Board of Trustees

Trustee Recruitment

Candidate Information Pack

Domestic abuse devastates lives.  Behind Closed Doors works to build lives free from
domestic abuse.  Domestic abuse is always unacceptable; we support everyone affected by
it and we act to prevent it.

Thank you for your interest in joining the Board of Trustees for Behind Closed Doors and for
taking the time to read this information.

With demand for our services unfortunately remaining high, and having just completed the
first of a three year National Lottery partnership project for our Domestic Abuse Recovery
Services, we are at a pivotal point of focusing on diversifying income streams to ensure we
continue to meet the needs of the communities we serve, when they need us most.

This is an exciting time for our charity as we approach the final year of our current
organisational strategy and begin looking to what’s next.

About Us

Behind Closed Doors has been tackling domestic abuse for over 25 years. We are there at
the point of crisis, working with individuals and families in communities and we stay on to
support through recovery. We also deliver preventative activities in the form of training
with frontline practitioners, in the workplace and in educational settings.

We have supported thousands of people whose lives have been affected by domestic abuse;
last year alone we worked with over 650 people experiencing domestic abuse. Our work
with male victim-survivors is recognised as the specialist service in Leeds, and has received
Lime Culture accreditation.

We have been a key partner in the local authority commissioned Leeds Domestic Violence
Service for over fourteen years. We deliver practical support to reduce risks and navigate
complex housing, legal, statutory and healthcare systems to enable our service users to
make the right choices for them and their children.

Behind Closed Doors is also lead partner in the Domestic Abuse Recovery Service (DARS),
focusing both on practical assistance and longer-term emotional recovery; supporting

Build lives free from domestic abuse

service users to better understand the abuse they’ve experienced and protect themselves
from future harm. DARS also has a specialist provision to offer more focused support to
those with complex needs or additional vulnerabilities that may prevent them moving
forwards.

In the past year, we have expanded our role within the LDVS Sanctuary Support project and
our commitment to supporting everyone affected by domestic abuse, by taking on an
LGBTQ+ Specialist Support Worker. We are also a key partner in the new West Yorkshire
Pathfinder Partnership, providing specialist IDVA support in Family Court proceedings.

Read more about our aims in our 2023-26 strategy

“BCD is life changing.  I didn’t want to get out of bed, I didn’t want to leave the house.  BCD
completely and utterly changed where I was”.

We are proud of our impact. Last year:

•  90% of those who completed a programme of support with us said they were more

independent and better able to make decisions

•  84% reported improved mental health
•  79% feel better able to keep themselves safe

In the first 12 months of our new DARS partnership:

•  100% of victim-survivors said that coming to DARS had made a positive difference in

their lives

•  94% of Prevention and Recovery service users said they felt more confident

following support

“My relationship with my children was hanging by a thread; they were torn between me and
their Dad and I did not have my life on track. I tried to run away from my problems and BCD
taught me to tackle them head on.”

Role Description

Our current board is made up of committed and knowledgeable people: business people,
community and charity leaders. We are lucky to have a dedicated and supportive board,
some of whom have now been with us for extended terms and are soon to be moving on.
We also need to enhance contacts through appointing senior level people. We are seeking
passionate individuals across Yorkshire who are keen to help drive our mission of building
lives free from domestic abuse by providing strategic challenge and raising the profile of
Behind Closed Doors through introductions to meaningful relationships. Due to our current

Build lives free from domestic abuse

Treasurer reaching the end of tenure, we are currently looking for someone to join the
board from a financial background to take on this rewarding and invaluable position.

