Open Call for Expressions of Interest in Board of Directors Membership

Irish Writers Centre Open Call for Expressions of Interest in Board of Directors Membership

Closing Date:  extended – Friday 14 July, 2017

Location: Board meetings will be held at the Irish Writers Centre, 19 Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Remuneration: Non-remunerated – this is a voluntary position.  Travel expenses are reimbursable.

Time Commitment: Approximately 8 X 2hr Board meetings per annum with time required for preparatory reading, and possible additional time commitments depending on membership of sub-committees. Board members may be asked to represent the Board on certain occasions, depending on their availability and interests.

 

Background

The Irish Writers Centre is a flagship resource organisation for writers. It offers professional supports to meet the needs of writers at all stages of their development through training, information, networking opportunities and programmed events.

A key part of our role is to offer a comprehensive and innovative toolkit/service to support the professional development of writers.

We are committed to fostering connections between writers across Ireland; we also commit to celebrating their writing by creating audiences for their work at home and abroad. These goals are achieved through our physical hub in Parnell Square, our national and international outreach programmes and our specialised online presence.

All our actions are guided by the core principles of integrity, excellence and sustainability.

The Irish Writers Centre is registered with the Charities Regulatory Authority in the Republic of Ireland. The company’s intention is to provide a governance and management structure that is:

• an example of best practice of governance
• not for profit
• truly representative of wide interests
• robust and legally coherent
• straightforward, transparent and effective
• independent of political and other influences
• acceptable to all stakeholders
• accountable at every level

 

Functions of the Board & Duties of Directors

The Irish Writers Centre is governed by a voluntary board of Directors. Our Board members receive no payments and serve a maximum of two three-year terms. The Board is responsible for the strategic direction and control of the company. It is responsible for the system of internal financial control and oversight responsibility for the activities of the organisation. The Board delegates to the management and sub-committees the responsibility for the implementation of these policies. Members of the Board will be expected to play key roles in relation to the direction, leadership and governance of the organisation.

Directors have legal duties and obligations imposed by the Companies Act, other statutes and common law. Directors must act in good faith, act honestly and responsibly and act according to the company’s constitution.

Directors will be required to contribute effectively to the work of the Board. This will involve the ability to balance a strategic view of key decisions with a specialist or expert perspective, while being committed to the principle of collective decision making that underpins the Board’s role.

The Irish Writers Centre keeps detailed books and records of accounts and maintains strict financial controls. The organisation is transparent in its audited financial statements. These accounts are independently audited and made public on our website and are compliant with the principles outlined in the Statement of Recommended Practice for Charities (SORP), which is recognised as best practice by the Accounting Standards Board.

 

The Board of Directors will be responsible for:

• the employment of senior executives to the company;
• establishing and ensuring the implementation of policy objectives based upon current and future agreed strategies for the organisation
•  overseeing and maintaining the financial health of the organisation;
• ensuring the highest standards of governance and transparency;
• enabling and delegating to sub-committees/working groups prudent decision-making powers for efficiency in relation to certain projects to ensure that the Company has access to the broadest range of specialist expertise and advice in all aspects of its work (see below);

Please note that the Company’s Constitution clearly states that no Director shall be appointed to any office of the Company paid by salary or fees, or receive any remuneration or other benefit in money or money’s worth from the Company.

 

The Chairperson

The Chairperson of the Company is critically important as a public representative of the Company in all its activities. They will provide leadership for the Company in the exercise of its duties and the implementation of policy and act as a vital bridge between the Board and the Executive.

Our current Chairperson is Liz McManus.

 

Working Groups/Sub-Committees

In order to deliver IWC strategy and goals, a series of working groups/sub- committees of the Board will be established as required.

Each of these sub-committees will be appointed by the Board to ensure the broadest range of expertise is available to the Company in each specialised area. Each sub-committee with include up to two Directors from the board and will be chaired by one of them.

The Chair of the sub-committee will be responsible for reporting on its activities on a timely basis to the Board. The Board will delegate such powers as are prudent to the sub-committees but any decision of the sub- committee, especially with regard to budgetary matters, that exceed the limits established by the Board, must be referred back to the Board for decision. A senior member of the Executive Team will be given responsibility for providing executive services to each sub-committee.

Current Board Composition

Here is a link to our website to the IWC Board page.

 

Additional Board Appointments

The company wishes to invite expressions of interest in Board membership from suitably qualified individuals. Two vacancies currently exist, which will be filled using a skills-based approach.

The specifications, and relevant areas of expertise which are required from this current call are set out below.

 

Person Specification

This Call seeks individuals with skills and experience in one or more of the following areas, having regard also to gender, diversity, and age balance:

• Broadcasting and digital media
• Business leadership
• New technologies
• Academic/Education
• Philanthropy and fund raising

Board appointments will be skills & experience based, and should the open call process not yield candidates with the required skills and experience, the company reserves the right to make direct appointments of appropriately qualified individuals.

How to Apply:

Applications are to be made by submitting a written application of no more than 4 pages collated in a single attachment, which includes a cover letter which clearly specifies how your particular background and experience meets the requirements of the Company as detailed above, as well as a summary of your experience or a CV.

Please include the names and contact details of two people who can be contacted to provide a reference as to your suitability for the position. Referees will not be contacted without your prior consent.

 

Applications are to be sent by email to director@writerscentre.ie no later than Friday July 14^th, 2017.

Enquiries may be made to the same email address or by calling (01) 8721302.

Selection Process:

All applications received will be reviewed and may be shortlisted for interview. References of candidate may be checked as required. Submissions will be considered by the Board’s Selection and Appointments Committee.

Confidentiality

Applications will be treated in strict confidence. All enquires, applications and all aspects of the proceedings are treated as strictly confidential and are not disclosed to anyone, outside those directly involved in that aspect of the process.