POSITION BRIEF

• Position Type
  • Volunteer, with appropriate reimbursements for budgeted costs and for all in-person board meeting expenditure (including travel)
• Specific Positions Available
  • 2-4 x Non-Executive Board Directors
• Term
  • Two years, with the ability to be re-appointed.
• Time Commitment
  • Approximately 6-8 hours every two months.
• Location
  • Perth/Hybrid

About Man Up

Man Up is a Western Australian not-for-profit delivering near-age peer facilitated masculinity and relationships education in secondary schools. Founded in 2020 by Gareth Shanthikumar and Dr Haseeb Riaz (2026 WA Young Australians of the Year), the organisation has reached over 50,000 students across WA, spanning Kimberley, Pilbara, Mid-West, Wheatbelt, South-West, Great Southern, and metropolitan Perth.

Our aim is to change the phrase 'man up' to mean something positive: to live authentically, embrace vulnerability, and hold one another accountable to stand up for what is right. Our programs span primary schools, secondary schools, and young adults in post-school transition, addressing masculinity, relationships, help-seeking, and emotional wellbeing at critical transition stages in adolescence.

Our model is our key differentiator. Near-age peer facilitators, mostly in their early twenties, run small-group workshops with teenage boys, achieving a level of trust and intimacy that traditional classroom dynamics cannot replicate.

The Role

Man Up is seeking experienced and values-driven individuals to join its Board and contribute to the strategic direction of the organisation. Board members will advance our mission, support the development of better systems and services for young men, and help steward a growing organisation. Our inaugural Board began in 2024, and is coming to the end of its first cycle, and we’re looking for exciting new members to join the governance structure.

Our Board includes 6–9 members and oversees governance and strategic direction to ensure Man Up provides effective services while meeting legal and financial requirements. As leaders within our organisation, Board members will embody our co-design methodologies, First Nations principles, and genuine commitment to collaborating with young people.

To ensure lived experience is centred at all levels of the organisation, we aim to have one-third of Board positions for young people (under the age of 30), and a First Nations’ Board position.

What You’ll Do

Board members are expected to attend bimonthly in-person or online Board meetings, any subcommittee meetings as they are established, represent Man Up at relevant events, and be available for occasional interactions with the wider organisation. Executive Board Directors will have additional responsibilities collaborating with the rest of the Executive Board Directors and the operational team.

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Strategic oversight

• Contributing to developing Man Up's strategic plan
• Reviewing and approving initiatives aligned with the strategic plan
• Supporting the development of key strategic relationships

Financial oversight

• Reviewing and maintaining oversight of Man Up's financial performance and sustainability
• Providing guidance on financial governance and legal compliance

Risk management

• Contributing to implementing and maintaining a risk management framework
• Taking appropriate steps to mitigate significant organisational risks

Governance

• Reading, preparing, and engaging with Board meeting materials
• Establishing and approving Board policies and procedures
• Reporting to relevant communities and representing Man Up in appropriate settings

Evaluation

• Ensuring Man Up's operations remain aligned with its purpose and values
• Maintaining awareness of Man Up's sociocultural, environmental, and ethical impact

Culture

• Contributing to a healthy relationship with the wider organisation
• Supporting transparent and accessible communication of Board-related information

Who we're looking for

We are seeking Board members with diverse experience, knowledge, and skills. Ideally you will have several of the following:

• A strong understanding of how Boards operate, whether through direct experience or qualifications such as those offered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Knowledge of the challenges and opportunities within the youth, not-for-profit, masculinity, mental health, and/or education sectors
• Experience with governance in growing organisations, and the ability to contribute to structuring Man Up's strategic direction
• Financial literacy and governance experience, including accounting, annual reporting, and sustainability planning, alongside an innovative business mindset
• A collaborative approach to teamwork and co-design; previous HR or people management experience is also welcome
• A relevant network and genuine passion for continued relationship-building across sectors

Our work is guided by a commitment to social justice and gender equity. We strongly encourage applications from young people, people of colour, women, disabled people or people with disability, people from LGBTIQA+ communities, and people with lived experience of economic injustice and housing insecurity. If you only meet some of the criteria or are unsure whether you're the right fit, we'd still love to hear from you.

Other Important Things

Applicants must be over 18, have a legal right to work in Australia, and not be insolvent or under administration. Mandatory requirements include a verified Director ID, Working With Children Check, and Police Check. We will assist successful candidates with these.

Board members must comply with Man Up's governing documents and all legal duties under the ACNC Act, including:

• Acting in good faith and for proper purposes
• Acting with reasonable care, skill, and diligence
• Ensuring organisational solvency
• Ensuring compliance with relevant legislation
• Ensuring workforce health and safety
• Avoiding conflicts of interest
• Not dishonestly using position or information

Next Steps

To submit your application please click 'Apply Now' by the closing date.

We are committed to providing any assistance needed to make this process accessible. Please get in touch if there is anything we can do to support your application.

Email: [email protected] using the subject line: Board Directors (Voluntary) enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Phone: 0413 109 708