The vacancy
We are seeking to appoint one lay member to sit on our GOC Council.
About the GOC
We are the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct. For more information about us please visit our website:optical. org.
About the Council
The role of Council is to lead on the GOC’s mission to protect the public by upholding high standards in eye care services. The Council is composed of six lay members (including the Chair) and six registrant members (i.e. registered optometrists and dispensing opticians). At least one member of the Council must work wholly or mainly in each of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. One Council member acts as a Senior Council Member whose role is to carry out the Chair’s appraisal as well as provide a sounding board for the Chair and serve as an intermediary for Council members, Executive and stakeholders as necessary.
The successful candidate will contribute to Council by exercising oversight, ensuring effective corporate governance, and making high-level policy decisions. They will be able to operate strategically and impartially; listen, communicate, and influence effectively; exercise judgment; and inspire confidence and support amongst our stakeholders.
Remuneration and time commitment
Council members are remunerated in accordance with our member fees policy (£13,962 per annum plus reasonable travel and subsistence expenses). The member fee includes time for reading and preparation.
The appointed member will be expected to commit approximately 2-3 days per month. Meetings will usually take place via MS Teams but may on occasion be held at the GOC Offices at Level 29, One Canada Square, London, E14 5AA. There are occasional online catch-up meetings - these are currently scheduled on a Tuesday evening every 6-8 weeks, from 5.30pm – 6.30pm.
How to apply:
Please email the the following to appointment@optical. org
· your CV outlining your employment history, any relevant voluntary work, public service or other experience; together with any relevant professional, academic or vocational qualifications;
· the application form, stating how your experience matches the criteria for the vacancy you are applying for; and
· complete the EDI monitoring form linked in the candidate pack (this is an online form and does not need to be included in the email with your CV and application form).
APPLICATION DEADLINE: midnight on Sunday 10 August 2025.
Online interviews will be held on between Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 October 2025.
If you have any questions, please email them to appointment@optical. org and we will aim to respond to you within 48 hours.
We welcome applications from individuals who are disabled and from diverse ethnic backgrounds as these are currently under-represented on our council and committees.
We strive to be as diverse as the public we protect and welcome applications from everyone, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, maternity and geographical locations outside of London.
Registered Charity 
51 - 100
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Hours: Full-time
Pay: Up to £41,000 GBP gross per annual (dependent on experience)
Duration: Permanent
Right to work: Applications are accepted only from those with the right to work in the UK.
Location: Manchester, UK (Hybrid working available)
Are you passionate that everyone should get the healthcare they need when disasters or crises hit?
UK-Med is a frontline medical aid charity. Born of the NHS, we’ve been working for over 30 years
towards a world where everyone has the healthcare they need when crises or disasters hit.
We are looking for a talented and dynamic fundraiser or marketer to join our Fundraising Team in the role of Individual Giving Manager. This is a new and pivotal role, leading and developing UK-Med’s individual giving programme - including appeals, donor acquisition and retention, and developing longer term forms of giving like regular giving and legacies.
This role joins us at an early stage of our public fundraising programme, so there will be lots of opportunities to learn, test new initiatives and shape the function. You’ll be joining a supportive Fundraising and Communications team, working collaboratively to inspire support and reach new audiences.
This role is ideal for someone with ‘Officer’ or ‘Senior Officer’ experience in public fundraising or direct marketing, who is looking to take the next step in their development.
The ideal candidate will:
- Have worked in public fundraising, individual giving or direct marketing.
- Be passionate and motivated about inspiring people to donate.
- Have experience of delivering to income/sales targets and KPIs.
- Have delivered or supported a variety of campaigns including direct mail and email.
- Have excellent writing and communication skills.
- Be comfortable working to deadlines (both planned and reactive) and able to adapt to emerging opportunities.
- Have a genuine interest in humanitarian aid and be willing to learn what’s required to inspire a people behind UK-Med’s mission.
We offer a competitive salary and benefits along with a friendly working environment and the opportunity to make a real difference through humanitarian work. UK-Med is a growing and developing organisation with a committed team of staff, volunteers and members.
How to apply
We strongly recommend that you read the Candidate Information Pack – Individual Giving Manager - July 2025 before applying for this role.
To apply, please submit a current CV and a supporting letter (2 pages) through our online jobs portal.
Response to the following question:
- A detailed explanation of your suitability for this post with specific reference to the essential criteria in the person specification
Please apply as soon as possible and no later than Thursday 21st August 2025
This is a rolling recruitment, and we may appoint a candidate before the closing date. We will keep all applicants regularly updated on the status of the campaign.
Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. UK-Med is unfortunately unable to support visa sponsorship for this role.
UK-Med is committed to safeguarding of our personnel and beneficiaries and has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual exploitation and abuse. We conduct thorough vetting before any appointment is confirmed.
UK-Med is committed to the principles of diversity, equality, and inclusion. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive environment where employees feel respected and supported to be able to fulfil their potential.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.