Zero Waste Scotland recruiting chairperson and board members

Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) has announced that it is currently recruiting for its first chairperson and board, in preparation for its move to corporation status in July.

The body, which is funded by the Scottish Government to support the delivery of its Zero Waste Plan, works to ‘maximise the efficient use of some of Scotland’s most valuable resources’ to achieve ‘economic and environmental benefits’.

Currently part of the UK-based Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), it announced in February 2014 that it will move to operate as an organisation in its own right. (Following on from increasing cuts from central government, WRAP has also announced that it is changing the way it is funded, and will be pursuing a bid for charitable status to provide ‘access to a new source of funding’.)

In a letter sent to stakeholders, W George Burgess, Head of Environmental Quality at the Scottish Government, said that the move formed part of the Scottish Government’s plans to focus ‘on creating the conditions for Scotland to benefit from a more circular economy’.

He wrote: ‘Since 2010 we have funded the Zero Waste Scotland programme through WRAP to help deliver our policies, and in 2012 we formally established Zero Waste Scotland as a subsidiary company of WRAP… To support the next stages in our work, we are now looking to integrate the work of Zero Waste Scotland more closely with the wider Scottish policy landscape, our Scottish delivery partners and the Scottish business and research communities.

‘In close consultation with WRAP, we have examined a number of options for realigning the governance and management of Zero Waste Scotland to better achieve these outcomes. We have jointly concluded that the best option is to transition Zero Waste Scotland from a subsidiary company of WRAP operating under the WRAP board, to an organisation operating under its own governance structure.

‘With our support, WRAP and Zero Waste Scotland will now work to put these arrangements in place from 30 June.’

ZWS Position details

As such, ZWS is now seeking candidates for chairperson and board positions with relevant experience in the resource management, energy efficiency, or circular economy sectors.

ZWS has said that those with experience of developing board governance, policies and procedures, and the capacity to devote additional time in the initial phase, would be ‘especially interesting’.

The chair will lead and represent the board of Zero Waste Scotland in the governance of the organisation, to ‘ensure the organisation can move forward on the right strategic path’. ZWS has said that the successful candidate is ‘likely to have a proven track record as Chair of a high profile committee or board in the commercial, public or voluntary sectors’. 

The non-executive director(s) of Zero Waste Scotland will support the executive leadership team and chair in the ‘development of the organisation as an independent body’ and will have joint responsibility with other board members for ‘leading Zero Waste Scotland, in accordance with the agreed policy objectives and vision for the organisation’.

Salaries for the positions have not been released, but ZWS has confirmed that the roles will be remunerated ‘in line with Scottish Government guidelines for posts of this nature’.

‘Looking for committed, experienced individuals’

Iain Gulland, Director, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “As a result of our forthcoming transition to a Scottish-based organisation, Zero Waste Scotland will be even better placed to integrate its work with Scottish delivery partners.

“During this exciting phase in our development to a stand-alone organisation, with a broader remit to deliver on than ever before, we are looking for committed, experienced individuals to lead our corporate governance and ensure our continued effectiveness.

“Meanwhile, the staff team will continue to progress work accelerating Scotland towards a more circular and resource-efficient economy.”

Those wishing to apply to the jobs of chair or member of the board are asked to do so via Odgers Bernston by 2 June 2014.

Find out more about the chair and board positions at Zero Waste Scotland.