The National Board of Amnesty International Australia is responsible for the leadership and governance of our organisation.

The Board’s six main functions are to:

• Promote and ensure the effective performance of the organisation
• Ensure effective stewardship of AIA’s governance standards: Board Charter (and Fact Sheets), Values and Behaviours Charter, Code of Conduct, and Member Undertaking
• Set and evaluate strategic priorities and objectives
• Monitor the organisation’s financial, ethical, legal and regulatory performance
• Appoint the National Director and hold them accountable for the organisation’s performance
• Liaise and provide leadership within the global Amnesty International movement.

The Board is governed by a Board Charter and its powers are detailed in the organisation’s Constitution.

Amnesty International Australia’s Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan embeds the National Board’s and the organisation’s commitment to broadening Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s representation within our movement and governance structures. To strengthen this commitment, the Board has identified the role of Non-Executive Director (First Nations) to join our governance leadership.

Key responsibilities of a Board Director are to contribute to collectively achieving each of the Board’s six main functions, including by:

• Contributing to AIA Board meetings and consensus decision-making
• Engaging with the work of National Board committees as required.

This volunteer position is for up to 3 years and is not remunerated. The successful applicant can be based anywhere in Australia as the meetings will be predominantly via videoconference and after normal business hours.

Board composition

The Board can have a maximum of nine directors who are identified and elected according to a set of capabilities, attributes and diversity as detailed in the AIA National Board Attributes Statement.

Seven directors are elected by the members at a General Meeting and up to two additional directors can be appointed by the Board. Currently the Board has 6 Directors including the current Chair.

Time commitment

The AIA Board meets six times a year, with three of those meetings being two hours, usually in the evening, and the other three being one-day long, usually on a Saturday. There may be other ad hoc short meetings to deal with particular issues. Meetings are generally held via videoconference.

Board directors are expected to participate in the work of one or more Board committees. Committees typically hold at least five meetings each year. In addition to this is the time spent engaging with papers tabled at each meeting.

The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Governance and/or management in a not-for-profit, community or other organisational context
• Collaborative decision-making and negotiation
• Strategic thinking, planning, implementation and evaluation
• Applied practical knowledge of corporate governance principles
• Financial literacy

ATTRIBUTES AND EXPERIENCE

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Impartiality and the ability to balance different perspectives
• Integrity and demonstrated ethical behaviour
• Understanding of and commitment to Amnesty International Australia's mission, values, and strategic objectives
• Ability to dedicate time to the role as required

For further information, please contact Kate Cooper, Nominations and Assessment Committee, [email protected] using the subject line: Non-Executive Director (Voluntary) - First Nations application via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.