Trustee - Bat Conservation Trust

The role of Trustee is not a paid role, although travel and subsistence to attend board meetings will be covered.

The Bat Conservation Trust (BCT) is proud to be the leading UK charity devoted solely to the conservation of bats and their habitats. BCT’s vision is a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Our mission is to work collaboratively and with a diversity of people to protect bats and their habitats in an ever-changing world. Through education, collaborative action and scientific research, we inspire individuals and organisations to value and speak out for bats. BCT’s head office is in South London and we also have remotely based staff in England, Wales and Scotland.

BCT has a large reach in engaging with people. In a typical year more than 13,000 enquiries are answered by the National Bat Helpline team; more than 1,000 volunteers count bats as part of the National Bat Monitoring Programme; we have a strong following on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Media coverage has included Springwatch, Countryfile and The One Show. We are continually working to engage more people in bat conservation, including younger audiences from a wider range of backgrounds.

This year, we are launching an ambitious new 10-year strategy setting out our plan to achieve our aim of ensuring all bat species in the UK are in recovery following previous declines.

Trustees do not need to work in the area of bat conservation and we are actively seeking to include more diverse perspectives and experience. We especially encourage applications from People of Colour, as these groups of people are currently underrepresented on our board.

BCT is governed by a Board of Trustees (BoT), which comprises a maximum of fourteen Trustees. Included in this number are four officers (Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer). Trustees have a collective responsibility. This means that Trustees always act as a group and not as individuals. The BoT meets four times a year, currently one in-person meeting and three video conference meetings.

We always consider individual Trustee circumstances and needs and are happy to make any reasonable adjustments. We strive to be as flexible as possible to ensure our meeting arrangements are inclusive and suitable for all. Currently, fifty two percent of BCT staff consider themselves to have a disability and so we have experience of accommodating different requirements.

Our Trustees play a vital role in making sure that BCT achieves its core purpose. They oversee the wider management and administration of the charity. They also ensure that BCT has a clear strategy and that our work and goals are in line with our vision. Just as importantly, they support and challenge the Senior Management Team to enable BCT to grow and thrive, and through this, achieve our mission to work collaboratively and with a diversity of people to achieve resilient populations of bats and improve their habitats in an ever-changing world. Being a Trustee can be rewarding for many reasons – from knowing that you are making a difference to the charity’s cause, to gaining knowledge and building relationships. Trustees do not need any prior knowledge about bat conservation but must become a member of BCT if they are not already.

The BoT has overall responsibility for the six major duties as defined by the Charity Commission. Each Trustee must accept collective responsibility for the decisions of the BoT, and must work cooperatively with the other Trustees to exercise this responsibility.

A Trustee must be willing to support and provide advice on BCT’s purpose, vision, strategy, governance and financial stability.

Please submit a CV and a short statement highlighting your skills and experience to Vicki Smith vsmith@bats.org.uk, or via post to the Bat Conservation Trust, Studio 15 Cloisters House, Cloisters Business Centre, 8 Battersea Park Road, London SW8 4BG. Please can you also submit an Equal Opportunities Form*

The deadline for applications is 9am Monday 31st March.

If you have any further questions please contact Vicki as above.

*Completing this form is optional, but doing so helps us to monitor our applicant demographics. All data is anonymous and reported in the aggregate. It is not viewed by interviewing panels, and only used by BCT to improve our diversity and inclusion.