Could you use your skills and experience to make a difference leading a fantastic small health charity? Pharmacy Research UK (PRUK) is the principal research charity supporting pharmacists and pharmacy. We fund research projects and individual bursaries, working to improve skills across the pharmacy sector, to provide an evidence-base to improve the practice of pharmacy, to highlight the vital role of pharmacy in our health services and ultimately to improve public health.
We are looking to recruit two new trustees to join our board at an exciting time for the charity as we continue our development at this critical time for pharmacy and medical research. During a global pandemic, when health research and the work of pharmacists has come increasingly to the public eye, this is a great opportunity to be part of this small but effective research funding charity. Since its inception in 2012 PRUK has provided more than £2million worth of research funding into this hugely important and often under-researched area of work.
Anyone can be a trustee and we welcome all applications to join our board. We always seek to maintain a good balance of skills and experiences on the board and so are particularly interested to receive applications from people with experience in academia, pharmacy, and / or finance and budgeting. We also want to ensure that our board is representative of the community we serve and so encourage applications from female candidates and candidates from black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, and from candidates across all nations of the UK.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter outlining the reasons for your interest and suitability for the role to guy.parckar@pharmresuk.org.uk by Friday 26th November.
For more information about the role, please see the job description and person specification below. And if you need more information about the role you can contact Guy Parckar on guy.parckar@pharmresuk.org.uk.
Trustee of Pharmacy Research UK – job description and person specification
Remuneration: No remuneration, but expenses covered
Location: Home-based, or East Smithfield, London, E1W 1AW
Time commitment: 4 board meetings per year
Background
Pharmacy Research UK is the principal funder of research into pharmacy in the UK. We work to benefit the health of the public through research that can drive positive change in the practice of pharmacy and highlight the vital role that pharmacy plays in our health services. Our work is overseen by our board of trustees.
The board meets four times a year, either remotely or at Pharmacy Research UK’s offices in the headquarters of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society near Tower Bridge.
We expect our trustees to actively contribute to the oversight of the organisation, through meetings or committees, and to be able to participate in a majority of board meetings each year.
Trustees are appointed for terms of three years after which they may be re-appointed. PRUK also has a Finance and Investment Committee that takes additional responsibility for overseeing our finances – trustees who choose to sit on the committee sometimes attend an extra meeting in the week before our main board meeting.
Job description
The statutory duties of a PRUK trustee are as follows:
- Ensuring that the organisation pursues its stated objects (purposes), as defined in our charity deed through setting the strategic direction for the organisation;
- Ensuring that PRUK complies with our trust deed, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations;
- Ensuring that the organisation applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its charitable objects for the benefit of the public;
- Overseeing and approving the distribution of our research grants;
- Safeguarding the good name and values of the organisation;
- Ensuring the effective and efficient administration of the organisation, including having appropriate policies and procedures in place;
- Ensuring the financial stability, and sound financial management, of the organisation;
- Following proper and formal arrangements for the appointment, supervision, support, appraisal and remuneration of the CEO, and where appropriate others in the staff team.
In addition to these statutory duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the board of trustees reach sound decisions. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, or other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.
Person specification
- A commitment to the vision and values of Pharmacy Research UK;
- A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to supporting the organisation;
- Strategic vision
- Good, independent judgement
- An ability to think creatively
- A willingness to speak their mind
- An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of being a trustee
- An ability to work effectively as a member of a team
- A commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
