POSITION DESCRIPTION

The Aboriginal Carbon Foundation (AbCF) has an opportunity for an Indigenous leader to chair the Board for a three-year period. A Finance, Audit and Risk Management (FARM) sub-Committee of the Board is in place. Prof. Marcia Langton is our Patron and the AbCF has an Indigenous majority Board and staff.

The aim of this position is to provide experienced governance in chairing Board meetings, building positive relationships with Indigenous Australians, opening doors in corporate Australia to secure investment partnerships and providing strategic leadership to governments domestically and internationally.

Previous experience chairing a Board, representing a community-based organisation in a range of forums and raising investment capital will be highly regarded.

AbCF operates on the cutting edge of ideas and community-based solutions. We bring together people with fresh ways of working, professional experience and a desire to achieve outcomes that promote Indigenous prosperity and address climate change through a strengths-based approach. With a strong culture of innovation and collaboration, the AbCF supports carbon farming, cultural fire and biodiversity projects in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.

The AbCF Strategic Plan 2024-29 guides our operations (available on website www.abcfoundation.org.au/our-story ). The AbCF is a Founding Signatory to the carbon industry Code of Conduct, a registered not-for-profit company limited by guarantee established in 2010 and is a Corporate Authorised Representative of AFSL No. 298851.

OUR VISION:

AbCF supports economic independence and community prosperity for First Nations peoples through a variety of innovative Indigenous-led nature repair and climate change solutions.

OUR VALUES

• Indigeneity: Aboriginal culture, community and lore are at the forefront of everything we do, our ethos is centred around Aboriginal knowledge, science and technology in the application of taking care of country for future generations.
• Indigenous led: we listen and engage with communities and Traditional Owners and support self- determined community development initiatives.

• Wellness agenda: by putting people and culture first we create a unique way of working with and alongside First Nations to improve the social and emotional wellbeing for all First Nations people.
• Decolonising and entrepreneurial: we challenge unjust structures that continue to oppress First Nations and people from the Global South and take calculated risks in the development of new people-centred systems that benefit communities and address climate change.
• Collaboration: we join forces with like-minded Indigenous organisations and communities, carbon companies, NGOs, conservation groups, universities, industry and governments acknowledging that together we can achieve greater impact.
• Integrity and accountability: we are a lean organisation that is responsive to the needs of communities and traditional owners and act honestly, ethically and are accountable for our actions.

OUR APPROACH

The best way to improve the lives of First Nations peoples globally, is to put the power back into Indigenous hands. We do this through a strengths-based community driven cultural framework, that supports First Nations experts in land, lore and caring for Country to develop their own nature repair and climate solutions that demonstrate environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits. Our ethos is centred around Aboriginal knowledge, science and technology to take care of Country for future generations.

The Board of Directors bring a range of expertise in several the following skill areas:

• Indigenous Corporate Governance experience - Indigenous governance recognise what makes our culture unique: our beliefs system, knowledge holders and our laws and rules for our society. Indigenous governance combines cultural governance with corporate governance.
• Aboriginal Cultural knowledge and Land Management
• Research and Development
• Conservation and Land Management
• National and International Trade
• Finance & accounting skills
• Industry knowledge and experience

Chairing the AbCF Board requires a time commitment as follows:

• Preparing for and attending, in person or virtually, a minimum of five Board meetings per annum. Board meetings are normally held quarterly.
• Communicating with the Chief Executive Officer on a weekly basis, preferably via phone calls.
• Preparing for and attending, in person, a two-day strategic planning retreat once every year.
• Generally promoting the organisation and its vision by attending meetings, forums and workshops representing the Board.
• Engaging in urgent governance matters that may present from time to time.

An annual stipend is provided in addition to travel costs for in-person meetings.

Please submit your application by clicking Apply Now. Call 0427 013 318 if you would like to discuss the position.

A position description is attached.