About the organisation

The Violet Initiative is a social enterprise that positively impacts the last stage of life so that more Australians are better prepared to die well.

Many Australians are not having the end of life experience they want or deserve. Half of the 100,000 predictable deaths each year have regretful outcomes - when things don’t go as planned, or there is no plan. Regret is a very personal emotion, but it carries widespread costs for families, businesses, the health system and society.

These costs add up to $1billion posing a challenge that only increases with our ageing population.

Violet guides people through the last stages of a loved one’s life. By helping people be better prepared for what tomorrow may bring, they can become more resilient to the vulnerabilities of this stage of life. We deliver targeted and complementary non-clinical support for the caregivers of people in the last stage of their life, supporting acceptance, planning and communication.

About the role

The company secretary plays an important role in supporting the effectiveness of the Violet Board by monitoring that board policy and procedures are followed and coordinating the timely completion and despatch of board agenda and briefing material. He or she is an active conduit for communication with responsibilities for agendas, records, compliance and much more. The Violet Company Secretary will be knowledgeable in Violet’s organisational records and related materials.

Your previous Company Secretary experience will allow you to:

• Advise the board and its committees on governance matters,
• Monitor that board and committee policies and procedures are followed,
• Coordinate the timely completion and dispatch of board and committee papers,
• Ensure that the business at board and committee meetings is accurately captured in the minutes, and
• Help to organise and facilitate the induction of new Directors

This is a voluntary position.

Key Responsibilities

• perform the duties and responsibilities of a Company Secretary with due care and diligence in compliance with all applicable laws, the Constitution and any specific delegations or policies approved by the Board.
• Attending bi-monthly (up to 6 per year) Board meetings regularly as well as any additional meetings, such as committee meetings, planning sessions or working group meetings, and following up on commitments made in a timely manner.
• Become an active member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (up to 4 per year)

Key Selection Criteria

• Prior experience with NFP governance;
• Prior experience as a Company Secretary;
• Relevant tertiary qualification (law, business, accounting or similar);
• An appreciation of the challenges of smaller not-for-profit organisations;
• Demonstrated relationship management skills;
• Strong oral and written communication skills; and
• A collaborative approach to governance.