Call for Nominations to Serve on the ARA Board
Would you like to help shape the strategic vision for the record keeping sector in the UK and Ireland?
Would you like to help develop the ARA’s role and policy direction?
Are you an ARA member looking use your skills and experience in a wider context and gain wider knowledge of our sector at strategic level? Keen to develop your general and budget management skills? How about influencing the management and direction of your professional body? Or, frankly speaking, do you think the ARA can and should be doing things better? If your answer to the above is yes, then why not stand for election to the ARA Board?
Our annual elections to the ARA Board take place at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). This year’s AGM is on 14th June 2024 and will be held online.
Andrew Nicoll (Chair), David Powell (Honorary Secretary), Stephen Scarth (Honorary Treasurer) and Elizabeth Thompson-MacRae (Trustee) will all be leaving the Board at the expiry of their terms of office.
Some members of the Board will be standing for election for particular roles:
Ruth Macleod current Vice Chair will be standing for Chair
Julie Bon will be standing down as a Trustee and standing for election as Vice Chair
This means there are effectively six vacancies on the Board and notwithstanding the intentions of existing Board members the following roles are available:
Chair, Vice Chair, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary and two Board Trustees.
Although we have existing Board members standing for election to Chair and Vice Chair you are still entitled to stand for election for those and the other positions. See below for more information including on how to stand.
What are the benefits for me?
Widening your professional knowledge and sector network
Improving your awareness of key issues
Gaining valuable experience in management and governance
Dedicated training on how to become and remain an effective Board member and charity trustee
You may develop transferable skills that could support your own job and career
What does the Board do?
The Board oversees all aspects of the Association’s work. Individually, Board members are responsible for setting the ARA’s direction, strategy and policy. Members have oversight of the various activities, groups, sections, nations and regions that make up the ARA. Together the Board, officers and members are working on more projects, with more partners and are making more impact than ever before. The ARA is an increasingly powerful advocate for our sector and the Board oversight and direction of our programmes and policies ensures we have our priorities right and that our members’ voice is heard.
If you would like to gain more experience of setting strategy and policy and bring to the ARA your own professional work skills and background – this is your opportunity; and we need you, too. While we don’t reserve specific places on the Board for individual parts or ‘professions’ in our sector or groups of members we do want the Board to reflect as far as possible the current make up of our Association and how it will develop in the coming years.
How long to Board members serve?
Members of the Board (except the Chair) serve three years before either standing down or seeking re-election. So you will need to be able to manage at least a three-year commitment (or two years as Chair). The Board usually meets six times a year. Three meetings are in-person and three are held on MS Teams. All reasonable expenses related to members' work on the Board are reimbursed.
What do we need?
We’re looking for successful leaders who together would bring us a mix of experience, to complement that of our current board.
We would be delighted to hear from you if you have skills and experience to help us.
Alongside your specialist skillset and background, you’ll share our passion for and commitment to record keeping. You’ll possess the ability to apply sound judgement and make credible commercial decisions. You’ll have strong strategic vision and be willing to accept the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship.
In line with the ARA's overall objectives to improve equity, diversity and inclusion in the recordkeeping sector we would also like to make our Board more diverse and therefore particularly welcome nominations from people with protected characteristics of any kind.
So I would like to stand. What next?
Here is what you need to know if you feel you have a contribution to make.
The places on the Board open for election are:
Trustee Board (two vacancies) members a role description can be found here
Vice Chair – a role description can be found here
Honorary Secretary – a role description can be found here
Honorary Treasurer – a role description can be found here
All members (individual, student or affiliate) can stand for the vacancies as ordinary elected Board members. Only full individual members can stand for the role of Chair, Vice Chair, Honorary Secretary or Honorary Treasurer.
To stand for election you will need to let John Chambers, Company Secretary, know that you wish to stand and provide the names of your proposer and seconder.
You, your proposer and seconder must each send an original e-mail to John Chambers. These must reach us not later than 14th April 2024. Emails should be sent to: john.chambers@archives.org.uk
For more information please contact either:
Andrew Nicoll (Chair of the ARA): andrew.nicoll@archives.org.uk or John Chambers: john.chambers@archives.org.uk.