We seek nominations to fill two vacant positions on the new Cochrane Methods Executive, to start in September 2018 at the Edinburgh Colloquium.

The new Methods Executive will take on more strategic responsibility supporting the Scientific Committee with its agenda, the Editorial Board on issues with methods implementation, and seeks to improve communication between different Cochrane structures with related methods interests, and the Methods Groups. The new Methods Executive will:

• Provide Cochrane with expertise advising on the state of the evidence for evidence synthesis methods;
• Engage with the strategic infra-structure supporting the Editor in Chief on content developments and future strategy;
• Ensure Cochrane has relevant intelligence on new and improved methods;
• Provide oversight aiding decisions on methods for use in Cochrane Reviews, methods for expert review and evaluation, and methods we should not use;
• Identify methods that fit with the priorities of decision-makers, guideline developers and other stakeholders to aid decision-making;
• Advise and support any experimental approaches in collaboration with the Editor in Chief and the Editorial Board;
• Maintain methods infra-structure by overseeing the Methods Groups and their Lead Convenors.

Executive constituency

We currently have two vacant positions for Methods Groups Convenors. The current Methods Executive is comprised of eight elected Methods Group Convenors.  In its new format the Methods Executive will see methodologists from the following roles represented: Senior Methods Adviser to the Editorial Board; Handbook Editor; Scientific Committee member and a member from the Cochrane Council.

The new Methods Executive also holds six positions for elected Methods Group convenors. Four of the current Convenors will remain to provide continuity and will step down over the next two years to allow the election of new members. Both the Methods Co-ordinator and Head of Membership, Learning and Support services will serve Ex Officio roles.

Experience required

The Methods Executive seeks two experienced, well-established Methods Group Convenors. They will have strong connections within the Cochrane community. Along with their specialist expertise they will be skilled in systematic review methodology. Experience of similar committees is an advantage. Methods expertise on the new Methods Executive currently covers diagnostic test accuracy, GRADE, information retrieval, qualitative evidence synthesis and statistics, so we particularly encourage members from other Methods Groups to step forward.

Commitment required

We expect members to attend meetings regularly, typically every 6-8 weeks, usually by teleconference with two face-to-face meetings twice a year. We also expect them to contribute to issues that arise by e-mail between meetings.  We currently fund travel and accommodation to attend the Mid-Year Governance meetings. We also fund travel and 3 nights' accommodation to attend Methods Executive-related meetings at Colloquia. (We do not fund Colloquium registration. Methods Executive members are expected to make use of the one complimentary registration per group or seek funding from their employer, or elsewhere).

The deadline for nominations is Friday 13 July 2018. To find out more and to apply, please visit Cochrane Methods.