We are seeking people to join our Board from Spring 2022, to work collaboratively with Compass’s existing Board Members and staff team, in support of our mission to shape a new politics towards a good society and a more equal, democratic and sustainable future.
Over the coming months and years we will be working towards and fundraising for work toward a good society including: campaigns for progressive alliances around elections; basic income; new political leadership learning; membership involvement and development and local campaign groups. Alongside, we are developing more collective ways of working and governing together.
We actively encourage people who are from underrepresented and oppressed identities to submit an expression of interest. More details are below.
The deadline for expressions of interest has been extended to Monday 4th April 2022.
What the role involves
As a Board Member you will be responsible for overseeing and safeguarding the legal, financial and strategic direction of Compass, as set out in the current and future business plans.
Compass is a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee and is also a membership organisation. This means Board Members must meet the regulations set out within our Articles of Association and are responsible for governing in line with the guidance and good practice.
The Board of Trustees meet formally 4 to 5 times per year. In between there are regular informal communications and discussions, and opportunities to participate in the work of Compass.
We estimate that the time commitment as a Board Member will equate to around 2 days per month and ask potential Board Members to commit to one full term of three years on the Board, with the possibility of a second term.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking individuals who are inspired by our vision and values. We are looking for people who are down-to-earth, comfortable working collaboratively and open to mutual learning and exchange.
We want to work with people who are committed to making our politics work toward a good society – and who recognise the role of collectivity and collaboration within this.
We value diverse knowledge and experience and recognise that skills and knowledge can be gained in many contexts, including professional ones such as work, volunteering and/or education, and personal contexts, including hobbies, interests and diverse kinds of lived experience. We welcome expressions of interest from people with a range of personal/professional backgrounds, who are passionate about possibility of transforming politics toward a more equitable, democratic and sustainable future.
We would love to hear from you if you share our values and have experience, skills or knowledge in one or more of the following priority areas:
- Community level political organising and alliance building
- Diversity, inclusion and access
- Experience and understanding of fundraising through foundations, high net-worth individuals
- Membership growth and support including collective forms of working and governance practices, with an openness towards considering what alternative forms of governance can enable
As well as contributing to our ongoing work in any of these areas:
- Organisational growth and development
- Values-led communications and digital accessibility
- Financial management
Board Members serve in a voluntary capacity. You don’t need to have previous experience as a Board Member / Trustee to join our Board.
Equal Opportunities
We recognise the multiple and intersecting barriers many people experience to accessing spaces of decision making and governance, due to their race and/or ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability and socio-economic background among other identities.
We are working to address and dismantle these barriers and actively encourage people who are underrepresented on our Board of Trustees to submit an expression of interest. This could include people who experience racism, those who are disabled and/or neurodivergent, people who are trans, non-binary and/or queer, and people from working class/ lower socio-economic backgrounds among other underrepresented and oppressed identities. We are also keen to hear from people who have caregiving responsibilities.
How to apply
To join us, please download and read the full pack describing the role, and submit an expression of interest to Deputy Director Frances Foley at frances@compassonline.org.uk.
The full breakdown of date, the selection process, what to include in the expression of interest, and who to send it to are listed in the information pack.
Download the pack here.
For more information on Compass and our values please click through the links here.