VNPA Board Directors & Committee Members

Role of the Board of Directors

The VNPA  Council (i.e. Board of Directors) consists of 12 Councillors (i.e. non-executive directors). The Board is responsible for the overall governance, strategic direction, and financial oversight of the association. This includes setting the strategic plan, ensuring compliance with all legal and regulatory obligations, and overseeing the performance and integrity of the organisation.

Individual Directors are expected to act in the best interests of the VNPA at all times and contribute their skills and expertise to the Board’s collective decision-making.

VNPA is looking to recruit up to 2 Board Directors (including one who will be Chair of Finance Committee – see below).

Role of the Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is responsible for assisting the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities related to financial budgeting and reporting, internal controls, external audit processes, and risk management. 

Members of this committee play a crucial role in ensuring the financial health and accountability of the organisation.

VNPA is looking to recruit:

• 1 Chair, Finance Committee (must also be a Board Director);
• up to 3 external Committee Members (i.e. do not have to be a Board Director).

Role of the Strategic Communications and Fundraising Committee

This Committee is responsible for assisting the Board and staff in furthering key priorities identified in VNPA’s Strategic Plan in relation to:

• communicating effectively with key audiences that VNPA is a credible, science-based, apolitical, independent and not-for-profit community organisation;
• reaching new audiences; and 
• increasing campaign, program and financial supporters and income.

VNPA is looking to recruit up to 3 external Committee Members (i.e. do not have to be a Board Director).

Time commitment and key responsibilities

Each Board Director is expected to:

• Review all documents in advance of meetings to ensure informed participation.
• Actively participate in meetings and decision-making
• Attend approximately 6 Board meetings per year via Zoom, with 3-4 face-to-face meetings per year (in Melbourne) to coincide with strategic planning, the AGM, or other important events.
• Serve on at least one Board Committee (approximately 6 meetings per year via Zoom).

Each Committee Member is expected to:

• Review all documents in advance of meetings to ensure informed participation.
• Actively participate in meetings and decision-making
• Attend approximately 6 Committee meetings per year via Zoom, with 1-2 face-to-face meetings per year to coincide with the AGM or other important events.

Essential skills and qualities

Candidates for Board Director, Finance Committee Member and/or Strategic Communication and Fundraising Committee Member roles must have at least some of the following skills, experience and qualities:

• Strong commitment to the vision and mission of the VNPA (strongly preferred);
• Finance, accounting, and audit (strongly preferred);
• Fundraising, including a network in philanthropic and government grants (strongly preferred);
• Fundraising strategy, including donor acquisition and conversion (strongly preferred);
• Communications and social media (strongly preferred);
• Cybersecurity and IT systems (strongly preferred);
• Revenue diversification and partnership building;
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) integration and data analysis
• Leadership.

Desirable skills and qualities

The following skills and qualities are highly desirable:

• Previous Board experience
• Strategic planning
• Corporate governance
• Risk management
• Environmental science and policy
• Campaign management and strategy
• Corporate and environmental law
• Government relations and advocacy
• Project management
• Human Resource management

Diversity

VNPA encourages applicants of all backgrounds and identities, including people of all genders, those with disabilities, mature age and younger applicants, those resident in or with a strong connection to regional or rural Australia, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and others who are culturally and racially marginalised.

Term of Appointment

The appointments will begin in early 2026.

For Board Directors, the re-appointment process is conducted annually at the AGM, around October.

For Committees, the re-appointment process is conducted annually, after the AGM.