International Centre for the Mathematical Sciences (ICMS)
Edinburgh
RECRUITMENT OF MEMBER TO THE ICMS BOARD
The ICMS runs a programme of international research workshops and related research activity to promote innovation in the mathematical sciences and to create links to other disciplines and to the industrial and public sectors. The ICMS is seeking to appoint one new member to the Board. Members serve for three years in the first instance, with a possible extension of up to three further years.
ROLE OF THE ICMS BOARD
The ICMS Board provides independent challenge and oversight of the activities at the ICMS and promotes the ICMS more broadly. It is currently chaired by Professor Maria J Esteban, (CNRS & Université Paris-Dauphine) and meets twice a year, in person in Edinburgh in the autumn and online in the spring.
Its activities include:
- Assessing strategic opportunities;
- Receiving an Annual Report and advising on improvements;
- Advising and enabling industrial and public sector involvement;
- Promoting and scoping cross-disciplinary activity;
- Promoting and scrutinizing good practice within our operations;
- Assessing progress on Key Performance Indicators and other evaluations of activity;
- Raising our international profile;
- Raising our profile within funding agencies and the broader community.
BOARD APPOINTMENTS
Members will be appointed by the ICMS Management Committee on the recommendation of the Board’s Nominating Committee.
Board members will have a broad range of expertise and experience in research and innovation across higher education, industry and commerce, policy and/or civil society, reflecting different characteristics and professional backgrounds. The exact membership will take into account the needs of the ICMS.
The ICMS is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from all. Applications from women, those with a disability and members of minority ethnic groups, who are currently under-represented at senior levels in the research and innovation community, are therefore especially encouraged.
Members will be appointed for a period of three years in the first instance.
Responsibilities of Board members:
A fully effective Board member:
- Makes serious commitment to participate actively in Board business providing robust scrutiny and challenge;
- Is willing to take on ad hoc assignments where appropriate such as chairing sub-committees;
- Acts as an ambassador/advocate for the ICMS;
- Supports, advises and challenges the Director in their role, and through them provides advice to the Management Committee;
- Operates across the remit of the ICMS rather than as advocates for specific disciplines or sub-disciplines;
- Actively participates in the Board’s evaluation and planning efforts;
- Highlights opportunities for the ICMS and helps form strategies to act on these opportunities;
- If necessary, raises concerns about the operation of the running of the ICMS or where policies and programmes do not appear to align with the delivery plan, with the Director or the Board Chair;
- Declares conflicts of interest and, subject to the Board Chair’s judgement, may be required to withdraw from discussions where a potential conflict arises;
- Is willing and able to provide other ad hoc advice and support to the ICMS in the development of policy and practice.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Applications are sought from individuals who possess a range of expertise and experience in research and innovation across higher education, industry and commerce, policy and/or civil society reflecting different characteristics and professional backgrounds.
The successful candidates will be able to demonstrate the following criteria:
Essential
- A commitment to the ICMS’s mission and priorities;
- A clear understanding of the contribution of the research sector to society and the economy, and the role of multidisciplinary research in that;
- Domain expertise and an ability to advise on new opportunities within the remit of the ICMS;
- Evidence of providing advice at a strategic level with an ability to exercise judgment across a broad spectrum of policy and research issues;
- An ability to tackle and reach conclusions on complex policy issues.
Desirable
- Experience of industrial and/or public sector involvement and policy involving mathematical sciences research;
- Experience of working across international boundaries, particularly with regard to research collaborations and industrial outreach;
- Knowledge of and strong personal interest in some areas of the work of the ICMS;
- Knowledge of the decision-making process for publicly-funded research and the associated strategic issues, for example alternative funding sources;
- Experience of public engagement with research.
EXPENSES
Reasonable expenses for attending Board meetings will be met by the ICMS.
HOW TO APPLY AND HOW MEMBERS WILL BE SELECTED
If you are interested in applying and have any questions, please contact the ICMS Centre Manager, Jane Walker (jane.walker@icms.ac.uk), the Director, Minhyong Kim (minhyong.kim@icms.ac.uk)
To apply, candidates should submit a short CV and brief cover letter to the ICMS by email to Georgie.colt@icms.ac.uk. The covering letter is an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate how they meet the person specification. The closing date for applications is Friday 8 August 2025.
Once the deadline has passed, receipt of applications (covering letter and CV) will be acknowledged and then passed to the Nominating Committee (see below) to review the applications against the person specification. At the final appointment stages, where applicants are as qualified on merit, the selection panel will seek to achieve a balanced membership in terms of, for example, diversity, expertise and experience.
The Board Chair will make the proposed recommendation of appointments to the Management Committee on behalf of the Nominating Committee. The outcome of the decision will be communicated to candidates.
The Nominating Committee for the ICMS Board appointments is
Helen Wilson, University College London
Minhyong Kim, Director, ICMS
Sophy Carr, ICMS Board
Jane Walker, ICMS
Katrin Wendland, University College Dublin
Decisions will be made by late August 2025 and the first Board meeting new members will attend will be held in October 2025.
