The French Hospital
Job Description – Clerk to the Corporation
Clerk (CEO)
Created: 24/10/2022
Closing: 04/12/2022
Company: The French Hospital (Almshouse)
Location: South East, Rochester, Kent
Job Type: Permanent
Salary: £36500.00 per annum 3 days per week. £60,800 FTE
Please send your CV with a covering letter to trustee@frenchhospital.org.uk
Description
The French Hospital in Rochester, Kent, provides almshouse accommodation primarily for those of Huguenot descent who are in need and are resident in Great Britain. The Charity is governed by a board of Trustees and run by the Clerk (CEO), together with a Deputy and a team of Stewards, who provide day-to-day support for the Residents.
This is a senior level role requiring intellectual dexterity, confidence, fine judgement and excellent communication skills. The incumbent will work closely with Trustees on all matters relating to governance, compliance, finance and future strategy. He / She will lead on all operational matters and will oversee the Charity’s engagement with others. Good people skills are essential.
Qualifications & Skills
Degree
Human Resources
Administration
Budgeting
Operations management
Planning, Policy
Public Relation
Work Location: 41 La Providence, Rochester + Remote Working
Reports to: The Deputy Governor / Chair of the Quarterly Committee
Line Manager for: The Steward, the Deputy Clerk
Key Relationships: Officers, Trustees, Directors, Staff, Residents, Tenants, Accountant, Surveyor, Solicitor, Chaplain, Huguenot Museum, Huguenot Society, Medway Council, Almshouse Association, contractors and consultants, grant-making organisations and key donors, other associated organisations.
Introduction
The French Hospital in Rochester, Kent, provides almshouse accommodation primarily for French Protestant Huguenot families who are in need and are resident in Great Britain. The first Huguenots came to the UK as refugees 450 years ago, fleeing religious persecution, and made a great contribution to our financial, cultural, and intellectual life. Today, the board of the French Hospital is largely made up of people of Huguenot descent. In 2018, the French Hospital celebrated its 300th anniversary.
The French Hospital is governed by a board of Trustee Directors (trustees), with some assistance provided by Non-Trustee Directors (senior level volunteers) in specialist areas. The French Hospital is run by the Clerk (CEO), together with a Deputy and a team of Stewards and a Chaplain, who provide day-to-day support for the residents.
Job Summary
This is a senior level role requiring intellectual dexterity, confidence, fine judgement and excellent communication skills. The incumbent will work closely with Trustees on all matters relating to governance, compliance, finance and future strategy. He / she will be responsible for all operational matters, leading a small, dedicated staff and reporting to the Board as necessary. He / she will oversee the Charity’s engagement with others (see key relationships) and to conduct public relations as necessary
Specific roles / functions / responsibilities include:
- Governance
1.1. With the Trustees, to ensure that the Charity is run in accordance with the terms of its Governing Instrument
1.2. To work with Trustees, Sub-Committees and other Staff to ensure compliance with charity legislation, and with current charity accounting practice
1.3. To work with Trustees, Sub-Committees and other Staff to ensure compliance with all regulatory and statutory requirements for health and safety law, employment law, charity law, data protection, etc.
1.4. To ensure effectiveness in the Charity and to consult with the Trustees in the conduct of Board business
1.5. To work closely with the Officers and Chairs of Sub-committees to provide Agenda and supporting papers for Quarterly Committee and Court meetings, to produce minutes as necessary and to ensure that outstanding issues are addressed
1.6. With the Trustees, to formulate, review and update forward plans
1.7. With the relevant Sub-Committees, to produce, review and revise policies and procedures for all of the charity’s activities
