Chief Executive Officer - The Cochrane Collaboration

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

THE COCHRANE COLLABORATION

This is an exciting opportunity to lead the Executive of an established not-for-profit organisation with a strong footprint in evidence-based medicine and to add value to its international profile and activities.

The Cochrane Collaboration is an independent, international not-for-profit organisation, which has gained worldwide recognition for its seminal systematic reviews on the effects of healthcare interventions across a wide range of clinical diseases and disorders. It has been described as “an enterprise that rivals the Human Genome Project in its potential implications for modern medicine." It is funded by a variety of sources including governments, universities, hospital trusts, charities and personal donations.

The Collaboration is a devolved organisation comprising many groups, and up to 30,000 members world-wide, who contribute to production and dissemination of systematic reviews. The governing body is the Steering Group, which is elected from its membership and serves as the Board of Directors of the Charity.

The Cochrane Collaboration seeks a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who will work with the Steering Group to formulate and develop options on key policy issues, forge new strategies on public awareness and funding, enhance collaborations, raise the corporate profile and lead the implementation of agreed measures.

The CEO will be supported by and directly responsible for an international Executive Team which currently comprises 30 staff. Responsibilities will include setting key performance indicators and objectives, as well as overseeing and managing the operations budget and the maintenance of IT systems and support.

Generally, the CEO will represent the Collaboration as an ambassador, interacting with a number of diverse groups including governments and healthcare policy-makers, the Cochrane Review Groups, the media and general public, and the external publisher of the Cochrane Reviews.

The ideal candidate will have a background that meets as closely as possible the following characteristics:

• Experience of organisational leadership in a multi-stakeholder organisation, preferably but not essentially engaged in scientific or medical research
• Business experience, i.e. understanding of people and fiscal management
• Gravitas/ambassadorial skills to represent The Cochrane Collaboration internationally and to raise its profile
• Demonstrable evidence of well-developed people management and networking skills
• Prior experience of working within or with the not-for-profit sector and/or with health systems of research would be advantageous

He/she should be prepared to travel internationally.

The position will command a six-figure remuneration package. The successful candidate will be employed by the Collaboration Trading Company Limited on a permanent, full-time basis on a rolling contract, reviewed against objectives agreed with the Steering Group.

For further information and advice on how to apply, please contact Dr Kevin Young, Director RSA Science & Medicine or his Research Assistant Samantha Ng at 12073@theRSAgroup.com quoting reference number 12073.

Closing date for applications: 22 June 2012