Chair of Trustees and Director

About us

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture (SBP) is a charity that works to make rewilding happen across Scotland, in response to the growing climate and biodiversity crises. Our vision is of a vast network of rewilded land and water, where wildlife flourishes and people thrive.

We are an agile and progressive team that works in a spirit of collaboration with many different interest groups to:

• Drive support for rewilding
• Commit more land and water to rewilding

Learn more about SBP and the way we work here: www.scotlandbigpicture.com

Context and role overview

Since its inception in 2020, SBP has grown rapidly, establishing an exciting and evolving portfolio of nature recovery projects across Scotland.

Following the recent appointment of our first Chief Executive Officer, we are now seeking to recruit a new Chair of Trustees who can provide leadership and stability through a period of further change, and work very closely with the CEO and the rest of the Board.

Role overview

The Chair will hold the Board and Executive Team to account for the charity’s mission and vision, providing inclusive leadership and ensuring collective ownership and effective governance. The Chair will support the CEO and the rest of the Management Team as appropriate, to achieve agreed objectives. They will also develop the knowledge and capability of the Board, and will appraise the CEO’s performance on an annual basis. In partnership with the CEO and others, they will act as an ambassador for rewilding and a key public face and spokesperson for SBP.

Essential requirements

We are looking for candidates with demonstrable experience and understanding of the following:

• Operating at a senior level within an organisation, ideally working with or as part of a Board of Trustees/Directors
• Strong understanding of charity governance, and overall legal compliance
• Accomplished strategic thinking and direction, and strong leadership skills, including the ability to bring people together to ensure the charity has maximum impact
• Sound financial management expertise and a broad understanding of charity finances to ensure organisational health and sustainability
• Strong understanding of risk management and mitigations, and mediation and conflict resolution
• Exceptional public speaking skills for event moderation
• Positive engagement with internal and external stakeholders
• Profiling and networking for advocacy and fundraising

Previous experience in the rewilding and broader environmental sector is not essential. We are keen on transferrable, innovative, and creative approaches that will help our charity and people to thrive, and to lead on rewilding in Scotland.

Other desired attributes

• Commitment to nature restoration in Scotland, and willingness to learn more about rewilding and emerging and evolving trends in the sector
• Sound project management and leadership skills, and the ability to advise and work collaboratively with the Board, CEO and other members of SBP staff
• Strong relationship building, and interpersonal and communication skills
• A positive, entrepreneurial, and inclusive outlook

The role will ideally suit an individual based in Scotland but applications from outwith Scotland will be considered.

The Role of SBP’s Board of Trustees

The Board is the governing body of SBP. The Trustees operate at the most senior leadership level within the charity and report to SBP’s supporters, donors and partners, and to the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).

The Trustees have ultimate legal responsibility for the direction of travel and strategic leadership of the charity. They have a watching brief on activity relevant to their expertise, and a general remit of oversight at Board level. You can read more about the responsibility of Charity Trustees here.

What is expected of an SBP Trustee?

SBP’s Trustees are passionate advocates for rewilding who volunteer their time to support the charity’s objectives. They are expected to provide a clear steer and make tangible contributions within their area of expertise, and beyond.

Board meetings are held on a quarterly basis (virtually, and typically in the late afternoon/evening). Trustees are also required to:

• Keep up with correspondence in-between meetings
• Actively engage with the Chair, the CEO, individual SBP staff and Board members, and/or external stakeholders as needed
• Support off-line Board activities as and when

In addition to the above, the Chair is expected to lead the Board and have regular one-to-ones with the CEO as well as individual Trustees as needed. We envisage a total time commitment of approximately 10 to 12 days a year.

More about the role

This is a voluntary, unpaid role. Reasonable expenses will be reimbursed in line with SBP’s expenses policy.

SBP Trustees are appointed for a term of up to four years. Afterwards, Trustees have to be reconfirmed by the majority of the Board and can be re-elected up to a maximum of two further times, for a total of 12 years in office (three terms). Trustees can serve as Chair, Co-Chair or Treasurer for up to two terms.