ACE is recruiting 11 new, highly committed Executive Board members with a strong passion for architecture and European Affairs to serve during the two-year period 2026 to 2027. The elections will take place at the Second General Assembly of 2025, on Friday 14 November 2025, in Prague.
Six members of the ACE Executive Board will be elected by the General Assembly (a President and five others). The other five Executive Board Members will be nominated by the next five national delegations in the rotation list, and approved by the General Assembly.
This year, the United Kingdom is on the rotation list together with Estonia, Bulgaria, Norway, and Austria. RIBA has been invited to nominate a candidate.
Please note that as a member organisation, any nomination from the UK is to come from RIBA. However, if a RIBA nominee is successful, then the post-holder will no longer represent RIBA but will work in furtherance of ACE objectives.
The role
General skills
ACE’s Executive Board is made up of a diverse group of professionals from different countries and backgrounds. Members respect each other’s experiences and abilities and put ACE’s Mission before personal or national agendas.
ACE is looking for individuals with at least three years of relevant experience such as serving on the Board of a national association in the third sector (the part of an economy or society comprising non-governmental and non-profit-making organisations or associations, including charities, voluntary and community groups, cooperatives, and similar), with the following skills:
- understanding of the architectural community’s needs
- passion for ACE’s work
- time and motivation to prioritise ACE and Board service for a two-year period
- leadership – both in terms of vision and the ability to implement
- ability to work with bilingual volunteer groups and committees.
Specific skills
In 2026, ACE is additionally looking for Board members with skills and experience in one or more of the following areas in order to drive and implement its development in these fields:
EU Policy, politics, and advocacy
Deep and detailed insights into the EU policy process, how advocacy and EU decision-making works (Ordinary Legislative Procedure – formerly the “co-decision procedure”), knowledge of current topics and developments affecting the architectural sector; ability to develop ACE’s advocacy role. Close connections to EU institutions and experience of advocacy at national level are useful.
Fundraising
Ability, willingness and time to raise additional resources and support for ACE and develop donor’s database (and the necessary connections and networks to do so).
Marketing
Promotional strategy and planning, hands-on engagement and communication skills, brand development, social media.
Regulatory
Some knowledge of legal / regulatory issues could be helpful.
Other relevant skills
- organisational, strategic planning;
- business development;
- financial management.
General duties
- support, articulate and promote ACE’s mission, vision, and core values.
- be informed about ACE statues, byelaws, regulations and policies, as well as Executive Board members’ duties as Directors of the Association (AISBL).
- provide leadership and support to the work structure.
- take responsibility for one main activity or serve as an active member of an ad hoc work group or committee.
- respond to fellow Executive Board Members and staff in a professional, productive and timely manner.
- use personal and professional skills, relationships and knowledge for the advancement of ACE.
- network within different organisations and communities, serving as an ambassador to increase the understanding of and support for ACE’s work.
- identify and recruit other volunteers.
Time commitment
- serve at least one two-year term on the ACE Executive Board
- attend at least 80% of scheduled Board meetings and actively participate by reading all materials and coming to Board meetings prepared to discuss items on the agenda. (The ACE Executive Board currently meets at least every 2 months, either in person (mostly in Brussels, though occasionally elsewhere – twice in conjunction with the General Assembly) or by telephone / online conferencing. Face-to-face meetings generally last one day (or two half days); tele-conferences usually last 3-4 hours;
- dedicate an average of 40 hours per month to ACE work – which includes attending Board meetings every other month (8 hours, plus travelling time), occasional attendance at committees, responding to emails and performing other activities related to the successful operation of the organisation e.g. attending events to promote ACE in the community.
- be accessible for contact in between Board meetings via email correspondence and telephone calls
ACE has written an Executive Board Handbook which is reviewed annually and sets up the Executive Board Members’ duties and responsibilities. Please familiarise yourself with the contents of the handbook to ensure that you are aware of the expectations of the ACE, should you be elected as an ACE Executive Board Member.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- be a RIBA Chartered Member based in the UK
- have three years of relevant experience (for example, serving on RIBA Board, Council, Committees, or representing RIBA at international forums)
- feel comfortable working with bilingual volunteer groups and committees (ACE official working languages are French and English)
- understand the European architectural community’s needs and issues affecting the profession
- possess deep and detailed insights into the EU policy process; how advocacy and EU decision making works, knowledge of current topics and developments affecting the architectural sector; ability to develop ACE’s advocacy role
- have the ability, willingness, and time to fundraise additional resources with connections and networks to do so
- be knowledgeable of legal/regulatory issues
- have business development skills
Applicants should also confirm that they have sufficient capacity to undertake the role appropriately and as described above.
The selection process
If you wish to put your name forward for a position on the ACE Executive Board, please send a letter of application accompanied by:
- a candidate profile and CV
- a policy statement (maximum of 1000 words).
This must be submitted to emmanuelle.meunier@riba.org, no later than 31 July 2025. Late applications will not be considered.
We will review your applications based on how your profile, CV, candidate’s statement relate to the eligibility criteria listed above.
