Head of Global Communities and Networks

Royal College of Physicians

Hours
35 hours per week

About the Organisation

Royal College of Physicians (RCP) is one of the world’s leading professional membership bodies for physicians, with a history dating back to 1518 and a global membership of around 40,000 physicians, fellows and members. We support physicians throughout their careers, set and uphold high standards in medicine, and work to improve health and healthcare for patients and communities. We work from two main sites: The Spine in Liverpool and our historic home at Regent’s Park in London.

We operate a hybrid working model, with most staff working flexibly and spending a minimum of 6 days a month in the office. Our strategy for 2026–30 is focused on supporting our membership and leading our community, ensuring excellence in education and setting the highest standards, using our voice to advocate and shape the future of medicine, and building organisational resilience and responsible growth. Our values are integrity, equity, excellence, innovation and collaboration.

About the role

The Head of global communities and networks is responsible for managing the RCP’s global member communities and international networks, ensuring fellows, members and professional communities outside the UK are connected, supported, represented and able to contribute meaningfully to the RCP’s work.

Reporting to the head of membership engagement and communities, the postholder will manage international member engagement, adviser networks, diaspora and global communities of practice, working with the global vice president, associate global directors, international advisers, fellows, members, staff teams and external partners to strengthen global member value, participation, representation, connection, commercial opportunities and international partnerships.

Scope and scale of responsibility

• Manage global communities and networks activity, including international member engagement, adviser networks, diaspora engagement and communities of practice.
• Support international advisers, associate global directors, global member representatives, fellows, members and other international stakeholder groups. Plan and deliver engagement activity across digital, hybrid and face-to-face channels, including activity that may need to work across time zones.
• Use global member insight, feedback and performance information to inform engagement plans and improve international member value.
• Identify and support commercial opportunities to promote and sell relevant RCP education, events, services, products and activities internationally.
• Support inclusive routes for global members to participate in, contribute to and influence the RCP’s work.
• Forge and develop new international relationships and partnerships that support member value, RCP influence, commercial opportunities and strategic engagement.
• Manage relevant budgets, workplans, reporting, risks and operational performance.

How we’ll measure your success

• Global communities and networks activity is planned, delivered and evaluated effectively.
• International advisers, associate global directors, global member representatives and international member communities are well supported.
• Global member engagement, participation and satisfaction improve across key communities and geographies.
• Engagement activity contributes to international membership recruitment, retention, representation and member value.
• Global engagement activity contributes to international membership growth, retention, partnership development and sales of relevant RCP products and activities.
• Networks are inclusive, accessible and reflective of the diversity of the global medical workforce.
• Global engagement activity across the RCP is coordinated effectively, with consistent messaging, strong internal collaboration and clear mechanisms for sharing insight and member feedback.
• Events, meetings, communications, visits and engagement activity are delivered to agreed quality, budget and operational standards.
• Risks, issues and stakeholder concerns are identified, escalated and managed appropriately.

Responsibilities

Global Community and Network Delivery:

• Develop and deliver operational plans for global communities and networks, aligned to the communities and networks strategy and membership priorities.
• Provide strategic and operational support to the Global Vice President, including the development of priorities, engagement plans, briefing materials, stakeholder relationships, international visits, events and partnership activity.
• Manage engagement with international advisers, associate global directors, diaspora groups, global member representatives and other international member communities.
• Support communities for international medical graduates, international fellows and members, diaspora networks, global professional communities and other relevant groups.
• Coordinate meetings, forums, visits, webinars, communications and engagement activities that connect global members with the RCP and with each other.
• Ensure global community activity is purposeful, inclusive, well governed, financially responsible and connected to wider RCP priorities.
• Work with education, events, membership, commercial, global and partnership colleagues to identify international demand, promote relevant RCP products and activities, and support appropriate sales growth.
• Develop mechanisms to connect global activities undertaken across the RCP business units, ensuring a joined-up approach to international engagement, member communications, relationship management and organisational priorities.

