New SIG champions needed

ARMA is seeking members to fill SIG champion vacancies on various special interest groups (SIGs).

SIGs are a core component of ARMA membership and offer a means for members to connect with others who have similar professional interests. There are 17 different SIGs, each focussing on a different area of research management.

The activities of SIGs are led by our member volunteers called SIG champions and we are looking for additional SIG champions for a number of our SIGs.

For some vacancies, we are actively seeking volunteers from specific parts of our membership community to help ensure that our SIG champions are representative of the diverse organisations and perspectives that make up ARMA. In particular, we welcome expressions of interest from members working outside higher education institutions (HEI) such as research institutes, independent research organisations, public sector research establishments, Catapult centres, NHS bodies, mission groups, government departments, research funders, charities (non-university), Trusts and Foundations. We are also seeking to broaden representation from across the UK and, for some roles, would particularly welcome applications from members based in the devolved nations. By broadening representation among our SIG champions, we can help ensure that SIG activities, discussions and resources are relevant, inclusive and valuable to the widest possible range of members.

• Global Majority – 1 vacancy for non-HEI volunteer
• Meta-Research – 1 vacancy for non-HEI volunteer
• Post Award – 1 vacancy
• Postgraduate Research – 1 vacancy
• Research Contracts – 3 vacancies (1 for non-HEI volunteer)
• Research Evaluation – 1 vacancy
• Research & Innovation Culture – 2 vacancies (1 for non-HEI volunteer)
• Research Excellence Framework (REF) – 1 vacancy (ARMA would particularly welcome applications from members based in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland to help ensure representation from across the UK research landscape)
• Trusted Research and Safer Partnerships – 1 vacancy for non-HEI volunteer

Why you should become a SIG Champion

SIG champions work together to plan and deliver 2-3 information-sharing events each year for their SIG, as well as curating SIG resources on the ARMA website and facilitating discussions on the SIG JiscMail list. SIG champions are also invited to provide input into the Association’s response to sector consultations. For further information about the role, read the SIG Champion Role Description.

Becoming a SIG champion is a fantastic development opportunity that will allow you to:

• Contribute your professional skills to the future direction and success of your area of interest
• Apply your skills, experience and creativity to new challenges
• Gain governance and leadership experience to support your executive and non-executive career ambitions
• Further expand your network and engage with key stakeholders across the sector
• Increase your visibility and raise your personal and professional profile.

How to express interest

If you are interested in becoming a SIG Champion, please email a supporting statement (up to 400 words) to nicole@arma.ac.uk by Monday 28 September 2026 with the subject line, ‘SIG Champion Vacancy – ‘Name the SIG you are applying for’. The statement should outline your background, the name of the SIG, why you are interested in becoming a SIG champion for your chosen SIG and what you will bring to the role. Full details on what to include and how applications are assessed are provided below.

How SIG Champions are selected

All supporting statements will be reviewed and scored by a panel of current SIG champions. All statements will be anonymised with the name and current organisation redacted, so if you can avoid using these details in your statement that will be helpful.

The panel will score the statements based on the below areas:

• Relevance of the background to the SIG remit
• Ability to engage the community and willingness to respond to sector discussion and consultations
• Potential contribution to ARMA offering for members.

While we do not require you to be an ARMA member to express interest in this role, in the event that you are successful, you will be asked to join the Association.

Our commitment to EDI

ARMA is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion. It is a strategic priority for us to improve representation within our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from groups who are underrepresented within our community. We are committed to taking active steps within our recruitment process to reduce bias and minimise barriers to application and participation. We are also committed to offering a flexible and inclusive working environment for our employees. We offer a range of adjustments throughout the process to enable full participation. If there is anything further we can do, we encourage you to get in touch.