ABOUT ACTIONAID AUSTRALIA

ActionAid Australia is a global women’s rights organisation working to end poverty and injustice in over 45 countries worldwide. It is part of a global federation with members across Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.

ActionAid Australia empowers women on the frontlines of injustice to work together and transform their communities. From empowering women with the tools to campaign for improved working conditions, or building women’s capacity to respond to climate disasters, our programs support women living in poverty and exclusion, and their communities.

In Australia, we stand in solidarity with women globally by fundraising and campaigning. We fundraise to get women the resources they need to lead change for gender equality and social justice. We mobilise a community activist network, campaigning to hold the Australian Government and corporations accountable for their impact on the rights of women living in poverty and exclusion around the world.

ActionAid Australia is currently looking for a board member with expertise in one or more of the following areas: campaigning and/or community organising. The ideal candidate will also preferably have a background in some of the issues we campaign around such as women’s rights and/or climate justice.

ROLE OF BOARD MEMBERS

The Board’s role to govern ActionAid Australia.  It defines the strategic outcomes, ensures adequate resources are available, and reviews the organisation’s progress and performance in achieving its strategic outcomes.  Board members are elected as individuals and collectively act and govern in the best interests of ActionAid Australia as a whole. 

The Board is responsible for ensuring that ActionAid Australia has the policies, structures and processes in place to enable it to achieve its key strategic outcomes.  It is also responsible for ensuring that ActionAid Australia adopts sound financial practices and remains financially viable, has sound management practices, and is compliant with all legal and statutory obligations and ethical principles. 

The key responsibilities of board as are whole are outlined below:

• Determine organisation’s purpose
• Set long-term strategy
• Guard the organisation’s values
• Ensure organisation complies with law and good development NGO practice
• Ensure the organisation gives priority to health, safety and security of employees and volunteers
• Ensure the organisation has an appropriately qualified Executive Director, provides them with support and regularly reviews their performance
• Ensure the organisation’s resources are protected and managed effectively and maintain financial integrity
• Ensure complete accountability to rights holders, donors and other stakeholders
• Enhance ActionAid’s public image
• Contribute to reviewing Board processes and performance
• Ensure ActionAid Australia plays an influential and exemplary role as an Affiliate of ActionAid International

EXPECTATIONS OF ROLE

The board member currently under recruitment will play a specific role in board oversight of the organisation’s strategy to drive feminist systems change on women’s rights and climate justice. The incumbent will specifically contribute strategic thinking to the board and management around campaigning and community organising strategy to support the organisation to grow a movement of Australians that support our efforts to drive change in Australian government policy and corporate practice to deliver global justice for women and ambitious climate action. The board has a set of behaviours that guide its culture and board members are expected to support the work of ActionAid, participating in events, promoting the organisation’s work and contributing financially and inkind.

DESIRED SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Commitment to the vision and mission of ActionAid Australia and its efforts to advance women’s rights and end poverty and injustice
• Campaigning and/or community organising expertise
• Previous experience working to advance women’s rights and/or climate justice
• Previous board experience is desirable but not essential

FREQUENCY OF BOARD MEETINGS

• ActionAid Board meetings are generally held four times per year, with two meetings in person in Sydney on a Saturday and two meetings online

Interested applicants should submit their CV and a brief cover letter by clicking 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

Queries can be directed to the Executive Director [email protected] or Board Chair, Belinda Morrissey at [email protected] using the subject line: Board Member (Voluntary) - Campaigning enquiry via EthicalJobs.