RSPB England – Committee Member

England Advisory Committee Member

Foreword

The Climate COP26 held in Glasgow in 2021, left us all in no doubt that we must start delivering on promises made for climate and nature. Followed by the global biodiversity conference COP 15 in 2022, an incredible achievement in securing a global framework to save nature, with ambitious targets set for nature’s recovery and protection. Now, we need to start work to turn the tide.

The UK is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world and the effects of the nature and climate crisis can already be felt here, from flooding across the country, to species like the beloved swift going onto the endangered red list, to habitats being destroyed at a rapid rate.

We need to act now to stem this tide, mobilising societal transformation and public influence and pressure to drive change in policy and hold governments to account, as well as exert pressure on businesses to step up to meet the nature and climate emergency. We must all act now to ensure that land and seas are protected and restored for nature and in response to climate change, restoring peatlands and ancient woodlands, protecting precious marine habitats, creating connected landscapes where nature and people can thrive.

The RSPB has a critical role to play in protecting and restoring nature for future generations. We have pledged to be bold

and brave in our delivery, building on the sense of urgency and inspiring hope for our teams, our supporters, and the wider public.

Our mental and physical health, our food chains, our wildlife, our climate and our future generations depend on the natural world around us. The RSPB is and will continue to be a champion for nature, collaborating with others so together we are a powerful catalyst for change, driving climate action, protecting species from extinction and restoring and protecting habitats and landscapes in the UK and globally.

We are seeking an England Advisory Committee Member to support us in speaking up for nature, to help us ensure we protect nature and green spaces and that people can connect to nature whoever and wherever they are.

If you have an interest in supporting the RSPB, do speak to the team at Oxford HR and they will advise you on how to make an application to join the England Advisory Committee. Check out the ‘How to Apply’ section for more details.

Thank you.

2023 is a pivotal moment for nature both globally and locally.

This RSPB is a charity that works to conserve birds and other wildlife, in the UK, the Crown Dependencies and the UK Overseas Territories. The RSPB also works throughout the world in collaboration with BirdLife International and others. We know that birds, other wildlife and the habitats on which these depend are interconnected – all part of the web of life, or biological diversity. We recognise that the health and resilience of our society and economy is dependent on the health and sustainability of the planet’s ecosystems. We fulfil our purpose through scientific research, direct conservation delivery, public and political advocacy and education.

The Structure of RSPB

The RSPB has global operations with nature reserves located across all four countries of the UK, programmes of work in UK Overseas Territories, and species and habitat recovery work around the world.

The RSPB’s main headquarters is in Sandy, Bedfordshire, with country headquarters for Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and England in Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and Birmingham; and regional offices in England, Scotland and Wales.

The RSPB is the UK Partner organisation of BirdLife International, which is a charity and a company limited by guarantee, of which the RSPB is a director. BirdLife International is the global partnership of conservation organisations that strive to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources.

The Aim Our strategy to 2030

Our vision for a world richer in nature

We believe that all species have a right to exist and that nature is fundamental to human health and wellbeing. We have a moral duty to pass on the natural world in a better state to future generations, so we want to create a world where:

• wildlife is abundant and diverse in our towns and countryside

• we have a resilient, sustainable economy that values nature

• all people are living well in harmony with nature

• birds and other wildlife have made a comeback

• nature continues to be restored, enriching and sustaining the lives of people

• we benefit from a stable climate, and clean air and water

Making our vision a reality

Our vision for the future is ambitious and challenging, but achieving it is vital –not only for nature, but for people too. We are at a crossroads and the fate of nature and the climate rests on us, what we choose to do, and our voices being heard. If we don’t act now, it will be too late to prevent the worst effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. To make our vision a reality, it is not enough to simply carry on as before. The RSPB must evolve, building on what we’ve learned over more than 130 years to become a bolder, more influential voice for nature alongside other organisations and partners that support these aims. We will make a difference by:

• Delivering conservation at greater scale, through deeper collaborations.

• Enabling more, and more diverse, people to act for nature.

• Being a bolder, more influential campaigning organisation.

• Becoming more relevant to the world we’re trying to change.

• Diversifying our income and opening up finance opportunities.

• Making the RSPB the best it can be

Country Advisory Committees are part of the RSPB’s structure for strategic governance. The Committee advises both the Country Director and RSPB Council on the appropriateness of its policies and specific matters relating to any aspect of the Society’s work in the country.

The Purpose of the Committee

• To provide timely and effective insight on the views and interests of stakeholders and communities back to the charity for the development of strategy and operational activity, advising the Country Director and their staff on specific matters brought to the Committee’s notice or any aspect of the Society’s work in the country.

• To provide insight into the impact the charity is having on stakeholders and communities in the country through the implementation of strategy and operational activity.

• To advise RSPB Council on the appropriateness of its policies in the country, contributing to and influencing the development of the strategy and delivery of its charitable work where this will have an impact on stakeholders in the relevant country, in this case England.

• To provide support and guidance on the delivery of the charities programme of work within England, with particular support for the Country Director.

• To influence the operations of the charity where decisions will have a lasting impact on stakeholders.

• In collaboration with the Country Director, assist with the identification of potential future candidates for the committee and for Council.

What we are looking for

Passion and values

We are looking for a passionate individual who is willing and interested in committing their time, thoughts and energy to the environmental movement, and able to champion the values and mission of the RSPB. Committee Members are expected to want to participate on the England Advisory Committee in order to support RSPB towards its aims and ambitions as an organisation.

Accountability

It is essential that Advisory Committee Members are able to act in the best interests of RSPB and are able to participate fully in the committee.

