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Governance and Compliance Officer
Birmingham, West Midlands (with hybrid working and occasional travel to the office and in-person meetings)

About Us

The Vegan Society is an anagram of The Nicest Voyage. Quite fitting, we think, as for many people veganism is a journey – and a pretty remarkable one at that. Regardless of where you are on your vegan journey, our staff are on hand to make it easier, healthier, and more fun. If you think you’d be great at helping others with this, read on, as this may be right up your street.

The Vegan Society makes veganism more accessible and an easily adopted approach by supporting individuals, policy and decision-makers, caterers, manufacturers, healthcare professionals, and the media.

We are now looking for a Governance and Compliance Officer to join our team on a full-time, permanent basis.

The Benefits

- Starting salary of £31,586 (depending on experience)
- 28 days’ leave + 8 public bank holidays (25 days of annual leave and 3 closure days)
- Ethical pension scheme (5-7% employer contribution)
- Flexible working hours
- Death in service benefit
- Employee Assistance Programme and health cash-back scheme
- Access to 24/7 virtual GP service
- A fun and supportive team
- Volunteer days
- Companion animal compassionate leave
- Cycle to work scheme
- Climate perks policy (up to 6 days’ additional paid time off when choosing sustainable transportation for foreign holidays)

This is a rewarding opportunity for an experienced professional with a background in charity governance and executive support to join our pioneering organisation.

Working with a passionate and values-driven team, you’ll have the chance to influence meaningful change, helping to drive veganism forward and promote a healthier, more compassionate future for people, animals and the planet.

What’s more, in our supportive and ethical work environment, you’ll have access to professional development whilst making a tangible difference within a globally recognised charity dedicated to sustainability and equality.

The Role

As a Governance and Compliance Officer, you will support our Council of Trustees and Chief Executive in all governance matters.

Ensuring compliance with legal, regulatory and societal frameworks, you will oversee governance meeting schedules, draft agendas and circulate papers to ensure the timely preparation of Council, Board and Committee meetings.

You will also manage the Annual General Meeting process, co-ordinate Trustee elections and onboarding and advise on constitutional requirements to ensure our governance framework aligns with the Charity Code of Governance.

Additionally, you will:

- Maintain accurate governance records with Companies House and the Charity Commission
- Lead the drafting of governance-related papers and ensure effective follow-up on meeting action points
- Co-ordinate learning and development opportunities for Trustees
- Support compliance-related checks for Council members

About You

To be considered as a Governance and Compliance Officer, you will need:

- Experience of charity governance and senior and/or Board level executive support
- Executive level support and/or administration experience
- Experience writing clear and concise reports and briefings for a range of audiences
- Experience preparing agendas and other papers and taking minutes at Board and/or committee level
- Experience managing confidential data and commercially sensitive material
- Experience working in the voluntary sector

Closing date for applications: 10th January 2024
Interview dates: mid-January 2025

It is a condition of your employment that, as far as is possible and practicable, you adhere to a vegan diet and lifestyle.

Other organisations may call this role Compliance Monitoring Officer, Governance and Risk Officer, Charity Governance Officer, Legal and Compliance Officer, Risk and Compliance Executive, or Risk and Compliance Governance Officer.

Webrecruit and The Vegan Society are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment. Equal opportunities are the only acceptable way to conduct business and we believe that the more inclusive our environments are, the better our work will be.

So, if you’re looking for an impactful role as a Governance and Compliance Officer, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency