Director Recruitment

About GRASS Cliftonville CIC

The Gordon Road Area Street Scheme (GRASS) was created in 2003 as a fully constituted not-for-profit community group whose aims were to positively transform our community for the benefit of everyone. We have been working for the Cliftonville community for 20 years, and during that time we have continued to build our programme of events to help make Cliftonville and the surrounding area a better place to live. As of September 2020, GRASS became a CIC, and then in July 2021 the organisation became the legal owner of The Oval Bandstand & Lawns as part of a community asset transfer from Thanet District Council. The CIC is operated as a social enterprise business, which means all profits generated by our organisation are reinvested into the venue for the benefit of the local community.

Our current calendar of community events includes Cliftonville in Bloom, Cliftonville Games, Cliftonville Outdoor Cinema, Summer Sundays, Cliftonville Night Market, Cliftonville Christmas Festival, and the GRASS Children’s Christmas party.

We believe that the local community will be able to better utilise The Oval Bandstand & Lawns if we create facilities that are multi-purpose, popular, open & accessible to everyone, as well as helping to increase the number of visitors to the area.

As well as delivering a full programme of community events, GRASS Cliftonville CIC also operates food & beverage concessions at The Oval Bandstand & Lawns, which are an essential part of our strategy to ensure the venue becomes financially self-sustaining.

The venue is also available to hire, and this is a part of the business we hope to grow now that we have built vital infrastructure and improved the amenities. As well as commercial site hire for photo shoots, weddings & celebrations, etc. we also offer significantly reduced hire rates (and advice) for local not-for-profit organisations and community groups so that they can deliver their own events at the venue.

Now it’s time to plan for the future of GRASS, making sure that we do the best we can for everyone in Thanet, our staff, and our partners.

Our Values

Improving wellbeing

• We are committed to doing what we can to improve people’s wellbeing in Cliftonville.

We are always learning

• We listen to understand. We are passionate about learning and seek to constantly improve. We celebrate failure as well as success.

We are inclusive

• We want people to feel safe in being themselves, to maintain wellbeing and to bring their unique strengths and voices to the table. We over-represent the under-represented. We honour lived experience.

Collaborative

• We work together with partner organisations to extend our reach with the community in Cliftonville.

Role Description

Why become a GRASS Cliftonville CIC Director?

By volunteering your time as a GRASS Cliftonville Director, you will be:

• Joining a team of passionate and talented people
• Using your knowledge and experience to help GRASS Cliftonville to be the best it can be
• Putting your time and energy into an organisation that’s inclusive and strives to improve health and wellbeing
• Helping us make the biggest impact we can with our resources at The Oval Bandstand & Lawns
• Meeting our staff and volunteers to learn about the great work that we’ve done since we were formed
• Gaining experience of running a growing social enterprise with a focus on community led events
• Doing something you can be proud of
• Helping to shape our strategy over the coming years

How much time will you need to give?

To be a GRASS Cliftonville Director, you’ll need to be able to commit, on average, about a day per month to do the following kinds of things:

• Coming to meetings
• Coming to sub-committee meetings
• Prep for these meetings
• Reading documents
• Helping at our events
• Coming to Board development and planning days

It’s important that you don’t just reserve time for meetings, but for prep and reading, too. We need you to come to our meetings all ready and willing to contribute to our discussions and to learn about the different parts of our work.

Our quarterly Director’s meetings tend to take place early evening, usually from about 6pm and last about two hours.

What’s involved in being a GRASS Cliftonville Director?

As one of our directors, it’ll be your job to help us make sure we’re doing what we say we will to the best of our ability and in a fair and timely manner.

Being a director is a big job – and a responsible one. Our directors have legal responsibilities for the running of GRASS Cliftonville CIC, a private company limited by guarantee. Things like being legally responsible for the company’s records, accounts, and performance.

As the organisation has grown, we want to increase the depth and diversity of the board, creating a more independent body to oversee our future development.

We want you to be able to use your expertise – whether that’s lived experience or professional experience – to keep us moving in the right direction.

We will make sure that you receive a full induction into the role so that you will get to know the organisation and become familiar with our current areas of work. You will receive ongoing support from the management team and your fellow directors. There will also be opportunities for training and development in your role as a director as and when you need it.

If you are interested in becoming a GRASS Cliftonville director, read the Role Description and Person Specification on the following pages and if you like the sound of it, get in touch.

Main Responsibilities

Along with your fellow directors, you’ll share responsibility for overseeing GRASS Cliftonville’s activities, and direction, making decisions reasonably and carefully and acting in line with our values.

