Governance Officer

Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.

• Salary: £35,593 (FTE), pro-rata for part time hours
• 28 hours per week
• Hybrid
• London Office
• Closing date: 24 March 2025
• Interview date: 14 April 2025

Change lives in a life-changing career

When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain.

The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. That s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer. We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.

We challenge the systems and policies that surround children and young people, we highlight gaps and campaign for change. Because we know what a better future could look like. And we know what we need to do to make that future a reality. We need to push harder, reach further and work smarter. And we need the right people on our team to help us get there. People like you.

About the role

We re looking for a Governance Officer with strong experience in corporate governance and administrative processes to join our Corporate Assurance team.

In this role, you will be responsible for ensuring the smooth and effective operation of Young Lives vs Cancer s governance processes. This includes coordinating Board and committee meetings, preparing agendas and documentation, minuting meetings, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. You will also act as the main point of contact for Trustees and committee members, managing their records, overseeing recruitment and inductions, and maintaining governance policies and procedures.

This role does not have direct reports but requires excellent relationship-building skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities. You will work closely with the Associate Director of Corporate Governance and Assurance, Trustees, and senior leadership to enhance governance efficiency.

This role is subject to a criminal record check. In the event of a successful application a basic criminal record check will be completed.

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your day to day isn t easy. Here are some of the main things you ll be doing, but you ll find more details in the job description:

• Coordinating and minuting Board and committee meetings, ensuring accurate records and timely distribution of documents
• Acting as the key point of contact for Trustees and committee members, supporting their engagement and compliance.
• Managing governance records, including Trustee and committee member records, corporate policies, and the complaints register.
• Overseeing the Trustee and committee recruitment and induction process, ensuring seamless onboarding and compliance.
• Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, including filing documents with the Charity Commission and Companies House.
• Developing and maintaining governance policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with best practices and legal requirements.
• Supporting governance-related training and process improvements across the organisation.

What do I need?

Diverse perspectives and unique skillsets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

The key skills we re looking for in this role are:

• Experience in corporate governance and administrative processes, preferably in a charity, public sector, or similar environment.
• Strong organisation and time management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to liaise with senior stakeholders with tact and diplomacy.
• Knowledge of compliance reporting, governance planning, and risk management frameworks.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and experience working with SharePoint and Board meeting platforms (e.g., Convene).
• A proactive, self-starting approach with strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail.

What will I gain?

For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here s how we do it:

• Flexible working: we re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 (subject to Board and Committee dates) and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
• Wellbeing days: four days a year to do what works for you from catching up on training to going for a walk
• Generous annual leave allowance
• Great family/caring leave entitlements
• Enhanced pension
• Access to our employee savings scheme

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren t there yet, and we re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. CVs can be uploaded, but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history sections of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Accessibility

We re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible. Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.