Non-Executive Director

About the North Devon Biosphere Foundation and Enterprises:
The North Devon Biosphere was the first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in England and is internationally recognised as a place where the conservation of nature is integrated with sustainable economic and community development.
 
The North Devon UNESCO Biosphere is a partnership led organisation, with 36 organisations as formal partnerships.  The designation is held by the Partnership.

The North Devon Biosphere Foundation is the charitable body responsible for safeguarding and advancing the North Devon Biosphere's mission: bringing people and nature together to create a thriving, resilient and sustainable future for Northern Devon. It convenes partners across the public, private and voluntary sectors, supports community engagement and education, and helps shape long-term environmental, social and economic priorities for the region.  The Foundation and its associated programmes are delivered by a highly committed team of approximately 15 staff, supported by a wide network of partners across the public, private, academic and voluntary sectors.
 
North Devon Biosphere Enterprises is the commercial arm of the Biosphere. Its role is to develop and deliver practical projects, attract investment, generate earned income, and create new financial models that help nature recovery, climate resilience and sustainable economic development happen at scale. By working with businesses, farmers, investors, local authorities and research organisations, Enterprises turns the Biosphere's vision into investable propositions and measurable outcomes.
 
Together, the Foundation and Enterprises are developing projects and partnerships spanning regenerative agriculture, water quality, marine restoration, natural capital, climate resilience, environmental finance and community-led economic development, positioning the Biosphere as one of the UK's most innovative place-based sustainability initiatives.
 
Why this is an exciting moment:
We are entering a period of unprecedented opportunity. National policy is increasingly focused on nature recovery, climate adaptation, water quality and sustainable land management, while growing corporate and investor demand for high-quality environmental outcomes is creating new sources of funding beyond traditional grants. At the same time, North Devon is uniquely placed to benefit from major opportunities linked to regenerative agriculture, natural capital, ecosystem restoration, marine recovery and renewable energy. As one of the UK's leading UNESCO-designated landscapes, the Biosphere is well positioned to act as a trusted convenor and delivery partner, helping channel new investment into projects that deliver lasting benefits for nature, communities and the local economy. The combination of strong partnerships, growing market demand and increasing recognition of the value of natural assets means there has rarely been a more exciting time to shape the future of the North Devon Biosphere.
 
This is why we are looking for Trustees who are excited by the future. We are seeking people who can help the Foundation navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, bringing insight, networks and ambition to support the next phase of growth. Whether your experience lies in finance, business, the legal world, HR, environmental management, investment, governance, research or public policy, this is a rare opportunity to help shape how one of the UK's most distinctive places responds to some of the defining challenges and opportunities of our time.
 
The Board's challenge over the coming years is not simply to oversee a successful charity. It is to help build a model capable of attracting significant public and private investment into nature recovery, climate resilience and sustainable economic development, demonstrating how a UNESCO Biosphere can become a catalyst for transformational change at landscape scale.
 

For more information about the role, person specification and how to apply, please visit our website.