• Meetings are online, with a yearly face-to-face all-day planning meeting, usually in Melbourne or Sydney.
• Work type: Casual. Salary type: Volunteer

About the role

The Invasive Species Council (ISC) is seeking two suitably skilled board members.

The Invasive Species Council is seeking 2 board members to provide oversight and direction for the growth and advancement of this national environmental organisation.

To support the organisation’s recent rapid growth and address gaps in the board’s competencies, diversity, knowledge and skills, candidates would ideally have experience and skills in at least one of the following areas: fundraising, communication/marketing, ecological sciences, biosecurity and/or legal expertise.

We are seeking board members from diverse backgrounds, perspectives and locations. Therefore we encourage applicants from any location in Australia and candidates across the gender, ethnic and age spectrum and who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

The ISC board meets online quarterly, usually for 2 and a half hours in early evenings (subject to arrangements that suit board members) and attend an online AGM. The board also holds an annual face-to-face day-long planning meeting, usually in Melbourne or Sydney. Additional work may occur outside of meetings and within committees.  We do try to have at least one meeting a year where we can all attend in person.  We will provide necessary travel and accommodation costs.

Key duties of the board members include:

As a member of the ISC Board, you share the following responsibilities with all board members:

1. Strategy and overall direction – establishing and reviewing strategic and operational plans that advance the organizations objectives.
2. Good governance – establishing policies/procedures and recording decisions and actions on matters concerning the organisation.
3. Management – oversight of the organisation via the CEO, ensuring that the organisation is properly administered and risks are managed and mitigated.
4. Legal – ensuring the organisation is incorporated, keeps proper records, and complies with any relevant legislation and the organisation’s constitution
5. Financial – ensuring that all finances are properly managed, that records are audited annually and that accountability requirements of funding providers are fulfilled. You will be expected to join our Public Fund Management Committee.
6. Evaluation – monitoring all activities by the organisation with feedback contributing to the continuous improvement in governance and service delivery.

As a member of the ISC Board it is expected that you:

• act honestly and in good faith
• ensure the organisation carries out activities in accordance with its intended purpose
• act in the best interests of the organisation
• where internal disagreement or conflict arises seek to work for effective solutions
• exercise powers for their proper use
• respect privacy and confidentiality of information obtained in the course of the operation of the organisation
• disclose any potential conflicts of interest as they arise and remove yourself from that particular discussion or decisions.
• Involve yourself, where you can, with the activities and fundraising events of the organisation.

Preferred candidates

In addition, to the gaps identified above, we are looking for someone with:

• An understanding of charities and not-for-profit organisations, ideally within the environment sector
• Capacity to undertake one to four hours of work per month and participate in meetings of the board and any relevant sub committees or working groups.
• Highly developed communication skills, with an ability to listen, question and challenge in a constructive manner
• An interest in the natural environment, ecology and mitigating the threat of invasive species

This is an unpaid position.

We are keen to identify 2 new board members with a view to joining the ISC Board as soon as possible. 

About the organisation

You will be joining the governing body of a dynamic team that advocates for nature, is committed to science, is fearless and persistent and is collaborative with First Australians.

The Invasive Species Council is a non-government donor-funded organisation formed in 2002 that seeks better laws and policies to protect the Australian environment from invasive plants, animals and diseases. Its structure is an incorporated association, registered as a charity with the ACNC.

Invasive species have been the main driver of environmental loss of Australia’s native animals since colonisation and remain one of the main threats to the future survival of all our unique wildlife on land and sea. Unless we take action, work with others and speak out, Australia’s biodiversity crisis will only worsen.

The Invasive Species Council has made numerous interventions to reduce the environmental impacts from invasive species. Over recent years we:

• played a major role in the establishment of the national Office of Environmental Biosecurity.
• raised the alarm about the imminent threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
• secured over $1 billion for the national red fire ant eradication program.
• secured $25 million to eradicate yellow crazy ants from Cairns and Townsville.
• led efforts to recognise the national threat from expanding feral deer populations.
• jointly conducted ground-breaking research to identify harmful invasive insects that could establish in Australia.
• co-hosted the Australian Biosecurity Symposium since 2019.
• led the establishment of the Decade of Biosecurity initiative.
• drove the Reclaim Kosci campaign that has seen reductions in feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park.

The ISC is managed day-to-day by a CEO in charge of a staff team that predominantly works remotely from home offices across Australia. Its annual budget is sourced from individual donors, trusts and foundations.

About the organisation

You will be joining the governing body of a dynamic team that advocates for nature, is committed to science, is fearless and persistent and is collaborative with First Australians.

The Invasive Species Council is a non-government donor-funded organisation formed in 2002 that seeks better laws and policies to protect the Australian environment from invasive plants, animals and diseases. Its structure is an incorporated association, registered as a charity with the ACNC.

Invasive species have been the main driver of environmental loss of Australia’s native animals since colonisation and remain one of the main threats to the future survival of all our unique wildlife on land and sea. Unless we take action, work with others and speak out, Australia’s biodiversity crisis will only worsen.

The Invasive Species Council has made numerous interventions to reduce the environmental impacts from invasive species. Over recent years we:

• played a major role in the establishment of the national Office of Environmental Biosecurity.
• raised the alarm about the imminent threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza.
• secured over $1 billion for the national red fire ant eradication program.
• secured $25 million to eradicate yellow crazy ants from Cairns and Townsville.
• led efforts to recognise the national threat from expanding feral deer populations.
• jointly conducted ground-breaking research to identify harmful invasive insects that could establish in Australia.
• co-hosted the Australian Biosecurity Symposium since 2019.
• led the establishment of the Decade of Biosecurity initiative.
• drove the Reclaim Kosci campaign that has seen reductions in feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park. 

The ISC is managed day-to-day by a CEO in charge of a staff team that predominantly works remotely from home offices across Australia. Its annual budget is sourced from individual donors, trusts and foundations.