This pro bono Board vacancy post operates within multilateral and national policy advice frameworks, grounded in close links with the UK’s UNESCO designations such as UNESCO university chairs and UNESCO Creative Cities.
Could you provide expert, independent advice for the UK’s National Commission for UNESCO on Social and Human Sciences policy? Would you like to work with the UK’s UNESCO designations, with the UK government, UNESCO and its member states?
The UK National Commission for UNESCO is inviting applications for a Non-Executive Director (NED) with expertise and experience in the field of Social and Human Sciences.
UK
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR UNESCO (UKNC) NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS (VOLUNTARY)
ROLE DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Purpose
To further the vision,
purpose, objectives and values of the UKNC, in:
·
Providing expert, independent policy advice to UK and devolved
government on UNESCO related issues.
·
Supporting and enhancing the value of the UK’s 170+ UNESCO sites
and projects.
·
Supporting the UK government’s agenda in helping UNESCO become
more institutionally effective.
·
Advising and supporting individuals and institutions in the UK,
its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies on accessing UNESCO
accreditation.
·
To work with and share best practice with the global network of
the other UNESCO Member States’ National Commissions for UNESCO.
Main tasks
·
To provide expert advice in their field of competency.
·
To take part in formulating and regularly reviewing the
strategic aims of the UKNC.To work with other Directors to ensure that the
policies and practices of UKNC are in keeping with its aims, that the
organisation functions within the legal and financial requirements of a company
limited by guarantee, and strives to achieve best practice.
Behaviours
and Attitudes
·
Understand and support the aims, objectives and procedures of
UKNC as set out in its Articles of Association and Accountable Grant.
·
Demonstrate a commitment both to UNESCO’s aims and to
working to promote the UKNC’s vision and principles, strategy and major
policies.
·
Understand and consider the organisation (including the
Secretariat) as a whole, maintaining good relations with all colleagues and
recognising the respective roles of Board members and Secretariat staff.
·
Ensure familiarity with UNESCO programmes, policies and
procedures and of the UK Government’s priorities and policies towards UNESCO
relevant to their policy portfolio
·
Be aware of the UNESCO designations and in the UK and Overseas
Territories and familiar with those in their policy portfolio.
·
At all times when acting as a Director, or in connection with
the UKNC’s aims and objectives, to act in the best interests of the UKNC.
· Prepare for, attend and contribute to Board and other meetings
of Directors and occasionally take part in relevant training sessions.
·
Follow the Members’ Code of Conduct & Best Practice,
particularly when exercising the functions of the Directors or any of its task
or sub-groups or committees
Main duties
Providing Expert Advice
- Respond
to requests for expert advice in the area of competency to which you are
appointed.
- Propose
and pursue areas for policy review and research.
- Prepare
briefings on issues for UNESCO and other meetings in the area of
competency to which you are appointed.
- Promote
the organisational effectiveness of UNESCO
- Represent
UKNC and/or the UK government at appropriate meetings, including the
UNESCO General Conference.
Formulating and reviewing
strategic aims
- As
part of the Board, regularly review UKNC strategic aims.
- As
part of the Board, formulate new organisational policies and strategies as
needed.
Good Governance
- Ensure that the policies
and practices of UKNC are in keeping with its aims.
- Ensure that legal
and financial requirements are met.
- Ensure that best
practice is pursued, particularly with regard to value for money and
transparency.
- Fulfill such other
duties and assignments within the scope of the role as may be required
from time to time by the Board of Directors
Commitment
- Directors
will be expected to take an active role in the UKNC’s work, relating both
to their specific expertise and to general Company business.
- Directors
will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to UKNC’s work, relating both
to their specific expertise and to general Company business.
- Directors will, on occasion be expected to travel to meetings
in the UK, Paris or other locations to represent the UKNC and further its
work, and to support the UK’s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO in Paris or
elsewhere.
As the central link for UNESCO-related matters in the UK and a constitutional part of the UK’s membership of UNESCO, the UKNC works to support the UK’s contribution to UNESCO and bring the benefits of UNESCO to the UK. It is part of UNESCO’s unique global network of national cooperating bodies known as National Commissions, and it works at the heart of the UK’s 170+ UNESCO designations. Its aim is to connect the UK Government and UNESCO to the UK’s educational, academic, scientific, cultural, creative and artistic communities The UKNC has up to nine Non Executive Directors.
• To provide expert, independent policy advice to UK and devolved governments on UNESCO related issues.
• To support and enhance the value of the UK’s 170+ UNESCO sites and projects.
• To support the UK government’s agenda in helping UNESCO become more institutionally effective.
• To advise and support individuals and institutions in the UK, its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies on accessing UNESCO accreditation.
• To work with and share best practice with the global network of the other UNESCO Member States’ National Commissions for UNESCO.
The UKNC is a company limited by guarantee, with a small Secretariat, normally based in Whitehall Court, London.