Roles of Board Members
1.
The role of the chairperson of the board
The chairperson is responsible for convening the board meetings and
chairing them.
A chairperson should:
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convene and chair meetings of the executive
chair meetings of the board members
speak on behalf of the organisation
deal with the media
spend time thinking about the organisation
The duties of a chairperson differ from organisation to
organisation. Your organisation must decide what you expect your
chairperson to do.
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The chairperson must take
responsibility for thinking
about the organisation.
Acts as the spokesperson/official representative for
the organisation
Signs contracts, leases and official correspondence and thanks for
the organisation
Leads the governing board
Represents the governing board in emergency situations
Works closely with the most senior paid staff member of the
organisation
Resolves conflicts within the organisation.
Follows up members who are not performing well
Makes sure the annual report is produced (see below)
Makes sure the AGM takes place (see below)
Oversees disciplinary processes
At meetings
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Provides the agenda for board meetings
Comes well prepared for meetings
Chairs board/committee meetings and the AGM
Makes sure all members can contribute ideas and opinions
Allocates responsibilities and tasks to committee members
Makes sure decisions are reached that are specific and practical
At the end, reminds people of the jobs they have been given
Affirms and encourages
Does not waste time, keeps meetings short and efficient
Before meetings checks
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The secretary has done what s/he was meant to do
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The treasurer had prepared all the financial statements needed
After meetings checks
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2.
The secretary writes up and distributes the minutes accurately and
quickly
That committee members who were given jobs to do have done
them
The role of the secretary of the board
The Secretary’s work includes:
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letting people know about meetings;
taking the minutes of meetings;
keeping membership records;
keeping records and files;
and dealing with correspondence.
The Secretary must deal with correspondence.
This includes:
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reading all incoming mail;
answering letters;
referring letters that need to be discussed;
writing letters on behalf of the organisation;
and copying outgoing letters for filing.
Your organisation might employ someone to work in its office. This
person should help the secretary with filing, records and typing, but not
with correspondence. The secretary must write letters concerning the
policies and the campaigns of the organisation. Other letters to do with
things like accounts can be written by the employed person.
The Secretary must do the following:
At meetings
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Take minutes (see below)
Before meetings
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Type the agenda
Help practically with organising meetings
(booking venues, invitations, reminders)
Follow up governing board members to inform
them of meeting dates, times and venues
Remind committee members when reports are due
After meetings
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Write up minutes
Check draft minutes with the chairperson and distributes them
(soon after the meeting)
Keep the minutes file up to date
The secretary must tell the membership when and where meetings are
taking place. This is called “giving notice of a meeting”.
He/she can do this by:
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posting a notice to the members;
phoning members;
placing an advert in a newspaper.
Definition
The secretary is the person
who does the administrative
work of the Board of the
organisation.
The secretary must take minutes of meetings.
The minutes are a record of everything that happened in a meeting.
Members can use minutes to solve disputes about decision or to
remind themselves about decisions.
The minutes of a meeting must include:
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the agenda;
when and where the meeting happened;
who was present;
who gave their apologies;
all decisions taken;
the names of people mandated to do tasks.
At the start of the next meeting, copies of the minutes of the previous
meeting should be given or read to everyone. The meeting should
discuss the minutes and then agree to them or “adopt” them.
The secretary must keep records of all meetings by filing their
agendas and minutes. He must also keep up-to-date records of the
names and addresses of members and copies of all correspondence.
Other executive members should be shown how the records are stored
so that they can also use them.
3.
The role of the treasurer of the board
The Treasurer is responsible for controlling the organisation’s money
or finances. The person must report to the organisation on how the
money is being used. The whole executive is responsible for controlling
the money and for making sure that it is not being misused, but the
treasurer has a specific mandate to control and record the finances of
the organisation.
The Treasurer:
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Oversees the money that comes into the organisation and ensures
that income and expenditure are properly controlled and recorded.
Sets up and keeps financial rules for the organisation.
Signs cheques along with two other signatories on the bank
account.
Ensures that there is a bank account and that all money belonging
to the organisation is stored safely either in a bank account
belonging to the organisation, or in a locked cash box.
Ensures that a petty cash system is running effectively
Helps with budgeting and is responsible for regular reporting of
monthly or quarterly actual expenditure figures for the organisation.
Assists the auditor to produce annual financial statements for the
organisation.
Ensures that the petty cash book and the cash book are up to date
and reconciled before committee meetings.
Investigates and reports misuse of funds.
Because the Treasurer deals with finances, he/she is one of the most
important people in the organisation. You must make sure your
organisation chooses someone who understands bookkeeping and
pays attention to detail for this job.
At meetings
Presents information on the amount of money in the bank account and
petty cash and the expenditure reports against budget for the year to
date at meetings.
4.
Responsibilities of additional members
a. Attend all board and committee meetings and functions, such as
special events.
b. Be informed about the organisation’s mission, services, policies,
and programs.
c. Review agenda and supporting
materials prior to board and
committee meetings.
d. Serve on committees or task forces
and offer to take on special
assignments.
e. Inform others about the organisation.
f. Suggest possible nominees to the board who can make significant
contributions to the work of the board and the organisation.
g. Keep up-to-date on developments in the organisation’s field.
h. Follow conflict of interest requests of the staff.
i.
Assist the board in carrying out its fiduciary responsibilities, such as
reviewing the organisation’s annual financial statements.
Ordinary members:
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must be ready and willing to work;
come on time to meetings and stay till the end;
work as a team;
and keep the things discussed in meetings confidential if
necessary.
At meetings
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take notes of what they are asked to do;
report to the committee;
contribute to the discussions;
give apologies if they can not attend;
and try to give helpful ideas and to stick to the agenda.
After meetings
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does tasks as soon as possible and reports on progress;
contacts the chairperson is he/she needs help with a task;
supports the decisions of the organisation.
(Extract out of NACOSA’s Organisational Governance Learner Guide)