BGEN is looking for three new Trustees to join our Board and help shape the next chapter of our network and its work supporting plant and nature educators across the UK and Ireland.

We’re recruiting one Fundraising & Development Trustee and two Training & Conference Trustees, bringing new skills, experience and perspectives to the Board as we continue to strengthen BGEN and what we offer our members.

Whether you’ve been involved with BGEN for many years, are relatively new to the network, or have professional experience from elsewhere that could benefit our work, we’d love you to consider whether you could contribute.

Why join the BGEN Board?

BGEN exists to connect, support and champion people working in plant and nature education. Our members work across botanic gardens, gardens, heritage organisations, charities, education and other settings, sharing a commitment to helping people engage with plants, nature and the environment.

Our Trustees play an important role in making that possible.

As well as fulfilling the governance responsibilities that come with being a Trustee, Board members help set BGEN’s strategic direction, contribute their expertise through our workstreams and work collaboratively to turn our ambitions for the network into action.

Joining the Board is an opportunity to contribute to the development of BGEN, work alongside colleagues from across the sector and use your skills and experience to make a practical difference to a growing professional network.

You don’t need previous Trustee experience, and you don’t need to work in a botanic garden. We’re interested in the experience, ideas and perspectives you could bring.

Fundraising & Development Trustee

Our new Fundraising & Development Trustee will help strengthen BGEN’s long-term financial sustainability and support the development of new income streams and strategic partnerships.

Working alongside our Treasurer, Chair, Coordinator and fellow Trustees, you’ll help develop BGEN’s approach to fundraising, identify appropriate grant, sponsorship and partnership opportunities, support funding applications and contribute to the wider strategic development of the organisation.

We’re particularly interested in hearing from people with experience in areas such as fundraising, grant funding, sponsorship, partnerships, business development or organisational development.

Strong relationship-building and strategic thinking skills will be important, but you don’t need to have worked within the botanic garden sector. Experience gained elsewhere could bring valuable new thinking to BGEN.

 Read the full Fundraising & Development Trustee role description

Training & Conference Trustees – two opportunities

Training, professional development and bringing people together to share knowledge are at the heart of BGEN.

We are recruiting two Trustees to join our Training & Conference Workstream, helping shape BGEN’s annual conference alongside our year-round programme of training, networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities.

Working collaboratively with other members of the workstream, our Coordinator and the wider Board, you’ll help ensure our programme responds to the needs of members, supports professional development and creates opportunities for people across our network to connect and learn from one another.

We’d particularly like to hear from people with experience in professional learning, training, conferences, events, programme development or related areas, as well as those with strong communication, collaboration and relationship-building skills.

Read the full Training & Conference Trustee role description

Could you bring something to the BGEN Board?

We want our Board to benefit from a broad range of skills, backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.

We particularly welcome applications from across the different nations and regions of the UK and Ireland, helping us better reflect the geographical breadth of our network and the different educational contexts in which our members work.

Perhaps you’ve never considered becoming a Trustee before. That shouldn’t put you off.

You don’t need previous Board experience to apply. We’re interested in people who care about what BGEN is trying to achieve, can bring relevant professional or transferable skills, and are willing to contribute their ideas, experience and time as part of a collaborative Board.

If that sounds like you, we’d really like to hear from you.

What is the commitment?

Trustee roles are voluntary and home-based, with occasional face-to-face meetings where required.

Trustees attend four online Board meetings each year, meetings of their relevant workstream and the BGEN Annual Conference. The expected commitment is approximately three days per quarter, although this will vary depending on Board priorities and the event calendar.

How to apply

Applications open: Friday 2nd October 2026

Closing date: Tuesday 24 November 2026

Interviews: Early December 2026

To apply, please send your CV and a covering letter of no more than two pages outlining:

• why you are interested in becoming a BGEN Trustee;
• the relevant skills and experience you would bring; and
• how you could contribute to BGEN and the role.

[APPLY TO JOIN THE BGEN BOARD]

Applications should be sent to:

Samantha Bowden
BGEN Coordinator
info@bgen.org.uk

Want to have a conversation first?

We know that putting yourself forward for a Trustee position can feel like a big step, particularly if you haven’t held a Board role before.

If you’re interested but would like to understand more about the roles, what being a BGEN Trustee involves, or how our workstreams operate before deciding whether to apply, you’re very welcome to get in touch.

Please contact Dr Lauren Daly, BGEN Chair, at lauren.daly@obg.ox.ac.uk for an informal conversation.

We look forward to welcoming new voices, experience and ideas to the BGEN Board.