It will be your role to work with your fellow directors to make sure that:

• GRASS Cliftonville has a clear vision and strategy
• we’ve got the plans we need in place to support what we’re trying to achieve
• we’ve got the systems in place to monitor and review our achievements
• we’re always looking for ways we can improve what we do

Along with the other directors, you’ll need to share responsibility for the performance of GRASS Cliftonville and how we use our assets by:

• reviewing, understanding, and agreeing GRASS Cliftonville’s annual budget and any major policies
• making sure we have good ways to control our money and other assets
• keeping an eye out for any major risks that might emerge, and making sure the right systems are in place to deal with them quickly and effectively or minimise them as much as possible
• keeping an eye on how our activities are going, including through regular updates from the management team
• making sure that there are clear ways that anyone can tell GRASS Cliftonville about anything that goes against our ethos and our values

We need you and our other directors to work together to make sure GRASS Cliftonville complies with all our legal and regulatory requirements by:

• keeping up-to-date and compliant with the ‘Articles of Association’ – a document that outlines how GRASS Cliftonville should be run
• deciding the levels of delegated authority and making sure they’re followed
• complying with what the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies and Companies House needs us to do, as well as any relevant legislation

With other directors, do your best to make sure:

• how GRASS Cliftonville is governed is clear, including to other directors and members of the GRASS Cliftonville team
• the Board of Directors has the skills needed to make the best decisions and has access to the right expertise and advice from outside GRASS Cliftonville
• we’re compliant with all GRASS Cliftonville’s policy documents
• there’s a fair procedure for the recruitment or co-option of directors

Please note this is a voluntary position but reasonable out-of-pocket expenses will be paid if you can show us a valid receipt.

Person Specification

We’re looking for someone who:

• communicates well
• has integrity and a willingness to speak up for what is right
• has experience of working in a committee and making decisions with others
• is committed to fairness and equality
• understands what GRASS Cliftonville is trying to achieve, how we want to do it and what our values are
• has a good understanding of governance and the responsibilities of directors or a willingness and commitment to learn these
• can work with other directors and managers as part of a team
• can express their own views confidently and is willing and able to challenge
• other people constructively
• listens to and takes on board the views of other board members
• displays good judgement
• knows when to seek advice
• understands the principles of confidentiality

Some, but not all, board members should additionally have experience of:

• overseeing finances
• voluntary sector management
• the needs of diverse communities
• experience of people management,
• organisational development
• leadership skills
• digital developments
• event development

Commitment to Safeguarding

We are committed to the safeguarding of all our directors, staff, volunteers, and customers. This means everyone who works here is required to actively protect them from preventable harm. Our recruitment and selection process includes background checks which will be undertaken on the successful applicant, including an enhanced DBS, and in your application, you are required to demonstrate how you meet GRASS Cliftonville’s requirements on safeguarding.

The background checks will be carried-out in accordance with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Code of Practice. The DBS helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. We operate in accordance with the DBS Code of Conduct and Privacy Policy. 

How to Apply

If you’ve read the Role Description and Person Specification and are interested in becoming a director, then we’d love to hear from you!

All you need to do is:

• Send us a copy of your CV or upload it below
• Send us a covering letter which tells us about your interest in becoming a GRASS Cliftonville director and what you think you have to offer.
• Provide the names, positions, organisations, and telephone contact numbers of two individuals who could be approached as referees. (We will only approach referees once we’ve got your permission).
• Give us your full contact details including your name, address, email address and phone number.

Please upload your application below:

Or post it to:

GRASS Cliftonville CIC

The Oval Bandstand & Lawns

Cliftonville

Margate

CT9 2HL

What Happens Next?

Once you’ve submitted your application:

• We’ll let you know we’ve got it and give you any information you might need at that stage.
• We consider the applications and make a shortlist. If you’ve been successfully shortlisted, we’ll ask you to meet with us for an interview. At the interview, you’ll meet a small group of current GRASS Cliftonville directors, staff, and volunteers.
• It would be at this time we’d also carry out the checks we’re required to do around you being what you might call a ‘fit and suitable’ person as a director, such as taking up references and self-declarations.
• Closing date for applications is Friday 27^th January 2023 at 5pm.

If you’ve got a question about becoming a GRASS Cliftonville director, or you’d like to have an informal chat about what this role will involve, you can email stephen@theovalbandstand.co.uk to arrange a time for a chat.

Thanks for reading!

GRASS Cliftonville CIC is a Community Interest Company limited by guarantee and is registered in England & Wales (12889061)

www.grasscliftonville.org | www.theovalbandstand.co.uk