Get involved with ICAS
Volunteer on an ICAS board, committee or panel
Volunteering your time can be a great way to add new insights, skills and expertise to your portfolio and can enable you to grow your network and give something back to the profession. You’ll also be playing an active role in shaping the future of both ICAS and the CA profession.
You can be based anywhere, as most meetings take place virtually. Many roles are suitable for those early in their careers, not just for the more experienced. Meetings typically last between 2-4 hours and occur three to four times per year.
ICAS is governed by Council, which delegates certain responsibilities to a range of boards and committees whose remit covers governance and operations, qualifications, ethics and policy leadership. In addition, our specialist panels and boards consider matters such as taxation, pensions and charities.
Latest positions currently open for application:
If you can't find a role that suits you, please register your interest by emailing connect@icas.com. We will then notify you when a suitable opportunity becomes available.
ICAS Highlands Area Network Committee Chair - One vacancy
We have one vacancy for an ICAS CA member to become Chair of the Highlands Area Network Committee.
The Highlands Area Network Committee works with ICAS Members’ Board to help increase member engagement within the West of Scotland, connecting with ICAS members and students and encouraging them to engage with ICAS. There is a particular focus on building relationships with ICAS students and newly qualified members and establishing lifelong engagement with ICAS. The committee also helps communicate key ICAS initiatives to members based in the West of Scotland and provides feedback to ICAS Members’ Board from local members and students.
The Chair in particular plays a key role, not only in leading and directing committee contact between local ICAS members and students, but also in acting as an ambassador for ICAS initiatives. The Chair attends local ICAS events, helps to ensure that mandatory positions on the committee are filled with suitable candidates, and will endeavour to help source individuals from within the region to join the Area Network Committee and other ICAS Boards/panels.
The committee meets quarterly, usually online via Teams, and occasionally in person. The time commitment for this is 1 – 1.5 hours per committee meeting, plus attendance at several local ICAS events, where available. In addition to this, the chair attends an Area Network Chairs’ Forum each year, which is approximately 1.5 hours in length.
The candidate
We are looking for applicants who:
- Have an interest in ‘giving back’ to ICAS and the CA profession.
- Have a commitment to and enthusiasm for growing and supporting the network of CAs in the Highlands.
- Are inclusive, innovative and could bring a fresh perspective.
- Can confidently chair a meeting of around 10 - 15 CA members.
- Can take accountability and have strong leadership skills.
To ensure that the composition of the committee reflects the diversity of changing membership demographics we are looking for members from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse people and other minority groups.
The role
As the chair of the Highlands Area Network Committee of CA members, the successful candidate will:
- Confidently chair and set an agenda for a meeting.
- Share experience, knowledge, good practice and insights.
- Help identify priorities for the committee.
- Gain a better understanding of the different perspectives of ICAS members and be able to provide feedback from your local area.
- Attend local ICAS events and promote and publicise ICAS initiatives and events to members and students through your own channels and network.
- Play an active role in shaping the future of both ICAS and the CA profession.
The position is voluntary and not remunerated. Reasonable travel expenses will be paid for any in-person meetings.
How to apply
To apply please send your CV and a short covering letter detailing why you would like to apply and your suitability for the role to Ashley Gibb, Senior Engagement Manager, at connect@icas.com by 17.00 on Wednesday 29 January 2025.
ICAS Scotland West Area Network Committee Chair - One vacancy
We have one vacancy for an ICAS CA member to become Chair of the Scotland West Area Network Committee.
The Scotland West Area Network Committee works with ICAS Members’ Board to help increase member engagement within the West of Scotland, connecting with ICAS members and students and encouraging them to engage with ICAS. There is a particular focus on building relationships with ICAS students and newly qualified members and establishing lifelong engagement with ICAS. The committee also helps communicate key ICAS initiatives to members based in the West of Scotland and provides feedback to ICAS Members’ Board from local members and students.
The Chair in particular plays a key role, not only in leading and directing committee contact between local ICAS members and students, but also in acting as an ambassador for ICAS initiatives. The Chair attends local ICAS events, helps to ensure that mandatory positions on the committee are filled with suitable candidates, and will endeavour to help source individuals from within the region to join the Area Network Committee and other ICAS Boards/panels.
The committee meets quarterly, usually online via Teams, and occasionally in person. The time commitment for this is 1 – 1.5 hours per committee meeting, plus attendance at several local ICAS events, where available. In addition to this, the chair attends an Area Network Chairs’ Forum each year, which is approximately 1.5 hours in length.
The candidate
We are looking for applicants who:
- Have an interest in ‘giving back’ to ICAS and the CA profession.
- Have a commitment to and enthusiasm for growing and supporting the network of CAs in the Scotland West area.
- Are inclusive, innovative and could bring a fresh perspective.
- Can confidently chair a meeting of around 10 - 15 CA members.
