Recruiting: BCLA Chair 

Are you passionate about contact lenses and the anterior eye? How would you like to play a key role in a global membership organisation and help to make an impact within eye care?

The BCLA has a new opportunity for a strategic individual to lead the council in delivering an ambitious and exciting work programme in 2026 and beyond. We are looking for someone who recognises the importance specialist education and leadership in eye health and is looking for an engaging and diverse challenge. The BCLA plays a highly specialised role within the broader optometry and optics professions, attracting high calibre eye care professionals to our community. As chair you will work alongside some of the most inspirational and influential people in eye care.

We are looking for a new Chairperson to lead the BCLA council into the future. This role is a three and a half year appointment, beginning with a six month handover period from the existing chair, at the end of which the role officially comes into effect.  This is a voluntary position, with the following required time commitments:
•Weekly: 2 hours per week
•Quarterly: 1-2 full days for council and CEO meetings
•Annually: 2 full days to represent the association at events

Key responsibilities for this role include chairing BCLA council, AGM and exec team meetings, line management of the BCLA CEO and the development of organisational strategy. The chairperson is a BCLA trustee, and is accountable for ensuring it acts in accordance with the articles of the association. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker, an excellent communicator and have management/leadership experience.
We are especially interested in receiving applications from optometrists or contact lens opticians who are employed by our industry or commercial partners in strategy-based positions.   

Timeline
Call for applications: Open now until 31 January 2026
Interviews: February 2026
•1st stage interviews with current Chair and CEO - Early February 2026
•2nd interviews: shortlist chosen/ratified by Executive Committee- Mid-Late February 2026
Start handover: March 2026 (to join council meeting 5 March 2026 as guest if available)
Official start: 1 September 2026
Handover to successor begins: March 2029
Post ends: September 2029

Application process
For more information about the role, you can download the job description below. If you would like to submit your interest, please email the CEO with an up-to-date CV and a short statement (up to 250 words) outlining your interest in this role. Applications will close on 31 January 2026.

BCLA Chair - Job Description