Lay Trustee (voluntary role)

Job Description

Responsible to: President (Chair of the Board) and the Board of Trustees
Term of office: Three years from the date of appointment
Commitment: Average of two days per quarter

British Society for Rheumatology (BSR)
We are the UK’s leading specialist medical society for rheumatology and musculoskeletal professionals. We support our members throughout their careers, allowing them to progress, collaborate and innovate so they can deliver the best care for their patients, improving the lives of children and adults with rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease.

Our vision, mission and values
Vision - People with rheumatic conditions across the lifespan receive the highest quality outcomes and live well. Mission - To champion the specialty, influencing change and building a thriving community of best practice.
Values - The values which guide our approach are:

• Celebratory – we celebrate the achievements in rheumatology
• Inclusive – we support everyone in the rheumatology community
• Sustainable – we work to reduce the impact of our activities on the environment
• Leading – we use our profile to drive change and support those working in the specialty
• Collaborative – we always seek to work with others to have a greater impact

You can read about our current 5-year strategy here: https://www.rheumatology.org.uk/about-bsr/vision-mission-and-values

Purpose of the Trustee role
Members of the BSR Board of Trustees make up the governing body of the society. Trustees are responsible for ensuring BSR remains true to its charitable purpose and objects set out in its governing documents and for meeting BSR’s legal and financial duties as a registered charity. BSR is also a registered company limited by guarantee and therefore all Trustees automatically become company directors registered at Companies House. The BSR Board of Trustees is made up of both elected member trustees (representing the healthcare professionals that make up BSRs membership) and appointed lay trustees.

What difference will you make
BSR is a high-performing award-winning organisation about to reach the mid-point of its current strategic plan. Our membership numbers are at their highest and it is our privilege to design our offer for the extraordinary clinicians working across rheumatology. We strive for continuous improvement and as a trustee you will be instrumental in helping us define what our impact should be and ensure we achieve our goals. We work alongside the complex and changing environment of the NHS and want to ensure that the rheumatology voice is heard and that the specialty designs and dictates its own future – an approach the Board will own. Our trustees support our drive to be financially sustainable, motivating our work on income generation and overseeing our investments. You will be part of a Board committed to constructive discussion, effective decision-making and respectful of everybody’s contribution.

To apply, please click 'apply', upload a cover letter, setting out how you meet the person specification and why you are interested in the role along with your CV, by 9am on Monday 23 September. We are aiming to interview candidates on Wednesday 2 October.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Sarah Campbell, BSR Chief Executive via governance@rheumatology.org.uk

Key Responsibilities

• Contributing to the strategic direction of BSR setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and evaluating performance
• Ensure that BSR as a charity complies with charity law, and with the requirements of the Charity Commission as regulator, including that BSR remains true to its charitable purpose
• Safeguarding the charity’s assets, including its financial sustainability
• Be the custodian of and champion BSR’s values
• Demonstrate commitment to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion
• Scrutinise board papers, contributing to discussions, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives
• Support, constructively challenge, and motivate the Chief Executive and other senior staff
• Work in a collegiate way with fellow Board members to support the Chair and to provide timely, robust decision-making and leadership.
• Join other standing committees as required by the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
  
  

Time commitment

• Attending four Board of Trustees meetings per year and other governance committee meetings as required (meetings are a mix of in-person and online)
• Attending the BSR Annual General Meeting (normally held in June).

As well as attending the set committee meetings listed above, trustees may also be asked from time to time to:

• Attend events and other meetings on behalf of BSR
• Attend governance and finance training sessions. A comprehensive induction is provided for all new Trustees, including access to external financial training as required
• Be available by email or for calls between board meetings for advice and to make decisions by circulation.
  
  

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Owing to changes on the BSR Board of Trustees, BSR is particularly keen to hear from those with experience of:

• Public sector or charitable senior leadership, or
• Wealth management and investments.

More generally, we seek:

• A commitment to BSR, its charitable objectives and values
• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to the trustee role
• The ability to think and apply knowledge strategically
• Integrity and sound independent judgment
• A willingness to listen and learn to make effective decisions.

Inclusion and Diversity statement

BSR is committed to encouraging inclusion, equality and diversity in our workforce. We are actively trying to increase the diversity of our Board of Trustees. We try to reduce as many barriers as we can for those with a disability. We know that everyone is an individual, so please always tell us what we can do to support you.

We welcome approaches from individuals from underrepresented groups, including those from minoritised communities, and those with a disability, to better reflect the community we serve and help broaden our perspectives.

Benefits

BSR will cover all out-of-pocket expenses incurred in carrying out the role of trustee and provides ongoing training for all trustees.