We are seeking an exceptional leader to take on the role of next BERA President. This pivotal position combines leadership of our board of trustees, holding them to account, as well as being the public face and academic leadership of the organisation. The President will work with Council and our professional staff to guide our strategic direction and champion our mission. They will work closely with the BERA Chief Executive and other staff to drive forward the strategic plan, due for redevelopment in 2026.

The BERA President is our leading academic voice, and the successful candidate will be able to enjoy the confidence of the community as they uphold the highest rigour to our work. They will be able to build on our work examining the state of the discipline and lead our contributions to the next Research Excellence Framework and an understanding of the wider issues affecting the educational research community is essential.

In line with the recently agreed changes to the governance year by the BERA membership, the term dates will alter slightly from previously. The exact timetable is still being finalised, but it is likely that the successful applicant will assume the role of BERA Vice-President on 1^st January 2026, taking on the presidency from Marlon Moncrieffe on 1^st January 2027 for a period of two-years. You may well be asked to give your presidential inaugural address ahead of this at the BERA Conference in September 2026.

For organisational continuity and in line with good governance principles, it is essential that the applicant has an excellent understanding of BERA’s governance and priorities, including the distinct roles of Council and the BERA office, ongoing projects, and strategic plan. Therefore, the applicant must have recent experience of BERA Council. This role involves working closely with the BERA Chief Executive and an understanding of the respective roles of academic lead and the professional office is essential to the role. They should also be able to enjoy the confidence of fellow senior members of BERA’s academic leadership.

‘The BERA presidency is a demanding leadership role, requiring an ability to communicate with charm, skill and impact across a wide variety of stakeholders, colleagues, national and international partners. The high profile public facing responsibility of the Presidency comes with honour and privilege in serving our members and the UK’s leading learned society for educational research.’ Marlon Moncrieffe

The applicant must be able to attend the BERA Conference 2025 in Sussex. There will be other handover activity taking place throughout 2025, including invitations to relevant meetings as an observer.

Due to the importance of the position, BERA reserve the right to hold a shortlisting and interview process, this will be led by the BERA Chief Executive and senior members of BERA Council. For these purposes, the application detailed below including the CV and the role description will be the basis for deliberations.

To apply, please complete the application through clicking the ‘Apply Now’ button at the top of this page. The application questions are:

• What experience and skills would make you suitable for the role of President? (300 words)
• In the role of President, how would your priorities help to achieve the BERA strategic plan? (300 words)
• What do you feel are the key developments impacting the educational research community? And what are the challenges and opportunities for BERA in this current educational landscape? (500 words)

Please also supply a short CV as part of your application.

The deadline for applications is s 23:59 on Monday 27^th January 2025. 

BERA President Timeline

The BERA President is expected to attend and chair all Council (including a council away day in May) Leadership Committee and other meetings where required and hold regular meetings with the BERA Chief Executive and senior office members. Attendance at the BERA conference is also required. The time commitment of the role is averaged across the year at about one day per week, reduced substantially during Vice-President years. Full expenses are paid in line with BERA policies. Ahead of nomination, should you wish to explore the nature of the role, the commitment involved or any other queries, please contact n.johnson@bera.ac.uk. The current and previous incumbents of this role have also offered to hold informal conversations with any interested candidates.

Trustee role descriptions can be found here. Further information on BERA’s Governance can be found on this page.

To be eligible to stand, candidates must be members of BERA at the time of application and remain so for the duration of their term. Candidates must not be ineligible to stand as according to the rules set out by the Charity Commission or Companies House.

As part of our wider commitment to greater equality and diversity at all levels of the organisation, we continue to seek increased representation from members from a racially minoritised background. We are also keen to increase our representation from disabled people and other underrepresented groups. In acknowledging the structural inequalities and unjust power imbalances that affect our members, we wish to be proactive in addressing this within our own structures and we wish to benefit from the advantages that diversity brings, including different skills, life experiences and backgrounds. We also are mindful of the sex balance in our leadership positions and the need to reflect the community we serve.

Should you require this application or information in a different format, please contact secretariat@bera.ac.uk