Conservation team member volunteer volunteer roles in Glasgow
Message from the Chair of Trustees
The Trustees represent different backgrounds and experiences, but what pulls us together is a
commitment to SEED’s work on the ground in Madagascar. Several of us have been to Madagascar
and have either volunteered or worked with SEED, so we have seen first-hand how important our
work is, and the positive impact SEED has in the communities we serve. Madagascar is an
extraordinary country with exceptional biodiversity but has severely lacking infrastructure and a
high level of anthropogenic threats due to extreme poverty and considerable dependence on
natural resources.
We are looking forward to welcoming a new Chair of our Board of Trustees to join the amazing
team of dedicated staff and volunteers who are delivering sustainable development, conservation
and community work through a range of projects based on local needs. The current Chair has been
in post since 2022 and served as a Trustee for 2 years prior to that. A change of leadership and a
fresh perspective is timely and will ensure we approach the next phase of our growth and
development with new ideas. You will be assured of a warm and supportive welcome with the
benefit of a team containing years of experience, combined with new members who bring global
expertise in their field.
SEED is growing thanks to successful marketing, fundraising project development and delivery. We
are now looking to build on our implementation of our strategic plan, to deliver sustainable
development for the people of southeastern Madagascar. We are privileged to work with its
wonderful people, and we hope that you will want to join us.
Introduction to SEED
SEED has been working in the southeast corner of Madagascar for over 20 years. SEED stands for Sustainable, Environment, Education and Development and we focus on building meaningful, sustainable change in one the poorest regions of one the poorest countries in the world.
Our projects range from school building to maternal health, from Agroforestry to Lemur Conservation and rights.
We are active on social media where you can find us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube. The majority of our staff are Malagasy, working in Fort Dauphin to design and deliver projects on the ground, alongside our international team, who bring external expertise and international best practices. In Madagascar, we have 95 staff in total (70 Malagasy and 25 international). They are supported by a small UK-based and remote working team of 10.
Governance structures
SEED’s Board of Trustees has 8 members, including the Chair, who meet quarterly. There are three sub-committees of the board focusing on: Audit and Risk; Marketing and Fundraising; and HR. These are chaired by a Trustee and consist of at least one other Trustee and up to two of the Senior Management team. We also have lead Trustees for Safeguarding and Whistleblowing.
The Board is international with Trustees based in a number of different countries, so the Board works remotely.
The operations are run by the Managing Director and the Director of Programmes and Operations who are both long standing senior managers.
The Chair of Trustees role
Chair of Trustee Board
In addition to the general role of Trustee, the Chair of SEED’s Board of Trustees holds overall accountability for the charity delivering its mission. Working closely with the Board and the staff senior team , they will provide leadership and direction to ensure SEED fulfils its charitable aims and objectives and abides by its governing documents and relevant legislation. They will work collaboratively with board members and senior management to ensure SEED delivers maximum benefit to the communities it serves.
Chair Role Description
Terms and conditions: Voluntary role
Responsible to: Board of Trustees
Base: The Board works remotely
Line manager of: Managing Director
Overview of SEED
SEED Madagascar is a successful, growing British Charity working in partnership with communities in the southeast of Madagascar. We integrate high-quality community health, rural livelihoods, schools and conservation programmes to support long term, sustainable change and add to international best practice through research and publication.
SEED has been working in Madagascar for over 20 years and has a wide range of impactful projects ranging from school building to sexual health, from beekeeping to improving lemur habitats. More recently, SEED has been working to address the famine in the southeast with emergency food distribution.
Employing most of its staff in Madagascar, SEED also engages international staff and interns as well as running a volunteer programme. Full details of our operations can be found on our website which includes our annual report and accounts, fundraising advice and information on our staff and Trustees.
The role will carry the usual responsibilities of a Trustee as defined by the England and Wales Charity Commission and we encourage all applicants to read through this prior to making an application.
Accountability:
As a Trustee you are responsible and liable for the governance and functioning of the charity and are accountable in varying degrees to a variety of stakeholders including service users, members, funders, the Charity Commission, and Companies House.
SEED Trustees should uphold the fiduciary duty required of all charity trustees to act in the best interests of both current and future beneficiaries of the charity, being held personally liable for any breach of that duty.
Key Responsibilities
- To ensure that the Board of Trustees understands and fulfils its responsibilities for the governance of the organisation
- To provide strategic oversight and ensure that all decisions are taken in the best interests of SEED and its charitable aims.
- To provide leadership for the Board of Trustees in their role of developing and agreeing the strategy of the organisation.
- To ensure that SEED has the effective policies and procedures needed to function properly, legally and safely including those for safeguarding, whistleblowing and anticorruption.
- To effectively chair the Board meetings, facilitating debate and bringing about consensus and clear decision making.
- To work with the Board to bring about strong and constructive working relationships and sharing of the workload across the areas of expertise.
