Job Description

Are you passionate about improving later life outcomes?

Do you want to be involved with an institute that strives to facilitate these improvements?

Do you want to actively support shaping better policy? 

If you have answered yes to these questions, then apply to join us and we can provide you with the opportunity to work towards these aims.  We believe that high quality information and understanding will lead to a more effective policy framework and a better provision of retirement income for all. Our mission is to promote informed, evidence-based policies and decisions for financial provision in later life through independent, impartial research and analysis.

We are a registered charity, and we are looking for a new trustee to fill the current vacancy.

A trustee is a volunteer who shares responsibility for ensuring the institute is working effectively and within the law.

The Board meets quarterly in addition to an Annual General Meeting (AGM) and an annual strategy meeting. You are likely to be asked to serve on one of our committees which also meet regularly throughout the year. The time commitment is expected to be one day per month on average. The initial term of appointment is three years, with a maximum of three terms.

We have recently completed a strategic review, so it is an exciting time to join us. Further details are included in the attached pack.

If you would like to volunteer your time for a relatively small, highly respected organisation, we would like to hear from you. We particularly welcome applications from anyone at any point in their career who:

• Is actively involved in conducting academic research or teaching in a higher education institution in a relevant field such as (but not limited to) pensions policy, pensions economics, social policy, gerontology, income/living standards/inequality, behavioural finance, consumer behaviour (a Professor, Research Fellow for example);

OR

• Has a good overview of the academic and non-commercial research funding landscape and/or research development (e.g. someone working in professional services in a higher education institution or at a social science research council or foundation) in order to help the PPI better identify and pursue relevant opportunities to apply for grant funding, either as the lead organisation or collaboratively with others.

We are keen to have a diverse range of skills and outlooks on the Board and welcome interest from people of all ages, backgrounds, and communities (aged 18 and above). Previous Trustee experience is not essential; you will be supported by our executive team and learn more about the role over time.

Trustee Person Specification

We are looking for individuals with honesty and integrity, who align with our values and are willing to devote the necessary time and effort to the duties of a Trustee. We seek to increase the diversity, collective skills, and experience of the Board. You will have many of the characteristics below, and a willingness to learn those that are new to you.

Qualities

· A commitment to the PPI’s vision and mission.

· Exhibit good inter-personal and relationship building abilities.

· Ability to foster and promote a collaborative team environment.

· Comfortable in an ambassadorial role.

· Understanding of the legal responsibilities and liabilities of a Trustee.

· A commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Experience

· Promoting the interests of an organisation through networking and public speaking.

· Conducting academic research or teaching in a higher education institution in a relevant field.

· Research development.

Knowledge

· Understanding of a research organisation.

· Understanding of pensions policy, pensions economics, financial services industry, social policy, gerontology, income/living standards/inequality, behavioural finance, consumer behaviour.

· Understanding of Charity/Corporate governance.

· A good overview of the academic and non-commercial research funding landscape.

We are keen to have a diverse range of skills and outlooks on the Board and welcome interest from people of all ages, backgrounds, and communities (aged 18 and above). Previous trustee experience is not essential as you will be supported.

Any significant political affiliations or other conflicts of interest could compromise the independent nature of the PPI’s work. An affiliation would not automatically rule out any candidate but would need to be declared at the earliest opportunity.

Trustee Responsibilities

Trustees are appointed by the Governors. Trustees are known as trustees for the purposes of Charity Law and directors of the Institute for the purposes of company law.

The time commitment is expected to be about one day a month, including active participation and attendance at Board meetings, Committee meetings, attending PPI functions, acting as a Review Board member for PPI publications on occasion, speaking in support of the PPI and acting as “ambassador”.

Overall purpose - The Board is collectively responsible for overseeing the management of the PPI. 

General duties within charity law:

· To ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes for the public benefit

· To comply with the charity’s governing documents and the law

· To act in the charity’s best interests

· To manage the charity’s resources responsibly

· To act with reasonable care and skill

· To ensure the charity is accountable

General duties under the Companies Act 2006:

· To promote the success of the company

· To exercise independent judgement

· To exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence

· To avoid conflicts of interest (a conflict situation)

· Not accept benefits from third parties offered by reason of being a director

· To declare interests in proposed or existing transactions or arrangements with the company

Trustees do not represent any particular interest on the Board but are expected to act in what they think are the best interests of the PPI.

Length of service

Trustees can serve for a maximum of three terms. The three terms are made up of three or four years depending on rotation.

About the PPI

The Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) is an independent research institute established in 2001 to help improve later life outcomes by providing evidence to shape policy. We provide fact-based evidence to inform policy discussions on pensions and retirement income provision. We have a proven track record in analysing future trends within the policy landscape including social, economic, technological, and demographic changes. 

While there is never a single direct link between any one research institute and policy changes made by government, for over twenty years the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) has been has been at the forefront of shaping evidence-based pensions policy and has been influential in policy developments covering a multitude of areas including, single tier pensions, automatic enrolment, freedom and choice, Collective Defined Contribution schemes, the under-pensioned, women and pensions, tax relief and ESG. The work the Institute undertakes is highly respected within many areas, including, Parliament, The Regulator, Government, industry, and academia.

The scale and scope of policy change creates even more need for objective and evidence-based analysis. We remain committed to our vision “better informed policies and decisions that improve later life outcomes” which supported by our mission “to promote evidence-based policies and decisions for financial provision in later life through independent research and analysis” underpins all activities undertaken by the Institute.

We have recently completed a strategic review and identified that our research plays a key role in the agenda setting and policy formulation areas of the policy cycle. Our voice is heard through this research, but we could improve the level of dissemination.  The Board has agreed to adopt a six-year strategy to amplify the PPI’s voice to cement our position as the UK’s pensions experts. The aim is to increase our profile and further enhance our stakeholder relations resulting in better-informed policies and decisions that improve later life outcomes. Implementing this strategy will impact the way we work, what we produce and how we share it. It is an exciting time for us.

In the last twelve months, we have informed the policy debate around many areas within our industry including: topics related to the General Election 2024, what effective engagement looks like, the impact of a Lifetime Provider Model, how the current UK pensions system supports positive later life outcomes, how retirement planning has transformed over the past 50 years, collective defined contribution in collaboration with Kings College London and two new outputs from our PPI Digests Series following the 2024 Budget and Mansion House speech. The research can be found on the PPI website in our Research Library.

Our Governors are the voting members of the charitable company, and they have a fiduciary duty to the PPI’s objects and are responsible for preserving its independence and impartiality and ensuring that no interest group exerts undue influence on its work. There are around 100 Governors, who have been appointed on individual merit.

The Board of Trustees is a subset of the Governor body and Trustees are appointed by the Governors. Trustees are also directors of the Institute for the purposes of company law. There are four Committees of the Board with their own Terms of References (Finance, Audit and Risk Committee, External Relations Committee, Governance and Nominations Committee and the Remuneration Committee).

Our office is in Central London and currently facilitates a mixture of virtual and in-person meetings. The post of Trustee is a voluntary unpaid appointment.  Reasonable expenses on official PPI business will be reimbursed.

Closing date for applications 28 March 2025. 

Application Instructions

Please read the recruitment pack and send a covering letter that clearly sets out how you consider your skills and experience match the Trustee Responsibilities and Person Specification and outline why you think you are suitable for this position, along with a CV. We can accept videos or recordings for those who have difficulties typing. Send to arrive no later than 28 March 2025.