1.8. With the Trustees, to review risk, and to implement risk mitigation measures
1.9. To assist in the recruitment of Trustees, their induction and periodic training
1.10. To develop and implement best practice in the management of the French Hospital - Operational
2.1. Oversee all Almshouse operations / activities, in line with best practice.
2.2. To ensure adherence to the Charity’s policies, procedures and internal controls
2.3. To ensure on-going management of risks and regular monitoring of risk action plans
2.4. To engage with external professional consultants including solicitors, auditors, bankers and investments managers, insurance brokers and local authorities, as necessary
2.5. To oversee commercial operations, engaging with commercial tenants and others, as necessary
2.6. To oversee community, engagement and social activities
2.7. To ensure that the management structure and the job descriptions for staff match the needs of the Charity
2.8. To oversee all issues associated with the occupancy of Flats, liaising with applicants, residents, families / Next of Kin, Trustees and other agencies / organisations as appropriate
2.9. To engage with Residents, as necessary, to ensure that they are appropriately protected and supported, that they understand their responsibilities, that the Charity is operating in their interests and in order to represent their views to Trustees. To engage in the complaints / appeals process as necessary - Personnel
3.1. To lead, and support, all staff
3.2. To be line manager to the Steward and the Deputy Clerk, and personnel manager to all paid staff
3.3. To be responsible for recruitment and induction of new members of staff and for their supervision and appraisal
3.4. To agree staff working schedules and detail for input to payroll
3.5. With the Staffing Sub-Committee, to ensure that job descriptions are reviewed regularly and meet the needs of the Charity
3.6. To ensure training and development needs of all staff are identified and addressed within individual development plans
3.7. To provide reports and recommendations as required for the Staffing Sub-Committee - Property
4.1. Report to the Trustees on the state of repair of the almshouses and commercial properties, and be responsible for routine maintenance / re-decoration / repair
4.2. With others as necessary, oversee cyclical maintenance approved by the Trustees.
4.3. Instruct professional consultants, including the Surveyor, to provide advice on extraordinary repairs, major refurbishment, capital expenditure and other property-related issues; agreed with the Trustees as necessary
4.4. Liaise with relevant parties concerning insurance renewals and claims. Initiate reviews of insurance cover for all policies as necessary, in consultation with insurance brokers
4.5. Act as a point of contact with commercial properties / tenants, dealing with them on property-related issues - Finance
5.1. Assist the Finance Sub-Group with its activities, as necessary
5.2. Undertake payment and banking activities as required (and in line with delegated financial authorities) for the efficient running of the French Hospital. Report to the Finance Sub-Committee on such activities; and liaise with the Accountant, as necessary
5.3. Produce draft budgets, in consultation with the Treasurer and Accountant as necessary; and, monitor and report on expenditure against agreed budgets
5.4. With the Accountant, the Treasurer and Auditors, prepare the Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statement for approval by the Quarterly Committee
5.5. To review, and make recommendations regarding, staff pay
5.6. To engage with the Charity’s pension provider, and staff, on pension-related matters and, in consultation with the Accountant, to ensure that pension contributions are made
5.7. To review and make recommendations regarding the level of contributions (“rent” and other charges) paid by Residents - General Administrative duties
6.1. To be in attendance at meetings of the Board of Trustees, and its Sub-committees as required
6.2. To provide advice, reports, recommendations and information to, and to act upon the decisions of, the Trustees
6.3. To maintain accurate records for all statutory returns - Communication
7.1. To be responsible for routine communication, including newsletters and the website
7.2. To coordinate crisis communication, where necessary
7.3. To establish strong and effective working relationships with local organisations and agencies, and other key partners
7.4. To communicate with the HHC and related Huguenot groups or persons, as necessary - General
8.1. To act in the best interests of the reputation of the Charity in all activities
8.2. To fulfil such other duties as may reasonably be required by the Trustees
Person Specification
Essential
• Strong leader
• Team Player
• Good with people at all levels – Good Soft Skills / Emotional Intelligence
• Able to operate “in confidence” where necessary
• Good communicator, orally and on paper
• Confident and with good judgement
• Good analytical skills and the ability to think strategically
• Willingness to engage in detail
• Comfortable operating in unfamiliar situations and happy to countenance change
• Comfortable using initiative and taking responsibility
• Able to take timely decisions, with or without direction
• Self-motivated and highly organised
• Comfortable working to deadlines and happy to work in a small team
• Good IT skills including MS Office
• An understanding of the importance of social media
• Financially literate
• A commitment to the charitable aims of the French Hospital
Desirable
• An interest in the historical roots of the Charity
• Bookkeeping / Accounting skills
This job description does not form part of the Contract of Employment but indicates how that contract should be performed. It will be subject to periodic review and amendment in the light of experience and in consultation with the post holder.