- To oversee the membership of and effective working of the subcommittees
- To build and maintain a constructive and supportive working relationship with the MD. To be overall line manager for the MD, assessing their performance and discussing development needs with them.
- To work closely with the MD to support them in achieving the vision of the organisation ensuring they have the support needed for the effective running of SEED and bring scrutiny as needed so they are held to account for achieving agreed strategic objectives.
- To plan with the MD the annual cycle of Board meetings, setting agendas and monitoring the decisions taken at meetings are enacted.
- To review the Board’s performance and composition to ensure that SEED has a diverse, high performing Board working together in support of SEEDs strategy and Charitable objectives.
- To support recruitment and onboarding of new members to the board as needed to ensure continuity of the board responsibilities.
- To work with each Trustee to support them fulfilling their duties and responsibilities for the effective governance of the charity.
- To ensure the Board regularly reviews major risks and associated opportunities.
- To lead the Board in fulfilling its duties to ensure the sound financial health of the charity, with systems in place to verify financial accountability and that SEED is operating within the legal and financial guidelines set out in the current legislation
- To represent the interests of the board and charity externally as and when needed
Person specification
- Knowledge and understanding of the role and responsibilities of a Chair of a Charity and Board Membership – experience as a board member as a minimum
- An understanding and experience of strategic planning within the corporate or charity setting.
- A proven leader with the ability to think strategically and creatively and to challenge proposals with clear logical thinking
- A strong commitment and passion for international development and an understanding of this sector, ideally able to bring experience of working within it.
- Demonstrable alignment to the charity’s mission, vision, and values
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Experience of people management and able to build strong relationships with people who are working on a voluntary basis at senior level
- An understanding of, or a willingness to understand, the strategic, legislative, political and cultural contexts that affect and influence SEED’s work
- Enthusiasm and commitment to equality and diversity in all aspects of SEED’s work
- An interest in Madagascar and an understanding of the challenges of working within different cultures and environments
- Be able to work to and advocate for all of SEED’s policies and procedures, safeguarding those that SEED works with and investigating and/or reporting any concerns appropriately
SEED Madagascar actively encourages equality, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and aims to create a working environment free of bullying, harassment, victimisation, and unlawful discrimination, where individual differences and the contributions of all staff are recognised and valued
Time commitments and requirements
There are a minimum of four Board meetings per year with the potential for additional Board meetings and Trustee only discussions. The Chair will discuss and agree the agenda in advance with the Managing Director, Chair the meeting and ensure follow up actions take place. These meetings are on a Sunday, are virtual and typically last 3 hours.
The Chair will participate on one sub-committee which has its own quarterly cycle of meetings. The Chair will manage the MD and have regular discussions about progress and undertake the annual review process. The Chair and all Trustees are required to undertake mandatory training as part of their induction and regular updates and additional training. The Chair will work with the Board to ensure each member is taking an active part in the Board and sub committees.
The Trustee Board are encouraged to have one trustee a year take a trip to Madagascar to familiarise themselves with the environment the SEED works in and to meet and get to know the staff in country (some expenses will be covered).
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Do you have experience in digital and social media? Can you help us improve our communications and raise the profile of the work we do?
We are seeking an expert, creative Volunteer Digital and Social Media Lead. You will help us promote our programmes supporting people in prison and young people at risk of entering the justice system, as well as our Community Bike Shop, which funds and strengthens this work.
What you’ll do:
• Design and schedule engaging posts, stories, and reels across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and more to grow our audience.
• Develop strategies for viral campaigns and collaborations to boost awareness and donations and share your expertise with our team.
• Analyse metrics (engagement, reach, growth) and refine tactics based on what resonates.
• Create eye-catching visuals using tools like Canva.
• Update our website as required and make suggestions for improvements.
• Work with our expert Trustee to consider how we can use online retail platforms to sell our refurbished bikes.
What we’ll provide:
· Creative freedom within agreed priorities and tone of voice.
· Access to the right tools plus shared photos, stories and impact stats.
· A named contact, light-touch sign-off, and occasional check-ins to remove blockers.
Time commitment: we’ll agree a realistic scope with the right volunteer based on their availability.
Reasonable agreed expenses will be paid.
Thank you
Mark Flannagan
Chief Executive
About us
UpCycle, works with individuals in prisons and young people at risk in marginalised communities. We use bicycle maintenance workshops to help build life skills, enhance employability, prevent offending and reoffending, and foster social reintegration. We also offer lead rides, bike fit-it sessions and other ways to engage with vulnerable people.
In prisons
· We delivered 956 un-refurbished bikes and received back 768 refurbished bikes across eight prisons and one Young Offenders Institution, training over 238 individuals.
In the Community
· Over 1034 bikes were donated to our Community Bike Shop, of those we refurbished and distributed more than 612 to underserved communities locally and overseas.
· Workshops in Bradford engaged 361 participants in diverse cycling-related activities across the area.
