ORP Is Looking For An Enthusiastic Trustee To Join Our Board
The Organization
Olive Ridley Project (ORP) is on a mission to protect sea turtles and their habitat throughout the Indian Ocean. We do this through rescue and rehabilitation of injured sea turtles, scientific research, and education and community outreach programs. We run a Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Baa Atoll, Maldives – the first such facility of its kind in the Indian Ocean – with a resident veterinarian, and a Sea turtle Rehabilitation Centre in North Malé Atoll, Maldives.
Since its initial startup in the Maldives, ORP has expanded to Kenya, Oman and Pakistan. Further expansion plans are on the horizon in the near future.
About The Trustee Role
ORP is currently looking to recruit a new UK based trustee to join our board. You would be expected to provide leadership and advice across all charitable matters. We are also currently undertaking a review of an international chapter or trust, associated with the charity but with its own Board of Trustees and CEO. The role of the new trustee would include aiding and guiding our international branches where appropriate. The position is voluntary and unpaid.
Main Duties
The Board of Trustees are responsibile for directing the affairs of ORP and ensuring that it’s solvent, well managed and delivering the outcomes for which it has been set up (it’s charitable objectives). The three particular duties of a trustee are to monitor compliance, care and prudence (as set out by the UK Charity Commission).
Duty of Compliance
Trustees must:
- Ensure ORP complies with charity law and with the requirements of the Charity Commission as regulator; in particular ensure that the charity prepares reports on what is achieved and Annual Returns and accounts as required by law.
- Ensure ORP do not breach any of the requirements or rules set out in its governing document and that it remains true to the charitable purpose and objects set out.
- Comply with the requirements of other legislation and other regulators which govern activities of ORP.
- Act with integrity and avoid any personal conflicts of interest or misuse of ORP funds or assets. Where conflicts do arise, these should be declared to the Chair of Trustees immediately.
- Make balanced and adequately informed decisions, thinking about the long term as well as the short term
- Avoid putting yourself in a position where your duty to your charity conflicts with your personal interests or loyalty to any other person or body
Duty of Care
Trustees must:
- Use reasonable care and skill in their work, using their personal skills and experience as needed.
- Consider getting external professional advice on matters that may be a material risk to ORP
- Be able to explain how all of the charity’s activities are intended to further or support its purposes
Duty of Prudence
Trustees must:
- Ensure that ORP is, and remains, solvent.
- Ensure that management use funds and assets reasonably, and in accordance with ORPs’ objectives, which are set out in the Charity’s Memorandum of Association
- Avoid undertaking activities that might place OPRs funds, assets or reputation at unnecessary risk.
- Take special care when investing or borrowing funds for ORP to use.
- Understand how the charity benefits the public by carrying out its purposes.
Specific Duties of Trustees of ORP
- Advise on all the organization’s policies and any specific matters arising.
- Continued review of the current status of ORP and how it is being run.
- Review contracts, agreements and MoUs with external agencies such as funders, collaborators, consultants and statutory bodies, ensuring that all documents meet the conditions of contractual agreements.
- Manage and ensure ORP and its trustees, employees and volunteers use the charities resources responsibly.
- Ensure the charity is accountable, particularly when tasks or decisions are delegated to staff or volunteers.
- Work collectively as a group to ensure the best outcome for ORP.
- Represent and act as an ambassador for the charity.
Experience required
- Experience in law, policy, finance, marketing and/or fund raising desirable.
- Previous charitable and/or business experience at an appropriate level.
- An interest in marine life and ocean conservation.
What difference will you make?
By providing general management and guidance to ORP, its employees and its volunteers, you will be helping to ensure that ORP is able to continue protecting sea turtles (6 out of 7 remaining species are threatened with extinction) and their habitats and, by extension, contributing to a cleaner ocean and greener planet.
What’s in it for you?
This is a great opportunity to use your professional skills to make a difference in the world and to be part of a dynamic international team passionate about sea turtle conservation.
Time Commitment
As a small but growing charity with energy and ambition, we need Trustees who are willing to be hands-on and able to invest a suitable amount of time on a flexible basis each month. As a guide to the kind of time commitment required, the trustees could be investing around 8-12 hours per month to their role. In addition, we require participation in quarterly trustee board meetings, which take place via video conferencing due to the international nature of our operations. Trustees are appointed for a term of three years with the possibility to renew.
How to apply
If you are interested in joining the ORP team, and possess the skills and experience needed for this rewarding opportunity, please forward your current CV, along with a covering letter stating your motivation for applying for the role and how you feel your skills and experience could be of benefit to ORP, to trustees@oliveridleyproject.org by 15th May 2021.