Financial Planning and Budgeting

•  Provide financial oversight to the CEO and Admin and Finance Manager in

preparation of annual budgets, needs and forecasts for presentation to the board

•  Ensure funds are invested and used sensibly, in a strategic way to support and

develop the organisation

•  Research and present suggestions to the Trustees on the organisation’s reserves and

investment policy (in line with Charity Commission guidelines)

•  Advise the Admin & Finance Manager of relevant changes to financial legislation and

any updates required to organisational policies

•  Contingency planning for the organisation

Financial Reporting

•  Agree and support with the presentation of finances at Trustees’ meetings, with

support CEO and Admin and Finance Manager

•  Check the annual accounts
•  Present accounts at the AGM and provide an overview of the year’s income and

expenditure

General Financial Oversight

•  Carry out quarterly meetings with the Admin and Finance Manager
•  Oversee income and expenditure, reviewing on a quarterly basis - comment on and

query spend as required

•  Approve any extraordinary or large expenditure deemed ‘urgent’ and requiring a

decision before a Trustees’ meeting

•  Update the Trustees on spend outside the budget at Trustees’ meetings
•  Work with the team to ensure required insurances are in place
•  Oversee and make submissions for Companies House and Charity Commission

General Trustee Duties

•  Collective responsibility to the overall governance and strategic direction of the

organisation

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•  To be a strong advocate of the work BCD deliver
•  Be committed to the vision, purpose & the values of BCD
•  To play a full part in Board meetings, and to arrive at balanced and objective

decisions, in the performance of agreed role and functions

•  To ensure that the objectives of BCD, as agreed by all Board Members, are fully and

properly carried out

•  Along with other Trustees ensure that the organisation complies with its governing

document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or
regulations

Obligations

•  Act in the charity’s best interests, taking everything relevant into account
•  Respect the charity’s constitution and decisions taken under it
•  Be diligent, careful and well informed about the charity’s affairs
•  Analyse information and where appropriate challenge constructively
•  Be able to respect boundaries between executive and governance function
•  Be able to maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive information
•  Be able to make collective decisions and stand by them

Commitments

•  Board meetings: Held on a weekday evening bi-monthly (6 times per year), usually in-

person and lasting 2 hours.

•  Annual board away day: A strategic planning and team-bonding event, either held over

one full weekday or two half days.

•  Sub-committees: Trustees are expected to sit on relevant sub-committees as required
(for example the remuneration committee), meeting at a convenient time for all
members, usually online and either quarterly or bi-annually

•  The Treasurer will have short quarterly meetings (virtual or in-person), with the Admin

and Finance Manager for practice support and financial oversight

Personal Specification

Experience

•  Experience in financial management, accounting, or related discipline
•  Experience of applying and promoting the highest standards of governance - in a

corporate, public or charity sector setting

Build lives free from domestic abuse

•  Track record of achievement in an appropriate environment & ability to represent a

partner organisation at the highest level

•  Experience of working with strategy development and implementation or in a service

delivery or volunteer-based organisation

Knowledge/Skills

•  Understanding of charity finance requirements, including Charity Commission and

Companies House reporting, and funding types, for example restricted, unrestricted,
core (or willingness to learn)

•  Ability to present complex financial information clearly to non-finance trustees and

stakeholders

•  Strong attention to detail and ability to ensure financial integrity and compliance
•  Strong interpersonal skills
•  Willingness to continually develop and refresh knowledge and skills
•  Maintain or acquire a strong command of knowledge related to BCD

Qualifications

•  Accountancy qualification (ACCA, ACA, CIMA etc.)

Behaviours

•  Uphold the highest ethical standards of integrity and probity
•  Actively support the Chair and CEO in their role of executing the strategy
•  Ability to listen sensitively to the view of others, inside and outside the Board

Competencies

•  Ability to take a considered view in making judgements
•  Ability to nurture partnerships and mutual respect on the board
•  Ability to question intelligently
•  Ability to debate constructively
•  Ability to challenge rigorously, probe key issues and question accepted ways of

working

•  Ability to make decisions objectively

Specific Skills

Build lives free from domestic abuse

We value lived experience on our Board, when it is safe and right for you to join our
organisation.

How To Apply

If you wish to apply for this position, please supply an up to date CV setting out your career
history, and covering letter, or supporting statement, which demonstrates how you meet
the criteria in the role description and person specification. Please email your application to
info@behind-closed-doors.org.uk.

Build lives free from domestic abuse