Role summary
The RVC seeks a new Independent Member of Council with senior leadership experience in the wider veterinary or animal health sectors, agribusiness or pharmaceuticals, not necessarily as a vet. They will provide advice, constructive challenge and act as a sounding board regarding the commercialised veterinary landscape and the RVC’s competitive position, where commercial and regulatory factors need to be balanced.
About Royal Veterinary College
Founded in 1791, the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) is the largest and longest-established veterinary school in the English-speaking world and is a member institution of the University of London. The mission of the Royal Veterinary College is to be a leading international authority in education, clinical care, research, expert opinion and employment in veterinary and biomedical sciences. It ranked as the top veterinary school in the world in the QS World University Rankings by subject, 2023 and it was the first in the world to hold and retain full accreditation from European, Australasian and North American regulatory bodies. The RVC offers outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in veterinary medicine, veterinary nursing, and biomedical sciences as well as CPD programmes in veterinary medicine and veterinary nursing. In April 2023, the RVC was granted full University status by HM the King.
A research-led institution, the RVC conducts world-class science ranging from the molecular through whole-animal, to population-based studies. It does so in the context of comparative biomedicine and One Health, embracing animal welfare, biomechanics, genetics, bioinformatics, pathology, epidemiology, clinical science and public health. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework Exercise, 88% of its research was rated as internationally-excellent or world-class. The RVC also provides support for the veterinary professions through primary care practices and its three world-leading referral hospitals, including the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, Europe’s largest small animal hospital. The clinical facilities are all accredited to the highest level nationally.
The RVC has a dedicated workforce of over 1,000 employees based across two campuses, one in Camden, Central London, the other near Potters Bar in Hertfordshire. Both campuses offer first-class facilities and the Camden site hosts the London Bioscience Innovation Centre (LBIC), a hub for commercial research collaboration and business incubation in the biosciences and biotechnology. LBIC is currently home to more than 50 life science companies, ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups, venture investors and university spin-outs, to several more established businesses.
The RVC is passionate about and fully committed to ensuring the health and welfare of animals and humans. Professionalism, care, and compassion are at the heart of everything it does. The organisation fosters an inclusive culture that promotes equality of opportunity, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students are respected. In the coming years, it will strive to remain at the forefront of pedagogical innovation, thought leadership in cognate sciences and the provision of clinical care. Unique in its governance and structure and a leader since its foundation, the RVC’s international reputation is built upon the synthesis of discovery, dissemination and delivery — and the ability to adapt to the challenges of a changing world and society’s needs. Committed, curious and compassionate, the RVC makes a difference.
With a £45m major transformational estates programme (https://www.rvc.ac.uk/static/strategy/estates/index.html#p=8), including various new student facilities now nearing completion, plans are in development for the construction of a new animal hospital in Hertfordshire to replace the current facility, already the largest of its kind in Europe, maintaining its position at the top of the QS World University Subject Rankings for the third consecutive year and an ambitious strategic plan (https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/About/RVC-STRATEGIC-PLAN-2022-2026.pdf) which is on track to achieve, now is an incredibly exciting time to join the Council and influence its future. Though the higher education sector faces unprecedented challenges, the RVC is in a good financial position with a turnover of £130m and a £10m surplus.
Role Specification
Role specification
The Council is the Governing Body of the RVC. Its membership and the membership of its Committees includes representation from the staff and the student body and members from outside the RVC — the Independent Members. The role of Independent Members, who form a majority of the Members of Council, is analogous to that of the Non-Executive Directors of companies but is also explicitly a role that is one of a trustee of a charity.
Independent Members contribute their specialist skills and knowledge as needed and appropriate in the context of the overall profile and balance of expertise of Council’s and / or its Committees’ current independent membership. They are invited to consider, as part of their familiarisation with the RVC, how they may like to develop and sustain an engagement with the life of RVC beyond formal meetings, in ways best suited to their interests and expertise.
Council works closely with the President and Principal and the Senior Leadership team and Independent Members act as advocates and ambassadors on behalf of the RVC. Council is led by the Chair, Baroness Barbara Young of Old Scone, who joined in August 2019. Independent Members of Council are responsible for setting the overall strategy and for enabling RVC to deliver against the different pillars of its Strategic Plan in the context of a sustainable business model.
Independent Members are expected to engage fully in support of all aspects of the RVC in the context of an increasingly challenging external environment and greater responsibilities for reporting and compliance. The role of all Independent Members includes:
– Working with the Chair and the Council to ensure the RVC is continuously driving forward its agenda through appropriate strategies and overseeing their implementation
– Reviewing the progress of the RVC in meeting its goals against relevant key performance indicators
– Ensuring that the RVC meets its legal and financial responsibilities as a registered charity and Higher Education Provider registered with the Office of Students
– Providing leadership experience to input to Council’s deliberations and decision-making
– Offering advice, guidance and support to the Senior Executive Team
– Contributing to successful relationships with stakeholders
– Being a committed member of the RVC Community, keeping up to date with its activities and plans
– Acting as an advocate for the work of the RVC
Person specification
The RVC now has an opportunity for an outstanding person with senior leadership experience in the wider veterinary or animal health sectors, agribusiness or pharmaceuticals to join its Council. They will work with the Senior Executive Team to achieve the ambitions set out in the 2022-26 Strategic Plan and beyond. They will have sound judgement and excellent interpersonal skills along with an ability to contribute in a collaborative manner to ensure productive discussions and debate at Board level.
The successful candidate might come from the commercial sector, in an entrepreneurial role associated with a vet school or a relevant Professional Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB). They will provide advice and act as a sounding board regarding the commercialised veterinary landscape and the RVC’s competitive position, where commercial and regulatory factors need to be balanced. Though individuals don’t need to be a vet by background, they will bring a strong understanding of regulatory frameworks. Previous Board experience would be welcome but more importantly individuals will demonstrate a clear understanding between the nuances of a non-executive and executive role.
All candidates should possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, energy and commitment, natural authority, insight and a clear understanding of the value of fostering a collaborative and enabling organisational culture. They should be able to demonstrate impact or achievement in their professional life. Above all, they will have a strong interest and empathy towards the mission and values of the RVC which are to be compassionate, professional, respectful, committed and curious.
Board Composition
To find out more about Council Members, please see here: https://www.rvc.ac.uk/about/the-rvc/governance-policy-legal/council
Diversity – RVC for ALL
The RVC welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. As those from an ethnic minority background are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from these candidates would be particularly encouraged. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process.
Terms of appointment
This role is unremunerated, although reasonable travel and other expenses will be reimbursed. There are four Council meetings per year and it is hoped that the new Council member will join one Committee, which tends to have up to four meetings per year. Independent Members are regularly invited to RVC events and ceremonies. The appointment is for a three-year term, which can be renewed twice at the discretion of the Board. Reasonable pre-agreed travel expenses will be reimbursed.
Location: UK-based candidates are preferred, but international candidates who bring the required skills and an understanding of UK Higher Education, or the research and innovation landscape would be welcome to apply. Such candidates would need to be prepared to attend some meetings in person.
To apply for this position, please contact:
Brigitte Stundner
Royal Veterinary College is partnering with Nurole the leading board-level search platform on this appointment. If you’d like to view the full spec click here: https://app.nurole.com/roles/65f85d91f6f0782537353e12.
If you’d like to informally find out more about the role please contact Brigitte Stundner: brigitte.stundner@nurole.com or call Nurole on 020 3637 1012.
