Independent Board Director ·
General Information
Application Overview
Applications are now open to be nominated for election as an Independent Board Director of UN Youth Australia. These positions represent an amazing opportunity to be part of the team that oversees the strategy and management of one of the country’s largest youth-led organisations.
Independent Directors are individuals with little or no prior experience volunteering with UN Youth Australia who are elected to the organisation’s Board of Directors. As board members, they help improve organisational decision-making by providing an external perspective to board deliberations. Independent Directors work with other directors to monitor the organisation’s performance and guide its progress towards achieving its mission of empowering young people across Australia as global citizens.
See below for more detailed position information.
About Independent Directors
Independent Directors serve a critical role on the board by bringing diverse and external perspectives which improve our strategic decision making. They also contribute under-represented skills to the board that help fulfil its function.
The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction of UN Youth Australia, its corporate governance, and oversight of the National Executive, particularly in the areas of finance, risk and welfare. The Board consists of:
- 6 x Divisional Representative Directors;
- 4 x Independent Directors.
There are three Independent Director positions open at the upcoming October Special General Meeting of UN Youth Australia. Each Independent Director is appointed for a two-year term commencing at the date of the December Annual General Meeting.
Independent Directors may serve as the Chair of a board committee but are ineligible to run for Chair of the board.
Please Note: This is a role undertaken on a voluntary basis. Although approved expenses incurred in the fulfilment of responsibilities will be reimbursed, positions will not be financially compensated for any hours spent volunteering for the organisation.
Applications close at 11:59 pm AWST on Sunday 27 October 2024
About UN Youth
UN Youth Australia is a national youth-led non-profit organisation that empowers young people across Australia as global citizens. Our programs provide environments where young people can build knowledge, develop connections, and find their voice on matters they care about. All our activities are run by young people for young people.
Each year more than 15,000 young people benefit from UN Youth Australia’s programs, including: Evatt, Australia’s largest model United Nations competition; the Young Diplomat’s Tour across Europe; and a host of local State and Territory conferences. We also work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to deliver the Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations Program.
Please direct any questions to UN Youth Australia’s Board Chairperson, Jo Barry-Murphy, at boardchair@unyouth.org.au
Key Application Information
Position title - Independent Director
Eligibility Criteria
All members must:
- be between the ages of 18 and 25 (inclusive) as of 8 December 2024
- eligible to be a company director under Australian law
- fulfil the criteria for independence under UN Youth Australia’s National Bylaws (see below)
- hold, or be eligible to hold, Associate Membership a UN Youth Australia Division
- hold, or be eligible to hold, a Working with Children Check (WWCC) or state or territory equivalent.
Term
Successful applicants will hold their position from December 2024 to December 2026.
Precise dates are based on the dates of UN Youth Australia’s 2024 and 2026 AGMs, which are yet to be determined.
Appointment
Three Independent Directors will be nominated by the Board of Directors for election by UN Youth Australia’s Voting Members at an upcoming October Special General Meeting.
An Independent Director Selection Panel will manage the applicant selection process, and recommend candidates to the Board for nomination.
Applications and Interviews
Applications should be submitted through the online form: https://unyouth.wufoo.com/forms/qse0f3q0o1m8o3/
Your application will require you include:
- Your name, age and division (state/territory)
- Your best phone number and email address
- Your WWCC number or local equivalent (if you have one)
- A resume of relevant experience, not to exceed one A4 page
- Responses to the application questions
Applicants found suitable will be invited to complete an interview via teleconference. Final assessments will be made based on both written applications as well as interview performance.
UN Youth Australia Criteria for Independence
UN Youth Australia’s criteria for independence ensures that Independent Directors are able to bring an external perspective to board deliberation and decision-making.
An individual is ineligible if, at any point within the last two calendar years, they have held the position of Officer of a Division, National Staff, or Divisional Representative Director within UN Youth Australia.
An individual who is or has been an Associate Member, but is not otherwise ineligible, is required to demonstrate their independence by submitting a statement of independence.
Required Criteria for Independent Director Role
As a board member, Independent Directors are required to meet the legal obligations of company directors under Australian law. In particular, you must fulfill the duties of responsible persons under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Governance Standards.
The duties are:
- To act with reasonable care and diligence;
- To act in the best interest of your charity and for a proper purpose;
- Not to improperly use information or your position;
- To manage financial affairs responsibly;
- To disclose and manage conflicts of interest;
- Not to allow a charity to operate while insolvent.
Applicants must be capable of acting in accordance with these duties. For example, directors must be prepared to continually identify and manage any potential conflicts of interest, adequately prepare for meetings (including by reading all board papers), and not to miss meetings without providing advance notice and reasoning.
Additionally, each Director is obliged to attend:
- Annual board Retreat (usually held over one weekend in February/March);
- Monthly board meeting and additional ad-hoc meetings as necessary;
- Monthly committee meetings.
Directors will also be required to review board documents and circulating resolutions via email in between meetings. They will also be expected to assist with ad-hoc volunteering with their relevant UN Youth state body.
On average directors should expect to commit approximately 10 hours a month to this volunteer position.
Successful candidates will be provided further information on how to meet their directors duties as part of their induction process. Further information on the duties of responsible people under the ACNC Governance standards can be found here.
Desirable Criteria for Independent Director Role
Above all, UN Youth Australia is looking for young people who are excited to engage with the work of a youth-led charity and capable of applying themselves, even in new and challenging settings. Some qualities that we are looking for include:
- demonstrated work ethic and commitment to working to improve a youth-led charity
- genuine passion and interest in the work UN Youth Australia, including in youth empowerment and international affairs
- capacity to learn quickly and exercise initiative in novel environments
- experience with and/or understanding of corporate governance,
- organisational management and board responsibilities
We value applicants with unique skill-sets they can bring to the board, including individuals with finance and accounting, legal, human resources, diversity and inclusion, risk and audit, and development experience. However, we seek to find a balance of technical skills and personal qualities identified above.
UN Youth Australia is committed to representing the diversity of young people in Australia and understands the value that diverse perspectives add to board decision-making. As such, we strongly encourage applications who are women; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; people with disability; people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds; and people from the LGBTQ+ community.