International Stakeholder Engagement and Member Insight:

• Build trusted relationships with global members, fellows, international advisers, associate global directors, diaspora networks, international partners, healthcare organisations and staff teams.
• Identify, develop and maintain relationships with potential international partners, including healthcare organisations, universities, professional bodies, specialist societies and other organisations that may support RCP activity internationally.
• Capture and share insight from global communities to inform membership, education, standards, policy, advocacy, communications and wider RCP activity.
• Work with membership and data insights colleagues to understand international engagement patterns, participation, member needs and opportunities for improvement.
• Support clear feedback loops so global members understand how their views and contributions shape RCP activity.
• Use global member and partner insight to identify opportunities for membership growth, retention, product uptake, partnership development, event participation and wider engagement with RCP services and activities.
• Work with internal teams to ensure international engagement is coordinated with education, standards, policy, communications, events and partnership activity.

Planning, Performance and Governance:

• Manage workplans, budgets, reporting, risk registers and operational performance for global communities and networks activity.
• Ensure appropriate governance, terms of reference, records, decision logs and escalation routes are in place for relevant international networks and groups.
• Identify opportunities to improve processes, reduce duplication and improve the quality and impact of global engagement activity.
• Support effective planning for international meetings, visits and events, including clear objectives, briefings, follow-up actions and stakeholder management.
• Comply with RCP policies, procedures and governance requirements, including health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, data protection, information security and financial controls.

Key Relationships:

• Head of membership engagement and communities
• Head of UK communities and networks
• Career stage and volunteers manager
• Director of Membership
• Global vice president
• Associate global directors, international advisers and global member representatives
• International fellows, members, international medical graduates, diaspora networks and global professional communities
• International healthcare organisations, universities, medical royal colleges, professional bodies, partners and specialist societies
• Membership services, membership and data insights, education, standards, policy, communications, digital, finance, global, governance and data protection colleagues

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Essential:

• Experience of managing membership, engagement, community, network, stakeholder, international or volunteer activity.
• Experience of working with professional communities, committees, advisers, volunteers, international partners or representative groups.
• Strong relationship management and communication skills, with the ability to work credibly with senior clinicians and international stakeholders.
• Ability to plan, deliver and evaluate multiple activities, meetings, events, visits or projects.
• Experience of using data, insight, feedback or reporting to improve engagement and performance.
• Experience of supporting commercial, sales, business development, partnership development, product promotion or income-generating activity in an international, membership, education, events, professional body or similar setting.
• Good budget, planning, prioritisation and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage risks, issues and sensitive stakeholder relationships with sound judgement.
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility.

Desirable:

• Experience of working in or with a medical royal college, professional body, membership organisation, NHS organisation, charity, healthcare organisation or international partner.
• Experience of international member engagement, global communities, diaspora networks, international adviser networks or global health partnerships.
• Experience of digital engagement platforms, CRM systems, online communities, events, communications or member insight tools.
• Understanding of the global medical workforce, international medical graduates and the pressures facing physicians in different healthcare systems.
• Experience of coordinating international visits, delegations, meetings and cross-border stakeholder engagement.

Compensation & Benefits

• Buy annual leave
• Mental health activities and sessions
• Enhanced pension scheme
• Health cash plan and employee discounts

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely
• Currently, staff are expected to attend the office for a minimum of 6 days per month; however, some months may require more frequent office attendance to support effective delivery of responsibilities.
• Due to the international nature of the role, occasional attendance at meetings outside normal UK working hours will be required. Flexibility will be provided in accordance with RCP policies

How to apply

• For applicants wishing to apply, please click Apply Now to submit your CV and cover letter outlining how your skills and experience meet the role description.
• The closing date is 2nd November 2026
• Your candidate experience is extremely important to us. If you would like to discuss this role or require any reasonable adjustments for your application, please reach out to our recruitment team email at [email protected]. Phone: 020 3075 1649
•  

Interviews

• Shortlisted candidates will be notified between 11th and 18th November 2026
• The interview date is 4th December 2026

Policies

The RCP is committed to building an inclusive and diverse community of staff, members, volunteers and leaders. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences and aim to ensure our recruitment processes are fair, accessible and inclusive. We particularly welcome applications from candidates who will help us reflect the diversity of the medical workforce, our membership and the communities that physicians serve.

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, we will work with you to support your application. As an employee, volunteer or temporary contractor, you are expected to comply with all RCP data protection, information security and confidentiality policies and procedures.

Return to listing