Stakeholder engagement

In addition to empathy with, and passion for, the RSPB’s mission and objects, combined with a knowledge of the RSPB in practice, Committee Members will have an understanding of diverse communities who may not have historically engaged with the RSPB, and a connection to

those communities. For RSPB, our legitimacy depends on the level of engagement we can have in the communities and countries where we operate.

Diversity

We want our Advisory Committee Members to reflect and uphold a commitment to diversity and inclusion. We aim to encompass and demonstrate great diversity of experience, psychology, perspective and community in our England Committee, that reflects our operations across the UK, in both rural and urban areas, including areas of significant economic marginalization. Our vision is to enable more diverse people to act for, and have access to nature. We are Disability Confident Committed and encourage interest from applicants who may require reasonable adjustments in order to participate.

Understanding and learning

Advisory Committee Members should be willing to build an understanding of RSPB’s operating environment, from

the perspective of a large and complex charity operating in challenging times, and building resilience to managing change in a contested world, alert to the likely future trends in policy and practice.

External Engagement

It is the aim of RSPB to engage a Committee Member who is able to dedicate their energy and enthusiasm externally to their networks and peers. RSPB is seeking to build engagement with members in urban environments, and ensure it is acting appropriately, responding effectively and working with harder to reach communities to enable everyone the opportunity to engage with and benefit from connection with nature.

We support and encourage Committee Members to work alongside the country staff in the promotion of interest in the work of the Society, including membership, to help promote the influence and policy agenda of the Society, and to represent the charity to its stakeholders in each country.

The Role

Role

• To provide timely and effective insight on the views and interests of stakeholders relevant to the strategy and work of the RSPB in the country.

• To advise RSPB Council on the development and impact of its policies in the country.

• To advise, and where possible assist, the country staff in the promotion of interest in the work of the Society, including membership and fundraising opportunities, and to help develop the influence and the policy agenda of the Society.

Responsible for

Strategic advice, policy advice, horizon scanning, performance monitoring

Accountable to RSPB Council

Consults with

Country Director, Country Leadership Team, RSPB Executive Board and its members

Key contacts

Chair of the England Advisory Committee and Country Director

Number of members and term

We are seeking one new Committee Member to join the Committee Chair and seven other Committee Members. The normal maximum term of office is four years. The term may be renewed only once, on the recommendation of the Chair and Country Director, subject to approval by RSPB Council.

Eligibility, appointment and induction

Committee Members must be in sympathy with the purpose, strategy and values of the charity, act with integrity and objectivity, and they should also be able to undertake a representational role on behalf of the full range of the charity’s stakeholders, including the membership, and act as an ambassador to stakeholders as and when appropriate.

Committee Members do not need to be RSPB members in order to be eligible for appointment but must demonstrate support for the overall mission of the RSPB; however, they are normally invited to join as a member on appointment.

The committees should aim to be reflective of the community and civil society within the jurisdiction where they are based, including younger members.

Appointments to the Committee are made by the Council, on the recommendation of the Chair of the Country Advisory Committee and the Country Director.

All new Committee Members will be offered a formal induction to the RSPB.

Time Commitment

Meetings, attendance, papers, frequency and duration

We are open to discussing the length and depth of engagement of each Committee Member during the appointment process. We are committed to being inclusive, and will do our utmost to ensure that the Committee meeting times are flexible. We will make every effort to prevent barriers to participation and support our Members to enable their participation.

We are seeking a member who is able to dedicate up to 10 days per year on these committee roles. The 10 days are made up of 4 Committee meetings, attendance of events, ad hoc attendance to Council meetings, and days for reading papers or responding to requests.

The Country Advisory Committees meet once each quarter. Meetings are held via video link and/or in Birmingham, with at least one face to face meeting taking place at a Nature Reserve. The duration of the meeting will be informed by the agenda, but the meeting will not normally exceed 4 hours in duration. Ad hoc meetings may also be called when significant business arises outside the normal cycle of meetings, or for less formal workshops, visits and discussions.

Papers are circulated a minimum of one week in advance of the meeting. An agenda is circulated from two weeks in advance of the meeting.

Committee Members may also be invited to attend meetings along with the Country Director and other Directors and staff.

How to Apply

All correspondence, at this stage, should be via Oxford HR. To apply for this post, click on the “Apply” button on the job advert page, complete our online application form, and submit your CV and cover letter as two different documents, which should be prepared before applying as they will be considered in the application process.

The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit.

The document should be saved in PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy) e.g., Pat-Jones-CV-012023-RSPB or Pat-JonesCoverLetter-012023-RSPB.

Timeline

Closing Date 17th March 2023

Equality Statement

RSPB is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries, and are committed to having an England Advisory Committee that is made up of diverse skills, backgrounds, experiences and abilities.

We actively encourage BAME and disabled applicants and value the positive impact that difference has on all our teams. We are committed to equality and diversity within our workforce and all opportunities provided by the RSPB. We are Disability Confident Committed and encourage interest from applicants who may require reasonable adjustments in order to participate.

Oxford HR is carefully managing the appointment process to ensure that it is impartial, inclusive and fair, and there is no bias towards existing or non-Members of RSPB.

Selection Process

All candidates will be notified about the status of their applications. Shortlisted candidates will be required to undertake an additional assessment exercise prior to the final interview.

Queries

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email rspb-advisorycommittee@oxfordhr.co.uk in the first instance.

About Oxford HR

Oxford HR operates globally - mainly within the international development and charity sectors. We carry out retained executive search mandates at board and senior management levels. We also offer human resource and organisational development consultancy.

Oxford HR has many years of experience in search as well as an extensive network of international development, social sector, corporate, public sector, and academic contacts from across the world. We carry out comprehensive and often international searches designed to meet the specific needs of our client.