On this page you will find:

• Background information about LCGB
• Key duties and person specification for a trustee
• Treasurer/trustee role description

For additional information about our Charity see the rest of the LCGB Website

Please note, the closing date for applications is currently open (Please Click here to view the form)

Background information about LCGB

LCGB was founded in 1994 as a membership organisation for IBCLCs (International Board Certified Lactation Consultants). We promote the work of the IBCLC and seek to advocate for parents to receive the help they need to breastfeed. LCGB provides networking and learning opportunities for its members, including running an annual conference and coordinating ongoing web learning (on our OWL platform). LCGB has representatives that advise and consult on all kinds of strategic matters related to infant feeding in the UK.

LCGB became a registered charity in 2020, Charitable no. 1187793. We are a membership organisation and currently have around 550 members (Jan 2022). Members include midwives, health visitors, dieticians, GPs, paediatricians, infant feeding leads, peer support coordinators, NHS and public health project leads, academic researchers, peer supporters and members from every voluntary breastfeeding sector, as well as independent lactation consultants.

We would love to hear from you if you;

• would like to help develop the organisation in line with our charitable aims
• have innovative ideas about how to protect and support breastfeeding at a strategic level
• would like to be part of a team contributing to national priorities
• have an interest in engaging in advocacy and the evolving landscape of infant feeding in Great Britain
• have a strong desire to advocate for expert IBCLC breastfeeding care for all families
• are passionate about advancing education about breastfeeding and for promoting ambitious standards in lactation education
• have professional experience to enrich the Board’s skills mix, such as E,D,I, governance, legal, financial or volunteer coordination.

We are actively looking to extend the diversity of our Board to better represent our membership and those whom our members support and would therefore encourage Black and Asian people, and those with Protected Characteristics to apply.

We are also extremely interested in receiving applications from those who work or have worked in the NHS or statutory health services.

What is a trustee?

Trustees are the people who serve on the governing body of a charity. They have ultimate legal responsibility for the charity’s management and administration. The Board of Trustees must set the strategic direction of the charity.

All trustees have very distinct responsibilities, which are to:

• Act in the best interests of beneficiaries
• Make sure assets are used exclusively to further the Objects of the charity
• Operate within the Constitution that sets out the purposes and rules
• Avoid conflicts of interest

Why consider being a trustee?

There are several good reasons for being a trustee. For example, you:

• Will have a lot of skills and experiences to bring to a charity’s board
• Will develop transferable skills, improve your CV, and broaden your experience
• Will meet a wide range of new people which could open doors to all sorts of other networks and opportunities
• Have the chance to shape, support and contribute your ideas and knowledge to a meaningful cause and organisation
  ‘Trustees play a vital role in a sector that contributes significantly to the character and wellbeing of the country’ from GirlDreamer | ‘STEP ON BOARD’ BECOMING A TRUSTEE'

LCGB trustees’ key duties:

• Read papers in advance and attend and contribute constructively to Board meetings
• Provide financial oversight through input into preparation of the annual budget and review of associated financial reports
• Review and develop policies and procedures and the charity’s risk register
• Serve as Board liaison for designated committees, management teams and working groups
• Represent LCGB at conferences, meetings, and designated committees
• Keep current with issues before the Board, the activities of the Board and volunteer teams, the Strategic Plan, and the policies and procedures of the CIO (Charitable Incorporated Organisation).

All of LCGB’s work is underpinned by our focus on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Person specification for LCGB trustee:

• A commitment to the organisation – (all trustees need to be or become a member of LCGB)
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to the role
• Strategic vision
• Good, independent judgement
• An ability to think creatively
• An ability to challenge constructively
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties and responsibilities of trusteeship
• An enthusiasm to expand and update knowledge and skills about trusteeship
• An ability to work effectively as a member of a team
• A commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership

What LCGB will offer you in your role as trustee:

• We will help you to access training to build your confidence as a trustee. You will be paired with a mentor from within the current Board.
• All new trustees will be provided with a Trustee Induction Pack which includes links to Essential Trustee training, which all trustees are expected to undertake.
• We are very keen that trustees are provided with opportunities to develop their interests and skills to enhance their role and will support new Board members to find and access training to do this.
• In addition, if you are an IBCLC you can earn two (2) L-CERPs from IBLCE for each full year of volunteer service (within the five-year recertification cycle) on the board of a non-governmental organisation that promotes and/or supports breastfeeding.

