Chair

About Reprieve 

Reprieve is a leading international human rights organisation. Our aim is simple: to consign the death penalty and abuses carried out in the name of “counter-terrorism” or “national security” to history, drawing public and political attention to these past harms with a view to preventing them from occurring again. 

In our view, you can best judge a society by how it treats prisoners, criminal defendants, and the far-flung targets of an ever-changing counter-terror policy. To us, the rule of law means little if we selectively apply it to people we agree with. It is for all of us. Liberty is always eroded at the margins. 

Reprieve’s staff is made up of courageous and committed human rights defenders. Founded in 1999, we provide free legal and investigative support to people facing the death penalty and those victimised by states’ abusive counter-terror policies – rendition, torture, arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killing. 

We fight our clients’ cases in courts around the world; investigate their mistreatment; and advocate on their behalf, encouraging public and political debate of human rights issues. 

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. 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.

Reprieve works in close partnership with its independent sibling organisation Reprieve US.  This collaboration is mutually beneficial to both Reprieve and Reprieve US as it enables each organisation to work more effectively and take advantage of the strategic locations to increase the impact of our work.

About the Role

Our work would not be possible without the highest levels of governance provided by our Board of Trustees and its Chair.

The Board meets four times a year (normally January, May, July and October). Two Board meetings are in person, and we ask that the Chair attends other events when they can to meet staff and other key stakeholders, including donors.  

Day-to-day management of Reprieve is provided by the Senior Management Team.  

About You

Our new Chair will be passionate about our vision and mission and will be able to bring inclusive and knowledgeable insight to the Board and the Executive. They will have a keen sense of strategic purpose and an inclusive leadership style that inspires and supports other Trustees, the Executive, staff and key stakeholders to participate. They will be comfortable with challenge and debate and able to encourage that in others whilst fostering a collaborative Board environment. They will be able and willing to act as a figurehead and ambassador, and champion Reprieve’s work through personal networks, social media (if appropriate), and other channels.

They will be willing to lead according to Reprieve’s values and have a passion for seeking justice for the victims of extreme human rights abuses. They will support our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion at Reprieve and share our commitment to fighting against racism and advancing racial justice, both in our work and within Reprieve.

They will have a passion for seeking justice for the victims of extreme human rights abuses. They will support our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion at Reprieve and share our commitment to fighting against racism and advancing racial justice, both in our work and within Reprieve. 

 We actively seek candidates who come from under-represented communities. For more information, please see our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Statement. 

We recognise that reading this person specification might seem intimidating and you might not recognise yourself in every one of these attributes. If you would like to talk, in confidence, our team is happy to have an initial conversation about the role. If you would like to speak to either Maya Foa (Executive Director), Jane Lush (Chair of Nominations Committee), or Stephen Kinsella (Deputy Chair of the Board of Trustees), please email applications@reprieve.org.uk to arrange a time to speak. 

Responsibilities

Your main duties will include:

• Leading the Board in ensuring that it fulfils its responsibilities for the governance of Reprieve
• Chairing and facilitating Board meetings including giving direction to board policy-making and ensuring that decisions taken at meetings are implemented
• With the Executive Director: 
  1. Planning the annual cycle of Board meetings
  2. Setting agendas for Board meetings 
  3. Developing the Board of trustees including induction, training, appraisal and succession planning
  4. Addressing conflict within the Board and within Reprieve, and liaising with the Executive to achieve this
  5. Liaising with the Executive Director to keep an overview of the organisation’s affairs and to provide support as appropriate 
• Being an ambassador and figurehead for Reprieve.

Duties of all Trustees:

• Ensuring that Reprieve pursues its stated objects (purposes), as defined in its governing document, by developing and agreeing a long-term strategy
• Ensuring that Reprieve complies with its governing document (articles of association), charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulation
• Ensuring that Reprieve applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its charitable objects for the benefit of the public
• Ensuring that Reprieve defines its goals and evaluates performance against agreed targets
• Provide support and challenge to Reprieve’s Executive in the exercise of their delegated authority and affairs
• Safeguarding the good name and values of Reprieve
• Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of Reprieve, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place
• Ensuring the financial stability of the organisation
• Protecting and managing the property of the charity and ensuring the proper investment of the charity’s funds
• Attendance and participation at Board meetings and, as necessary, its finance, risk, nominations or development sub-committee meetings
• Ensuring Reprieve cultivates a community that is equal, diverse and inclusive

 Person Specification/ Criteria 

• A willingness to speak your mind and challenge both the Executive and the Board
• A keen sense of strategic purpose
• An inclusive leadership style: able to inspire and support other Trustees, the Executive, staff and key stakeholders to participate
• Experience constructively challenging and appraising senior leadership
• A willingness to be available to the Executive and staff for advice and enquiries on an ad hoc basis
• A clear commitment to Reprieve’s vision and mission
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Willingness to commit two days a month to the role 
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship, as they apply to the Chair of the Board
• Experience of fundraising and its importance to a charity
• Experience of committee work or being on a charity board.

To apply

Please send a short C.V. and a covering letter of no more than two pages detailing your suitability for the role to applications@reprieve.org.uk. Please ensure that your contact details are on your CV. Please ensure the subject line “Chair - your name” is used and that attachments are in PDF format saved with your name and the document title. Please include details of where you saw the role advertised in your email. Applications should be received by 5pm on Tuesday 30^th September. We are holding Thursday 9^th October for interviews with the recruitment panel.