The Royal Historical Society (RHS) seeks to appoint a new Secretary for Education (previously known as Vice President for Education Policy) to its Council, the Society’s governing body, which currently comprises a total of 18 Officers and Councillors who are Trustees of the RHS.
The Secretary for Education will be a Trustee of the Royal Historical Society, sit as an Officer on Council, attend Council meetings, and act as Chair of the Education Committee. The new postholder will take up the position in time for the May Council meeting or as soon as possible thereafter.
The appointment is for a two-year term, with possibility of renewal up to four years, and is part of a review of the Society’s governance to focus on areas of key importance to the discipline at this time. Applicants must be based in the UK, be Fellows of the Royal Historical Society, and able to indicate one or more institutional affiliations.
A number of other RHS roles – Secretary for Research, Honorary Treasurer, and Vice-President – will fall vacant in 2023. Recruitment for these is expected to start in spring 2023. Informal enquiries about any of these roles may be made to: Professor Emma Griffin (president@royalhistsoc.org).
About the role
The Secretary for Education is expected to lead the Society’s education policy and to promote the development of high quality teaching of history, both inside universities and beyond. The role holder will work closely with the President, Academic Director and CEO in order to provide strategic leadership for the Society in this sphere.
The role holder will chair the Society’s Education Committee; network with and represent the Society with a range of external organisations and stakeholders in the sphere of History teaching; develop and implement the Society’s Education strategy as approved by Council.
The RHS is governed by Council which determines all strategic policy, creates and oversees its committees, appoints the President and Officers, manages the Society’s finances and its award of grants and prizes, determines the editors of its various publications, and directs relations with the Society’s members. The new Secretary for Education is expected to play his/her part in these spheres of activity.
He/she will be appointed as a Trustee of the Society and will agree to carry out their duties in line with the best practice set out by the Charity Commission. Full support in this is provided by the Society’s central Office. He/she will also help the us realise our ambitions to make the Society an open and welcoming organisation that reflects the wide variety of professional historians contributing to the health and vitality of the discipline.
Specifications for the role
Suitable candidates for this role will likely have had prior involvement in a similar historical organisation, especially in its strategic development, policy and committee work, or will have held a leadership, creative or organisation position in an academic department, possibly with a focus on teaching and pedagogy. Applicants must be Fellows of the Royal Historical Society.
The role requires a time-commitment of up to two days per month. Owing to the Society’s charitable status, the role is unremunerated. The Society is looking for someone who can offer creative ideas and connections, who will represent the Society to external organisations, and speak to this subject at the RHS Council. The Society employs a small, highly skilled staff who will provide full support to assist the role-holder in the execution of his/her duties. The RHS will reimburse all reasonable expenses incurred as part of undertaking this role.
The Society is looking for someone who is willing and able:
- to chair the Society’s Education Committee and make a creative and positive contribution to the Society’s Education Policy;
- to lead the Society’s programme of prizes and grants in support of teaching activities;
- to work with outside organisations and stakeholders (for example, the Historical Association, History UK, Institute of Historical Research, exam boards) with shared interests in the teaching of history in a variety of contexts;
- to oversee the Society’s Masters’ Scholarship programme for historians from groups underrepresented in history;
- to oversee the continued development of the Society’s Teaching Portal, offering guides for HE teachers and students;
- to help the RHS develop future initiatives and to promote high quality teaching in universities and beyond;
- to act as a Trustee of the Royal Historical Society, adhering to governance best practice, as set out by the Charity Commission, at all times;
- to attend Council and relevant committees and actively participate in the associated workload.
Application Process
Submission must be made via the Society’s applications platform.
Those interested in making an application will be asked to provide:
- a CV (no more than 3 pages);
- a letter / statement outlining their ability to perform the role and relevant experience;
- a 500-word statement indicating their vision for the role;
- the names of two referees at least one of which will be a Fellow of the RHS. We will not contact referees without prior permission.
Informal enquiries about the role may be made to: Professor Emma Griffin (president@royalhistsoc.org)
Questions about the application process may be sent to: governance@royalhistsoc.org.
The deadline for applications is: 11:59 PM, Tuesday 31 January 2023.