Deadline: 1 November 2020
The Society’s Board of Trustees is seeking candidates for three essential roles to take office in approximately one year’s time at the 2021 Member Forum:
- Honorary Treasurer & Chair of Finance Committee
- Chair of Conferences Committee
- Chair of Publications Committee
The Physiological Society (‘The Society’) Board consists of 13 Trustees including the three Honorary Officers – President (and Chair), President-elect, Honorary Treasurer (and Chair of the Finance Committee), the Chairs of the Advisory Committees of Council, an Early Career Trustee, four General Member Trustees and two Independent Trustees.
Trustees are collectively responsible for setting strategy, ensuring the activities of The Society are in furtherance of our charitable objects and ensuring good governance and risk management. In line with Charity Commission guidance, The Society is working towards an inclusive Board that reflects the profile of the membership to ensure it remains dynamic, representative, and accountable.
What’s involved?
Trustees have to be registered with the Charity Commission upon appointment and are also the Company Directors; this means they have to be registered with Companies House and have (similar) responsibilities under Company Law. The Articles of Association, The Society’s governing document, can be viewed here, and supporting Regulations, can be viewed here.
Board meetings are formal meetings of the Trustees and are held four times per year. Papers are sent one week in advance and Trustees are expected to attend, be prepared to listen, engage and actively contribute to discussions and decision making which is in the best interest of the Charity as a whole without conflict of interest or loyalty. Trustees are expected to uphold the Trustee Code of Conduct.
The Society schedules training sessions and workshops for Trustees as required. A dinner is held the night before a Board meeting and Trustees are supplied with overnight accommodation ready for the Board to commence at 9:30 the following morning. All reasonable Society-related expenses are reimbursed in line with The Society’s expenses policy.
For supplementary material, please refer to the Charity Commission guidance ‘Trustee expenses and payments (CC11)’ and ‘Conflicts of interest: a guide for charity trustees (CC29)’.
Required skills and experience:
Please read the job descriptions carefully for eligibility criteria, required skills and experience. Newly elected Trustees are offered training upon appointment so although previous experience as a Trustee is useful it is not required; more essential are the skills required for the specific role to which you are applying. All Trustee positions are for a four-year term.
Please refer to each committee’s Terms of Reference for more information:
Applicants for the roles must be Full Members (including Honorary and Fellow Members) and be nominated by five other Full Members. It is the candidate’s responsibility to acquire support prior to submitting the application form. If you need assistance contacting appropriate Members please utilise the Member Directory.
The Society is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages expressions of interest from all communities and backgrounds.
How to apply:
Click here to complete a nomination form for the Honorary Treasurer, the Chair of Conferences Committee or the Chair of Publications Committee. The deadline for submissions is 1 November 2020. If you have any queries about the application process please email governance@physoc.org.