Secretary - Critical Care Specialist Group

Aims and Objectives of the Group

• To communicate, share knowledge and provide networking opportunities via multiple platforms
• To increase the profile of critical care dietitians and the importance of critical care nutrition
• To signpost, facilitate and develop education of evidenced-based critical care nutrition to dietitians and other healthcare professionals

What the post has to offer

As the specialist group Secretary, you will work closely with the committee to ensure the successful running and organisation of the specialist group. As Secretary you’ll have a particularly important role as the conduit between your committee and the BDA, providing snapshots of meetings, ensuring that your committee is up to date with its annual governance requirements and working closely with the Chair and Vice Chair to ensure that your group is running smoothly. 

You’ll work with the committee to develop an overview of the strategic developments affecting the specialist group from both within the BDA and externally to the profession. Using your knowledge and skills to represent specialist group members interests, advocate for the critical care dietetic specialism and the dietetic profession as a whole.

We don’t expect you to do it alone, as Secretary you’ll work closely with the Chair, Vice Chair and the specialist group committee and with the support of the BDA staff team to deliver your specialist group aims and objectives.

Through this position you will gain organisation, communication and project management skills, which can translate directly into career development. It will also give you an opportunity to work with colleagues across your speciality, building networks, sharing knowledge and skills.

Main duties and responsibilities

• Assist the Chair and Vice Chair with the running of the Group.
• Lead on key governance responsibilities, working with the Chair and Vice Chair to co-ordinate committee contributions.
• Co-ordinate committee meetings, AGM and Group communication.
• Produce meeting agendas and take minutes at committee meetings and AGM, ensuring that minutes are disseminated to key BDA staff contacts and the group members.
• Oversee the storage of files, ensuring that storage is in line with the BDA’s Data Protection policies.
• Manage the CCSG email inbox, being the lead for this communication and forwarding on any relevant communications.
• Support the committee in delivery of Group projects.
• Work closely with the BDA’s Volunteer Team and staff across the BDA, seeking advice and guidance where needed.
• Work with the Chair and Vice Chair to co-ordinate committee recruitment.
• Lead on the annual CCSG members survey.

Training Support and Resources

As the Secretary you’ll work closely with Volunteer Team who offers support, guidance and advice to the postholder. Support for this role is offered by key committee members including the Chair and Treasurer who work as a team to set strategy, determine priorities and lead the committee to success.

We have a variety of resources, tools and training available to support this role including:

• Full induction with BDA staff and a full handover from the previous postholder.
• Training and development opportunities to help build personal and professional skills including workshops, webinars and the BDA’s annual volunteer conference.
• Committee leadership training to help build skills in strategy and governance.
• Access to our volunteer handbook and volunteer hub providing a range of resources and guidance.
• Regular communications including a monthly volunteer ezine with BDA updates and opportunities.
• Networking with other volunteers through events, webinars and access to our volunteer forums.

Length of service and commitment

You will be elected for a two-year term of office and hope that you will be able to stay in the role throughout this term. There is the option to extend for an additional two-year term. We hope that reasonable notice would be given if you are no longer able to fulfil this role, as we appreciate that circumstances can change.

There are a number of training and development opportunities available, including a detailed induction with BDA staff and governance training to be undertaken upon commencement of each term.

Committee meetings are held six times a year, plus a yearly goal setting meeting, all of which are attended virtually. There are often additional meetings to allow for development of projects you may be working on, or to discuss specific CCSG projects (e.g. CCSG events). There is a varying and flexible amount of work in-between meetings, which is dependent on the strategy, workplans and projects agreed to by the committee. It is recommended to obtain support from your manager to fulfil this role, and as such would recommend this be one of your work objectives with protected time within work to complete some duties of the role and attend meetings. It is not uncommon for duties to be completed within personal time, however, to maintain wellbeing and a work-life balance, we would recommend that as much as possible is completed within work time.  

The specialist group holds a minimum of one event for members a year which includes the Annual General Meeting, it is typical for the committee to attend these events.

Appointment method

To apply for this role please submit an online nomination form through by 8 November 2024. Nominees must be a member of the Critical Care Specialist Group and provide the names and signatories of two BDA members to support their nomination.

If you would like an informal, confidential discussion about the role and the nomination process, please contact the Chair, Emma Gaskin at [email protected].