketing, legal services, project and people management, retail or the veterinary sciences?
Do you live in or near Southport or Ormskirk?
Are you prepared to offer your time and experience as a local RSPCA Branch Trustee?

The RSPCA Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch (the Branch) is seeking to appoint a minimum of three new Trustees to join the existing Trustee Board and to steer the charity forward at a very exciting time.

What Does The Branch Do?

The Branch area covers Southport & Ormskirk and the surrounding area. We operate the RSPCA Southport Animal Centre, on the border of Birkdale / Halsall, which cares for, rehabilitates and rehomes dogs and cats, rescued by the RSPCA Inspectorate.

The animal welfare services that we offer include:

support and assistance to the RSPCA Inspectorate officers working within the local area
care, rehabilitation and rehoming of animals rescued from cruelty and / or neglect

To support these services, the Branch operates an Animal Centre, Charity Shop and undertakes fundraising activities.

Future Plans

Our plans for the next few years include the need to:

better engage with the local community to increase support and help pet owners make informed, responsible choices about pet ownership, whilst promoting the joy and reward of adopting a rescued animal
build on opportunities for our dedicated staff & volunteer team to develop their skills and deliver positive, proactive rehabilitation and rehoming opportunities whether in the animal centre or home environment
develop our facilities and help the charity deliver new sustainable services, which benefit both animals and communities alike

We facilitate this through a local Trustee Board, committed to providing and developing these services; and thus, supporting the vital work of the RSPCA Inspectorate.

What are we looking for?

We want the Trustees to be drawn from all social and cultural backgrounds so the Board truly reflects and representative the local community, in particular, we are wanting people with experience and skills in any of the following areas:

communications
finance
fundraising
human resources
legal services
marketing (including social media and websites)
project management
and / or general business experience

It is hoped to recruit at least three local Trustees to work alongside the existing Board for the next year.

What Can We Offer in Return?

We offer all Trustees:

support from both local and national RSPCA staff
the platform to utilise your skills and experience to oversee the charity and make decisions that have a direct impact on local animal welfare
an opportunity to gain new skills and develop existing ones, whilst making a real difference to the lives of animals
a way to expand your professional and personal network through working with like-minded people

Practical Considerations

Some things to note:

you must be aged 18 or over to join the Board
Trustees are elected for a 12-month term each year
reasonable expenses will be reimbursed
Trustees must sign a Trustee Declaration of Willingness to Act to confirm that they are not disqualified from being a Trustee (more guidance on Charity Trusteeship can be found on the Charity Commission website)

Applications

For more information on becoming a Trustee of RSPCA Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch, please refer to:

the Branch Trustee Role Outline (attached to this advert)
to apply please apply via Reach enclosing a covering letter and CV with your application

What difference will you make?

As a member of the Board you will have a unique opportunity to shape the future growth and development of the charity as we seek to re-form and re-launch a local Trustee Board to steer the charity forward at a very exciting time.

The professional skills, knowledge and experience you bring will help us grow the charity as we seek to develop sustainable animal welfare services and shape the longer-term strategic direction of the charity.

Before you apply

Please apply through Reach providing a CV and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in this role and detailing your relevant experience to give us better understanding of your skills, knowledge, experience and motivation.

Candidates will have the opportunity to speak to the Chair of the Trustee Board to learn more about the role, visit the Animal Centre to better undertand the work of the Branch, meet key staff including the Chief Executive Officer and observe a Board meeting as part of the application process.

Branch Trustee - Role Outline (March 2024) [v2].pdf

About RSPCA Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch

Causes

Animals / wildlife

Organisation type:

Charity

The objectives of the Branch are to promote kindness and prevent cruelty to animals. Our key aim is to find suitable homes for as many animals as possible, and provide proper care for those who...

Branch Trustee – Multiple Roles (RSPCA Southport, Ormskirk & District Branch)