This vacancy has now closed

Trustee

  • Management Board
  • Unpaid
  • Edinburgh
  • Closing 17th November 2023


  • Advertised from 16th October 2023

Role

The Plan Vivo Foundation is seeking highly motivated individuals with a keen interest in the nexus of climate change, conservation, and international development to join our Board of Trustees.

The role is a voluntary one and is primarily focused on ensuring good governance of the organisation, see below for more details of the responsibilities. As a minimum, trustees are expected to attend four Board meetings, our AGM and up to two strategy and planning meetings a year.

We are particularly keen to receive applications from people who have senior management / executive experience (10 years+) in the areas of: communications-PR-marketing, legal (in particular environmental law), biodiversity, conservation, and the commercial sector.

We welcome applications from within and outside the UK, in particular from the Global South. In joining our Board, you will be part of a friendly and professional team who are passionate and ambitious about delivering impact for nature, climate, and communities. Plan Vivo is in a dynamic period of growth, so it is an exciting time to join and help shape the future of the organisation.

Organisation - The Plan Vivo Foundation

The Plan Vivo Foundation (PVF) is a registered UK charity, based in Edinburgh, that supports vulnerable rural communities across the world to develop innovative nature-based solutions (NBS) to reduce poverty, conserve important ecosystems and tackle climate change – primarily through our stewardship of the Plan Vivo Carbon Standard (PV Climate).

The Standard is a core set of social, environmental and governance requirements that projects must meet to become certified under Plan Vivo. PVF and in-country partners support communities and small holders to pass the rigorous certification process and enable access to finance from the ecosystems services (ES) and voluntary carbon market (VCM) to support community-led forest conservation, restoration, and agroforestry to deliver impact for climate, communities and nature.

The Standard is internationally recognised for its focus on ethical and fairly traded climate services, which ensures that a greater share of income reaches those that most need it. Our unique model ensures that at least 60% of benefits go back to the communities on the ground, which has a significant impact on strengthening resilience for vulnerable communities and reducing drivers of deforestation.

Through our collaborative approaches and focus on small holders and communities we have achieved a significant impact over the last 25 years. We now support a global network of 28 certified projects in over 20 countries, have emission reductions of over 7 million tonnes CO2 and have reached 100,000 people - channelling 25 million dollars (USD) directly to communities.

PVF is currently in a significant period of growth in terms of demand, income, and staff. This brings with it governance challenges of change management / organisational development, systems development and staff retention / wellbeing and opportunities to scale up impact for nature, climate, and communities, while remaining through to our charitable purpose (‘scaling with care’).

Responsibilities

Trustees are responsible for overseeing the good governance of the Plan Vivo Foundation. They are responsible for:

  • Ensuring there is a strategy in place to deliver to the vision, purpose, and values of the organisation.
  • Providing oversight and support to the CEO and Management Team.
  • Ensuring the organisation has the appropriate structure and resources for its work.
  • Ensuring the organisation has appropriate policies, procedures, and systems to govern organisational activity.
  • Managing risk and ensure compliance and accountability with the governing document, external regulators, and the law.
  • Making certain that the financial affairs of the organisation are conducted properly and are accurately reported.
  • Linking PVF to other organisations, businesses, institutions, and individuals in their network where appropriate.

Note: There are opportunities to represent Plan Vivo at external events (covered by Plan Vivo) or even for potential project visits (at own expense) if interested and appropriate.

Application notes

More information on The Plan Vivo Foundation can be found on our website.

If you would like more information on, or to have an informal conversation about, the Trustee role, please contact us at info@planvivofoundation.org

Applications can be made by sending a conventional CV (2-page max) and a covering letter (2-page max) outlining your interest in, and suitability for, the role. You can send these via email to us at info@planvivofoundation.org

The closing date for applications is Friday 17th of Nov 2023.

PVF is an equal opportunity employer, and ensures positions are accessible to all, regardless of race, nationality, ethnicity, age, disability, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation or identity, religion, marital or parental status.