• Financial Experience required

Metro Assist Limited is a not-for-profit organisation with 34 years providing community services in the Inner West and Canterbury Bankstown areas delivering settlement services for newly-arrived migrants and refugees, family services, tenant advocacy, financial counselling, employment support and community engagement activities.

We invite applications from individuals with relevant financial and governance experience to fill a Board vacancy. For this vacancy, it is essential candidates have financial qualifications (e.g. CPA/CA) and experience in financial accounting and reporting within a commercial or not-for-profit environment. Also desirable is an understanding of strategy setting, risk management, and a working knowledge of contract management. 

Time commitments for Directors normally occur after-hours. The Board currently meets between 8 and 10 times per annum, with sub-committee meetings in the intervening period and the occasional invitation to key stakeholder events.

Our core values are about:

• Caring for people
• Being respectful
• Focussing on our clients’ needs
• Acting with honesty and integrity, and
• Innovating so that our services are relevant and effective

Information:

Please direct any inquiries to the Chair, Scott Machin, at [email protected] using the subject line: Non-Executive Director enquiry via EthicalJobs or call 0422 003 582.

About the role

Metro Assist Limited is a not-for-profit organisation which delivers a range of community services which are detailed on our website. In 2016 the organisation’s legal status transitioned from an Incorporated Association to a Company Limited by Guarantee. Annual reports for the past three years can be viewed at http://www.metroassist.org.au/about-us/about-us-2.htm and our statutory reporting to the ACNC and our constitution may be viewed at https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/366557ef4a046e85392a8fb97bbc88bc#financials-documents

Our constitution currently allows for 9 Directors.

• Directors are voluntary. Directors are not offered a fee or any other remuneration from Metro Assist for their service performed as a Director. Directors may seek reimbursement for expenses legitimately incurred in travelling to attend Board, Committee or general meetings, with the prior approval of the Chair.
• The Board meets after-hours (generally 6:00pm to 8:30pm) 8 – 10 times per annum. Currently these meetings are online but may revert to face to face in the future. Face to face meetings are held at our main office in Level 2/59-63 Evaline Street, Campsie. Directors are encouraged to take up sub-committee roles with meetings which can be face-to-face or online. Frequency of sub-committee meetings vary from monthly to quarterly meetings as determined by the Board. Sub-committees oversee finance, risk, social enterprise and strategic plan implementation. 
• Current and new Directors are strongly encouraged to participate in 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 and review days.
• Directors may be invited to key stakeholder events or where a local MP or Minister may visit our programs or events.
• All Directors and staff are subject to Working With Children Check and National Police Check, and must adhere to the organisation’s Code of Conduct.

Workload

The contribution of Directors impacts on the Board’s overall performance. As a guide:

• There is an expectation that Directors have an 80% participation rate to ensure a quorum so that key decisions and the organisation’s business is not delayed.
• Business papers are distributed electronically via an online platform with sufficient time for Directors to read and prepare any questions for the meeting.
• Sub-committee meetings focus on key elements in more detail. Sub-committees report and make recommendations to the Board, they cannot make decisions on behalf of the Board unless otherwise delegated.
• Directors may also receive email updates from the CEO around critical incidents and matters requiring urgent attention that occur out-of-session.

Your roles and responsibilities as a director

The roles, responsibilities and expectations of directors of Metro Assist are set out in detail in our constitution, which you may download from the ACNC site.

You will need to carry out your duties as a director in accordance with Metro Assist's constitution, common law directors’ duties and the ACNC Governance Standard 5, which governs the duties and powers of directors of registered charities. 

The key responsibilities of the Board are further set out in our Board Charter and include:

• Provide leadership to the organisation by guiding the development of appropriate organisational culture, values, code of conducts, policies and practices and by modelling the behaviour;
• Approve strategic plan and performance objectives, ensure adequate resources are available to deliver those objectives and monitor performance set out in the plan;
• Approve annual budget and monitor financial performance against the set budget;
• Approve annual financial statements;
• Monitor financial position of Metro Assist at all times and prevent the organisation from operating if it is insolvent (unable to pay its debts when they fall due);
• Provide oversight and ensure appropriate policies, management systems and accountability mechanism are in place;
• Ensure robust risk management, compliance and control systems are in place and operating effectively;
• Ensure Metro Assist complies with all of its contractual, statutory and legal obligations including the requirements of any regulating body such as Australian Charities for Not for Profit Commission (ACNC);
• Ensure there are mechanisms for consultation with key stakeholders, and continuing accountability to them;
• Appoint the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), determine employment terms including remuneration package, set CEO KPIs and evaluate performance;
• Approve and review succession plans for the CEO and the senior managers who directly report to the CEO;
• With the Members, in accord with the Corporations Act, administer the appointment of the external auditor and evaluate performance of the auditor including their ongoing independence; and
• Promote diversity within all levels of the organisation by establishing policy guideline and monitoring organisational performance.