Member of Taralye Board and/or Board committee

Taralye, the early intervention centre for children with hearing loss and their families, is currently casting a wide net in search of suitably qualified people to join our Board and/or its Board committees.

Taralye is a non-profit organisation whose vision is that Children who are born deaf will listen, learn and speak to their full potential. Taralye’s operating environment is currently undergoing rapid change with the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). These changes present significant challenges and opportunities to Taralye, and mean that Taralye’s Board, now more than ever, needs members who can think strategically, recognising potential risks, envisioning future possibilities, and developing coherent plans that will allow to Taralye to realise its vision in this new environment.

Right now, we are particularly looking to recruit new Board members and/or Board committee members who have experience and knowledge in one or more of the following areas:

• Accounting and Finance
• Information technology (with particular skills in building digital platforms)
• Fundraising and Public Communications
• Government and Government relations (with particular knowledge in the implications of the National Disability Insurance Scheme- NDIS)
• Board members are unpaid volunteers.

The Board and its committees are supported by the CEO, the senior leadership team, and the executive officer. The Board meets every second month, beginning in February. Meetings are held in Blackburn, and are usually limited to two hours. In 2016, Board meetings will take place on Monday evenings, beginning at 7.00pm. Members who cannot attend in person may attend via Skype or conference call. Committees of the Board typically meet monthly, at a time and place mutually agreed.

Desirable qualifications:

• Commitment to ownership and purpose of Taralye
• Values, ethics and integrity articulated in policymaking
• Strategic thinking and leadership for the strategic direction of Taralye
• Ability to participate assertively in board deliberation
• Skills to achieve governance tasks as an individual and willingness to share governance together as a board
• Tertiary qualifications
• Willingness to complete relevant governance courses at Taralye’s expense eg. Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

Board member: Position responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the core business of Taralye
• Have up-to-date knowledge of the macro issues in the environment and their implications for Taralye
• Regard the orientation/induction of new board member as a mandatory exercise
• Regard board meetings and board committee meetings as necessary to attend and attend such meetings well prepared so as to participate assertively
• Regard continuing education in governance as an important responsibility
• Be responsible for self-monitoring of one’s performance and that of the board
• Utilise one’s expertise, talents and skills to incorporate organisational values in the development and review of governance policies
• Preserve confidences and respect appropriate to issues deemed confidential by the board
• Collaborate with all board members and support board decisions
• Lead together as a board, with a focus on Taralye’s performance
• Adherence to governance policies and achieving results through governance policies