Chair of Trustees

Thank you for expressing interest in joining the Board of Rewilding Britain, either as Chair or a Trustee. You do so at an exciting time for the organisation and the cause of rewilding.

Since we formed in 2015 rewilding has moved from being a niche idea to gaining widespread public appeal. Rewilding has become visible in everyday practice, offering real hope in some of the biggest global challenges we face. We've been at the forefront of this change, and the opportunity now is to normalise, enable and scale-up rewilding as an inspiring, viable and productive use of 30% of the land and seas.

We’ve grown significantly since our inception 10 years ago. Our Board of Trustees is focused on supporting Rewilding Britain as a maturing organisation, helping us achieve our strategy at a time when nature is increasingly under threat. We take a systems change approach because we know that real change can only happen when public thinking shifts, power is influenced, and rewilding becomes embedded in everyday practice. As a trustee, you will play a vital role in a critical conversation that concerns every one of us – bringing hope to the climate emergency and extinction crisis.

We're looking for individuals who will bring a passion for the work and potential of Rewilding Britain and an understanding of the true role of the Board in helping us succeed in our mission. Rewilding Britain’s staff and trustee team is courageously mission driven and highly collaborative. In joining our team, you will be participating in a stimulating, rapidly developing sector and will have the opportunity to make a real difference for people and nature through contributing to our strategic thinking and governance.

If you're motivated by the opportunity to make a real difference and have a true appreciation of impact and governance within a charity context, we look forward to hearing from you.

Trustees

For our new Trustees, we are looking for people who can complement our current Board composition, contributing and adding new skillsets. Fundamentally we are seeking Board Members who 'appreciate the role that effective governance and Board performance can make to our organisation's impact . We would particularly value experience in:

• Land and Marine covering one or more aspects of land management practice, land and rural economics, natural capital and finance, rewilding practice and practitioners, ecology and science, government policy.
• Financial management including charity finance knowledge and accountancy qualifications.
• Campaigning, advocacy and alliance building to support pursuit of our policy goals in Westminster and the devolved governments.

Given our work across three nations, we are seeking to further strengthen our Board with trustees who bring experience of Scotland and Wales as part of their skillset. In addition, we are intentional in including people from diverse backgrounds and communities and are committed to being an organisation where everyone feels included and valued. We welcome, therefore, a diversity of candidates, including those for whom this presents their first time on a charity Board.

Trustee Responsibilities

Trustees bring a passion for the potential of Rewilding Britain and an understanding of the role of the Board in helping us succeed in our charitable mission. All trustees have the following strategic leadership responsibilities:

• Providing leadership to Rewilding Britain, ensuring that we achieve maximum impact.
• Ensuring the Board provides clear strategic direction for Rewilding Britain.
• Working effectively with relevant members of staff, particularly our CEO and Senior Leadership Team, mentoring, guiding and holding to account as appropriate, ensuring that Rewilding Britain is well led.
• Ensuring the Board fulfils its duties in securing sound financial health for the organisation. Acting as an ambassador as appropriate, building and maintaining networks e.g. with partners.
• Ensuring that Rewilding Britain remains independent and influential, always pushing for progress and impact.
• Enacting our values and promoting a culture of inclusion and participation.
• Ensuring that the Board and staff are able to regularly review risks and associated opportunities and satisfy itself that systems are in place to capitalise on opportunities and mitigate the risks through powerful storytelling and meaningful brand alignment.

Trustees who bring a finance specialism have a particular focus on supporting the Board to fulfil its duties in securing sound financial health for Rewilding Britain. In addition to the above, those with a finance specialism have the following responsibilities:

• Member of the Finance and Risk Committee, taking a significant role in financial and risk planning and management and supporting the financial governance of the charity.
• Providing guidance and support to the CEO and Senior Leadership Team and the Board of trustees to ensure that Rewilding Britain complies with its financial obligations under charity law and its Constitution.
• Advising the Board on the financial implications of strategic and operational plans.

Experience, Abilities and Characteristics

• An inclusive, empathetic, transparent approach to leadership that demonstrates and encourages Rewilding Britain’s values.
• A passion for the cause and work of Rewilding Britain. A collaborative approach to working with trustees, staff and partner organisations.
• A balance of independent judgement and an ability to work effectively as part of a cohesive Board.
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship.
• A diplomatic, clear, tactful approach, with the ability to listen and engage effectively
• A demonstrable understanding of the role of charity Board members.
• A commitment to staff wellbeing

Chair of Trustees

For our Chair, we’re looking for someone who will act as a key steward of Rewilding Britain, an experienced governance leader to ensure that Rewilding Britain is firmly on the path to achieving its strategic objectives.

Chair-specific Responsibilities.

In addition to the responsibilities shared by all trustees, the Chair is responsible for:

• Along with our CEO, holding responsibility for the effectiveness of the Board, building and guiding the Board agenda, and encouraging and facilitating positive and constructive Trustee relations
• Contributing to thought leadership and systems thinking by creating and holding a space for the quality of conversations with the CEO, board and executive team that is needed to fulfil our mission. We are seeking someone with the insight and gravitas to do this, and who is generous with their time to both support and challenge, helping the organisation to learn and to navigate the key choices to maximise impact.
• Contributing to organisation effectiveness. The Chair will understand that an effective environment for success is achieved by creating the conditions to enable people to naturally flourish - bringing their own leadership, unique perspectives, and collective talents to life. Where new alliances and partnerships need to be formed our Chair should be able to support the team in building constructive external relationships. They should have the confidence to form and shape some of these, to speak in influential spaces if required, and the self-assurance to enable others to do this where they are better placed.
• Contributing to the organisation maturing, ensuring our fundraising, resources, capabilities and processes mature in an effective and efficient way. Strong governance is currently well set up and covered in the Trustee and Executive team, but there will inevitably be difficult moments and challenges to navigate calmly.
• Ensuring that we have high standards of corporate governance and that we are an adaptable and resilient Board
• Developing the knowledge and capability of the Board of Trustees e.g. supporting Trustees to access training and development that supports their participation

Experience, Abilities and Characteristics

In addition to those outlined for all trustees, candidates for the Chair should be able to demonstrate:

• Proven experience of working effectively with a Board, with an ability to make the most of the skillsets around the table
• Experience of non-profit governance, ideally in a Board Chair capacity or at least as a senior Board Member
• Experience playing a key role in an organisation’s evolution and growth
• An understanding of the balance of national and devolved policy development, influence and implementation
• Mentoring / coaching experience

Commitment Expectations

All trustees should have the ability to contribute up to one to two days a month with the Chair and Chair of Finance and Risk able to commit additional time. Terms of office are three years, with the opportunity to serve three terms. Formal meeting dates are set at least 12 months in advance. Whilst trustee roles are voluntary, travel, accommodation and subsistence to enable trustees to fulfil their duties is provided.

Commitments include:

• Four one-day trustee meetings a year in March, June, September and December, often in London. (Attendance in person preferred, but option to join online available when necessary).
• A two-day staff and trustee meeting and field trip in May.
• For trustees serving on our Governance and Nominations or Finance and Risk Committees, four online, two-hour, quarterly meetings.
• Dedicating time to read and comment on formal meeting papers.
• Participation in topic focused discussion, correspondence and events depending on trustee specialism

We estimate the Chair role requires approximately circa 2 to 3 days per month. In addition to the governance cycle, there are, regular conversations with the CEO, COO and ad hoc conversation with fellow board members and members of the Senior Leadership Team, alongside attendance at in person events throughout the year.