SRF Treasurer Vacancy 2021-2024

Voting is open for SRF Treasurer 

The Committee are please to confirm that there are two nominations for the role of Treasurer, Professor Bruce Burphy and Dr Nick Wheelhouse.  An email with a unique voting link was sent on Thursday 3 September to all members who are eligible to vote.

Nominees 

Professor Bruce Murphy

As a member of SRF for more than 40 years, my interest in the Treasurer position stems from my hope to contribute to the stability and continuity of the Society. Relevant experience, I served three terms as the Treasurer of the Society for the Study of Reproduction (2000-2009) and in the presidential chain of that society from 2014-2017. The SSR has an annual budget on the order of 2M$US and an investment portfolio of approximately 4M$US. Working with the SSR Business Office during this period, I delivered nine consecutive balanced budgets. I was an elected member of the Finance Committee of the Federation of Societies in Experimental Biology, with an annual budget and investment portfolio of approximately tenfold that of SSR. My role at FASEB was to evaluate expenditures and investments. I also served as director of a research centre (22 years) and a research network (nine years) where I managed expenditures and balanced budgets.

Goals and aspirations: A strength of the SRF is its robust program of financial support of scientists, most particularly students and new investigators. My overall goal, if elected Treasurer of SRF, will be to promote and reinforce policies and initiatives that maintain this vibrant contribution the membership, while ensuring current fiscal health and long-term stability of the Society. This is best achieved by maintaining a sound annual budget and building the wealth in the investments. It is my view that the annual investment yield could be increased by frequent review and judicious oversight of the portfolio. This is of particular significance, since much of the Society’s annual revenue is derived from investments.

Dr Nick Wheelhouse

As an SRF member I am grateful to the Society for the opportunities which membership has provided me, to attend meetings, meet some incredible scientists and to directly fund some of my research. This support was the main reason I originally joined Council and wish to take on the additional responsibility as Treasurer, to give something back to a Society that has provided me with so much support over the years.

The SRF is an amazing society that does its utmost to financially supports all its members. We remain in uncertain times and the current financial landscape is not immune to the impact of a pandemic virus. I am aware that important decisions on the financial direction of the Society’s funds will have to be made soon and that while the Society remains on a sound financial footing the impact of these decisions will have important in the ability of the SRF to continue to support our membership.
This is a challenging time, yet while recognizing the constraints and uncertainties of the current financial climate I would relish the opportunity to take on the role of Treasurer of the SRF. The SRF is very much a society that has its membership at the heart of every decision. I am proud to serve on Council and I feel that I have the necessary drive, determination and experience to allow me to serve as a proactive and effective Treasurer for the next three years.

Please check your junk/trash box if you have not received an email, if you have any questions please send an email to srf@conferencecollective.co.uk

Nomination Information

Members of the Society are cordially invited to stand for election to the Officer position of SRF Treasurer.  The successful candidate will shadow the current SRF Treasurer, Dr David Miller, with immediate effect following the completion of the election and will take full responsibility from the date of the AGM planned for Friday 8 January 2021 during the Fertility 21 meeting.  The role will be for a three-year term from January 2021 to 2024.

What does the role of an SRF Treasurer entail?

The successful candidate will perform the duties of the Company secretary of the Charity and act as the Treasurer with responsibility for oversight of the Society’s finances.  They will chair regular meetings of the Finance Committee and work closely with the other Officers and Council Members throughout the year. 

Position Name Completes Term: January
Chair (from January 2021) Dr Richard Lea 2024
Programme chair (from January 2021) Dr Suman Rice 2025
Public Engagement chair (from January 2021) Dr Suzannah Williams 2025
General Secretaty, Grants & Award chair (from January 2021) Dr Ali Fouladi-Nashta 2025
Ordinary member Professor Bruce Murphy 2022
Ordinary member Dr Amanda de Mestre 2022
Ordinary member Dr Nick Wheelhouse 2022
Ordinary member Dr Mark Fenwick 2023
Early Career Rep Dr Aleona Swegen 2022
Ex Officio
Co Editor-in-Chief of Reproduction Professor Greg Fitzharris 2023
Co Editor-in-Chief of Reproduction Professor Chris Price 2023
Co Editor-in-Chief of Reproduction & Fertility Professor Norah Spears 2022
Co Editor-in-Chief of Reproduction & Fertility Professor Andrew Horne 2022


