ICAS is recruiting a new Chair for its Members Board
As the former Chair of Members Board, Bruce Pritchard CA, moves to his newly elected role as Deputy President, ICAS is now seeking a candidate to lead the activities of Members Board. This opening provides a great opportunity for an enthusiastic CA who’s keen to help shape the approach to Member and Student engagement across ICAS.
What is the Members Board?
Appointed by Council, the Members Board provides strategic direction, guidance, oversight and challenge to the ways in which ICAS engages with its Members and Students.
What’s the role of the Chair?
Along with overseeing up to six Members Board meetings per year, the Chair must attend various Member events and additional meetings, including those of Council and the Oversight Board. The appointment will be for an initial term of up to three years, which may be extended for a further three.
Who would be suited to this role?
The role of Chair would be ideal for a CA with a keen interest in helping to shape ICAS’ Member-engagement and communications strategy. The Chair must be able to lead, shape a workplan, set the agenda for meetings and provide a reasoned challenge to their team. The ideal candidate will:
- have a sound understanding of the current issues facing Members and students.
- be a demonstrable leader, role model and strategic thinker.
- evidence commitment to inclusion and diversity across the profession.
- be an effective communicator and public speaker.
This is a high-profile role, with the successful candidate expected to act as an ambassador for ICAS at a range of events and meetings with Members and key stakeholders.
What does the outgoing Chair say about the role?
Recently elected ICAS Deputy President, Bruce Pritchard CA, was Chair of Members Board from 2018 until April 2020. As he describes:
‘Members Board plays a vital role in helping to shape and determine ICAS’ strategic direction as it relates to Member engagement. The Board’s sole focus is on delivering a relevant membership offering for ICAS’ 23,000 Members and over 3,000 Students, and we have developed a delivery plan, driven by feedback, to continuously improve ICAS’ service to its Members. I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure as Chair of Members Board and consider it to be the key role in our governance model which champions and supports our Members.’
In the video below, Bruce explains more about the activities of the Board, his experiences as Chair, and what an interested candidate can expect from the role.
Interested in joining Members Board?
In addition to the role of Chair, we are also looking for additional Members to join Members Board. To ensure the composition of the Board continues to reflect the ICAS membership demographics, we are specifically looking for applicants who are based in England or who have 40-or-more years of post-qualification experience.
More information and how to apply
The closing date for applications is noon on Friday 26 June 2020. You can view the full role specification below or for more information please email Sarah Cran, ICAS Director of Member Engagement.
View the full role specification and apply here
ICAS MEMBERS BOARD – CHAIR VACANCY, MAY 2020
Due to the current chair being elected Deputy President of the Institute, ICAS is seeking to appoint a CA to the role of Chair of its Members Board.
The Members Board reports to ICAS Council. The appointment is to take effect as soon as possible, but ideally by August 2020. The role is not remunerated but all reasonably incurred travel and accommodation expenses in relation to the role will be met. The Chair appointment will be for an initial term of up to three years, which may be extended for a further three-year period provided that the Chair still meets the criteria.
ICAS recognises the benefits of having a diverse membership and sees increasing diversity as an essential element of a modern and global profession. More information on ICAS’ approach to equality, diversity and inclusion can be found here.
Duties of Members Board
The duties of Members Board are set out in ICAS’ General Regulations as follows:
- To monitor delivery of the strategy, such as is relevant to the work of the Members Board.
- To provide advice on any matters affecting its interests.
Members Board performs a strategic role in considering all aspects of the way ICAS engages with its Members and Students. The Board initially identified eight priority focus areas:
- Member Value Proposition
- Area Networks
- Student Engagement
- Professional Development
- Prospective Students
- Customer Experience
- Subscription Model
- Member Insights
Additional focus areas are added as a result of discussions at the Board.
The Role of the Chair
The role of Chair of the ICAS Members Board is a high-profile role and would suit someone with a keen interest in helping to shape the Member-engagement and communications strategy. In addition, the Chair must be able to provide a reasoned challenge to the team, lead the Board, shape the workplan and meeting agendas, and be an ambassador for ICAS.
Members Board reports to the ICAS Council and the Chair of the Board must also be a member of Council and will be required to join the ICAS Oversight Board. The commitment required is to attend four to six meetings a year of the Members Board, five meetings a year of Council and four meetings a year of the Oversight Board.
Members Board
- 4 to 6 meetings per year (meetings scheduled to last 3-4 hours), split as required between in-person and video-conference meetings.
- Preparation for each meeting.
- Board members are expected to attend meetings in person, in Edinburgh, unless the meeting is being held remotely/virtually.
Council
- 4 meetings per year (meetings are scheduled to last 5 hours).
- One full-day strategy session.
- Preparation for each meeting.
- Council members are expected to attend Council meetings in person, in Edinburgh, unless the meeting is being held remotely/virtually.
Oversight Board
- 4 meetings per year (meetings are scheduled to last 2.5 hours).
- Preparation for each meeting.
- OSB members are expected to attend OSB meetings in person, in Edinburgh, unless the meeting is being held remotely/virtually.
Each meeting is scheduled well in advance. Some other travel may be involved.
The role of Chair involves:
- providing strategic leadership and overseeing the work of the ICAS staff.
- agreeing the Members Board meeting agendas and minutes.
- overseeing implementation of the Members Board Work Plan.
- ongoing contact with the ICAS staff between meetings as deemed appropriate.
- chairing the Area Network Chairs Forum (meetings twice a year).
- reporting to ICAS Council on an annual basis and Oversight Board as required.
- meeting with key stakeholders.
- attending key ICAS Member events.
- attending area network meetings.
The qualities expected of the Chair are:
- ability to inspire confidence in other Members and stakeholders.
- sound understanding of the issues facing Members and Students.
- demonstrable leader, role model and strategic thinker.
- commitment to inclusion and diversity across the profession.
- unblemished personal and professional reputation.
- commitment to ICAS.
- capable of building and maintaining relationships, diplomatic and personable.
- effective communicator and public speaker.
- capacity and the flexibility to discharge the requirements of the role.
Application Process
Anyone requiring further information should contact Sarah Cran, ICAS Director of Member Engagement.
All applications with an accompanying CV and letter of interest should be sent to Sarah Speirs, Executive Director of Member Engagement.
Closing date is noon on Friday 26 June 2020. All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence and it is expected that interviews will be held during July, for the role to take effect from August 2020.