Governance Assistant

British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies

Hours
37 hours per week

About the Organisation

British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) is a charity and the lead organisation for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in the UK and Ireland. We are a growing organisation that aims to improve the mental health of people across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, through furthering research and good practice in CBT and related professions. We have more than 25,000 members across the UK, Ireland, and overseas, and a growing staff team who work remotely.

About the role

Are you a detail-oriented and principled administrator who’s passionate about making sure things are done right and who wants to make a difference in the charity sector? We’re looking for a Governance Assistant to join our small Governance Team, helping to ensure our governance structures are clear, transparent, and effectively applied.

In this vital role, you’ll support our Board of Trustees, senior leadership, and volunteer committee members, providing high-quality administrative support across governance activities. From coordinating a busy portfolio of committees to maintaining compliance with charity and company law, you will work with the Governance Manager to help uphold the organisation’s commitment to accountability and ethical practice.

Responsibilities

Committee Support:

• Assist in the scheduling, preparation, and coordination of online and in-person committee meetings with a focus on providing clear, accessible, and timely information.
• Prepare meeting agendas, papers, and minutes, ensuring clarity and precision.
• Track action points and ensure follow-ups are managed efficiently.
• Track adherence to operational committee guidelines.
• Coordinate the cycle of committee member succession.
• Provide cover support for the Board Administrator.

Governance Documentation:

• Coordinate the cycle of review and update of governance documents, organisational policies, and procedures. Ensure that documents are consistently updated and that there’s a focus on accessibility and transparency.
• Contribute to the creation and maintenance of governance documents, including undertaking peer research and checking against legal and regulatory requirements.

Compliance and Regulatory Support:

• Assist in ensuring compliance with charity and company law, and the requirements of the Professional Standards Authority.
• Assist in governance cycle planning to ensure that all statutory filings and reports are submitted accurately and on time, keeping the charity in line with regulatory expectations, legal, and financial obligations.
• Assist in maintaining the Association’s ongoing compliance with data protection regulations and best practices.

Member Engagement:

• Assist with the engagement of the Association’s members, maintaining an approachable and caring attitude when interacting with stakeholders.
• Support Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and member events, fostering a welcoming environment that values member participation and innovation.

General Administrative Support:

• Prepare governance-related reports and documents for internal and external audiences, ensuring they are both accurate and insightful, contributing to the development of governance practices.
• Contribute to the ongoing improvement of governance processes, recommending innovative solutions that drive efficiency, transparency, and effectiveness.
• Help develop training resources and workshops for trustees and staff, supporting their understanding of governance principles.
• Use excellent working knowledge of MS365 applications and collaboration tools, including SharePoint,
• Teams and Zoom to execute governance processes efficiently.

Skills, Competencies & Experience

Experience:

• Previous experience in a governance or charity administration role
• Familiarity with the Charity Commission and other regulatory frameworks, showing a principled commitment to compliance.
• An understanding of company law at a basic level, or the willingness and ability to learn quickly, working with statutory regulatory text.
• Experience in minute-taking and preparing governance-related documents, maintaining a high standard of clarity and professionalism.
• Knowledge of data protection regulations (GDPR) and how they impact governance. 

IT Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in MS365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Excellent knowledge of SharePoint document collaboration and storage functionality
• Proficiency in facilitation of online meetings. Teams and Zoom

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong administrative skills, with a focus on precision and timeliness.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A demonstrable understanding of the key components of successful governance frameworks and the ability to apply these components in practice

Personal Attributes:

• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to think innovatively to find solutions to challenges.
• Ethical, principled, and committed to upholding high standards of governance and transparency.
• Collaborative and adaptable, with a willingness to engage with diverse stakeholders in a caring and inclusive manner.
• Enthusiastic about development and actively seeking opportunities to enhance governance processes.
• Passionate about the charity sector and/or mental health sector, with a deep sense of caring for the people and communities the charity serves.

Required Qualifications

• Level 5 qualification. HNC in governance or administration

Compensation & Benefits

• Flexitime scheme
• A generous annual leave allowance of 30 days plus bank holidays
• Voluntary healthcare cash plan, and death-in-service benefit
• Company pension scheme

Working locations

• Home-based
• 1-3 days per month travel to UK and Ireland destinations to support in-person meetings and events as necessary.

How to apply

• Send an up-to-date CV with a cover letter of no more than two pages to [email protected] by no later than 11:59 pm on Monday, 1st December.
• The cover letter should set out how you meet each of the criteria from the Person Specification that are marked as being tested via ‘Application’ (’A’), including those jointly tested by both Application and Interview (‘A/I’).

Interviews

• Online interviews for this role are planned to take place on 15th December 2025

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