Our Board of Directors is member nominated and voted ensuring WaterRA’s member-driven approach starts from the top.
About the Board
Our Constitution establishes a governance structure for WaterRA in which the management and control of the business and affairs of our organisation is vested in our Board of Directors. The Board’s primary functions are to:
- guide the strategic direction and informing policy formation for the organisation
- monitor overall organisational performance
- approve and monitor the annual budget, ensuring an enduring business, and managing risk
- ensure the organisation meets all regulatory and statutory requirements
The Board appoints the Chief Executive Officer, monitors their performance and delegates to them the organisation’s operational management. The Chief Executive Officer 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 the Board Charter, which commits them to performance of their roles and responsibilities with honesty, integrity and respect.
A full list of Director duties and responsibilities can be found in the Directors Position Description.
WaterRA seeks wide representation in its Board membership and considers factors such as geographical representation, areas of expertise, and prior experience on non-profit boards. Board Directors are elected by all members and announced at the WaterRA Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The Board is comprised of nine (9) director positions:
- An independent non-executive director and Chair appointed by Members
- Up to two (2) independent non-executive directors appointed by the Board
- Up to three (3) directors employed by a Utility nominated by Industry Members and elected by Members
- Up to two (2) directors employed by a University nominated by Research Members and elected by Members
- One (1) non-executive director who may be an Industry Member (who may also be a Utility) or Research Member (who may also be a University) nominated and elected by Members
All Board Directors, including the Chair, are elected for a term of three (3) years.
WaterRA has two (2) Board sub-committees, the Human Resources Committee (HRC), and the Risk and Audit Committee (RAAC) that provide an important assurance that key areas (Finance, Human Resources and Risk Management) of the Board’s duties will be rigorously discharged. All Directors participate in at least one (1) sub-committee.
The Board are advised by the Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC) with the Chair position held by a Board Director.
The Board generally meets six (6) times annually, either in-person or online, with additional meetings as required. The Board are committed to understanding the needs of all members and hold Board meetings across Australia, both in capital cities and regional areas.
The HRC and RAAC meet six (6) times per year and the SAC meets at least two (2) times a year.
The Board self-assesses its performance at the conclusion of every meeting. It formally assesses its performance at least every two (2) years.
New Directors receive a formal induction pack on commencement. The Board also provides assistance towards relevant ongoing education for Directors, and ongoing opportunities for Directors to undertake field visits to our national member locations via Board meetings.
Nominations
Nominations are invited for Board positions that become vacant. Members will be notified when nominations open and will be invited to submit an online nomination. Nominations are generally open for two (2) weeks. Additional information for members considering nominating for Board can be found in the Director Nominations Information Pack.
Please note: Industry Members can only nominate for an Industry position and Research Members can only nominate for a Research Member position. Utility positions can only be filled by Industry Members employed by a utility and University positions can only be filled by Research Members employed by a university.
As per the WaterRA Constitution, only individuals who are employees of current Industry Member or Research Member organisations are eligible to nominate to become a Board Director of WaterRA. Nominations cannot be processed from Member Organisations with outstanding fees. All other Members are currently ineligible to nominate for a position on the WaterRA Board. To confirm your organisation’s type of membership, please click here.
To nominate for a Board Director position, all nominations must be endorsed as follows:
Industry Member (Utility) nominating for a Utility Director position
- an Industry Member is required to endorse the nomination, and another Industry Member is required to second the nomination.
Research Member (University) nominating for a University Director position
- a Research Member is required to endorse the nomination, and another Research Member is required to second the nomination.
Industry or Research Member nominating for the Research or Industry Director position
- a Research or Industry Member is required to endorse the nomination, and a Research or Industry Member is required to second the nomination. The endorsement must be from a Member in the same category as the Nominee.
The member endorsement form is available for download at the bottom of the page.
Nominees are requested to address essential criteria and desirable characteristics for new Board Directors to complement the skills and experience of the current Board.
Essential Criteria
An optimal mix of professional skills and experience across our Board is vital to creating an enduring business. All Board Directors must satisfy at least one (1) of these essential criteria:
- Corporate governance experience
- Accounting / Finance experience
- Legal experience
- Experience gained in industry, research or regulation relating to the Australian water sector, water recycling and wastewater management
- Online training and education for the Water Industry/Research sector*
The essential criteria marked with asterisks are current gaps within the WaterRA Board which have been identified as a priority to fill.
Desirable Characteristics
Other professional skills and experience that are desirable to complement those of the remaining Board members and ensure a well-rounded and diverse Board, include:
- IT systems/digitisation experience*
- Stakeholder management and engagement*
- Communications, including social media*
- First Nations’ perspective and advocacy*
It is also desirable for nominees to have completed the AICD Company Directors Course. Successful nominees will be required to obtain a Director Identification Number prior to commencing as a Director.
As part of completing the online nomination form, nominees will be required to provide the following supporting documentation which may be used publicly for voting and promotional purposes:
- Short professional biography
- Current photo (1MB .jpg file preferred)
- Signed endorsements from two (2) current WaterRA members
- Introductory video (optional)
We invite all nominees to submit a short 2-minute video to accompany their nomination for viewing by the membership should an election be required. Although recommended, please note the video is not compulsory and can be shot on any device available to you (such as a phone). Your video and all information provided in your nomination will be available on the WaterRA website once voting opens so that members can learn more about you and better understand the skills, experience and diversity that you would bring to the WaterRA Board.
Recommended structure:
- Maximum Length: 2 minutes
- 30 seconds to introduce yourself (name, position, organisation)
- 90 seconds to answer the question: What can you contribute to the WaterRA Board in its role of guiding the strategic direction of a member-driven WaterRA?
Elections
If the number of nominations for a Board position exceeds the number of vacancies, an election will be required to fill the vacancy. All successful nominees are announced as Directors at the WaterRA AGM, typically held in October of each year.
Unsuccessful nominees may be invited to support Board committees where there are unfilled skills gaps.
If you require any further assistance, please direct any enquiries to [email protected].