The Management Committee is responsible for the direction of the SoA and makes all major policy and strategy decisions.
With four seats available, this is your opportunity to represent members and influence the strategic direction of the Society of Authors over the next few years. We invite full SoA members to stand for election, or to encourage other members to step forward.
The deadline for nominations is Monday 15 July. If there are more nominations than places available there will be an election. Voting will open in mid-September and close on Wednesday 23 October, with newly elected board members taking their seats after the 2024 AGM in November.
An inclusive board for a diverse membership
The SoA’s Management Committee represents our entire membership, so its makeup should reflect our author community in all its diversity of language, genre, form, geography and background.
Election to the Management Committee is not based on literary merit. We welcome members from all career stages, backgrounds and from all four UK nations to consider standing. We aspire to a range of perspectives and experience among our board of directors that reflects the diversity of our broad membership, so if you do not see yourself or your views already represented, please consider standing.
We actively encourage nominations from under-represented groups, including people of colour, those from diverse communities, people who identify as working-class, disabled or LGBTQ+. We also encourage nominations from members with particular business skills, such as accountancy or financial expertise, strategic communications, or those with experience working to improve access and inclusion across the industries in which SoA members work.
We provide full induction training and resources to help you adapt to the new role as a director. New Management Committee members will be paired with a more experienced member, acting as a mentor, to help familiarise them with Committee processes.
All meetings are run as ‘hybrid’ meetings, so you do not have to travel to London to participate. The role is voluntary, but we cover out of pocket expenses.
About the 2024 Management Committee election
Four vacancies will become available after the 2024 AGM in November when Charles Harris, Juliet McKenna and Hugh Roberts complete their three-year terms (Tim Tate resigned early from the board in 2022). Retiring Committee members may also choose to stand for a second term of office.
Newly elected Management Committee members will join Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin (Chair), Harriet Evans, Helen Fields, Abie Longstaff, Nadine Matheson, Nicholas Rankin and Julia Williams.
As a member of the Management Committee, you will be a legal director of the Society of Authors. As part of the process we are required to register your details with Companies House. As well as contributing to the strategic direction of the organisation, you will also need to understand your legal responsibilities as a director. You can learn more about these responsibilities on the Companies House website and about your corporate obligations to the SoA on this page of guidance. You will receive full governance training at the beginning of your term.
The annual board elections timeline runs from May to November:
- 3 June – start of nominations period
- 15 July – end of nominations period
- Mid-September – start of voting period
- 23 October (midday) – end of voting period
- The new directors will be announced soon after voting closes
- 21 November – the successful candidates take their seats as directors at the Annual General Meeting
If you have any queries, please contact Gwenan Davies: gdavies@societyofauthors.org.
I am a retired writer/author of 64 living in North Wales
Is it worth me applying?
Hi Sharon – absolutely, it’s definitely worth it. And if you missed our Meet the Board event the other day you can catch up on the recording here: https://vimeo.com/960363425