Membership of a CMI committee

This page seeks to answer the questions you may have about volunteering for a committee.

How do I join a CMI committee?

Vacancies arise on the committees from time to time. They are advertised as Volunteer vacancies, on the CMI latest news page and in relevant newsletters.

If you are interested in applying to join a CMI committee, please email a brief biography, summarising your skills and experience that are relevant to the committee, to info@cmilimited.co.uk.

All volunteers will be considered, taking into account the current balance of the committee.

All new appointments to CMI committees are subject to approval by the CMI Executive Committee.

What do the committees do?

Within their Terms of Reference each committee is responsible for determining the scope of its work and its prioritisation.  Additional guidelines on the role of volunteers in the CMI's work are contained in the CMI's Governance guidance that we ask all new members of committees and working parties to read.

Much of the day-to-day work is undertaken by the Secretariat; including data collection, data processing and results production. The committee's role is to "oversee" this work, in practical terms this means reviewing the data collected, the data checks, the methodology and the results.

Most volunteer activity, though, relates to "research"-type work. Here there is considerable variation between the different tasks, ranging from reviewing work undertaken by the Secretariat to undertaking original analysis and writing it up as a draft CMI working paper!

Do I have the rights skills and experience?

Each committee needs a mix of skills and experience, including technical expertise and practical experience. The latter may include how business is administered or how CMI outputs are used in pricing, reserving or experience analyses. Generally when a committee seeks new members it is looking for fresh ideas, commitment and enthusiasm.

How much of my time will it involve?

Typically, each committee meets 3 to 4 times a year, for 2 to 3 hours.  Some preparation time and follow-up time should also be anticipated.

Outside of the meetings themselves, the time commitment can vary considerably according to the current work of the committee. The Chairman of each committee is also a volunteer and will obviously understand if you are not able to commit to extensive involvement at a particular time.

Should I check with my employer before applying?

Whilst most of the committee members give up some of their own time for CMI work, there will be occasions where it impacts on the day-job. Committee meetings, in particular, will generally take place during office hours so the support of your employer is essential.

You will probably find that your employer will encourage you to get involved! For most actuaries, joining a committee will help their professional development and may give valuable insights into the work of the CMI.

Does this count towards Continuing Professional Development (CPD)?

We certainly hope that joining a CMI committee will make a valuable contribution to your professional development; in particular it will provide a vehicle for discussion of technical and business issues with other actuaries with an interest in the field.

It is your responsibility, though, to consider whether your involvement in CMI activity fulfils the requirements for the profession’s CPD scheme. If it does, then committee meetings are likely to meet the external and verifiable definitions too.