· "Bike to the Future" and other initiatives reached 220 young people with more complex needs.
Registered Charity
6 - 10
We believe everyone deserves a better future. We prevent people from being pulled into crime and help those already in the system find paths out.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Closing Date:
We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis and applications will be reviewed as they are received.
The Role:
We are currently seeking a Finance Trustee to join our Board as Treasurer. It’s a voluntary role that requires a committed individual with financial expertise to take a collaborative approach, supporting our Trustees, our Head of Finance and Governance, and our management team to oversee the financial affairs of our charity and ensure that they are legal, constitutional, and within accepted accounting practice.
Our Organisation:
Greener and Cleaner delivers locally but thinks, and influences, nationally. Our vision is greener, healthier, better connected communities across the UK. We seek to achieve this through normalising 360-degree sustainable living, bringing the community together to make changes that can deliver a big impact. We have a non-judgemental peer-to-peer approach, so that all elements of the community feel empowered to take action in how they live, work, and play and in how they use their voice to push for change.
Treasurer Role:
The primary role is to ensure alongside other Trustees that they accept ultimate responsibility for the affairs of G&C and ensure that it is solvent, well run, and delivering the charitable outcomes for which it has been set up. As well as fulfilling the duties of a Trustee, the Treasurer ensures that effective and appropriate financial measures, controls, and procedures are put in place and reports to the Board at regular intervals about the financial health of the organisation.
- Overseeing the presentation of budgets, internal management accounts, and annual financial statements, as produced by the finance team or others where appropriate, to the Board of Trustees
- Ensuring that proper accounting records are kept, and that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place.
- Liaising with any paid staff about financial matters, as appropriate.
- Ensuring that robust and comprehensive financial policies are in place and being implemented, and supporting the development of policies covering financial reserves, and cost management.
- Overseeing financial controls and adherence to systems.
- Drawing any major financial concerns to the attention of the trustee and the management team.
- Ensuring that the charity has appropriate reserves in line with its reserves policy, and monitoring and advising on the financial viability of the charity.
- Advising on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan, including overseeing the charity’s financial risk-management process.
- Ensuring that the charity has an appropriate investment policy and that investments and assets are maximised.
- Leading on the appointment of and liaison with external auditors.
- Overseeing the development and implementation of systems for appraising, mitigating, and reporting corporate risk.
- Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and disclosed in the form required by relevant statutory bodies – for example, the Charity Commission and/or the Registrar of Companies.
- Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities.
- Supporting other Trustees in understanding the charity’s financial position and decision making.
- Contributing to the fundraising strategy of the charity and its ethical fundraising policy.
- Making a formal presentation of the accounts at the Annual General Meeting and drawing attention to important points in a coherent and easily understandable way.
The Person We’re Looking For:
- A finance professional with a firm understanding of charity finance and some experience of fundraising and pension schemes.
- Knowledge of charity fundraising, bid writing, and/or other income generation and/or securing funding through creation or leveraging of partnerships and networks (at a national or local level).
- A strategic thinker with an ability to balance risk and opportunity and the skills to analyse proposals and examine their financial consequences.
- Clear communicator with the ability to explain financial information to members of the Board and other stakeholders.
- Willing to play an active role in areas such as forecasting, setting budgets, and liaising with auditors.
In addition, the Treasurer will also have the responsibilities and qualities of all Trustees.
Responsibilities of All Trustees:
- Demonstrating a commitment to G&C’s objectives
- Contributing to setting the strategic goals and monitoring performance by active participation in Board discussions and decision-making
- Actively assisting the charity to build their connections and partnerships for the purposes of most effectively delivering their goals and fundraising
- Ensuring that G&C complies with its governing documents, the law, and all other relevant documentation
- Helping to identify risks and ensuring appropriate controls are in place
- Helping the Board to make sound decisions by making available their own personal knowledge and experience
- Assisting the Chair to appoint and appraise the performance of the Senior Leadership Team members
- Sharing relevant skills and expertise with the Senior Leadership Team members
- Making all reasonable efforts to attend Board meetings, away days, development meetings, publicity events, and other such public functions as requested by the Chair
- Ensuring the charity’s focus on equality, diversity, and inclusion remains at the heart of its strategy and delivery
Trustee Person Specification:
In addition to the Treasurer role specific above, our Trustees will ideally also demonstrate the following:
- A commitment to the objectives and activities of G&C
- A willingness to devote time and effort to G&C beyond attending board meetings
- Have strategic vision, an ability to think creatively, and an appropriate level of financial literacy
- Understanding of and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities, and liabilities of their position
- Have good independent judgement
- Be willing to effectively act as part of a team
- Adhere to the Nolan Principles of public office: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership
- A willingness to allow the Employee/s to make reasonable decisions and to act within the limits prescribed by the Board
To Apply:
To see the full job advertisement with details on how to apply, and to learn more about the role and our organisation, please see the attached supporting documents.
