The Royal Historical Society seeks to appoint a Secretary for Professional Engagement to join the Society’s governing Council which currently comprises a total of 19 Officers and Councillors who are trustees of the RHS.

The Secretary for Professional Engagement will sit as an Officer on Council and attend Council meetings and will take up the post at an agreed date in 2024.

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 Fellows of the Royal Historical Society. Applications may be made via the Society’s applications platform before the closing date of 11:59 PM, Friday 8 March 2024.

About the role

The role of Secretary for Professional Engagement is designed to develop the Society’s links with professional historians at all career stages. The Secretary will lead on the Society’s professional support of historians, primarily but not solely within UK higher education. The post holder will work closely with the President, Academic Director and CEO in order to provide strategic leadership for the Society in this sphere through the development of training events, networking opportunities, and other activities of their own design.

The RHS runs an active programme of activities for professional historians at all stages, from PhD research to later career. These include training workshops on topics relating to teaching, research, engagement with the media, academic administrative roles, as well as personal career development with a particular recent focus on the needs of historians at mid-career. The Secretary for Professional Engagement will contribute ideas for this programme, and so build on the Society’s offer to historians at all career stages and those who work outside Higher Education.

The role requires a time-commitment of up to two days per month. Owing to the Society’s charitable status, the role is unremunerated.

For further details and specifications of the role please, and how to apply, please see here.

Applications for the post of Secretary for Professional Engagement can made via the Society’s applications platform before the closing date of 11:59 PM, Friday 8 March 2024.

Informal enquiries about the role may be made to: Professor Emma Griffin (president@royalhistsoc.org)

Questions about the application process may be sent to: administration@royalhistsoc.org.