Company Board Director

Climate Emergency UK CIC is a small community interest company (awaiting a response from the Charity Commission on becoming a Charity), set up in 2019 to support and connect councils and residents on getting their council to declare a climate emergency, and has since evolved into creating the Council Climate Action Scorecards. 

We’re in the process of creating the third Council Climate Action Scorecards, due to be published in Spring 2027. Our other work includes running training, such as the Local Climate Academy and working with others at a national level to advocate for further powers and funding for local councils for climate action. You can read more about our mission, vision, values and strategy here.

We’re a small organisation and need support from our Board in developing our next strategy. The Boards’ role at Climate Emergency UK is to ensure the organisation runs effectively with financial stability and complies with relevant laws and legislation. The Board also contributes to setting the strategic direction of the Board and upholding the reputation of CE UK across the sector and with funders. 

We work on consensus decision-making and want to ensure we remain a cooperatively working organisation. We are currently writing our new strategy, conscious of the political and structural changes in the sector, the difficult funding environment and rise of the capabilities of Ai.

Time commitment: Board meetings every 2 months or so for 2 hours (often weekday late afternoon/evenings but flexible). Support to the organisations, 1-2 hours per week

Board members will be in post for 2 years.

Person Specification

General responsibilities

• Ensure that the organisation creates and complies with its governing document, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations

• Ensure the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objectives.

• Contributing in setting the strategic direction of the organisation and supporting Directors in its implementation

• Safeguard the reputation and values of the organisation

• Ensure the effective and efficient administration of the organisation.

• Ensure the financial stability of the organisation and support with fundraising activities

Personal attributes

• Commitment and passion to the work of Climate Emergency UK CIC 

• Interest in local government and climate change

• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to provide effective support the organisation

• Strategic vision, independent judgement and ability to think creatively

• Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of being on the Board of a Community Interest Company.

• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to work collaboratively with others

• An understanding of the nature of oppression, how it manifests in society and a commitment to challenging inequality and addressing power and privilege

Experience

We are particularly looking for Directors with either/or any of the following:

• Landing national media coverage for projects and campaigns and previous work with national and regional news outlets

• Experience of effective fundraising for small organisations

• Experience managing start ups and organisations through early growth stages

• Understanding of AI technology and how this could be used for data collection, processing or to derive insights for decision making 

Desirable Experience and Personal attributes

• Experience of working in non-hierarchical organisations

• Previous governance experience of small organisations in transition and growth stages

• Understanding of the council climate movement in the UK or how these can be translated to other relevant sectors

• Understanding of local government, either as a councillor, officer or other

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. 

We are particularly keen to have Board members from across the political spectrum, from those who are based outside of London and the South East of England and have experience outside of the local climate movement, such as start ups, social enterprises or corporates and other small organisations.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates or other marginalised groups.