Information Pack

Board of Trustees

Winter 2017/18

A Welcome from the Marine Conservation Society

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) is the UK’s leading charity working to protect our

seas and marine wildlife. We have been championing our vision for sustainable fisheries,

ocean recovery and clean seas and beaches for over 30 years. Over the last two years we

have appointed a new Chair of Trustees, Hugh Raven and a new CEO, Sandy Luk, followed

by two new Directors, Chris Tuckett as Director of Programmes and Luca Bonaccorsi as

Director of Engagement & Communications.

With a re-invigorated sense of purpose for the future, we have been reviewing our strategy

to empower us to make big strides towards our vision of seas full of life – seas and coasts

where nature flourishes and people thrive. We have updated our website and reenergised

our campaigning and communications. Next year we will start implementing our new

strategy, which will include increasing our reach across the UK and growing our teams to

have maximum impact. An exciting opportunity now exists to ensure that MCS continues to

be the UK's leading charity for the marine environment.

MCS is a small team – 65 staff and, currently, 8 trustees. We have recently undertaken a

skills assessment of the Board and have identified a number of qualities and areas of

experience that would complement and strengthen those of our current Board members.

As a result, we are now looking to welcome two new trustees and are looking for

operational and business management experience, and fundraising and income

generating experience. Whilst income generation expertise may come from the charitable

sector, we are also interested in adding perspectives from the corporate/commercial

sector.

We are looking for experienced individuals working at a senior level who want to use their

expertise to help shape the Charity’s future, are willing to dedicate time and energy to the

cause and to our people and share our passion for MCS to grow and be even more

impactful. We are aiming to recruit two members to contribute to building a Board with a

diverse set of backgrounds, skills and experiences – to enable us to be the best we can be.

We hope you will want to join us and help us transform the marine environment for the

benefit of everyone, and we look forward to receiving your application.

Thank you for your support.

Hugh Raven, Chairman, and Sandy Luk, CEO

If you would like a brief chat with Hugh about the role, please contact Joanne O’Hagan,

Head of HR & Facilities at hr@mcsuk.org

Trustee Role Description

We believe that becoming a Trustee with us will be a rewarding venture for all – we want you to

share your expertise, and we will listen to your views. After a review of our current breadth of

knowledge and experience on the Board, we are looking to recruit two new trustees:

• Operational and business management experience – you’re possibly an Operations Director or

Managing Director with expertise to share in running effective organisations, and we would

welcome approaches if you’re from a corporate/commercial environment

• Fundraising/Income generation experience – you’ll be able to help us reimagine our

approaches to income generation, opening up new sources and networks. You might also be

a qualified and/or practicing accountant – if you have charity accounting experience, that

would be a distinct source of expertise for us

The responsibilities of an MCS Trustee are:

• To ensure that MCS complies with its governing document (memorandum and articles of

association), charity law, company law and any relevant legislation or regulations;

• To ensure that MCS pursues its objects as defined in its governing document;

• To ensure that MCS applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects i.e. the charity

must not spend money on activities which are not included in its own objects, no matter how

worthwhile or charitable those activities are;

• To contribute actively to the board of Trustees' role in giving firm strategic direction to MCS,

setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against

agreed targets;

• To safeguard the good name and ethos of MCS;

• To ensure the effective and efficient administration of MCS;

• To ensure the financial stability of MCS;

• To protect and manage the property of the charity and to ensure the proper investment of the

charity's funds;

• To observe their duties as a Director of the charity under the Companies Act 2006

• In addition to the above, each Trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience

they have to help the board of Trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising

board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, representing the charity at functions

and events, and providing advice and guidance on new initiatives or issues in which the

Trustee has specific expertise.

A Trustee must:

• have a commitment to the aims of MCS;

• have a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort in attending meetings and

providing input between meetings;

• have strategic vision;

• have good, independent judgement;

• have an ability to think creatively;

• be willing to speak their mind;

• understand and accept the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship;

• be able to work effectively as a member of a team;

• adhere to the Nolan's seven principles of public office: selflessness, integrity, objectivity,

accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.

Our commitment to you

The role is unpaid but reasonable expenses relating to travel and accommodation during Trustee

and other meetings or certain events are paid for by MCS.

You will be given a thorough induction to MCS and the role of a Trustee with us, including:

• An introduction to the charity’s affairs and finances by the CEO and Company

Secretary/Director of Finance & Resources;

• An introduction to Directors, Heads of departments and other key staff;

• Opportunities to get involved in our events and courses to understand fully the work we do;

• Ongoing and comprehensive support from the CEO, Company Secretary/Director of Finance &

Resources and other senior managers as required.

What we ask of you

Being a Trustee requires a time commitment for both formal and informal engagements. A term of

office is three years and Trustees can offer themselves for re-election for a maximum of three terms

(nine years). After three terms there is provision in certain circumstances to extend for one further

year, particularly with honorary officer positions, such as Treasurer.

Board meetings are fixed at least a year in advance and usually held in late March, early July, early

October and early December and take place over 1 day.

We would expect attendance at all four Board meetings in each year, plus one strategy day per

year. However, if you are not in attendance for more than two meetings in a row, the Chair of the

Board would need to discuss your ongoing availability and commitment with you. Regretfully, if a

Board member misses three meetings in a rolling 12-month period we will need to consider your

retirement from the Board if the majority members resolve that the term of office should end.

