Spectrum Northants are one of 19 charities involved in the countywide collaboration, which is seeking to maintain awareness of issues relating to mental health and the importance of individuals having the support they need available.

With Mental Health being an issue within the workplace and a significant contributor to staff absence, we are seeking employer engagement to ensure a joined-up approach to pro-actively supporting employee wellbeing. An employer voice and perspective on the MHNC Board of Trustees would make a valued contribution in this field.

Mental Health Northants Collaboration, known as MHNC is a charitable organisation which exists to ensure people in Northamptonshire are able to access mental health support services that understand and meet their needs.
We are an infrastructure organisation that currently supports 19 Mental Health Charities, across Northamptonshire who are members of MHNC and who deliver a range of services to people of all ages.
Our purpose is to support our members to work together to provide high quality, integrated, person centred, community services that meet a wide range of needs. We help organisations develop their governance, quality and range of services to ensure there is a strong representation of mental health community provision across the County.
We work closely with Statutory organisations including the ICB, Public Health and Local area Partnerships (LAPs) representing voluntary mental health organisations across the County and have a strong presence in strategic planning locally.
Our Board

Our Board currently comprises of 4 Non-member Trustees and 2 Trustees taken from membership organisations.
They are responsible for setting the strategy for the organisation, ensuring compliance and that the organisation operates legally, being accountable to members, strategic partners, donors, people who use services and the public, protecting the assets of the organisation.
What Are we Looking For

We are ambitious about our future and want to continue to grow our membership and reach of services. The successful candidate will play an important role in the continued growth and success of the charity and supporting good governance. We are particularly interested in people who have previously worked in charitable mental health organisations or statutory services where they have had experience in strategy and service development.
Trustee Responsibilities

A Board Member has the following key responsibilities and is expected to have the skills and demonstrate the appropriate behaviours in order to deliver them:
Through the Board, sub- committees and working groups, set the values of the organisation and ensure that it adheres to high standards of Corporate Governance

• In conjunction with the Board, Leadership Team and working groups, define the vision, mission and strategy and ensure that these are upheld and realised.
• Create a positive and supportive climate within the Board and with the Leadership Teams to foster constructive relationships open to challenge between the two groups.
• Through the Board, Leadership Team and sub-committees, ensure that MHNC fully complies with legal and regulatory requirements, and promotes best practice.
• Working in conjunction with the Leadership Team, establish a framework for approving and regularly reviewing strategies, policies and plans to achieve business objectives and effective governance.
• With the Board, Leadership Team and Sub-committees, scrutinise and review performance against agreed key performance indicators.
• Through the Board and Leadership Team, ensure that MHNC has appropriate controls and systems of risk management that are robust and defensible, agreeing delegations, risk capacity and appetite.
• Determine policies and take or ratify decisions on all matters that might create a significant financial or other risk to the organisation, or which raise material matters of principle.
• Approve an annual business plan and budgets and monitor performance and compliance. Approve each year’s accounts prior to publication.
• Ensure that all assets are protected, effectively and efficiently managed, and capacity properly utilised to maintain long-term viability and sustainability.
• Appoint (and, if necessary, remove) the Chair, Senior Executive roles and other key appointments, in accordance with the Rules and due process
• With the Leadership Team, ensure that there are appropriate policies and systems in place to recruit, develop, retain and remunerate staff.
• To be engaged in a range of activities to support the development of MHNC and promote its activities.
Your Commitment to Us
We require trustees to be available for monthly trustee meetings, to read any papers and pertinent information in advance and to contribute to service planning and governance.
We may also ask trustees to join sub committees and working groups to bring their knowledge to planning, and governance.
Time commitment 3 hours per month with a potential additional ad hoc time for specific group input up to 2 hours per quarter.

For More Information Please Contact:
sue.pepper@mhnc.org.uk Tel: 07734 231631