Position Description
Board Director- Samaritans of Wellington
About the Role:
As a Board member, your role is to provide strategic and governance leadership to the organisation, using big picture thinking, informed decision-making, business acumen, constructive change management, communication management, and your specific sector knowledge and expertise.
Main Responsibilities:
Participate on one of the organisation’s Committees: Operations, Fundraising and Marketing, or Finance and Risk.
Ensure compliance with the governing constitution and documents, charity law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations as they apply to the organisation
Maintain careful oversight of any risk to the standing of the organisation.
About You:
Prior Board or Committee experience
Understanding of the legal responsibilities and liabilities of a Board member
Experience in volunteer operations, revenue generation, legal, financial, risk management, HR, IT, marketing, Te Ao Māori and fulfilment of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, or community/stakeholder engagement functions
Interest or passion for mental health services preferred
Involvement with the wider voluntary sector desired
Integrity, tact and diplomacy.
What’s in it for You:
Make a difference to the health and wellbeing of our communities
Strengthen your leadership and governance experience
Broaden your network in multiple sectors
Be part of a warm and welcoming team who are passionate about mental health and wellbeing
Time Commitment
Average time required per month is approximately 10 hours
The Board meets 1x per month
Committees meet 1x per month
About Samaritans of Wellington
Listening / Connecting / Saving lives.
We are here for all people across Aotearoa New Zealand.
We respond to people calling for help. We listen without judgement, day and night.
We help people cope. We take action to prevent crises.
We connect with people to save lives.
We are working tirelessly to achieve our vision: that fewer people die by suicide.
How We Work?
When someone needs to speak for any reason, we listen. Our phone helpline volunteers take referrals from specialists when they cannot help. We provide ongoing connection for people experiencing loneliness. Our volunteers are trained to help when crises are happening. Other parts of the system have long waiting lists or criteria that must be met before people are served; Samaritans does not. No matter who they are, if a caller is in need, a Samaritan will support them. Samaritans make it simple: Call us – we are here to listen. Each year, we answer 10,000 to 20,000 calls, offering sympathetic, caring and confidential emotional support to all callers in distress.
Our History and Structure.
The first Samaritans centre in Aotearoa New Zealand was set up in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington in 1965. We work in partnership with other Samaritans centres in Horowhenua Levin, Manawatū Palmerston North, and Rotorua Hawke’s Bay, and together form Samaritans Aotearoa New Zealand.
Our Board and Team
Wellington Samaritans operates with a Board of nine to eleven members. Our volunteer Committees include Operations, Finance and Risk, Fundraising and Marketing. We have 70-90 volunteers including 50-70 phone volunteers who come from all walks of life. We employ three part time staff.
Please note: Board positions are not remunerated but reasonable out of pocket expenses incurred fulfilling the duties of the role can be reimbursed.
Please apply (or seek further information) by emailing Jo-Anne Stokes (Samaritans Help Support) on Wellington@Samaritans.org.nz.
with the following:
Application for the two Board Director positions will close on Monday 4 July, 2026
Listening / Connecting / Saving lives.
We are here for all people across Aotearoa New Zealand.
We respond to people calling for help. We listen without judgement, day and night.
We help people cope. We take action to prevent crises.
We connect with people to save lives.
We are working tirelessly to achieve our vision: that fewer people die by suicide.