Period of Office
The SRF Treasurer shall hold office for a period of 3 years.
Under the current constitution they may not be beneficiaries of the Society and are ineligible to receive grants, travel support and other such benefits available to members. Attendance at meetings

The SRF Treasurer is expected to attend Council Meetings.  The foreseeable meetings are due to be held: 

2020:     Thursday 12 & Friday 13 November 2020

2021:     Wednesday 6 January (to coincide with Fertility 2021), May & November – dates TBC

Spring and Autumn Council Meetings are held at a hotel in an accessible UK location, currently this is at Manchester Airport and the format is Thursday afternoon and Friday up to 5pm.  A working dinner is held on Thursday evening, overnight accommodation is provided and travel expenses reimbursed.  The SRF AGM is scheduled to take place at the annual Fertility conference.

The SRF Committees, including the Finance Committee, convene the afternoon prior to the Council meetings (outside of those coinciding with conferences) but in the same location. Therefore, you can expect to be away on SRF Council business for up to 2 working days (including travel time) at least twice a year, plus attendance at the Fertility meeting.  In addition to these responsibilities, Council members and Officers aim to meet by telephone or video call in between each face to face meetings, to discuss ongoing activities.

The SRF Treasurer is expected to be available throughout the year to assist in ad-hoc decision making, review and approve all expenditure, oversee the management of the Society’s investment portfolio and has a key role in running and leading the Society, supported by fellow SRF Officers, Council members and the Secretariat.

Role as Charity Trustee

As a Member of Council, you are taking on the responsibility as a Charity Trustee, whose responsibilities cover the following:

You and your co-trustees must make sure that the charity is carrying out the purposes for which it is set up, and no other purpose. This means you should:

  • ensure you understand the charity’s purposes as set out in its governing document
  • plan what your charity will do, and what you want it to achieve
  • be able to explain how all of the charity’s activities are intended to further or support its purposes
  • understand how the charity benefits the public by carrying out its purposes

To assist with your understanding of the Society, please refer to the Articles of Association and Byelaws which can be found under the “Who We Are” tab on the SRF Website www.srf-reproduction.org

Further details about the duties of a Charity Trustee can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-what-you-need-to-do#trustees-duties-at-a-glance

Eligibility

  • To be an Officer, previous Council experience is essential and work within the appropriate committee is desirable but not a requirement.
  • Under the Society’s rules, eligible SRF Members (fully paid as of Monday 17 August 2020) may stand for election.
  • Members who have previously served on Council as an Officer may stand if one year has elapsed since the end of their previous years of service.
  • Members of Council who are ending their period as an Ordinary Member in January 2021 may stand, providing they have not been on the Council for more than two consecutive terms.
  • Nominations must be supported by at least two paid (as of 17 August 2020) members of the Society. (For reference, a list of current Members can be found in the Members Area of the SRF website under “Notice of Elections”).

Procedure

Members wishing to stand for election as the SRF Treasurer must complete an SRF Treasurer  Nomination Form on the SRF website and submit it to the SRF Secretariat to arrive no later than 09.00 hrs UK time on Tuesday 1 September 2020. The online form includes a space for you to provide a short statement giving details of your relevant experience and what your goals and aspirations are for your time as Treasurer.

Nominees must obtain the support of at least two SRF Members and are responsible for organising supporting statements on headed paper to be received by the Secretariat no later than 11.00am on Tuesday 1 September 2020.

 Timeline

Tuesday 1 September June 2020 – Deadline for Nominations:

NB – should the number of nominations received by 11.00am on Tuesday 1 September 2020 exceed one, then, as stated in the Articles of Association Article 33 (e), the Secretary shall issue voting instructions to each Statutory Member of the Society.  In the case that only one application is received, the successful candidate will be notified

Thursday 3 September 2020: if more than one application is received, all Members who have paid their membership dues for 2020 will be sent a unique link to vote online to elect the next Treasurer role.

Thursday 17 September 2020: voting closes.

 Monday 21 September 2020: successful candidate notified.

Professor Colin Duncan

Chairperson,

Society for Reproduction and Fertility