Trustee: Digital and IT specialist

Blue Ventures; England; Remote; GBP 30,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking charity dedicated to marine conservation as a Trustee with expertise in data governance and digital oversight. This role is crucial in supporting our digital infrastructure and ensuring compliance with data protection laws. You'll provide strategic guidance on our digital transformation initiatives, including ERP and CRM platforms, while advocating for strong governance practices. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and possess the skills to navigate complex data environments, we invite you to be part of our mission to rebuild coastal fisheries and protect marine biodiversity.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of data protection laws such as GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act 2018.
• Experience advising on digital risk and cybersecurity in complex environments.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic guidance on digital transformation and data governance frameworks.
• Ensure compliance and ethical standards across regions.

Skills

Data Governance

Digital Oversight

Data Protection Compliance

Cybersecurity

Data Architecture

Education

Experience in Charity Sector

Knowledge of GDPR

Familiarity with ITIL

Tools

ERP Platforms

CRM Platforms

Job description

Job Opportunity: Trustee with Expertise in Data Governance and Digital Oversight

Thank you for your interest in joining our board of trustees. Blue Ventures is an award-winning charity working to rebuild coastal fisheries. We are committed to making conservation work for people, demonstrating powerful win-wins for marine biodiversity and coastal livelihoods.

We have a bold ambition: we’re working to create a world where small-scale fishers have bigger catches, better livelihoods, and improved food security, and where healthy oceans teem with life for generations to come.

We are a diverse family of conservation and development professionals. Across 13 countries, our 300+ staff put fishers first. We fight for their rights, support them to fulfill their potential, and supply them with everything they need to manage and protect our oceans in ways that benefit people and nature alike. Our decentralised structure keeps us close to the coastal communities we serve and ensures our work is effective and sustainable.

Blue Ventures is experiencing rapid growth and is uniquely positioned to drive impact at scale in the marine conservation sector. We seek new board members to help maintain our commitment to strong and inclusive governance. We are dedicated to diversity and gender equality within our global organisation and board and welcome applications from candidates with lived experience in the countries and communities we serve.

If you believe you have the skills and passion to succeed in this role and share our values and ambitions, we would love to hear from you. More information about the role can be found in this pack and on our website, along with details about our work and future plans.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Fiona Holmes
Chair, Board of Trustees

Location: Global, preferably in locations intersecting with BV’s work in our programmatic countries (Bristol or London - UK, Madagascar, Indonesia, Kenya, Tanzania, Senegal)

Closing date for applications: 15 May 2025, 12:00 A.M GMT

Start date: June 2025

Term duration: 3 - 6 years

About Blue Ventures

We rebuild tropical fisheries with coastal communities. Our work began two decades ago in Madagascar’s remote coastal communities and is growing globally. We support coastal fishers in remote and rural communities to rebuild fisheries, restore ocean life, and build pathways to prosperity. We collaborate with traditional fishers and community organizations to design, scale, and sustain fisheries management and conservation at the community level.

We also advocate for reform through networks and share tools and best practices to support fishing communities worldwide.

Trustee Role: Digital and Data Governance Expertise

We currently have nine trustees and three subcommittees overseeing People and Culture, Finance, Risk & Audit, and Safeguarding. We seek a trustee with expertise in data governance, digital oversight, and Data Protection compliance to support our digital infrastructure and organizational technology growth. This role involves providing strategic guidance on our digital transformation, including ERP and CRM platforms, and ensuring data governance frameworks uphold compliance, integrity, and ethical standards across regions.

The ideal candidate will have strong knowledge of data protection laws such as GDPR and the UK Data Protection Act 2018, with practical experience advising on digital risk, cybersecurity, and data architecture in complex, international environments. Experience in the charity or international development sector is a plus but not required. Knowledge of governance and compliance related to core systems’ confidentiality, availability, and integrity is essential. Familiarity with frameworks like ITIL, TOGAF, and APM would be advantageous.

For more details, please download the Terms of Reference and the Appointment Brief.