Charity Governor Member

Join to apply for the Charity Governor Member Opportunities role at St Andrew's Healthcare

3 days ago Be among the first 25 applicants

Join to apply for the Charity Governor Member Opportunities role at St Andrew's Healthcare

Direct message the job poster from St Andrew's Healthcare

St Andrew’s Healthcare is a thriving Charity with a proud history of helping individuals with mental health needs find hope. St Andrew’s is the country’s largest charitable provider of specialist mental healthcare and helps patients with some of the most complex, challenging mental health needs. The Northampton hospital opened in 1838, and it has built a reputation for transforming the lives of those affected with the most challenging of situations.

Over 185 years later, the charitable purpose has remained almost unchanged: to relieve suffering, give hope and promote recovery. The Charity provides a range of services tailored to individuals living with complex mental health needs, both in hospital and in the community.

Governor Member Role

The role of Members (often referred to as Governors) within St Andrew’s is similar to that of an owner or shareholder, in that they have collective responsibility for how the Charity is run and do this by holding the Board of Directors/Trustees to account. Governors support in the achievement of the Charity’s Vision of “Imagining a society in which everyone living with mental health need is heard, valued and has a hope for their future” and its 2028 Mission of being a local, regional national and international leader in helping people with complex mental health need transform their lives.

All Governors are unpaid, and their main role is to know that the Charity:

• Has a clear strategy and defined goals and objectives against which to measure performance
• Is well run
• Makes the best of its resources
• Is open and accountable.

The Charity now has a number of classes of Governors:
Full-time;
Fixed-Term and Constituency Governors (Carer, Staff, Lived Experience and Community).

Our current need

1. We are currently seeking applicants for a new Community Governor role from within the communities surrounding our three main hospital locations, Essex, Birmingham and Northampton. Applicants should be representative of their local communities and may be involved in healthcare, education or community volunteering activities. Appointments will be for between one and three year initial terms and can be extended if agreed between the Governor and the Charity.

2. We are currently seeking applicants for our new fixed term Governor roles. Appointments will be for an initial three year term and may be extended if agreed between the Governor and the Charity.

Final date to receive applications: 7 September 2025

Interviews will be held on 27th & 30th October 2025

Meetings

The Court of Governors (Members) meets at least four times per year, with one being the Annual General Meeting (AGM). All meetings of the are usually planned at least a year in advance, with formal notice of the AGM being issued in writing at least 14 days in advance.

At the AGM, Governor Members:

• Receive accounts for the previous financial year
• Receive the Directors’ report
• Accept retirements, appoint Directors and the Chairman for the coming year and confer thanks and honorary titles
• Deal with any other matters raised with them.

At the scheduled (quarterly) meetings of the Court of Governors, attendees will be presented with papers and reports on the following:

• CEO Report
• Quality Update
• Financial Performance Report
• Governor Assurance Reports
• Governor Visit Reports

Time Commitment

Overall, the Charity has an expectation that Governors will be required to give a total of at least 12 days per annum of their time attending meetings and engaging in other activities for and on behalf of the Charity. Governors will be required to:

• Attend at least two Governors meetings per year, with one being the AGM.
• Undertake Ward or service visits, at least two visits each year.
• Engage in other activities to support the Charity, to be agreed…