Join us to have more impact in conservation
About us
The Tropical Biology Association is supporting conservation in Africa and Southeast Asia through developing capacity and launching conservation careers. Our greatest legacy is our 3,000 alumni who are now at the forefront of conservation and research, and driving long-term environmental change.
TBA is best known for its international field courses that launch the careers of aspiring conservationists. Uniquely, half the participants on each course come from the host region (Africa or SE Asia), creating lifelong professional and personal connections. All our teaching is hands-on and practical, using real-world examples to learn from. Our courses build confidence and inspire young people to believe in their power to make a difference.
We also run short courses tailored to the skills needs of government bodies, NGOs, and early-career researchers.
We are a founding member of the Cambridge Conservation Initiative and a co-organiser of the Student Conference on Conservation Science held in Cambridge each year.
Our board and governance
We are a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee, and our offices are in the David Attenborough Building in Cambridge, UK, and the National Museums of Kenya (hosted by Nature Kenya).
Our board comprises 8–10 trustees who meet in person once annually, with two additional online meetings. Our trustees share TBA’s passion for making an impact in conservation through training and supporting careers. They play a vital role in ensuring we deliver our core aims through our strategy and governance objectives.
The principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion are central to TBA’s activities, whether in the office, at the board level, or on our training courses.
We are recruiting a new chair and new trustees.
We are looking for a chair and two new trustees to help guide our organisation and support our team through the next four years. We are a small and agile charity, and by recruiting new trustees, we will build an even stronger, diverse and inclusive board with the right skills and commitment to deliver our strategy and equip us for the future. We are looking for people who have a deep appreciation of TBA’s mission and would like to make a difference through developing the next generations of conservationists in Africa and SE Asia. We welcome applicants who can act as strong ambassadors for TBA and bring in new networks, and we are particularly interested in people who have a background in NGO strategy, fundraising, or treasurer roles.
Your time commitment would be an annual day-long in-person meeting in Cambridge in late June/ early July and two online meetings in October and February. The Chair of the board spends an average of one or two days a month in addition to remote and occasional in person meetings with the TBA Director. The time commitment of trustees depends on their precise role and varies from one to three days a quarter. Trustees serve on the board for four years and a maximum of two terms can be served.
How to Apply
If you are motivated to help us support the next generations of conservationists in Africa and SE Asia, we would love to hear from you. Please send us a covering letter telling us about your relevant experience and what you would like to bring to our board, along with a two-page CV to tba@tropical-biology.org
Closing date 19 September, 2025
Interviews 6-7 October
How we use your personal information:
The information you give us will be retained and processed in accordance with the provisions set out by the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) and further to the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