- Can take accountability and have strong leadership skills.
To ensure that the composition of the committee reflects the diversity of changing membership demographics we are looking for members from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse people and other minority groups.
The role
As the chair of the Scotland West Area Network Committee of CA members, the successful candidate will:
- Confidently chair and set an agenda for a meeting.
- Share experience, knowledge, good practice and insights.
- Help identify priorities for the committee.
- Gain a better understanding of the different perspectives of ICAS members and be able to provide feedback from your local area.
- Attend local ICAS events and promote and publicise ICAS initiatives and events to members and students through your own channels and network.
- Play an active role in shaping the future of both ICAS and the CA profession.
The position is voluntary and not remunerated. Reasonable travel expenses will be paid for any in-person meetings.
How to apply
To apply please send your CV and a short covering letter detailing why you would like to apply and your suitability for the role to Ashley Gibb, Senior Engagement Manager, at connect@icas.com by 17.00 on Wednesday 29 January 2025.
Ethics Board – two vacancies
We have two vacancies on the ICAS Ethics Board. These are open to ICAS CA members, other professional accountancy body members or non-accountancy professionals.
The Ethics Board reports to the ICAS Oversight Board. In 2015, ICAS launched its business ethics initiative: The Power of One. The Power of One calls on all CAs to place ethical leadership at the heart of their professional responsibilities, to shape the culture and values of their organisations, to help re-establish ethics at the core of business practices and to rebuild public trust in business. The Ethics Board’s mission is to provide knowledge, guidance and assistance to ICAS members in order that they may meet the ethical responsibilities of their profession.
The envisaged time commitment is approximately 30 hours per annum, including attendance at, and preparation time for, Ethics Board meetings. Ethics Board meetings are held quarterly, usually two meetings are held virtually and two in-person at CA House, Edinburgh. Some other travel may be involved. Ad hoc shorter meetings are also sometimes required as part of a working group.
The initial term of the role is three years with the possibility of a second term of three years.
The candidate
We are looking for applicants who:
- Have a keen interest in ethics.
- Are advocates of the important role that ethics plays in the accountancy profession and in wider business and society.
- Have a commitment to and enthusiasm for the work of the Ethics Board.
The Ethics Board is made up of a mix of members from different backgrounds and roles and we are keen to maintain a diversity of perspectives on the Board.
We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse people and other minority groups.
The role
As part of the Ethics Board, the successful candidates will:
- Be part of the ICAS strategy on ethical leadership and participating in the implementation of the Ethics Board's strategy and work plan.
- Provide insights on current developments in business and practice of an ethical nature.
- Participate in proactive initiatives to promote the ethics agenda and the ICAS Power of One initiative.
- Potentially have the opportunity to speak and share experiences to members and non-members at ethics events and to CA students during their training.
These positions are voluntary and not remunerated. Reasonable travel expenses will be paid for any in-person meetings.
How to apply
To apply please send your CV and a short covering letter detailing why you would like to apply and your suitability for the role to James Barbour, ICAS Director, Policy Leadership at connect@icas.com by 17.00 on Thursday 6 February 2025.
Devolved Taxes Committee – one vacancy
We have one volunteer-based vacancy for either a suitably qualified ICAS member or non-ICAS member who is currently occupying (or has occupied within the last 12-18 months, if retired) a role which requires in-depth knowledge of one or more aspects of devolved taxation as it relates to the devolved jurisdictions of the UK and the corresponding taxes in the rest of the UK in practice or industry/public sector.
Read more about the policy positions of the ICAS tax committees here and the governance information and work of the tax committees here.
The candidate
We are looking for applicants who:
- Have an interest in volunteering for ICAS.
- Can commit to delivering an enthusiastic contribution to the work of the Devolved Taxes Committee and therefore, to the work of wider ICAS Tax Policy.
- Possess an in-depth, expert knowledge across many if not all aspects of Devolved UK taxation.
- Can consider/assess/scrutinise consultations, technical papers and thought leadership papers on Devolved Taxes policy.
- Can offer practical feedback to ICAS on the effects and consequences of current Devolved Taxation legislation and guidance.
We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse people and other minority groups.
The role
The successful candidate will:
- Share experience, knowledge, good practice and insights.
- Help identify work priorities for the committee.
- Review draft consultation responses, thought leadership and policy position papers etc as necessary.
- Undertake to read all agendas and associated papers in preparation for formal meetings.
The time commitment for this role is approximately 8 - 10 hours per annum including reading time. There are two formal meetings of 2 hours and up to two ad-hoc meetings of up two hours, dependent on emergent issues arising such as fiscal events or consultations.
These positions are not remunerated. As the meetings are all held virtually, no travelling expenses will be reimbursed.
How to apply
To apply please send your CV and a short covering letter detailing why you would like to apply and your suitability for the role to Justine Riccomini, Head of Employment & Devolved Taxes, ICAS at connect@icas.com by 17.00 on Wednesday 29 January 2025.
