Company Secretary & Board Director, Common Knowledge

Common Knowledge is seeking a Company Secretary. If you are interested in lending your skills to a growing non-profit social enterprise with real social and environmental impact, we’re keen to hear from you. 

About Common Knowledge

Common Knowledge is a non-profit social enterprise based in Clare. We believe that a significant cohort of the population of Ireland can be empowered with greater agency to meet their own basic needs, solve problems and contribute positively to their communities.

Our vision is an Ireland of confident, capable and connected people and we believe that one path towards this future is to share skills like building, making, mending and growing with each other. Therefore, our mission is to share skills for a truly sustainable homelife, and we primarily do this through courses, events and community projects.

Since our establishment in 2021 we have been growing our programme of skill sharing courses, community projects and regenerative hospitality. We have also acquired a home in the Burren where we have almost 50 acres of land to grow, experiment and explore.

About our board

The company secretary will join a lively and inspiring group of people who have worked to establish Common Knowledge as a thriving organisation in just three years. 

• Chairperson - Anja Murray - Environmental ecologist, author and broadcaster
• Outgoing Secretary - Tanya Fitzgerald - Enterprise Liaison Officer at University College Cork
• Treasurer - Padraic Lee, Manager, KPMG Sustainable Futures 
• Mick Kelly - Founder & CEO of social enterprise GIY
• Manchán Magan - Writer and documentary maker
• Jane Delahanty - Inventor and Founder of Sugru, co-founder of Assembly Bike
• Niall Morahan - Service & systems designer
• Alison Sheridan - Climate advisor
• Elaine McGrath Partner Solicitor at Reddy Charlton

About the role

The role of Secretary is a core governance role in the organisation. It is voluntary position with an expected time commitment of about 6 hours monthly, with the following duties and responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with the organisation’s constitution and governing documents.
• Collaborate with the Chair to schedule board meetings (4 formal meetings per year, plus monthly check-ins).
• Collaborate with the chair to prepare agendas and board packs for distribution to the board in advance of meetings. 
• Record and maintain accurate minutes of board meetings and decisions.
• Support board committees with record-keeping of their activities and outputs.
• Convene and minute the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
• Maintain statutory registers (Directors, Members, Interests, etc.) and file returns with the Companies Registration Office (CRO).
• Maintain the library of policies, procedures, and governance documentation.
• Ensure compliance with relevant governance standards, such as the CRA Governance Code, including leading an annual compliance review.
• Act as a second signatory on corporate documents.
• Advise the Board on Company Law and relevant legislation.
• Ensure company records are available for inspection by those entitled.
• Provide necessary documentation for new board member inductions.

Candidate Experience, Skills and Personal Qualities

• Essential
  • The ability to produce clear and accurate records of meetings
  • Excellent task management skills
  • Proficiency in digital communications and basic IT skills, particularly in managing email communications and document storage.
  • Proficiency in scheduling and managing invites for online meetings
  • An eye for detail and thoroughness in all aspects of work, especially in maintaining accurate records and communications.
• Desirable
  • Knowledge of company secretary role duties and responsibilities
  • Knowledge of the Not-For-Profit Sector in Ireland (in particular in the realm of community development). 

Should you consider applying?

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds with time to commit and transferable skills. Should you have no previous experience of boards or the role of Secretary but demonstrate a strong interest in and commitment to the role, we will be pleased to consider your application with a view to providing upskilling on the specific duties of the role from Carmicheal, The Wheel or other similar non-profit support organisation.

The Secretary will also be appointed as a Board Director at Common Knowledge

General duties of Directors:

• To ensure that Common Knowledge complies with its constitution, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• To ensure that Common Knowledge pursues its objectives as laid down in the constitution.
• To ensure that Common Knowledge applies its resources exclusively in furtherance of its objectives.
• To contribute actively to Common Knowledge by giving firm strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
• To safeguard the good name and values of Common Knowledge.
• To ensure the effective administration of Common Knowledge.
• To protect and manage the property of Common Knowledge and ensure the proper investment of funds.

Personal specification for Board Members

• An understanding of and commitment to our mission and values
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
• Strategic vision, creative thinking and good independent judgement
• Willingness to speak their mind
• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of being a director including commitment to highest levels of corporate governance 
• Ability to work effectively in a team
• No conflicts of interest
• Previous experience of Directorship not mandatory

Board meetings:

• Board meetings are held once per quarter, 2 of these meetings are in  person in the Common Knowledge Centre in Co. Clare, 2 of the meetings are online
• Monthly board updates with the CEOs are held via zoom
• The term of office is 3 years with the ability to renew for a further term.
• The AGM is held in May
• There are currently 2 sub committees that meet monthly or as required 

Expectations of Board Members:

• Attendance at Board Meetings
• Adherence to the Board Code of Conduct
• Active participation in the work of the Board including preparing for and contributing to Board discussions
• Attendance at events onsite where possible
• Contribution to one of the subcommittees 

Diversity

Common Knowledge is committed to diversity in appointments to the Board and Committees, in terms of: gender; age; ethnicity; sexual orientation; the inclusion of members of those native and new to the island; geography in terms of residence or place of business on the island of Ireland (including both legal jurisdictions).

The Board will make appointments, where possible, on the basis of bringing the Board towards a diverse and inclusive group.