2022 is an exciting year for ARMA. We will be appointing a new Chief Executive Officer, who will take the Association forward as we continue to build on existing relationships and forge new ones with Government, funders, international partners and sister associations, ensuring that the voice of our members continues to be heard. In accordance with our current strategy, we will be developing our member offer, and broadening our membership to welcome new communities. Leading this positive energy will be our Board of Directors.
ARMA Directors and what they do
This summer, two of our Directors will come to the end of their first, 3-year term of office. In accordance with our Articles, these vacancies are advertised for all to apply.
ARMA’s Board is made up of up to ten members of the Association, selected for their specific experience, knowledge and skills. Board member appointment is ratified by members, at the Annual General Meeting in June. Collectively, and as individual Non-Executive Directors, our Board members are responsible for the governance and performance of the Association, financial management, and compliance with relevant legislation and regulations. The Board is also responsible for setting the strategic direction for the Association, ensuring that member interest remains at the core.
What we’re looking for
While we are not necessarily seeking to appoint a Director with a specific portfolio, we would specifically welcome applicants with the following knowledge and experience:
- Learning & Development
- Qualifications design and delivery
- International
- Communications and Marketing
All Directors have a responsibility to ensure that the Association is delivering an appropriate offer for its members. Specific responsibilities include:
- Strategy: Looking across all Portfolio areas to ensure appropriate delivery of ARMA’s strategic objectives.
- Performance: Scrutinising the performance of the Executive Office in meeting agreed goals and objectives, and monitoring the reporting of performance.
- Risk: Satisfying themselves on the integrity of financial information related to ARMA’s operations, and that financial controls and systems of risk management are robust and defensible.
- People: Working with the Executive Office to determine appropriate support and succession planning for the Association’s business.
To ensure as diverse a representation as possible, these vacancies are open to all career stages and not just those in senior management positions. Applicants are not required to have a research administration/management background but an appreciation of the policy and funding environment surrounding research would be desirable.
It is recognised that applicants may not have prior experience as a Director or Trustee, and therefore appropriate training, mentoring and support will be provided. Some involvement in more general committee business and decision making, not necessarily associated with ARMA, is desirable.
ARMA membership is not required at the time of application. In the event that you are successful, however, you will be asked to join the Association. Details of membership fees can be found here.
Please note that the above criteria are indicative. If they don’t quite fit your career journey but you still know you have a lot to offer our membership, we’d still love to hear from you.
ARMA and EDI
ARMA is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. It is a strategic priority for us to improve representation within our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from groups who are underrepresented within our community. We are committed to taking active steps within our recruitment process to reduce bias and minimise barriers to application and participation. We are also committed to offering a flexible and inclusive working environment for our employees. We offer a range of adjustments throughout the process to enable full participation. If there is anything further we can do, we encourage you to get in touch.
The role in depth
These posts, which commence 1st August 2022, are unpaid, although all relevant travel and accommodation expenses associated with the role will be reimbursed.
The Board currently meets formally four times per year, with a shorter monthly catch-up meeting; these meetings are currently conducted via Teams. There is also an annual strategy planning meeting, which ideally meets face to face in the autumn, and traditionally runs over two days.
Board members are consulted on a fairly regular basis, may be asked to look over and comment on documents, and may be invited to participate in meetings on ARMA’s behalf. Some Board members have portfolios or may be asked to lead specific initiatives.
The overall time commitment per month is around 6-11 hours (3-5 hours for Board meeting attendance and preparation, 2-4 hours for consultations/document perusal, 1-2 hours for meetings on ARMA’s behalf), plus 3 days per year (including preparation) for the annual Strategy Day. For those tasked with leading portfolios, the time requirement will vary, but this is likely to be in the order of 1-2 days per quarter.
A role description is attached as Appendix 1.
What to do next
If you are interested in applying for the role, please send Hamish Macandrew, Chief Operating Officer, a covering email and brief CV by 9am on Tuesday 19 April, summarising why you would like to become a Director and outlining the ideas, skills and experience you believe you can bring to the Board.
We will then review the expressions of interest we have received, and call shortlisted candidates for an interview. Interviews will be approx. 45 minutes and conducted via MS Teams. Questions will be issued several days in advance and the interview will be convened by the Chair of ARMA, with two others, representing one of the Committees and the membership body respectively.
Not sure if this is for you?
If you’d like to ask any questions about these vacancies or the selection process, email hamish.macandrew@arma.ac.uk. We’ll treat your enquiry completely confidentially and post an unattributed response in the Q&A section below.
Alternatively, if you’d like to discuss the role in more detail, in total confidence and with no obligation to proceed, please contact Hamish Macandrew, Chief Operating Officer at hamish.macandrew@arma.ac.uk for a Teams or telephone appointment.
We are keen to advertise these roles as widely as possible. If you know someone, or are part of networks, who may be interested, we’d love for you to share this with them.