Recruiting Trustees a pull-out-and-keep guide

							Recruiting Trustees: a pull-out-and-keep guide
Milestone Plan
• Use this as a starting point to help you plan.     • Cross out those items that don’t apply to you and add in any additional activities not listed.
• Remember the timings are just an indication.       • You may be able to complete things faster, or it may be that you need longer.
• Amend the plan to reflect your circumstances.      • The activities highlighted in bold are suggested crucial steps.

Activity                                                              Who              When         Toolkit resource                              Notes

Step 1:    Plan the process

Appoint the person to manage the recruitment process.
                                                                      board            week 1
Identify trustees (or whole board) to be involved
Create your own outline plan or timeline to include all the steps     board/
                                                                                       week 1
necessary for your organisation                                       admin
                                                                      board/
Identify who will deal with practical issues such as sending out
                                                                      committee/       week 1
applications and dealing with queries
                                                                      admin
Step 2:    Check the legals: what you can and cannot do

Check governing document to determine restrictions in                                               Check your governing document; Payment
                                                                      admin            week 1
appointing a new trustee                                                                            to charity trustees - an explanation
                                                                                                    Understand who cannot be a charity
Check who is eligible to become a charity trustee                     admin            week 1
                                                                                                    trustee
Review the option of having users as trustees and what the
                                                                      board            week 1
possible conflicts of interest might be
Step 3:    Prepare the board for a new trustee

Run a trustees’ skills assessment                                     board            week 2       Skills assessment matrix

Think about the diversity of your board                               board            week 2       Diversity perception questionnaire

Discover if the board is ready for a new trustee                      board            week 2       Board readiness questionnaire
Activity                                                              Who             When     Toolkit resource                           Notes

Step 4:    Plan for diversity
Establish how the board will address the issues of                    board, staff,
                                                                                      week 3   Obstacles to diversity exercise
diversity and inclusion (youth, disabilities, BME)                    users
Agree dates, venue and timing for advertising, shortlisting and       board/
                                                                                      week 3
interviews                                                            committee
Step 5:    Describe the role of the trustee
                                                                      board/
Draft trustee role description                                                        week 4   Sample trustee role description
                                                                      committee
                                                                                               What are you looking for in your new
                                                                      board/
Draft person specification                                                            week 4   trustee - planning template; Create a
                                                                      committee
                                                                                               portrait of your ideal trustee
                                                                      board/
Think about running an open session for interested candidates
                                                                      committee/      week 4
(timing, scheduling, who to be involved, what will be on offer etc)
                                                                      admin
Finalise information/content for application pack including role
description, person specification, application form, draft covering   admin           week 4
letter
Step 6:    Promote your vacancy
                                                                      board/
Decide on who to target and how to reach them                                         week 5   Create a promotions strategy
                                                                      committee
                                                                      board/
Identify a budget, if necessary                                                       week 5
                                                                      committee
                                                                      board/                   Ways to promote your vacancy - short
Understand how to promote your vacancy                                                week 5
                                                                      committee                guide
                                                                      board/
Determine who wants to be your trustee                                                week 5   Identify good reasons to be your trustee
                                                                      committee
Activity                                                        Who           When          Toolkit resource                        Notes
                                                                board/                      Example of advertisement; Do’s and
Write advertisement and/or promotional copy                                   week 5
                                                                committee                   Don’ts for writing an advertisement
Place ad                                                        admin         week 5

Compile application packs                                       admin         week 5        Checklist for application pack

Step 7:     Select your trustee
                                                                board/                      Tailored tips for different selection
Review the different selection methods                                        week 6
                                                                committee                   methods
                                                                board/
Draft shortlisting criteria for score card                                    week 6        Shortlist score card
                                                                committee
Send out application packs and covering letters                 admin         weeks 6 - 9
                                                                board/
Run optional open session for potential candidates              committee/    weeks 6 - 9
                                                                staff
Distribute copies of submitted applications to
                                                                admin         week 9
shortlist/interview panel
Shortlist                                                       panel         week 10

Agree interview questions, exercises or presentation criteria   panel         week 10       Interview questions and criteria
Notify shortlisted candidates, informing them of any
                                                                admin         weeks 10/11
preparations required, and set up interviews
Circulate schedule of interviews                                admin         weeks 10/11

Hold interviews and make selection                              panel         weeks 11/12

Notify candidates of outcome                                    panel/admin   weeks 11/12
Activity                                                          Who               When          Toolkit resource                          Notes

Step 8:    Complete the formalities
                                                                  admin/board/
Take up references of successful candidate                                          weeks 1/12    Formality checklist
                                                                  committee
                                                                  admin/board/
Confirm eligibility by conducting checks                                            weeks 12/13 Sample trustee declaration of eligibility
                                                                  committee
Send letter(s) of appointment (along with invitation to induction) admin            week 14

Announce appointment                                              admin             week 14/15
Inform advisors and make changes to relevant                                        within        Checklist of whom to inform and what to
                                                                  admin
documents                                                                           1 month       change
Step 9:    Induct your trustee
                                                                                    within        Induction programme planner; Induction
Compile induction pack                                            admin
                                                                                    1 month       pack checklist
                                                                                    within
Run induction programme                                           admin
                                                                                    3 months
Step 10: Evaluate the process
                                                                  chair and new     within        (after induction programme)
Schedule review/evaluation meeting with new trustee
                                                                  trustee           3 months      Induction effectiveness questionnaire
                                                                                    within
                                                                  all those
                                                                                    3 months
                                                                  involved in the
Evaluate the entire process                                                         (after        Trustee recruitment process feedback
                                                                  recruitment
                                                                                    process is
                                                                  process
                                                                                    complete)