*Closes 03rd February*
Dear Candidate,
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Trustee of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Kew is one of the world’s leading institutions in botanical research, conservation and education. Its collections and scientific work are globally recognised, but it is the leadership that drives its mission. We need Trustees who reflect the institution’s excellence and the diversity of the society it serves.
Kew plays a critical role both in the UK and globally as a key resource for plant and fungal diversity expertise. At a time of unprecedented environmental threats, Kew’s science is vital to addressing challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. These challenges call for bold, visionary leadership committed to creating a more sustainable future.
Kew’s collections, such as the Millennium Seed Bank and the world-famous Herbarium, represent over 170 years of history and contribute 25,000 new specimens annually. Kew has set ambitious goals through its Manifesto for Change, Science Strategy and Sustainability Strategy, which aim to inspire action to protect the planet by 2030.
I am seeking individuals to join Dame Amelia Fawcett and the Trustees in leading Kew’s mission. We encourage applications from diverse backgrounds, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, younger candidates, and those with disabilities, to ensure our board reflects the richness of our society.
We seek candidates with expertise in data science and innovation, large capital building projects, commercial income growth and/or fundraising, or Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. Your skills will be critical as we expand Kew’s reach and deliver science-based solutions to protect biodiversity.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Steve Reed OBE
Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Appointment description
Members of the Board have corporate responsibility for ensuring that RBG Kew has appropriate practices, procedures, and policies to meet its statutory and administrative requirements for the use of public funds.
Important responsibilities of Board members include:
- ensuring that high standards of corporate governance are always observed.
- establishing the overall strategic direction of the organisation within the policy and resources framework agreed with the Defra Minister.
- holding the Executive to account and supporting them in the delivery of planned results by monitoring performance against agreed strategic objectives and targets and by ensuring corrective action is taken when necessary.
- ensuring that the Board operates within the limits of its statutory authority; within the limits of the Board’s delegated authority agreed with Defra and in line with all relevant agreements with Defra, including any conditions relating to the use of public funds; and, notwithstanding the above, complying with the relevant obligation’s incumbent on trustees of an exempt charity, including independence of decision-making.
- representing the purpose and strategic direction of the organisation to the public and specific stakeholders.
- promoting a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion on the Board as well as more widely in RBG Kew.
Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Number of vacancies x 2
Time commitment x 12 day(s) per annum
Length of term x 3 Years
Regulation of appointment
Person specification
Essential criteria
Candidates must be able to demonstrate all the following essential criteria:
1. An enthusiasm for, and genuine interest in the work delivered by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and support of its purpose, values, and strategic direction.
2. An ability to analyse issues at a strategic level in ways which are impartial, creative, and focused on proportionate solutions.
3. An ability to provide constructive and independent leadership, challenge, and support to the Board of a complex organisation.
4. Exceptional communication skills, along with the ability to influence, engage, and inspire confidence across a strong and diverse network of stakeholders, both nationally and internationally, at all levels.
The successful candidate must abide by the Nolan principles of public service and the 12 Principles of Governance for all Public Body NEDs (attached at Annex A and Annex B) and the Code of Conduct for Board members.
Desirable criteria
Experience of one or more of the following:
- data science and innovation
- large capital building projects
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
- commercial experience: including income growth and/or fundraising
How to apply
To apply you will need to create an account or sign in to Apply for Public Appointment Service gov.uk by the deadline of noon on Monday 3 February 2025 quoting reference APPT09-24. Once logged onto your account, click on ‘apply for this role’ and follow the on-screen instructions.
To apply, all candidates are required to submit:
- A CV of no more than two sides of A4 with education, professional qualifications, and employment history.
- A supporting statement of no more than 1000 words, setting out how you meet the essential criteria. Please also details your area(s) of expertise as outlined in the Desirable Criteria section.
- Information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues;
Diversity monitoring . This allows us to see if there are any unfair barriers to becoming a public appointee and whether there are any changes that we could make to encourage a more diverse field to apply. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be used as part of the selection process and will not be seen by the interview panel;