We would welcome your involvement in our sub-committees and ad-hoc working groups - we

currently have the following sub-committees: Governance Committee; Finance & General Purposes

Committee; Conservation Committee and Fundraising and Marketing Committee. The Chair may

wish to discuss with you any additional advocacy roles relevant to your specific skills or areas of

knowledge which may support and facilitate relationships and networking opportunities with other

organisations and fundraising contacts. Trustees are also encouraged to pro-actively offer their

support where they can.

We hope that Trustees are able to also attend and engage in a number of our events which take

place around the coasts and countryside. We ask that you commit to attendance at a minimum of

one event per year; this could be a beach clean, one of our workshops or a fundraising event.

How to tell us that you’re interested

Please submit a CV and a short covering letter explaining why you are interested in becoming a

Trustee with the Marine Conservation Society, the skills and experience you have, and how you

would use those attributes to make a contribution to our Board and our work.

MCS is a Company Limited by Guarantee and Board members become Directors of MCS. Following

election at the AGM, we will contact you with the relevant forms to complete registration with

Companies House.

Please send your applications to hr@mcsuk.org

Selection process

Applications will be considered by MCS’ Executive Team and the Trustees’ Governance Committee,

and once the shortlist is drawn up we will arrange for you to attend an interview with members of the

panel. From there, if all parties are happy to proceed closer to appointment, we will invite you to

attend the next Board of Trustees meeting which will be in March 2018. Trustee appointments will be

approved at that meeting and confirmed with a letter from the Chairman.

Essential dates for your diary

Closing date: 31 January 2018

Interview dates: Week commencing 19 February 2018

Spring 2018 Board: 21 March 2018

MCS - Our vision, our mission

Our vision

Seas full of life - seas and coasts where nature flourishes and people thrive.

Our mission

To drive political, cultural and social change for healthy seas and coasts that support abundant

marine wildlife, sustainable livelihoods and enjoyment for all.

What we stand for

Science and people - our staff, volunteers, supporters and partners - are at the heart of everything

we do.

We act because everyone relies on the ocean to survive, from the air we breathe to the food we

eat.

By helping people to discover, value and enjoy being connected to our seas, we can all make

better decisions today, which will ensure seas full of life for future generations.

Why we need to act

Our seas are under threat - from pollution, overfishing and a lack of protection. We are taking too

much out, for example fish and oil - often using intensive or destructive techniques. We are putting

too much in - waste, pollution and damaging development.

What we need to achieve

Stop taking too much out of our seas - MCS will work to ensure sustainable use of the seas by

minimising harm when we harvest resources, for example through fishing and oil extraction.

Stop putting too much into our seas - MCS will work to prevent and clean up marine litter and

pollution, and to minimise damage from development and climate change.

Discover more about our mission, goals and values

Read our Annual and Impact Reports

Memorandum & Articles of Association

Meet our Board of Trustees

Board of Trustees

Chief Executive

Director of Programmes

Director of Finance & Resources/

Company Secretary

Finance

Manager

Head of IT

& Data

Head of HR

& Facilities

MCS Organisational Structure

Director of Fundraising &

Marketing

Head of

Marketing

Corporate

Development

Manager

Head of

Fundraising

Also Managing:

LINK Marine

Policy &

Engagement

Officer

LINK Marine

Policy Officer

Also Managing

Contract for

Major Donor

Fundraiser

Also Managing

Contract for

Major Donor

Fundraiser

Director of Engagement &

Communications

Head of

Volunteer &

Community

Engagement

Head of

Communications

Engagement &

Education

Manager

Head of

Fisheries &

Aquaculture

Head of

Biodiversity

Head of

Pollution

Head of

Conservation

Scotland

Head of

Conservation

Wales

Principal

Specialist

(MPA)

National

Seasearch

Coordinator

Sustainable

Seafood Advocate

Senor Fisheries

Policy Advocate

Good Fish Guide

Manager

(managing)

Fisheries Scientist

Aquaculture

Programme

Manager

(managing)

Aquaculture

Scientist

Water Quality

Programme

Manager

Principal

Specialist -

Waste

Senior

Pollution

Campaigns

Officer

Pollution

Team Officer

Education Officer

CoLab Project

Coordinator

Project Officer

(Agents of

Change)

Volunteer &

Community

Engagement

Managers:

South West

South East

Scotland

Project Officer

(Capturing our

Coast)

Project Support

Officer

Beachwatch

Manager

(managing)

Beachwatch

Officer

(and)

Beachwatch

Administrator

PR Manager

Comms Support

Officer

Enquiries Officer

Marketing Officer

Public

Engagement

Officer

Supporter

Services Officer

Corporate

Partnerships

Managers

X2

Trust & Grants

Manager

Trust & Grants

Fundraiser (MPA)

Fundraising

Assistants

x2

Accounts

Officer

HR & Exec

Support

Office

Admin

IT Support

Officer

Data Manager

(managing)

Senior Website

Developer

(and)

PHP Developer

Projects

Coordinator

Conservation

Officer

Policy Officer

Public Affairs

Officer

CAMPAIGNS

TEAM

REPORT TO DIR

OF E&C

Digital

Marketing

Officer

Graphic Design

& Production

Manager

Digital Comms

Officer

MCS is an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.

Registered Charity No: 1004005 (England & Wales) SC037480 (Scotland)

Registered Office Overross House, Ross Park, Ross-on-Wye, HR9 7US

Telephone: 01989 561574