Governance Manager

5 billion people do not have access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care when needed. Can you help us address this neglected area of global health?  Surgery and anaesthesia have a fundamental and growing impact on global health outcomes. Surgical intervention could address over 30% of the global burden of disease, and yet the […]

5 billion people do not have access to safe, affordable surgical and anaesthesia care when needed. Can you help us address this neglected area of global health? 

Surgery and anaesthesia have a fundamental and growing impact on global health outcomes. Surgical intervention could address over 30% of the global burden of disease, and yet the poorest 33% of people receive just 3.5% of all surgery. Post-operative mortality rates 1,000 times higher than in some high-income countries can be found in parts of the world where surgery and anaesthesia have been neglected, and in some countries as many as 90% of anaesthetic departments do not have the equipment to provide a safe anaesthetic for a child. 

With 142 Member Societies made up of anaesthesiologists in 151 countries, the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) is uniquely placed to influence these inequalities and help ensure universal access to safe surgery and safe anaesthesia.  

As Governance Manager you will be responsible for delivering a high quality, professional, and effective governance service across the Federation and associated entities. You will work closely with our CEO, Governance & Programmes Officer, Board and other volunteers and leaders as required to deliver a number of key governance activities. This includes virtual and in-person meetings of the WFSA Board, Council, and General Assembly.  

You will contribute to the expanding governance functions of the Federation family, with a focus on streamlining processes, improving organisational efficiency, and enhancing leadership communication and collaboration. There may also be a degree of mentoring and support for some of our smaller Member Societies wishing to improve their own governance functions. 

The role necessitates building effective working relationships across WFSA, including with Board, Council and Committee members, as well as the Secretariat (what we call our staff team).  

Hybrid working is offered with up to three days per week able to be worked remotely and two days spent in our small office in North London. The role will involve some international travel and evening/weekend hours at times. 

WFSA is registered as a legal entity (an association) in the Netherlands. Through this Dutch registration, WFSA also holds not-for-profit status with tax exemption in the USA (known as: 501(c)3 status). The Federation is headquartered in the United Kingdom. Since 2016, WFSA has also had a separate humanitarian arm, “WFSA (UK)”, which is registered as a charitable company in England & Wales. In early 2025, a further related association was set up in Switzerland; this focuses on world congress delivery and fundraising from a European market.