Volunteer Board Member / Non-executive Director

About Laurel House

Laurel House provides a range of trauma-informed, evidence based, therapeutic services to victim-survivors of sexual assault, and for children and young people who use harmful sexual behaviours. We also develop and deliver a broad range of programs to adults, young people and children including the provision of therapeutic face-to-face counselling at our centres located at Launceston, Devonport and Burnie and through outreach locations across the North and North West Tasmania. Laurel House is partnering with the Tasmanian Government in the delivery of the North and North West Arch centres (multidisciplinary centres) for victim-survivors of sexual harm.

Our team also provides community education programs focused on the prevention of sexual harm and on supporting parents, carers and service providers to better respond to disclosures of sexual violence. Laurel House is funded by the Australian Government to specifically build capacity of the workforce who support victim-survivors with disabilities.

About the board

Laurel House has a skill-based board whose role is to provide overall governance, management and strategic direction for the organisation. The Board is comprised of the chair, deputy chair, treasurer, secretary and ordinary board members. The Board meets after hours in person or via technology a minimum 6 times per year for approximately 2 hours per meeting. Additional meetings are scheduled as needed.

Board members are also expected to attend the Annual General Meeting, any special general meetings, an annual strategic and/or governance review and any director professional development opportunities.

The Board utilises sub-committees to effectively through distribute the work of the Board and to consider relevant issues in more detail. The Board has established three (3) subcommittees, each focusing on a distinct aspect of the functions undertaken by Laurel House. The subcommittees are 1) Clinical Governance Committee, 2) Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee, and 3) Governance and Nominations Committee. Each board member is expected to participate in at least one subcommittee based on their expertise and preferences.

Purpose of the role

Each board member is elected and collectively forms the organisation’s Board. The Board is responsible for the overall governance, management and strategic direction of the organisation, and has ultimate accountability for its activities and performance. The duties of the board member are to act in good faith and a proper purpose, to act with reasonable care, skill and diligence, to disclose and manage conflicts of interest and to safeguard the improper use of information or position.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities

The Board is responsible for:

• Strategy – establishing strategies to guide, monitor and control the organisation’s activities.
• Resources – making resources available to achieve the strategy and overseeing their use.
• Performance – monitoring the organisation’s performance.
• Compliance – overseeing processes to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Risk – overseeing a risk management framework that supports informed decision-making by the organisation.
• Accountability – reporting progress and aligning the collective interests of the members, stakeholders, Board, management and employees.
  

Selection criteria

Essential Criteria

1. Possess the ability to think strategically and to identify and critically assess strategic opportunities and threats.
2. Be able to identify key risks to the organisation in a wide range of areas and to specifically contribute to addressing clinical risks.
3. Possess knowledge in best practice corporate and clinical governance structures, policies, and processes.
4. Possess a passion for the work of Laurel House and a commitment to support victim-survivors of sexual assault.
5. Have the interpersonal communication skills and character necessary to work in collaboration with other board members for the benefit of the organisation.
6. Possess knowledge of the socio-cultural, legal and regulatory environment influencing sexual violence, child protection and domestic violence, or the ability to quickly acquire.
7. Willingness to commit to own director professional education, and actively engage in activities focused on improving board performance.

Desirable Criteria

1. Experience in a not-for-profit community-based organisation.
2. Experience working in a professional setting where clients are experiencing or have experienced traumatic events, and staff are at risk of vicarious trauma.
3. Training/experience in working with diversity including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people; people with disabilities; members of culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities.
4. Understanding of sexual assault through an intersectional approach that considers where gender and other inequalities/oppressions produce unique experiences of violence.
   

Other position requirements

• Be a member of the Organisation. Click here to download a Membership Application Form.
• Be able to attend in person or via technology scheduled after-hours board meetings (between 6 and 9 per year of approximately 2 hours in duration), out of session meetings including strategic planning sessions, and the Annual General Meeting.
• Be able to participate in one subcommittee of the Board and attend the meetings as per the committee charter.
• Come to meetings prepared, willing to actively contribute, and at times to challenge the status quo.
• Possess or be willing to apply for a National Police Check, Working with Vulnerable People Check and a National Personal Insolvency Index (NPII) check.
• Not appear on the banned and disqualified register held by ASIC and not have been declared bankrupt.
  

This job description serves to illustrate the scope and responsibilities of the position and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of duties.

Laurel House's commitment to diversity

Laurel House values the expertise, lived experience and cultural wisdom of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, LGBTIQA+, migrant, culturally and linguistically diverse, and people with disability. Applicants from these groups are strongly encouraged to apply, as are people with parenting or caring responsibilities.

Statement of commitment to the safety of children and young people

Laurel House is a Child and Youth Safe Organisation. We have a zero tolerance for child abuse and have systems to protect children and young people from abuse. We take all allegations and concerns very seriously and respond to them consistently in line with our policies and procedures. We actively work to listen to and empower children and to providing an inclusive and safe environment for all young people. In particular, we are committed to promoting cultural safety and to ensuring that the diverse needs of children and young people are met.

Click to download a Board Nomination Form

If you are interested in learning more, or have any questions in relation to the role, please contact our Board Chair, Nicole Crook at chair@laurelhouse.org.au or on 0413 122 086.