Board Member

Proudly Aotearoa New Zealand-grown. Now building a presence worldwide - we need two trustees to help lead both.

Terra Nova is an independent global think tank & change activator based in Aotearoa New Zealand.

We are here to address the root cause of environmental decline. We believe the central problem isn’t a lack of information, it’s a broken relationship between people and the natural world. When that connection is lost, over-consumption becomes normal. Extraction accelerates. Our work rebuilds it.

Our impact is grounded in kaitiakitanga (the Māori principle of guardianship and intergenerational responsibility), and in a simple conviction: that the choices we make now shape our immediate future and what we leave for the generations who come after us.

Based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, we train changemakers and help organisations genuinely transform how they operate, and we’re building a regenerative cross-sector and industries initiative that offers a practical, replicable model for societies worldwide. Aotearoa is where this work began, and staying rooted here matters to us as much as the impact we're building beyond it.

Now we're taking that model further - deepening our roots here in Aotearoa while entering an ambitious period of international growth. We're looking for two trustees who want to help shape that next chapter, at home and on the world stage, not just watch it unfold.

This isn't a ceremonial board seat. We want active, analytical, well-connected people who will help set strategy, open doors into new networks and sectors, and bring significant expertise to bear on the hard questions a small organisation scaling up faces. We're doing groundbreaking work that more of the world needs to see - if you are impassioned about this mission and have the networks, credibility or connections to help carry it further, particularly onto the international stage, we want to hear from you.

Why this board

• Real influence. We're building a board of people who help shape where we go next, not people who simply sign off on where we've already been.
• A genuinely progressive mission, at a genuinely exciting moment - ready to scale proven regenerative work into new communities, in New Zealand and beyond.
• A board that isn't one-note. We're deliberately building a mix of backgrounds, perspectives and expertise, and want people who bring something distinct to that mix.
• A cause worth lending your name and your network to - work that changes how organisations and communities relate to the natural world, and through them, changes outcomes for people and planet.
• Proudly grounded in Aotearoa. We're growing our presence here at the same time as we grow internationally - this is a chance to help build both.
• A genuine growth lever. We especially want trustees who can help carry our work, our profile and our funding base onto the international stage, whether through global networks, philanthropic connections, or reach we don't yet have.

What we ask of every trustee

• Respect - for yourself, for people, and for all other living beings.
• A kaitiakitanga mindset - being guardians for the generations who follow, not just the term ahead.
• A true commitment to our impact: shaping direction, bringing who you are, understanding the nuances of decisions, and working through solutions alongside us.
• Active, engaged governance - not just a seat at the table.
• Curiosity, creativity, and a genuine belief in what humans are capable of when connected to who they are and their Earth, including the possibility of protecting and creating a world we can all thrive in.

Expertise we'd love on the board

You don't need to tick every box. We're looking for people with depth in two or three of these, and genuine enthusiasm for the rest:

• Leading systems change
• Strong existing relationships across sectors, industries and communities, including international networks and an appetite for building more
• Risk management (balancing across all risk levels)
• Philanthropy and donations strategy, particularly international funding and grant networks
• Legacy management
• Income and revenue generation
• Human behaviour and psychology
• Financial management, accounting or resource leveraging
• Administration, organisational obligations and legal compliance
• Local and global trends in human behaviour and innovation
• Asset acquisition and management
• Strategic communications and creative marketing, including building profile and credibility internationally

The practical bit

• Two trustee positions, voluntary - we are all in for Earth. 
• A three-year term.
• A commitment to approximately 4 board meetings a year, a strategy day, and involvement in working groups aligned with your expertise as relevant.
• Based in New Zealand or fully remote/international. We're proudly Aotearoa-rooted, and equally welcome hearing from people internationally - meetings run via Zoom at a time that fits the global timezones of our Board members. 

Ready to apply?

Send your contact details (email & phone including country code) to executive@terranova.foundation and we will send you the link to submit your application.

Closing Date is 18th October 2026

Need more information?

Send an email to executive@terranova.foundation with the subject line Board Member Enquiry