Address
Form of work
SalaryAbout the organisation
Free the Bears Ltd (“FTB”) is a Perth founded international animal welfare and wildlife conservation charity with a mission to protect, preserve and enrich the lives of bears throughout the world. Our vision is a world where bears are valued as an integral part of the natural environment and are no longer exploited or abused.
Since 1995 Free the Bears has helped rescue over 1000 bears of the world's most vulnerable bear species, providing ongoing care to hundreds of rescued sun bears and moon bears at the sanctuaries we operate in partnership with governments in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. We welcome more than half a million visitors to our sanctuaries each year, helping build awareness of the actions individuals can take to help protect bears. We are at the forefront of animal welfare and research, delivering innovative training programmes to a broad range of stakeholders from veterinary students to government officers. Beyond our sanctuaries we work with communities to reduce threats to wild bear populations, and with government partners to combat the illegal wildlife trade. More information on our work can be found at https://freethebears.org
About the role
We are currently seeking suitably qualified person/s to join the Board of Free the Bears Ltd in the roles of Chair, Treasurer and Non-Executive Director for a term of three years. We are particularly keen to hear from applicants with strong backgrounds in key areas such as finance, fundraising, legal, strategic planning and organisational governance.
The Board provides responsibility for governance and oversight for the strategic direction of the organisation to ensure that it continues to play a vital role in the protection of some of the world’s most threatened bear species and combatting the illegal wildlife trade.
The primary functions of the FTB Board are overall responsibility for governance and regulatory compliance, agreement on long-term strategy in pursuit of our mission and vision, maintain fiscal oversight and evaluating the performance of the CEO as well as the Board itself. The Board is responsible for ensuring the organisation remains compliant with regulatory bodies within Australia (as well as within international programmes) and fulfils its purpose and objectives, meeting all of the legal and moral responsibilities and requirements consistent with that purpose.
This responsibility is one of stewardship on behalf of the organisation’s members and other stakeholders, ensuring that FTB not only remains viable, but has a secure long-term future.
Non-Executive Directors are expected to prepare for and actively participate in FTB Board meetings which are held bi-monthly online (six per year) with meetings lasting up to 2 hours. The role of Non-Executive Directors is voluntary but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed by the charity and Non-Executive Directors are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the work being undertaken by Free the Bears across Asia as appropriate.
How to apply
If you are interested in joining our Board as a Non-Executive Director and believe that you have the skills, passion and time available to make a significant contribution to our mission, we’d love to hear from you. Please submit your CV and a covering letter which states how your skills and attributes match what we are looking for, your reasons for wanting to join our Board, and what you would hope to achieve. Please include the names and contact details of two people who can vouch for your abilities to serve on the Board and whom we can speak with if necessary.
Closing date for applications is Friday 16th February 2024, applications should be submitted by email to vacancy@freethebears.org
As a global organization that works with partners and communities across a wide range of countries, Free the Bears values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity. We welcome applicants of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply regardless of ethnicity, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, socioeconomic status or disability to help us build an inclusive environment across all areas of our work.
Please quote in application: Board Members - Voluntary via Pro Bono Australia.
Sector: #Animals
