CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation is an international alliance of members and partners dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society around the world, with a secretariat based in Johannesburg, South Africa. CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, led by its Board of Directors, is currently renewing the alliance during 2012. Specifically, the Board of Directors are hoping to use rare opportunities of a leadership transition and setting new Strategic Directions for 2013-2017 to mobilise both the alliance and a broader constituency around a new civil society agenda for the next five years.
CIVICUS therefore intends to co-opt two additional Directors to its Board in early-mid 2012, to help drive this mandate of renewing the alliance.
About the CIVICUS Board of Directors
The CIVICUS Board of Directors currently consists of thirteen Directors, elected by the organisation's membership. The CIVICUS bylaws allow for the Board to appoint by co-optation an additional two Directors. In early 2012, the Board has decided to use this option to strengthen the current Board of Directors. The Board is now inviting applications and expressions of interest from suitable candidates.
About the role
- Board members are expected to join two full Board meetings per year.
- Board members are expected to join and participate in at least one Board Committee.
- Board members are not remunerated for their time, though reasonable expenses for travel to Board meetings are reimbursed.
- Co-opted Board members will serve until the end of the current Chair's term in August 2013.
Person specification
The CIVICUS Board is looking for suitable candidates with strong experience and knowledge of strengthening citizen action and civil society around the world. In addition to evaluating the applicants' match against the person specification criteria listed below, the CIVICUS Board of Directors will use the additional co-opted appointments to prioritise filling specific thematic, geographic and demographic gaps which exist on the current CIVICUS Board.
- a commitment to the organisation
- a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
- strategic vision
- good, independent judgement
- an ability to think creatively
- a willingness to speak their mind
- an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of
- current CIVICUS member, or prepared to join the membership immediately
- an ability to work effectively as a member of a team
The duties of a Board Member are:
- To ensure that the organisation complies with its governing document and any otherrelevant legislation or regulations.
- To ensure that the organisation pursues its objects as defined in its governingdocument.
- To ensure the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of itsobjects.
- To contribute actively to the board role in giving strategic direction to the organisation, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluatingperformance against agreed targets.
- To safeguard the good name and values of the organisation.
- To ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.
- To ensure the financial stability of the organisation.
- To protect and manage the property of the organisation and to ensure the properinvestment of the organisation's funds.
- To appoint the chief executive officer and monitor his/her performance.
- In addition to the above duties, each Board Member should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sounddecisions. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusingon key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, other issues inwhich the trustee has special expertise.
How to apply
Please send a current CV and a short cover letter (no more than 600 words) demonstrating your interest in and suitability for the role to Mark Nowottny - - by Sunday 22 April 2012. Please include the heading "Board of Directors application" in the subject line.
Due to a high expected volume of applicants, CIVICUS regrets that it will only contact those applicants who are shortlisted.
