UMT Secretary - Volunteer

Help keep our Sea Cadets unit running smoothly. As Secretary, you’ll coordinate meetings, keep records organised and support the team behind the scenes. A great role for someone organised who wants to make a real difference to local young people.

The Secretary Trustee plays a vital role in ensuring that the Unit Management Team operates effectively and that the organisation remains well organised, accountable and focused on its goals. By coordinating meetings, maintaining clear records and supporting communication across the team, the Secretary helps ensure that important decisions are captured and acted upon.

For a volunteer-led youth organisation like Waltham Forest Sea Cadets & Royal Marines Cadets, strong coordination is essential. Trustees, instructors and volunteers all contribute their time alongside busy work and family commitments. The Secretary helps bring structure to this effort by ensuring meetings are well prepared, actions are recorded and progress can be tracked. This allows the team to spend less time on administration and more time focusing on what really matters supporting young people.

The impact of this role is felt across the entire organisation. Clear governance and organised decision‑making help the unit operate smoothly, meet its responsibilities and continue delivering a safe, well‑run programme for cadets. When the Unit Management Team works effectively, it creates a strong foundation that supports volunteers, instructors and the young people who attend the unit each week.

The Secretary also helps maintain continuity as trustees change over time. By keeping accurate records and ensuring knowledge is documented, the role helps preserve the history and progress of the unit. This makes it easier for new trustees to contribute quickly and ensures the organisation continues to develop rather than losing momentum.

Ultimately, the Secretary Trustee enables the team to stay aligned around shared goals such as expanding opportunities for cadets, supporting volunteers and improving the unit’s facilities. Their work strengthens the governance of the organisation and ensures that good ideas turn into real actions.

Behind every successful youth programme is a team of people working together effectively. By helping keep the Unit Management Team organised and connected, the Secretary plays an essential role in ensuring that Waltham Forest Sea Cadets & Royal Marines Cadets can continue providing life‑changing opportunities for young people in the community.

We are looking for a Secretary Trustee who is organised, reliable and enjoys helping a team operate effectively. This role suits someone who takes satisfaction in keeping things running smoothly and ensuring that people stay informed and connected.

The most important quality for this role is strong organisational ability. The Secretary supports the Unit Management Team by helping coordinate meetings, preparing agendas in collaboration with the Chair, and keeping accurate records of discussions and decisions. Someone who is comfortable managing documents, tracking actions and ensuring information is accessible to the team will thrive in this role.

Good communication skills are also important. The Secretary helps ensure that trustees, volunteers and sometimes external partners are kept informed. This includes circulating meeting papers, sharing updates and maintaining clear records that support transparency and good governance. The ability to communicate clearly and professionally is therefore very valuable.

Previous experience as a secretary, administrator, coordinator or governance volunteer is desirable, but the most important factor is a willingness to learn and a commitment to supporting the organisation.

An understanding of basic governance practices, such as maintaining meeting minutes and supporting decision‑making processes, would be beneficial. However, training and support can be provided, and the wider Sea Cadets organisation offers guidance to help trustees succeed in their roles.

The ideal person will also be comfortable working as part of a team. The Unit Management Team…