Hi Fae
Thanks for your email. I think you are almost certainly right, and that
this is the first time that the Chair has been recruited externally -
although it's quite common practice in the voluntary sector more generally.
It is very possible that one of the existing trustees may become the Chair.
However we are casting the net wide in order to reach the biggest pool of
potential candidates with the skills and experience outlined in the person
specification, and bearing in mind advice regarding best practice in
trustee recruitment to ensure a diverse board.
The charity's Articles allow for seven elected directors and three who are
co-opted (with the provision to co-opt a fourth trustee if it is deemed
necessary to get the right balance of skills and experience on the board).
We currently have seven elected trustees and two co-opted trustees (the
latter two being our Treasurer and the Chair of the Audit and Risk
Committee).
Although I have been working broadly on the basis that the board would
co-opt the person recommended by the recruitment panel, this doesn't
necessarily have to be the case. The timing of the recruitment process,
with interviews scheduled for mid-June, means that if necessary the
preferred candidate could stand for the trustee elections at this year's
AGM. To clarify (for others reading this email, as I'm sure you're aware),
the appointment of trustee roles such as the Chair, Treasurer etc is for
the board to decide, rather than the full membership.
Your email implies that the charity's constitution specifies that officer
roles on the board have to be elected trustees. I can't find anything to
that effect although it's entirely possible that I've missed it! In which
case, we will need to revise our process/plans accordingly.
As I said in my email, I would encourage all members and volunteers to
think about applying, if you meet the criteria. Please don't be put off by
the open recruitment process as I know that the panel, and other members of
the board, highly value community experience.
Best wishes
Lucy
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 18:14, Fæ <faewik(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Could you confirm this is the first time that the
Chair of Wikimedia UK
has been externally recruited rather than the role filled after being
elected by the charity members as a trustee?
Has the process for searching for "role" trustees and electing them
changed, and the charity's articles been amended and published accordingly?
Thanks,
Fae
On Tue, 25 May 2021 at 16:52, Lucy Crompton-Reid <
lucy.crompton-reid(a)wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:
Dear all
Our excellent Chair of Trustees, Nick Poole, will be stepping down at the
AGM in July after six years as a trustee (which is the maximum term) and
just over a year as Chair. We are therefore recruiting for a new Chair, and
are advertising the role externally as well as promoting the opportunity
amongst our existing trustees, committee members, volunteers and wider
networks.
*Please do consider whether this might be the right opportunity for you*.
If so, do feel free to contact our Communications and Governance
Co-ordinator Katie on katie.crampton(a)wikimedia.org.uk to arrange an
informal conversation about the role. If not, we would be very grateful if
you could help us to promote the role by circulating it amongst your own
networks. Katie will be promoting the opportunity on social media so if
you follow us there, please do share/retweet etc.
The ideal candidate might come from a wide range of professional
backgrounds but will have a good understanding of charity governance, the
skills and experience to run productive meetings, and a collegiate,
collaborative approach in keeping with the ethos of the Wikimedia movement.
They will also bring a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
and understand how important this is to an organisation like Wikimedia UK.
It goes without saying that they will need to be passionate about open
knowledge and understand the importance and value of Wikipedia and the
other Wikimedia projects.
To see the role description and/or download the recruitment pack, please
go here:
https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Chair_of_the_Board_of_Trustees
The deadline is Sunday 6th June and interviews are likely to be on 14th
June.
Thanks and best wishes
Lucy
--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
<https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/>
Wikimedia UK <https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/> is the national chapter
for the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by
Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street,
London SE1 0NZ
<https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g>
.
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--
faewik(a)gmail.com
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae
_______________________________________________
Wikimedia UK mailing list
wikimediauk-l(a)wikimedia.org
https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l
WMUK:
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--
Lucy Crompton-Reid
Chief Executive
<https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk/>
Wikimedia UK <https://beta.wikimedia.org.uk/> is the national chapter for
the global Wikimedia open knowledge movement.
Wikimedia UK is a Registered Charity No.1144513.Company Limited by
Guarantee registered in England and Wales, Registered No. 6741827.
Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, London
SE1 0NZ
<https://maps.google.com/?q=5+-+11+Lavington+Street,+London+SE1+0NZ&entry=gmail&source=g>
.