Time Consideration:

• The Board meets around 6 times a year. Board meetings held virtually are 4 hours long. For the past two years all meetings have been held virtually. Before the Covid pandemic, Board meetings were held in Kentish Town in London, and we hope to get back to holding some of our meetings in-person soon. We also typically have a trustees’ social meeting during the days we are away for our annual conference. The Conference is also traditionally when we hold our AGM, which all Trustees are expected to attend.
• In addition to Board meetings, other contact – usually electronic or by telephone – is necessary.
• Trustees’ expenses e.g. travel to Board meetings can be claimed in line with our Expenses Policy.
• As a small, volunteer run charity, many of our trustees undertake operational activities alongside their trustee duties, however, this is not a requirement of being an LCGB trustee. Contributing specialist, strategic skills on the Board is our key requirement for our trustees and we very much look forward to hearing from you.

Trustees are elected for an initial 3 year term, renewable for a further 2 terms (6 years) by reappointment by the Board or re-election by the members.

The recruitment process

If you would like to apply for a role as trustee with LCGB, please either send your CV with cover letter OR complete the application form and return to secretary@lcgb.org. Your application should include details of two referees stating their relationship to you and how long they have known you. Referees will only be contacted if you are offered the role.

Interviews with shortlisted candidates will take place in due course.

A full Treasurer Trustee role description follows. If you would like to discuss this role further, please contact Linda Brownlie, the current treasurer for an initial conversation. Please email treasurer@lcgb.org to arrange this.

Treasurer role description

• The role of the Treasurer is to oversee the financial affairs of the Charity ensuring the organisation meets its responsibilities around finances and statutory duties/compliance, keeping timely and accurate records of transactions and reporting financial activity to the Board.

General Responsibilities of the Treasurer:

•  The Treasurer should be prepared to ensure that the Board of Trustees understands it obligations to monitor the financial performance of the Charity and to safeguard its assets.
• Preparation of and sharing of financial information with the Board with a frequency and in a manner that enables the Board to discharge its duties responsibly and to ensure the Charity remains viable.
• Annual budget preparation and monitoring of actual performance to budget.
• Timely recording of the books using Xero, commonly used accounting software.
• Timely bank account and Stripe control account reconciliations.
• Responsibility for payments to suppliers, expenses and other outgoings of the Charity.
• Reconciliation of the Membership system (Membership Works) to Xero on a regular basis. Much of this has been automated.
• Occasional invoicing (via Xero) of members/event attendees. Much of this is automated.
• Leading on appointment of auditor/independent reviewer.
• Reporting/presenting the annual financial report to the Members at the annual AGM.

In addition to the person specification for a trustee, the Treasurer should have the following skills;

• Required: proficient with the use of banking and other Apps / software
• Required: basic user experience of Excel
• Desirable: experience of bookkeeping or other past financial roles
• Desirable: experience of bookkeeping software

If a candidate has little experience but has an interest in developing skills in this area, a will to learn and time to invest - full training will be offered. The outgoing Treasurer is a qualified accountant and will continue to support the individual who LCGB recruits. Most of the record keeping can be done via two apps on a phone which has streamlined this role enormously. Most of the reporting is via Xero which also reduces the work load significantly.

We are actively looking to extend the diversity of our Board to better represent our membership and those whom our members support, and would therefore encourage Black, Asian and minority ethnic people, and those with Protected Characteristics to apply.

Applicants working in the NHS or statutory health services would be most welcome.

Time commitment:

• The time commitment for a trustee can vary. For the Treasurer role it is realistic to put aside 10 hours per month – some months it may be more and others less depending on whether there is a Board meeting or other Treasurer duties to fulfill such as collating the Annual Return and Accounts and preparing for the AGM (normally in the spring).
• Additional time will be required to attend other meetings necessary to fulfil the role of Treasurer and to be on-hand for advice on an ad-hoc basis.

In addition to the above information please read the following before proceeding to the application
All Trustees are required to sign a declaration of eligibility in advance of taking up a role as trustee. You can read this declaration here.

Data Protection

The personal information you provide will be used to process your application and will be held securely for a year after the recruitment process is complete, and then deleted. If your application is successful, the information will be used in the administration of your appointment. It will be kept securely and only used for relevant purposes.

Thank you
Thank you for your interest in LCGB. Please do get in touch if you have any questions about our work or applying to be a Trustee. We would love to hear from you!
info@lcgb.org