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Science for Animal Welfare and the Humane Slaughter Association are recruiting up to three trustees:

• one trustee with communications, PR and/or policy expertise
• up to two scientific trustees, with expertise in animal welfare science, particularly slaughter and killing, farmed animal welfare, aquatic welfare, wild animal welfare and/or evidence synthesis

Click apply to download the full application pack. We are actively interviewing candidates for this role. All interviews will be held online.

Remuneration: Unremunerated (travel and associated expenses will be reimbursed)

Location: UK, meetings are held at various venues typically in London or Online

Time commitment: Four board meetings per year (three in person, mainly in London, and one online), around half a day each. One in-person meeting is extended into an overnight strategy day. Preparatory reading is required ahead of each meeting. Trustees may be invited to join one of the Board sub-committees, which meet online about four times per year.

Reporting to: Board of Trustees / Chair of Trustees

Communications, PR and/or policy trustees

One vacancy is available for a trustee with communications, PR and/or policy expertise. We seek a trustee with experience in these areas to provide high level advice and strategic direction. Both charities have been working hard to reinvigorate their public profiles through better communication. We also carry out public policy and advocacy work which seeks to bring about meaningful improvements in animal welfare both in the UK and globally through policy change. Experience of public affairs or policy work would also be very valuable as we seek to develop this activity whilst preserving our reputation for an impartial, evidence-based approach.

In addition to Board meetings, the trustee will also be expected to join the Fundraising and Communications Sub-Committee, which meets online about four times a year.

Specific Responsibilities of the Communications, PR and Policy Trustee:

• Provide strategic advice and guidance on our communications plan including our digital presence, engagement with policy audiences, and long-term communication strategy in the context of our rebrand.
• Help the charities grow their global public profile among professionals, academics, policy makers and the general public
• Provide strategic support for the SciFAW/HSA’s Senior Management team and the Scientific Communications and Outreach Manager and Policy Lead..
• Act as an ambassador for SciFAW and the HSA, representing the charities at key meetings and facilitating networking opportunities with key stakeholders.
• Be an active champion of the charities.
• Ensure the charities follow best practice and comply with all legal duties in our communications and policy work.

Person specification

Required

• An understanding of and commitment to the objectives of the two organisations.
• Experience of communications/PR/Public Affairs in the third sector, government or elsewhere.
• Desirable
• Experience of communications in charitable organisations.
• Expertise in public affairs and advocacy within a charitable organisation or commercial sector.
• Experience of successfully operating within a board in a charitable, public sector or commercial organisation.
• Experience of communicating for animal welfare or scientific/medical causes including communicating to diverse audiences including technical experts, stakeholders and the general public.
• Experience of guidance and/or mentorship of comms professionals, peers and/or stakeholders
• Experience of membership organisations.
• Experience of guiding, coaching and/or mentoring communications professionals, peers or stakeholders.

Scientific trustees

Up to two vacancies are available for trustees with a background in animal welfare science. Our approach to animal welfare is evidence-based, and the scientific expertise of our trustees is central to it. These positions are also an excellent opportunity for scientists at a relatively early stage of their career to gain experience of serving on a board and to represent early-career scientists as stakeholders in the two charities.

Specific Responsibilities of the Scientific Trustees:

• Give the Board expert scientific advice on the charities’ research, policy and technical work.
• Help the Board test the evidence behind policy positions and public statements, so that the charities keep their reputation for impartial, evidence-based work.
• Contribute to oversight of research funding, awards and the scientific programme, and, if invited, serve on the Grants Committee, which assesses funding applications.
• Take an interest in the charities’ scientific publishing, conferences and events, including the journal Animal Welfare.
• Alert the Board to emerging animal welfare issues, new evidence and opportunities.
• Act as an ambassador for SciFAW and the HSA in scientific, academic, industry and regulatory networks.
• Declare any interest that could conflict with the charities’ grants, awards or publishing, and follow the conflicts of interest policy, including withdrawing from decisions where conflicted.

Trustees provide scientific input to governance; they do not manage research projects or staff.

Person specification

Required

• An understanding of and commitment to the objectives of the two organisations.
• Expertise in animal welfare science or a closely related field, gained at postgraduate level or through equivalent professional experience, in one or more of the following:
  • slaughter and killing methods, including stunning and assessing loss of consciousness
  • the welfare of farmed animals, including handling, catching and transport
  • aquatic animal welfare (farmed and wild-caught fish, and other aquatic animals, particularly those farmed or caught for food)
  • wild animal welfare
  • evidence synthesis, such as systematic review and meta-analysis
  • animal sentience and the assessment of welfare
  • o companion animal welfare (especially the effect of genetics or breeding on welfare)

Desirable

• Experience of evaluation of research grant applications (e.g. as a peer-reviewer, funder, or member of a funding panel)
• Experience of successfully operating within a board in a charitable, public sector or commercial organisation.
• Experience of academic/scientific membership organisations.
• Experience of scholarly publishing, for example as an author, reviewer or editor.
• Experience of applied or international work on animal welfare, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
• Practical or regulatory experience of livestock handling, slaughter or aquatic production.
• Ability to explain complex science clearly to policy makers and non-specialists.