As a founding member of the Russell Group of Research intensive universities, and a Global Top 110 university (QS World University Rankings 2024), Newcastle University exists for the public benefit to advance education, learning and research. Newcastle University is dedicated to excellence, creativity and innovation, pioneering solutions that can change our world. Delivering world-class research and teaching, the University is tackling some of the biggest challenges facing society globally, including ageing and health, data, energy, cities, culture and creative arts whilst nurturing the next generation of creative practitioners, clinicians, scientists, engineers and educationalists.  

Newcastle University has a global reach; Home to a vibrant international community of 29,000 students from 140 countries worldwide, the University has three campuses: Newcastle, Singapore, and Malaysia. It is also connected to and networking with strategic partners, industry collaborators and employers around the world. Proud to be a University of Sanctuary, it promotes a culture of welcome, engagement and safety for people fleeing persecution and violence. It was one of the first universities to sign up to the UK Government’s Emissions Reduction Pledge and are working to reach net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2030.

Newcastle University is proud to be a values-led, research-intensive university that makes a significant contribution to its city, region and globally. The University’s core values of equality, diversity, inclusion, social and environmental justice and academic freedom are at the heart of everything it does. As the University looks ahead, some capital projects and significant stakeholder engagement are on the horizon with a big initiative to regenerate the West end as well as a project to build a student village over the coming years. The University will also be investing in a new engineering building to drive the electrical revolution. With a strong relationship with its student union, student experience and satisfaction is key and the University is constantly looking at how it can continue to improve and develop. To find out more about its strategy, please see here. 

Newcastle University Retirements Benefits Plan (RBP) 

The Newcastle University Retirement Benefit Plan (RBP) is the pension scheme offered by the University for colleagues employed on Grades A to E and equivalent. The RBP is an open defined benefit scheme and is an integral part of the employment offering at Newcastle University. For more information, please see here. 

The management of the Plan is the responsibility of a corporate trustee company, Newcastle University Pension Trustee (1971) Limited. There are nine Trustee Directors of the trustee company.

While all nine Trustee Directors are appointed by the University (the sponsoring employer), three are nominated by the members of the Plan, both active and retired members by means of a ballot. A further three are senior University colleagues selected by the University Council, and a further three are individuals appointed by University Council who are neither members of the Plan nor officers or University colleagues (i.e. independent from the Plan and the Employer). In this last category we have two upcoming Trustee Director vacancies.

The key responsibilities of a Trustee Director are:

• Planning the Plan’s future, based on its funding and membership, economic conditions and pension developments
• Working with expert advisers like the Plan actuary and investment advisers on the funding and investment approaches for the Plan
• Deciding the recipient of certain discretionary benefits under the Plan
• Working on communications with Plan members and developing how we keep them up-to-date
• Working with the administration team, to make sure Plan members experience a high standard of service.

Due to rotation on the Board and Trustees coming to the end of their term, The Newcastle University Retirement Benefit Plan (RBP) are looking for two new Trustee Directors (who are not a member of the Plan nor an officer of the University). They will bring scrutiny and advice to the Board and executive team.

The Newcastle University RBP aims to achieve a broad and well-balanced range of skills and experience across the collective Board of Trustees. Though the Board are interested in hearing from a range of senior strategic individuals from the professional services sector, actuary, finance and / or investment management, HR (particularly employee benefits and rewards) or legal expertise is particularly welcome to complement the existing skills on the Board. Individuals who can demonstrate strong understanding of effective governance from their experience on other board positions, non-executive roles or as a Chair of a complex Board or Committee would also be welcome. Candidates do not need to be a pensions expert and full mentorship and on-boarding will be done by AON who handle the administration of the scheme, including pension management, governance and investment advice.

Though previous governance experience could be beneficial, RBP very much welcomes applications from those with no previous Board or Committee experience. The ideal candidates will be collaborative, inclusive, and enabling in their approach. They will be aligned to the mission and values of the University which are equality, diversity, inclusion, social and environmental justice and academic freedom.

• Peter Johnson (Chair)
• David Antill
• Craig Armstrong
• Mary Coyle
• Jack Hunter
• Stephen Olver
• Nick Swales
• Sharon Wilkie
• Simon Wilmot

Newcastle University is committed to being a fully inclusive global University, which actively recruits, supports and retains staff from all sectors of society. It values diversity as well as celebrates, supports and thrives on the contributions of all its employees and the communities they represent. Newcastle University is particularly keen to increase the diversity of Council and welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process.

The Board of Trustees normally meets at least three times each year (2-3 hours per meeting). The Board has three specialist Sub-Committees (pension administration, communications and investment) with three Trustees on each. These Sub-Committees also meet regularly and report back at main Trustee Board meetings. The will be an expectation that each Trustee will join one Sub-Committee. The Board and Committee meetings can be attended on a virtual basis if required but it will be expected that at least one, all in person meeting of the Board and any Committee will be held within the annual cycle. Trustees will need to spend some time between these meetings on Trustee work including:

• Reading through any documents or information (for example, about legal matters, or Plan investments) we are due to discuss; and
• Receiving any training we all need to keep abreast of pension developments.

The role is not remunerated, although reasonable travel expenses will be covered where necessary. Each Trustee Director typically serves a five-year term of office.

Location: As meetings will be based in a hybrid manner, candidates can be based anywhere in the UK.