Intensive Care Society Trustee Board
Do you want to help advance and promote the care and safety of critically ill patients and support a charity that punches well above its weight? The Intensive Care Society is seeking one new independent lay trustee.
Please note this is a voluntary position to support our charitable activities and therefore it is unremunerated although reasonable travel expenses are provided (in accordance with our travel policy).
The Intensive Care Society is the largest UK multi-professional membership organisation for healthcare professionals working in intensive care. We are a registered charity and company limited by guarantee and currently have over 3,500 members.
We have a Trustee Board of 8 members and a nationally elected multi-professional advisory Council of 22 clinicians representing our intensive care membership across the UK.
We are looking for one new independent lay trustee with senior management experience (ideally from the NHS working at Director or CEO level) on an initial three year term.
The Trustee Board comprises
Five members elected by Council from the professional bodies we represent
- President of Council and Chair of Trustee Board
- President-elect or Past President (alternate years)
- Honorary Treasurer
- Honorary Secretary
- Recent Council member
Three lay trustees recruited by open advert and interview
- Lay trustee – Marketing and Communications expertise
- Lay trustee – Accounting and charity governance expertise
- Lay trustee – Senior management expertise
The independent lay role
- To play an active role in the governance and strategic oversight of the Intensive Care Society.
- To contribute to strategic discussions and governance of high risk projects.
- To scrutinise board papers, contribute to discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice
- and guidance on new initiatives.
- To commit to spending personal time to prepare for meetings, read papers for feedback and
- follow up on specific governance activities with fellow trustees and the Chief Executive.
- To support, constructively challenge, and motivate the Chief Executive and other senior staff.
The person
Essential criteria
- Alignment with the Society’s core values: Collaboration, Freedom of expression, Accept and respect, and Quality
- Demonstrable commitment to advocating the Society’s work to support its members to improve the healthcare of critically ill patients across the UK
- Senior management experience (ideally in the NHS as a Director or CEO)
- Knowledge and understanding of NHS policy and political influencing
- Good communication and presentation skills.
- A team player with a “can do” attitude and strong problem-solving skills.
Desirable
- Experience in a similar role as a trustee for a charity.
- Experience of fundraising from individuals as well as charity foundations and trusts
Time commitment
You will be expected to attend
- At least four virtual Trustee Board meetings each year. The meetings are approximately three hours in length and are held on Tuesday afternoons from 1pm to 4pm (2024 dates are: 12 March, 14 May, 17 September and 19 November)
- The annual 3-day SOA congress (normally held in June, 2024 it is in Liverpool 18-20 June).
- The Annual Members Meeting in London and the away day with staff and elected Council (normally in December each year)
- At least one Council meeting (held on Tuesday afternoons)
In return we will provide you with
- Insight into the operations and strategy of a complex, multi-professional membership society and charity
- Valuable networking experience in a small Trustee Board and contributing to your continuing professional development
- Experience as a committee member, negotiating, compromising and pooling of creativity, resources and knowledge
- Opportunity to contribute to a charity that cares for its members so they can care for patients in the best way they can.
Duration of role: 3 years subject to review and renewable for one 3 year term
Informal enquiries to trusteeboardsupport@ics.ac.uk
To apply
Submit a CV and supporting statement of up to 500 words, explaining how you meet the criteria,
why you would be a good fit for the role and confirming your availability for the dates set out above.
Email completed applications to sandy@ics.ac.uk
Closing date 12.00 noon on Monday, 12 February 2024
Interviews: 22 February 2024 (tbc)Briefing information on the Intensive Care Society
Our Vision
The Society's vision is a world where every member of the multi-professional intensive care team
is able to deliver the best quality care for those who need it, when they need it.
Our Mission
To be the voice of the multi-professional intensive care community, their patients and their loved
ones and together to advance and promote the best quality care, safety and research.
Our Values
Our values define our culture and are at the very heart of the Intensive Care Society–who we are,
what we do and how we do it.
- Collaboration
We work with others to maximise our impact. - Freedom of expression
We are bold in our actions and words and encourage diversity of views. - Accept and respect
We treat everyone with dignity and respect and accept differences delivering our mission more effectively. - Quality
We provide value by delivering services and products to a consistently high standard.
We have five strategic priorities and two critical enablers.
Five Strategic Priorities (SP)
- SP1 - To be an influential leader and the voice of our multi-professional intensive care community, their patients, families and loved ones.
- SP2 - Grow our membership by delivering quality products and services that support current and future members of the intensive care community.
- SP3 - Influence the implementation of standards, guidelines, policies, quality improvement and research.
- SP4 - Develop an expanded portfolio of quality blended learning activities and accreditation services.
- SP5 - For SOA to be the leading Congress based on educational content, professional development opportunities and networking for those involved in critical care.
Two Critical Enablers
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Governance, financial resilience, and environmental sustainability
Further information
Intensive Care Society | How we are governed (ics.ac.uk)
Intensive Care Society | Our Trustees' Annual Report 2022 (ics.ac.uk)
Intensive Care Society | Your Society - Our Strategy 2023-2027 (ics.ac.uk)
Intensive Care Society | Towards an Inclusive Future (ics.ac.uk)