The Management Committee currently has three sub-committees where members can use their skills and expertise to focus on specific issues in more detail.

Retiring members of the Management Committee may stay on sub-committees if they have a specialist skill which is not being replaced by new Management Committee members. 

Committees may also invite SoA members with specific skills to join each sub-committee where needed.

The Author magazine Advisory Panel 

• Members: Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, Nick Rankin and Hugh Roberts and Claire Watts (SoAiS).
• Staff: Meetings are chaired by James McConnachie, Editor of The Author, or Martin Reed, Head of Communications.
• Frequency: every six months, with additional meetings as needed.
• Aims: a consultative body to support the strategy and development of The Author publication.

The Finance Sub-Committee

•    Members: Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, Joanne Harris (Chair), Barry Kernon, Bob Swarup, Hugh Roberts, Simon Cann and Ian Giles (TA). All new members of the Management Committee are invited to sit on this sub-committee in their first year.

•    Staff: Nicola Solomon, Katharine King.
•    Frequency: the FSC usually meets twice a year but may meet more often if needed.
•    Aims: to advise on and scrutinise the SoA’s investments, budgets, salaries, pensions and other resources, and to make recommendations to the Management Committee. The only permanent standing sub-committee.

The Policy and Public Affairs Sub-Committee

•    Members: Harriet Evans, Helen Fields, Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin, Charles Harris, Joanne Harris, Abie Longstaff and Nadine Matheson.
•    Staff: Catherine Pocock (Comms, Campaigns and Policy Coordinator) and Nicola Solomon (CE).
•    Frequency: three-four times a year.
•    Aims: to enable more detailed briefing about ongoing campaigns, both learning the issues and monitoring progress. To act as a ‘first response’ group to suggestions for campaigns before decisions by Management Committee. To examine ways in which individual Committee members might be more directly involved in supporting campaigns and lobbying.

The Contingency Fund Steering Group

• Members: Owen Atkinson, Harriet Evans (SoA), Zoey Forbes, Helen Fields (SoA), Vanessa Fox O’Loughlin (SoA), Barry Kernon (SoA), Sarah Olex, Naresh Shah.
• Staff: Anna Ganley (CEO), Katharine King (CFO), Robyn Law (Head of Fundraising, Grants and Prizes)
• Frequency: two online meetings per year in March and September.
• Aims: In 2020 the Authors’ Contingency Fund [and associated funds] Steering Committee was established to take to take decisions of principle and to consider fundraising for the funds. The funds are to pay grants to authors who are in financial need. Grants are paid out in accordance with the Trust Deed from income generated by the investments and additional donations. We seek additional donations wherever possible.

Other Groups

The SoA also has a staff-led Inclusivity Network, an Authors and Illustrators Sustainability Group and several Bedford Row building networks to share resources with staff throughout the building.

Sub-Committees that are no longer in operation:

• The Membership Sub-Committee
• The Mentorship Sub-Committee
• The Property Sub-Committee