Thank you for your interest in joining the team at the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion!

Join the Board of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion

The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion (CMSC) is seeking new members to join our Board of Directors and help guide the next stage of our development and global impact.

About CMSC

The Center for Mindful Self-Compassion (CMSC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating human suffering and improving the collective well-being of the planet through the practice of self-compassion.

Co-founded by Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer, CMSC provides training, resources and community for people around the world who want to learn, practice and teach mindful self-compassion. Our programs are grounded in scientific research and established teaching methods, and together with our international partners we have trained more than 4,000 teachers worldwide.

As we look to the future, we want to strengthen our Board with people who share our commitment to making self-compassion more accessible to diverse populations around the world and who can bring experience, perspective and constructive challenge to our work.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for thoughtful and engaged people who feel a connection to our mission and would like to contribute to the future of CMSC.

We welcome people with a wide range of professional backgrounds, lived experiences and perspectives. An understanding of, or connection to, the broader mindfulness and compassion communities would be valuable, as we want our Board to remain connected to the wider field and the changing landscape in which our work sits.

At this particular stage in CMSC's development, experience in some of the following areas would be especially valuable:

• Fundraising, philanthropy and resource development
• Strategy and organizational development
• Marketing, communications and audience development
• Digital engagement, online learning and technology
• Partnerships and relationship development
• Nonprofit governance and leadership
• Research, education, healthcare or other fields where mindfulness and compassion-based approaches are relevant
• Working internationally and across different cultures and communities

These are not requirements, and we do not expect any one person to bring expertise across all of these areas. Our priority is to find Board members who care about the work, understand the broader context in which CMSC operates, and can contribute their own experience, judgement and perspective to the Board.

What It Means to Be a CMSC Board Member

Collectively, Board members are responsible for governance, fiduciary oversight and strategic direction and work in partnership with the Executive Director and leadership team.

Board members are expected to:

• Support CMSC's mission, vision and values
• Prepare for and participate actively in regular Board meetings
• Contribute to Board committees and areas where their experience is particularly relevant
• Provide strategic perspective, constructive challenge and support
• Act as ambassadors for CMSC and help strengthen its relationships and public profile
• Support fundraising and resource development
• Attend the annual in-person Board retreat
• Make a personal financial contribution at a level that is meaningful and appropriate for them

Above all, we are looking for Board members who are engaged, thoughtful and collaborative, and who want to contribute their experience to advancing CMSC's mission.

What You Might Bring

There is no single profile for a CMSC Board member.

You might be an experienced leader, educator, researcher, practitioner, entrepreneur, philanthropist or someone who has contributed to the mindfulness and compassion field in another way.

Previous nonprofit Board experience is valuable, but it is not essential. What matters is an understanding of the responsibility of governance, a willingness to learn, and a commitment to contributing actively as part of a Board.

We particularly value:

• Strategic thinking and sound judgement
• Curiosity and openness to different perspectives
• A willingness to engage and contribute
• An international outlook
• Cultural sensitivity
• A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging
• Integrity, credibility and respectful communication
• A collaborative approach to governance and leadership

Commitment

Board members serve a three-year term, with the possibility of renewal.

The Board meets virtually 10 times per year, and members are expected to attend at least 7 of these meetings annually, contribute to relevant committees and attend CMSC's annual in-person Board retreat.

Board service is voluntary and unpaid. Approved travel expenses associated with Board duties are reimbursed.

To avoid conflicts of interest, individuals who are currently compensated by CMSC are not eligible for Board membership.

Interested?

If you care about the role that self-compassion can play in people's lives and communities, and you would like to contribute to the future of CMSC, we would be delighted to hear from you.

You do not need to fit a particular professional profile. We are interested in what you could bring to the Board — your experience, your perspective, your connections to the wider field and your ideas about how CMSC can continue to grow its impact around the world.

We welcome applications on a rolling basis and will continue to consider candidates for as long as this advertisement remains published on our website.

To apply, please send your CV or résumé together with a short letter or email telling us about your interest in CMSC and what you believe you could contribute to the Board to jobs@centerformsc.org.