The Pirbright Institute is a world-leading centre of excellence in the research and surveillance of virus diseases of farm animals and those that spread from animals to humans, as well as working to understand, predict, detect and respond to viral disease outbreaks. The Institute receives strategic funding from UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and works to contain, control and eliminate these economically and medically important diseases through highly innovative and fundamental and applied science.

The Institute has around 500 staff, research students and visiting scientists, and is based on one campus in Pirbright, Surrey, where £350m from UK government through BBSRC has resulted in the development of the site to incorporate a state-of-the-art high containment laboratory, the National Virology Centre: The Plowright Building. This has enabled a unique combination of fundamental and applied research into pathogenic diseases which have potentially devastating impact. Additional investment of over £100m in the high containment animal facilities is nearing completion (Brooksby Building), which will enable the UK to study zoonotic diseases in livestock, a sovereign capability which was not available in the UK during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

The Pirbright Institute has recently launched a new UK Centre for Veterinary Vaccine Innovation and Manufacturing (CVIM) which will bridge the gaps between research and expertise in process development and manufacturing to improve global animal health. This is a joint initiative between the BBSRC, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

With new facilities and ground-breaking research, it's an exciting time for the Institute as it continues to deliver excellent science, underpinned by effective management of biorisk, ensuring that Pirbright remains financially viable and agile. The Institute will continue to focus on long-term success by undertaking excellent science in order that it continues to attract external grant income and remains financially sustainable. The Pirbright institute is an independent company, limited by guarantee, and a registered charity.

The Board of Trustee Directors is responsible for setting strategy, monitoring performance, and
seeking assurance from the Senior Leadership Board which, in turn, is responsible for the executive management of the Institute. All members of the Board are expected to contribute to all aspects of the Trustee Director’s responsibilities.

The duties of a Trustee Director are to:  

• Ensure that the Institute complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations  
• Ensure that the Institute continues to deliver excellent science, whilst maintaining biosecurity in a financial sustainable manner  
• Ensure that the Institute complies with its objects and applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects  
• Contribute actively to the Board of Trustee Directors by giving strategic direction to the Institute and ensuring that this aligns with that of Pirbright’s funders, setting targets, and evaluating performance against agreed objectives  
• Safeguard the good name, reputation, and values of the Institute

The Pirbright Institute now seeks a Trustee Director who is an HR expert and will be a leader in their discipline, bring senior strategic-level experience, and a commitment to act as an ambassador for the Institute.  

The successful candidate will bring experience as an HR or People Director and will have ideally dealt with organisational people strategy. They will also ideally have experience in charity and / or company compliance and governance either from their executive career or from sitting on another Board.  The Institute is open to someone who may not have Board experience but has high level senior management experience and will understand the nuances between an executive role and a non-executive position. 

It is important that the successful candidate will be committed and aligned with Pirbright's mission to be the world's leading innovative centre for preventing and controlling viral diseases of livestock.

Further details on current Trustee Directors can be viewed here.

Trustee Directors are unpaid positions but can claim out of pocket expenses incurred in travelling to  meetings. Board meetings are held four times per year during normal office hours, typically  lasting between three and four hours. Trustee Directors will be asked to join one Board Committee,  which meets a maximum of four times per year, for approximately two to fours hours, during normal office hours. Committee meetings are held in a hybrid manner and, although Board meetings are held  in person, there is some occasional flexibility to attend Board meetings virtually. There will also be one  away day including a dinner and overnight stay the day before. Trustee Directors are expected, prior  to Board or Board Committee meetings, to study the agenda and papers in good time in order that  they can participate fully in the discussions held.

Location: The Board meetings will be held in person in Woking, Surrey.

The Pirbright Institute welcomes applications regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation. Given the current balance on the Board and its Sub-Committees, applications from ethnic minority groups and other protected characteristic groups would be particularly welcomed.