Trustee

Overview

The Farming and Wildlife Group South West (FWAG SW) is an independent registered charity, established in 2012, to continue the legacy of the founding of FWAG in 1962. Our vision is for a thriving environment for food, farming and nature achieved through our charitable aims to promote independent advice, education and collaboration.

We are seeking new Trustees, who share our core values, and are passionate about food, farming and nature to join our friendly and dedicated Board. You will be enthusiastic about our work, sharing our vision and commitment to sustainability and the environment, whilst also bringing skills and expertise from a different backgrounds and fresh perspectives. You are committed to contributing to enhancing the landscapes and environment of the South West, whilst helping ensure our farming businesses thrive in the challenging times ahead.

Experience of working at a professional, strategic or governance level would be valuable.

Some knowledge of the charitable/not for profit sector would be advantageous, and we particularly need people with some experience in finance, business and creating social partnerships, leading/developing an organisation and/or fundraising/marketing.

Full support and training will be given to help you develop into your role.

Our ambition: With nearly 70 employees and 1,000 members and supporters we are a leader in promoting nature friendly farming systems and agroecological approaches across the SouthWest. Our ambition is to grow the services we provide to our clients who include farmers, government agencies, water companies and local authorities to deliver our charitable aims and to support our wider activities such as supporting school education, members events and representation at a policy level with government officials.

Our delivery: We provide environmental advice to farmers and landowners on a wide range of agricultural, conservation, soil and water management and future farm resilience issues. Our advisers and project officers provide advice in a whole-farm context considering habitat and species conservation, diffuse pollution mitigation, soil management, nutrient management, compliance to legislation and regulation, protection of archaeological features and the landscape value – whilst also ensuring profitable farm businesses are sustained.

TRUSTEE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Responsibility for all governance and strategic matters, making effective decisions and delegating to the CEO/other employees, as appropriate
• Working with the Leadership team to develop and agree FWAGSW’s long-term strategy
• Ensuring that resources are spent in accordance with our Articles
• Being responsible for the performance of the charity, whilst ensuring it complies with all legal and regulatory requirements
• Ensuring the effective, efficient administration and financial stability of the charity
• Protecting the charity’s assets
• Managing the appointment, supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of the CEO
• Having a willingness to commit time and effort to the role
• Possessing sound, independent judgement, strategic vision and the ability to communicate ideas
• Upholding FWAGSW's values 

Trustees are required to attend four Board meetings per year, held in person or remotely via Teams, during in normal business hours. We prefer to hold our annual general meeting face to face somewhere in the region. Some additional time will also be required to study papers, respond to relevant emails, keep up to date with news and changes in our sector and occasionally attend events and undertake other representational engagements. As a guide, Trustees invest around 6 hours a month working for our charity. The posts are unpaid, but reasonable expenses can be claimed.

We aspire to make our Board more reflective of the communities in our region with a diversity of gender, disability, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, age and sexual orientation.