Non Executive Director (Voluntary Position)

Metro Assist Limited is a not-for-profit organisation which delivers a range of community services. We are currently seeking skilled and experienced people to fill a number of vacancies on our Board with three-year terms commencing from our Annual General Meeting in November this year.The organisation changed its legal status one year ago from an incorporated association to a company limited by guarantee. Our constitution currently allows for 9 Directors and there are a number of vacancies which have arisen due to a rotation cycle, implemented to usher in new directors while retaining corporate knowledge of the organisation.

Applications are invited from individuals with skills and experience in law, finance, risk management, business acumen, evaluation and financial literacy to support the Metro Assist’s continuing development and whose values align to those of the organisation. An understanding of the not-for profit environment would also be advantageous.

Time commitments for Directors are normally after-hours in the form of monthly Board meetings,
involvement in sub-committees and representing the organisation at key events.

Organisational values:
Caring, respect, client focused, honesty and integrity, innovative.

Role information
• Directorships are voluntary positions with no sitting fees. Reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses incurred in the role.

• The Board meets after-hours (6:00pm to 8:30pm) on a monthly basis at our main office in
Evaline Street, Campsie. There may also be intervening requirements associated with subcommittees
overseeing organisational finances and risk management. Sub-committees are
usually held in work hours either face-to-face or through conference calls at times
convenient to committee members.

• New Directors are strongly encouraged to attend an induction workshop to familiarise
themselves with the organisation, its functions, key policies and Directors’ responsibilities
and to meet the leadership team. From time to time, specific workshops are run on such
things as risk appetite or other Board and organisational development activities such as our
annual strategic planning days.

• Directors are always invited to key events where there may be a ministerial presence.

• It is organisational policy that all Directors and staff are subject to various checks including
Working With Children Check and Police Check.

Workload
The workload of Directors is directly linked to the overall Board performance. As a guide:

• Board meetings are held monthly from February through to December and there is an
expectation that Directors have an 80% participation rate to ensure that a quorum is present
and that the organisation’s business is not held up. Preparation time is involved in reading
business papers ahead of the meetings. Meetings take anywhere between 2½ to 3 hours,
and preparation time could be around 1 to 3 hours.

• Sub-committee meetings play a vital role in examining key areas in more detail and can take
between 1 and 1½ hours with preparation time of 1 to 2 hours. Sub-committees report and
make recommendations to the Board.

• Business papers are distributed ahead of Board and sub-committee meetings. There is an
expectation that Directors read and come prepared to meetings. Papers are distributed
electronically through the organisation’s CEO and/or Admin Officer and paper copies are
available at Board meetings. We are currently exploring ways of streamlining and cutting
down reliance on paper-based reports.

• Directors may also receive email updates from the CEO around critical incidents a