Board Chair

We are looking for a motivated and committed person to join our board and step into the Chair position. This person will share our values and have prior board experience. The Board Chair will work closely with the CEO to ensure the organisation is fulfilling its mission and achieving its goals.

Requirements for all board members:

A commitment to One Thousand Villages mission.
Demonstrated leadership experience.
Collaboration and relationship building.
Experience, knowledge and/or skills in any of a range of areas including: law and legal, financial management, international aid and development, human resources, community development.
Desirable: Prior board experience.

Time Commitment

The Board meets 5 times per year in Melbourne (with virtual option available).

The Board also holds strategic retreats once per year (for instance, Saturday 10am-3pm).

The Chair will meet with the CEO before each board meeting and strategic retreats to collaboratively develop the agendas. The Chair will also meet with the CEO as required to provide advice and support.

Introduction to One Thousand Villages

One Thousand Villages is an international aid and development organisation working in Thailand and across the Mekong Sub-region to address poverty and inequality. We work with and support individuals, families and communities to develop activities, programs and resources to effect change. Outcomes reduce the vulnerability of people and communities to trafficking and other forms of exploitation, and create better livelihood options, increase education and awareness, empower women and promote the rights of children.

One Thousand Villages has a number of programs, these include but are not limited to: emergency relief, sanitation, housing, education, and leadership development. One Thousand Villages collaborates very effectively with a number of local organisations and provides strategic support for organisations and groups to improve their management, aid, partnership development, and other critical services.

One Thousand Villages receives funding from supporters in Australia and aims to attract additional funding from a range of other sources. The aim is to achieve an annual operating budget of $3 M. Positions on the One Thousand Villages Board are voluntary.

The Board may make an annual budget allocation to cover the cost of Board meetings and other expenses.

Board Background

One Thousand Villages is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of up to 8 members. The role and responsibilities of the Board are outlined in the organisation’s Governance Policy Framework.

Approach to Governance

The role of the Board is to govern One Thousand Villages to ensure its aims and objectives are met whilst also acting ethically and prudently, remaining within the law and meeting specifications set out in the organisation’s funding agreements. The Board establishes the desired ends (outcomes) and monitors the organisation’s performance in achievement of those ends, rather than focusing on the administration of the service.

The Board is committed to:

Providing strategic leadership by articulating a clear vision for One Thousand Villages. Support the strategic direction of One Thousand Villages.
Working with the CEO to enable One Thousand Villages to obtain the resources (fund and people) necessary to implement the strategic objectives.
Operating on the basis of a clear distinction between the role of the Board and the role of management.
A collective decision-making process.

The specific tasks of the Board:

Produce and review policies that define the reason for One Thousand Villages existence and specify in concrete terms what specific outcomes, products, results or impacts are required of the organisation (i.e., Ends Policies).
Monitor the organisation’s achievement against these Ends policies.
Review reports and monitor the performance of One Thousand Villages.
Establish executive limitations which establish clear boundaries around executive (management) authority, activity and decisions.
Attend to the governance process to ensure that the Board competently conceives, carries out and monitors its task, including establishing and regularly reviewing its philosophy of accountability, outputs, processes and rules of discipline.
Reviewing the board’s structure and composition to ensure they are appropriate for One Thousand Villages.
Monitor CEO performance.
Succession planning for the CEO.

Required Commitment of Board Members

Board members are required to:

Act at all times in ways that are consistent with the best interests of the One Thousand Villages and the people it serves.
Attend as many meetings of the Board as is possible.
Prepare for meetings by thoroughly reading all briefing materials.
Participate in a collective decision-making process, and then fully support decisions made by the Board through that process.
Promote the interests of One Thousand Villages where possible/appropriate.

Expression of Interest Process

Please contact us. Board members and the CEO will interview potential new members before making a recommendation to the Board regarding the application. Email office@onethousandvillages.org