The SMIA welcomes applications for its company board and chair.
You work in music because you are passionate about it. You probably take an interest in what the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) is doing because you care about music business development and have something to say. If this sounds like you, we invite you to help shape our future.
We want our company board to represent the creative industries we want to work in, which is diverse, equal, inclusive, fair, friendly and supportive. We welcome applications from people who share these values. We are especially interested in hearing from people that we do not already know or who have not worked directly with us yet. We will select applicants in line with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
Company Board
The SMIA’s company board will meet four times per year (although sometimes extra meetings or informal get togethers are requested). The board provides strategic direction for the company and shares legal responsibility for its compliance and governance. It oversees the work of the executive team and appoints the chair, who leads the board and represents the company. We welcome applications from people with experience of running a company, and have learned about how to provide strategic direction from a mixture of successes and failures throughout their careers. Knowledge of the music industry is a bonus. Knowledge of the creative industries is vital. Experience of business is necessary. Passion for music is a must.
Company board members will be registered as Directors on Companies House. Directors will usually serve for three years although their tenure may be extended to another term of three years. In exceptional circumstances, and with the approval of the rest of the board, some directors may serve for longer. While directors often come from specific sectors of the music industry and individual organisations, they are not part of the board to represent those interests but rather as directors of the company first and foremost.
Board meetings in 2023 and 2024 are scheduled to take place in Glasgow and Edinburgh and online. We may consider meeting in other locations too. Board meetings last from two-to-three hours. Once a year we aim to have a development away day. An agenda and any supporting documentation to read prior to each meeting will be circulated in advance. Most meetings will have an update on company activity and one or two strategic discussion points. Company board directors will vote on strategic decisions.
Participation on the company board is unremunerated but we can cover reasonable travel expenses and sometimes accommodation and other sundry expenses (such as child care) approved in advance. There are opportunities for in kind benefits too including attending Scottish Album of the Year Award and other events plus training and development sessions.
Chair
Having served a long and active term, our chair is stepping down in the near future. As such the SMIA is looking for a new chair. That person could come from the existing board or be a new director. We welcome board director applications from those with chair experience or ambition. It is likely a new chair, or at least interim chair, will take up the role from April 2023. Our current chair, Dougal, will be available for support and handover to the new chair. We are open to various options and may consider a co-chair arrangement.
Application Process
If you would like to apply for the company board, please send us an email cover letter and a copy of your CV to jobs@smia.org.uk, and explain why the SMIA needs you and tell us what you will bring to the company.
Please also provide us with suggestions for discussion topics for both the company board (in respect to the strategic direction of the company) and the state of the industry (in regard to current challenges and opportunities affecting your sector of the music industry in Scotland). Tell us also what you value most in business and share a piece of advice you would offer to other people working in music. As we are looking for a new chair, if you are interested in becoming the chair of the SMIA, please state this in your email application.
Application deadline: 5pm on Wednesday 22 February 2023.