Our Board
Our Board of Directors is responsible for Oxfam Australia’s overall performance and compliance, providing strategic direction, effective governance and leadership.
Functions
Our Constitution establishes a governance structure for Oxfam Australia in which the management and control of the business and affairs of our organisation is vested in our Board of Directors.
The Board is responsible for:
- setting the strategic direction and policies of the organisation
- monitoring overall organisational performance
- approving and monitoring the annual budget , ensuring overall financial wellbeing, and managing risk
- ensuring effective engagement with stakeholders
- ensuring the organisation meets all regulatory and statutory requirements
The Board appoints the Chief Executive, monitors their performance and delegates to them the organisation’s operational management. The Chief Executive is the Board’s connection to the organisation’s operations and conduct, and they are accountable to the Board for the organisation’s performance.
The roles and responsibilities of the Board are set out in our Board Charter. All Directors agree to abide by our Board Charter, which commits them to performance of their roles and responsibilities with honesty, integrity and respect.
The Board has developed a Risk Appetite Statement which considers the significant risks to which Oxfam Australia is exposed in the pursuit of its goals and mandate for change.
Composition and structure
The Finance, Risk and Audit Committee is responsible for assisting the Board in matters related to the ongoing financial condition, budgeting practices, risk management and statutory compliance of our organisation.
The Governance Committee is responsible for assisting the Board to improve its own performance, including through overseeing orientation, training and evaluation of individual Directors, Committees and the Board as a whole.
The Nominations Committee is responsible for seeking out, assessing, and recommending appropriately qualified candidates for service on the Board and its Committees.
Meetings
The Board generally meets six times annually with a mix of in person and virtual meetings.
The Finance, Risk and Audit Committee, and Governance Committee generally meet four to five times a year. The Nominations Committee is activated when required.
Appointments
Appointments to the Board are now managed by a Nominations Committee, comprised of the Chair of the Board, the Chair of the Governance Committee, and four community advisors.
When directed to do so by the Board, the Nominations Committee seeks out and assesses applications for Board membership while having regard to the importance of diversity in Board composition. It then submits a shortlist of suitable candidates for the Board’s consideration for appointment.
Performance
The Board self-assesses its performance at the conclusion of every meeting. It formally assesses its performance at least every two years, with an external review at least every four years.
