Chair of the Board of Trustees

Our excellent, long standing Chair of the Board of Trustees, Lord Wallace of Tankerness QC, is standing down and we are seeking a new Chair of Reprieve.

Job Title: Chair of the Board of Trustees

Date call released: 11 December 2020

Deadline for applications: 12 January 2021

Start date: April 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter

Duration: Three year term, renewable once

Salary: Non-remunerated but Reprieve will pay reasonable travel and other expenses

About Reprieve

Reprieve is a UK charity founded in 1999. Reprieve uses strategic interventions to end the use of the death penalty globally, and to end extreme human rights abuses carried out in the name of “counterterrorism” or “national security”.

Reprieve works with the most disenfranchised people in society, as it is in their cases that human rights are most swiftly jettisoned and the rule of law is cast aside. Reprieve promotes and protects the rights of those facing the death penalty and those who are the victims of extreme human rights abuses carried out in the name of “counterterrorism” or “national security”, with a focus on arbitrary detention, torture, and extrajudicial executions. Reprieve’s main office is in London, UK. Reprieve also supports full-time Fellows, who work as lawyers, investigators and campaigners in the countries in which we work.

You can find out more about Reprieve’s work in our Impact Report and Annual Report.

We work closely with a number of partner organisations in jurisdictions all over the world, who provide access to clients, expertise, knowledge and guidance on specific issues or regions.

We work in cooperation with relevant government officials, individual lawyers and human rights defenders, as well as individual, corporate and foundation funders to further the cause of our shared goals.

Chair of the Board of Trustees

None of this would be possible without the highest levels of governance provided by our Board of Trustees. Our new Board Chair will be passionate about our vision and mission and will be able to bring inclusive and knowledgeable leadership to the Board and the Executive Directors. Ideally they will have substantial legal experience, although need not necessarily be a qualified lawyer. 

They will have commitment to and understanding of our areas of work and the regions in which we work. They will have a passion for seeking justice for the victims of extreme human rights abuses. They will have substantial experience of sitting on a Board. They will support our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion at Reprieve and will actively work with the Board and staff team to make sure we are the best possible organisation, reflective of the communities we seek to serve.

The Board meets four times a year (April, July, October and December) and has four active sub committees (Finance, Risk, Development and Nominations) which also meet throughout the year.

Day-to-day management is provided by the Leadership Team led by the joint Executive Directors, Anna Yearley and Maya Foa. The rest of the Leadership Team comprises of five Deputy Directors reflecting the casework, operations and development teams.

Duties include:

• Providing leadership to the organisation and the Board by ensuring that Reprieve remains focused on the delivery of the organisation’s charitable mission.

• Planning and chairing the quarterly Board meetings, bringing impartiality and objectivity to the decision making process.

• Hold regular check ins with the Chairs of the four sub committees outside of the quarterly Board meetings to ensure any risks are mitigated and managed and that the financial health of the organisation remains strong.

• Support Reprieve’s commitment to a diverse board by regularly refreshing the right balance of skills, knowledge and experience needed to govern the organisation effectively. Assist the EDs and Board Nominations Committee in recruiting new Board members.

• Building an excellent relationship with the EDs, providing support where necessary.

• Work with the EDs to ensure new Trustees are properly inducted to the Board.

• Hold one to ones with each Trustee every year to ensure all Trustees are engaged and their skills are utilised.

• Working with the Treasurer, lead the board in approving annual budgets, audit reports and ensuring the board meets all legal requirements.

• Work with the EDs to engage Trustees in the strategic planning process and support the EDs as they implement the strategic plan.

• Appraise the work of the EDs on an annual basis.

• Work with the Chair of our sister, but independent, organisation in the US, Reprieve US to ensure the missions of both organisations are working well together.

• Check that decisions taken at meetings are implemented by the Leadership Team.

• Be an ambassador for the organisation (at fundraising events etc.).

• Bringing impartiality and objectivity to decision-making.

APPPLICATION PROCESS

NOMINATION If you know someone who we should consider you should nominate them by sending their name, email address and a paragraph about why you are nominating them to applications@reprieve.org.uk . The Nominations Committee will then invite them to apply for this role.

APPLICATION: For full details and information on how to apply please visit https://reprieve.org/uk/work-for-reprieve/” 

All nominations and applications should be received by12 January 2021.