BCLA Council Job Description

A BCLA council member has a passion for contact lenses and anterior eye health. Council members are expected to know, understand and support the Association’s mission, goals, policies, programmes, services, strengths, and needs. The Council has ultimate responsibility for directing the affairs of the association, ensuring it is solvent, well-run and delivering the outcomes for which it has been set up. 

In order to the achieve this, key tasks include:

• Attendance at council meetings and participate in committee meetings and working groups
• Propose agenda items for council meetings
• To know, understand and support the Association’s mission, goals, policies, programmes, services, strengths, and needs
• From time to time you may be asked to represent the BCLA within the represented group, for example attending events and participating in relevant meetings
• Provide reports to council from represented groups/committees
• Promote and actively encourage membership of the BCLA 
• Participation in BCLA  events, for example providing support and assistance at BCLA conferences and BCLA webinars
• If appropriate, after some experience and appropriate training, to act as a mentor to new council members

Expectations

• Attend at least four meetings out of the annual five (including the AGM), prepare for them, including reading the papers submitted, and participate fully in them including by asking timely and substantive questions
• Declare any conflict of interest
• Respect confidentiality rules applying to commercially sensitive information and the privacy of individuals
• Be mindful when speaking in public forums that one is speaking for the BCLA  or will be assumed to be so
• Be familiar with the BCLA website 
• Regularly read BCLA communications to members, including emails and being aware of CLAE (Contact Lens & Anterior Eye Journal) 

Person specification

• Be a full BCLA Member
• To be a working optometrist (including newly qualified optometrists), contact lens optician, ophthalmologist, or those from a technical/industry background
• In addition to the professional qualifications; any candidate appointed to council shall be able to demonstrate experience in at least one of the following:
- Digital marketing and communication 
- Finance
- Legal
- Policy/governance and membership organisations 
- Working knowledge of clinical expertise in the field of contact lenses and the ocular surface 
- Working knowledge of all/either UK universities, UK multiples, GOC and GMC education requirements
- Research background
• Committed to promoting and furthering the ideals of the contact lens and related anterior eye element within the profession
• Passion for and interest in contact lens and anterior eye health
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to fulfil the specified duties and activities
• Willingness to speak on behalf of the group being represented
• Ability to work effectively as a member of a team
• Comfort with the use of the internet to communicate and network