Role description
Governing Board Member
Term: Initial term of two years, with possibility of 2 additional two-year terms
Remuneration: Unremunerated, but reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed
Time commitment: Half a day per month, including 3 annual board meetings
Reporting to: Chair, Governing Board
About the Governing Board
The Governing Board is the senior advisory body for Open Contracting Partnership. It provides strategic guidance to support the Executive Director and leadership team to maximize the organization’s impact to achieve its mission, and provides external oversight to ensure that the organization is well governed.
Members of the Governing Board serve on a voluntary basis and meet up to three times a year, twice virtually, and one international meeting (two days). The working language of the Governing Board is English.
Key responsibilities
The Governing Board works to support Open Contracting Partnership’s Executive Director and Senior Management Team to help the organization achieve its goals. Its responsibilities cover the following:
Strategic guidance to the Executive Director and Senior Management Team
Ensure that the organization maintains a clear vision, mission and strategic direction, and is focused on achieving these.
Support the creation and iteration of the organization’s strategy, proposed by the Executive Director and Senior Management Team in support of the organization’s mission and values.
Give strategic direction to the organization, shaping goals and targets, and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
Ensure that the voices of stakeholders and communities that the organization represents, serves and partners with are listened to, and are involved in organizational decision-making in appropriate ways.
Ensure that the organization operates efficiently and effectively to fulfill its objectives.
Governance
Ensure that the organization operates efficiently and effectively to fulfill its objectives.
Safeguard the organization’s reputation as a trusted and credible actor within the space.
Ensure high standards of governance and risk management.
Ensure the organization is accountable and transparent in its activities.
Support the Chair as needed with the appointment of the Executive Director.
Work with fellow Governing Board members in a collaborative way, using feedback to enhance Board effectiveness and performance and agreeing individual objectives with the Chair to shape personal contribution.
Financial
Ensure sound financial oversight including review and approval of the annual budget.
Oversight of high standards of financial management.
Ensure the financial stability of the organization.
Advocacy and fundraising
Using personal and professional networks to help the organization’s leadership team with access to potential donors and supporters including governments, international bodies, corporates, trusts and foundations, NGOs, and individuals.
Advice and assistance in raising and maintaining the organization’s profile internationally.
In addition to the above responsibilities, each Governing Board member uses specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board reach sound decisions. This involves scrutinizing board papers, leading discussions on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or other issues in which the individual has special expertise.
Person specification
Who We Are Looking For
We are recruiting up to two new Board members to join in 2026/2027. This board recruitment aims to strengthen the geographic diversity of our Board. We particularly encourage applications from candidates based in the Global South who have experience working across the Asia-Pacific region, especially in India, Indonesia, Thailand, or the Philippines.
We are particularly interested in candidates who bring one or more of the following:
Senior level experience of financial management.
Expertise in public procurement or government reform. Senior experience in public procurement or other relevant government reforms, as a practitioner, policymaker, or reformer; at national or subnational level, ideally with hands-on knowledge of how to drive institutional change.
Digital and data expertise. Experience building or scaling digital government products, open data platforms, or procurement technology, particularly in emerging markets or low-capacity environments.
Civil society and accountability. Leadership in transparency, anti-corruption, accountability journalism, or citizen engagement, with a track record of working across government and civil society.
Organizational governance. Experience in running global projects, teams or organizations with a focus on being mission driven and having hands-on experience with organizational finance, operations and governance.
All candidates should bring: a high-level strategic mindset; the ability to engage constructively and collaboratively; and a genuine commitment to OCP's mission. Prior board experience is valued but not required.
