Secretariat Services
Each charities' needs are different
I tailor the support to fit those needs
Home > Secretariat Services

Secretariat Services

Sec-Services

Board Secretariat & Governance Support

Practical, experienced support that helps charity boards govern well.

Good governance depends on more than holding regular meetings and producing minutes.

Trustees need the right information at the right time, clear processes for making decisions, confidence that actions are followed through and someone who understands both the practical and governance responsibilities of running a charity.

For smaller charities in particular, providing that support can place a considerable burden on the Chair, Chief Executive or a small staff team.

I provide flexible Board Secretariat and governance support, helping trustees concentrate on the important questions: the charity’s purpose, strategy, impact, finances, risks and future.

My role can range from supporting the Chair and board with a well-run governance cycle to acting as a trusted governance adviser alongside trustees and senior leaders.

More than meeting administration

An effective Board Secretariat should do much more than arrange meetings and take minutes.

It should help the board operate effectively.

Having worked for many years as a charity Chief Executive, Interim CEO, Chair and trustee, I understand governance from both sides of the board table. I can therefore provide practical administrative support while also recognising when an issue needs further thought, better information or a governance response.

The aim is not to create more bureaucracy. It is to make governance clearer, proportionate and more useful.

How I can help

Support is tailored to the size, structure and needs of each charity and can include:

Board and committee support

  • Developing an effective annual board and committee calendar.
  • Working with the Chair and Chief Executive to prepare focused agendas.
  • Coordinating and circulating board papers.
  • Helping ensure trustees receive concise, relevant information on which to base decisions.
  • Attending meetings and producing clear, decision-focused minutes.
  • Maintaining action and decision logs and following up agreed actions.
  • Supporting committees and working groups where required.

Governance

  • Advising the Chair, trustees and Chief Executive on governance matters.
  • Maintaining a governance calendar so important reviews, approvals and filings are not missed.
  • Reviewing terms of reference, schemes of delegation and governance procedures.
  • Maintaining registers of interests and supporting the management of conflicts.
  • Supporting trustee recruitment, appointment, induction and succession planning.
  • Helping boards review their own effectiveness.
  • Supporting compliance with the charity’s governing document and relevant Charity Commission guidance.

Trustee induction and development

New trustees need more than a collection of documents.

I can help develop an induction process that gives trustees a proper understanding of:

  • the charity’s purpose and strategy;
  • their legal duties and responsibilities;
  • the organisation’s finances and principal risks;
  • the role of the board and its relationship with management;
  • key policies and governance arrangements; and
  • the culture and values of the organisation.

I can also provide trustee training, board development sessions and facilitated discussions where the board wants to explore an issue in greater depth.

Policies and governance documentation

Policies should help an organisation operate well rather than simply exist because someone thinks the charity ought to have them.

I can help boards establish a proportionate policy framework, identify which policies require trustee approval, establish sensible review cycles and update governance documentation when circumstances change.

Keeping decisions moving

One of the most common weaknesses in governance is not decision-making itself, but what happens afterwards.

I can help ensure that decisions are recorded, responsibilities are clear and actions are followed through.

This creates continuity between board meetings and helps trustees maintain appropriate oversight without becoming involved in day-to-day management.

Supporting the Chair and Chief Executive

The relationship between the Chair and Chief Executive is central to good charity governance.

An experienced independent Secretariat can support both, providing continuity, institutional memory and a trusted source of governance advice.

For a Chair, this can provide reassurance that the governance cycle is under control.

For a Chief Executive, it can reduce the administrative burden of supporting the board and help establish a clear distinction between governance and management.

And for trustees, it means receiving better information, clearer papers and more consistent support.

Flexible support to suit your charity

Different organisations need different levels of support.

I can provide:

  • ongoing Board Secretariat support;
  • support for particular board or committee meetings;
  • short-term cover during a vacancy or organisational transition;
  • help establishing or improving governance systems;
  • support for a new Chair or Chief Executive;
  • a review of existing board and Secretariat arrangements; or
  • additional governance capacity during a period of significant change.

For some organisations this may be a small amount of regular support each month. For others it may be a more intensive piece of work followed by lighter ongoing involvement.

The arrangement should fit the charity, not the other way around.

A fresh pair of eyes

Good governance should help a charity achieve its purpose.

My approach combines practical governance support with the perspective gained from more than three decades working with charities and from serving as a Chief Executive, Interim CEO, Chair, trustee and adviser.

I aim to make governance simpler, stronger and more useful, leaving trustees and senior leaders better equipped to focus on the difference their charity exists to make.

Could your board benefit from additional support?

If you are reviewing your Secretariat arrangements, supporting a new Chair or Chief Executive, or simply feel that your governance processes could work better, I would be pleased to have an initial conversation.

Email: dmyers@consultdarcy.co.uk

Telephone: 01243 943 059

Or schedule an initial chat HERE