Investigation Committee: Four vacancies
We have two vacancies for an ICAS CA member and two vacancies for a non-member.
The role of the Investigation Committee is to investigate complaints made against CA members, firms, CA students, or affiliates, to determine if the complaint should be upheld and whether a disciplinary sanction should be applied. All complaints are investigated in accordance with ICAS Rules, Regulations, internal protocols and applicable KPIs.
The Committee deals with a broad range of complaints, including allegations of misconduct and/or ethical concerns, together with a wide spectrum of technical concerns. The Committee is split evenly between CAs and non-members (lay members) and is supported by a team of chartered accountants and solicitors employed by ICAS.
The Committee meets four times a year in-person in Edinburgh. In addition, you are expected to sit on sub-committees, appointed to give more detailed consideration to individual complaints. These sub-committees are formed as and when required. The sub-committee meetings will be a mixture of in-person and hybrid meetings and will involve advance reading time.
Appointments are for an initial three-year term and may be renewed for a further three years.
Read more about the work of the Investigation Committee here: Complaints and sanctions | ICAS
The candidate
We are looking for applicants who:
- Have an interest in ‘giving back’ to ICAS and the CA profession.
- Have a commitment to and enthusiasm for the work of the Investigation Committee.
- Have an interest in regulation and maintaining high standards of conduct and competence.
- Are good communicators, and who have strong analytical and investigative skills.
We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse people and other minority groups.
The role
As part of a committee of eight CA members and eight lay members, the successful candidates will:
- Help identify work priorities for the Investigation Committee.
- Share experience, knowledge, good practice and insights.
- Collaborate with other committee members to make informed decisions.
- Uphold the principles of fairness, integrity and confidentiality.
- Play a crucial role in upholding the integrity and reputation of ICAS.
- Make a meaningful impact on the accounting profession.
The CA member positions are voluntary and not remunerated. However, reasonable travel expenses will be paid for any in-person meetings. The non-member position attracts a remuneration of £100 per half-day and reasonable travel expenses will be paid for any in-person meetings.
How to apply
To apply please send your CV and a short covering letter detailing why you would like to apply and your suitability for the role to Laura Spowart, Director of Investigations at connect@icas.com by 17.00 on Friday 31 January 2025.
Hear from our volunteers
Being on the Members Board has given me an opportunity to influence ICAS’ priorities, contribute my own ideas and have a direct influence on the experiences of the entire ICAS membership.
Sobhan Afzal CA
Serving on the ICAS Council, chairing the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee and being a member of the Audit & Risk Committee has been personally and professionally rewarding. It offers a unique chance to contribute, make a lasting impact, and witness the power of collective expertise.
Tracey Rob Perera CA
“Being part of the ICAS EDI Committee has provided me with a fantastic opportunity to influence ICAS policy in this important area, contribute with my own lived experiences and hopefully have a positive and direct impact on the experience of future cohorts undertaking the ICAS journey, as well as established members.”
Ronnie Jamieson CA
Learn more about the various ICAS boards and committees
Other ways to get involved:
- Connect with your local ICAS Area Network
- Volunteer with a charity
- Peer-to-peer mentoring
- Assist the ICAS Foundation
Get involved with your ICAS Area Network
The over 23,000 members of ICAS form an international business community that spans industries and continents, so you’re never far from a CA connection. Our local Area Networks and international communities are just one of the many ways we foster those bonds between our members.
The Area Networks act as local links between CAs and ICAS. By getting involved you’ll play a key role in representing members’ views as the Area Networks provide a platform for delivering feedback direct to those at the helm of the profession. You’ll support in communicating key initiatives and provide insight into a calendar of events.
Get involved as a charity volunteer
Getting involved with a charity, by providing your accounting, business or management services on a pro-bono basis, is an additional way for ICAS members to make great use of their qualification and experience. Not only will you be making a positive difference and giving back to wider society, you’ll be widening and strengthening your portfolio of expertise and your professional network.
Get involved as a mentor
Getting involved as a mentor allows you to play a hugely important role in the life and career development of the mentee you help. Mentoring involves motivating and empowering someone to overcome their obstacles, meet their challenges and turn ambition into success. Not only can the process be personally rewarding, professionally it can widen your network and introduce you to new challenges and working methods.
Get involved with the ICAS Foundation
The ICAS Foundation is a charitable organisation that aims to support academically talented young people from disadvantaged communities into university through the provision of mentoring and financial assistance. (links to http://www.icasfoundation.org.uk)
Getting involved with the Foundation usually involves volunteering as a mentor. You’d be working with a high-school student or undergraduate who wants to study accounting or finance. Just as with mentoring peers through CA Connect, mentoring with the ICAS Foundation can be a highly rewarding experience, and help shape the next generation of Chartered Accountants.
