Elections 2024: President-Elect role description

BPS President-Elect overview

The President-Elect is elected from among the members. The successful candidate will serve two years as President-Elect, followed by two years as President. At the end of their term of office as President-Elect, the President-Elect will take up office as President and serve as President until the second Annual General Meeting after taking up office as President.

The President-Elect's role is to support the President in the discharge of their duties while preparing to assume the position of President once the sitting President's term comes to an end.

As well as fulfilling their stated role, the President-Elect is a member of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees are collectively responsible for overseeing the running of the Society.

The Board is the final decision point for determining the Society's strategy and sets the policies by which the Society operates. The Board of Trustees is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Society's charitable objects, protecting the Society's assets and reputation, and managing risk on behalf of the Society's membership, and is ultimately charged with ensuring the long-term health and good running of the Society.

Trustees provide independent insight and challenge to the Society's management and staff, with the intention of ensuring that the Society is well-led, well-run, and delivers maximum value for members and impact in line with the Society's Royal Charter.

Responsibilities of the role

The President-Elect is responsible for:

• shadowing the President and observing presidential activities during the tenure as President-Elect, including familiarising themselves with the Society's policies, processes and practices in preparation for stepping into the role of President
• building effective working relationships with the Chief Executive and the Senior Leadership Team in readiness for the presidential term of office.
• when invited, deputising for the President as necessary, including in representing the Society externally.

Alongside these responsibilities, the President-Elect as a Trustee of the Society carries the same responsibilities as other Trustees:

• ensuring that the Society complies with its Royal Charter, Statutes and Rules, charity law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations
• ensuring that the Society pursues its objects as defined in its governing documents, that it applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Society
• contributing actively to the Board of Trustees by giving firm strategic direction to the Society, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and evaluating performance against agreed targets
• challenging and questioning, in a constructive and respectful manner
• working closely with, and holding to account, the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team for delivery of the Society's strategy and operational plans, including budget
• acting in the best interests of the Society and safeguarding its reputation and values
• building and maintaining an interest in the Society's activities
• gaining the trust and respect of other Board members; listening sensitively to the views of others, inside and outside the Board
• building and maintaining positive working relationships with fellow Trustees, members of the Senate, Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team

Person Specification

Notwithstanding the fact that members are entitled to elect any person qualified to stand, the following would be advantageous for anyone holding the role of President-Elect:

• distinguished reputation within the field and/or profession of psychology
• influential and innovative in psychology
• high level of understanding and interest in the issues that the Society seeks to address/represent as a professional body, learned society, and registered charity
• commitment to the values and principles of the Society
• strong business and financial acumen in either a commercial, academic, or civil society setting
• proven leadership skills
• highly developed interpersonal and communication skills
• strong organisational skills and ability to understand complex strategic issues, analyse and resolve difficult problems
• sound, independent judgement, common sense and diplomacy
• high standards of personal integrity and probity
• sound knowledge of good governance and clear understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, liabilities and responsibilities of trustees
• commitment to promoting the importance of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Trustees will come from a range of backgrounds – and for the Board to have maximum effectiveness it will aim for diverse composition. The common qualities that all Trustees would be expected to have, however, are:

• sound judgement along with the highest professional standards, reputation and integrity
• existing non-executive experience, with an understanding of strategy and corporate governance
• cultural/political sensitivity and regulatory understanding
• strong communication skills and the ability to work with others
• the ability to constructively question and challenge
• wider leadership skills and the ability to think strategically
• strong performance management and analytical skills

Trustees who are members of the Society do not need specific knowledge of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship prior to becoming a Trustee, but will be expected to complete the society's training and induction at the outset of their term.

Term

The President-Elect shall hold office until the second Annual General Meeting after the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected, when they shall take up office as President. The President shall hold office until the second Annual General Meeting after taking up office as President. Under the Charter and Statutes, a retiring President may not be re-elected as President-Elect.

Election process for President-Elect

1. The Society will invite eligible Members to stand for election as President-Elect. This announcement will be made on the Society's website and included in direct-to-Members communications. Members will be directed to the role specification, person specification, guidance notes for candidates for the roles of President-Elect/President, and the questions to be answered by candidates in writing.
2. In accordance with the Charter and Statutes, proposals for election as President-Elect must be made with the written consent of the Member so proposed, by two or more Members who are Chartered Members, Graduate Members, Associate Members, Full Members or Honorary Members who have been Chartered Members, Graduate Members, Associate Members or Full Members. The Society will inform members of the date by which proposals should be submitted. This date will be at least eight weeks before the Annual General Meeting.
3. Candidates will be asked to provide written answers to a number of questions. 
4. In certain circumstances, an individual may be disqualified from serving as a Trustee, under the law or under the Society's governing documents. Candidates will be asked to confirm that they are not disqualified. The Society may carry out checks to ensure that candidates are not disqualified from standing. 
5. Candidates will be offered an opportunity to speak to the current President.
6. Information provided by each candidate, and by each person nominating a candidate, will be made available to members as indicated in the nomination form.
7. Candidates will be informed of the Society's guidance on campaigning in Society elections.
8. The Society will arrange for a vote of members to be held. Each member will have one vote. The vote will be on the basis of first past the post. If only one candidate is standing for election, that candidate will be deemed elected without a vote.
9. The result will be announced at the relevant Annual General Meeting.
10. The Society will publish the results of the election on its website and in any Society publications and/or elsewhere as it deems appropriate.

Process by which President-Elect becomes President

After serving two years as President-Elect (until the second Annual General Meeting after the Annual General Meeting at which they were elected), an individual takes up office as President and serves two years as President (until the second Annual General Meeting after taking up office as President). 

Time commitment

This is a voluntary role. Expenses are paid in accordance with the Society's policies.

The number of meetings and/or other commitments may be higher than indicated. Trustees are expected to read papers and prepare for meetings. Reading/ preparation time is not included in the time estimates below. Subject to these comments, an indication of the expected time commitment is as follows: