Yearly Meeting Secretary
Job description revised: Month Date
Approved: Committee, Date
HIRED BY: Personnel Committee with approval of Coordinating Committee (CC)
REPORTS TO: Associate Coordinating Committee Clerk
WORKS PRIMARILY WITH: Coordinating Committee Clerk, Associate Coordinating Committee
Clerk, members of Coordinating Committee, Treasurer, and others associated with NPYM
DEFINITION: NPYM Secretary provides support for the Coordinating Committee of NPYM; assists
and supports CC Clerks and other officers, and performs tasks to support NPYM Annual Session.
Maximum billable time: 625 hours, annually, billed and paid monthly.
INITIAL TASKS
- Establish or take over an office with telephone, e-mail, mailing address, file space and other work
space and task accommodations to support the Yearly Meeting’s needs and facilitate
accomplishment of all responsibilities.
- Communicate with predecessor to acquire all stocks of supplies, files (electronic and paper), equipment
and guidelines or records necessary to continue the secretarial support functions for the Yearly
Meeting.
- Meet (by phone or face-to-face) with Associate Coordinating Committee Clerk and establish
agreements for regular communication, accomplishment of tasks, supervision, assessment and
feedback, conflict resolution and other interpersonal relations needed.
ONGOING TASKS
- Do regular office management tasks as required and in a timely manner, including:
- Receive mail, distribute it to proper person in NPYM, and/or answer it as appropriate or as requested.
- Check and respond to e-mail regularly, answering it and/or distributing it as appropriate.
- Take phone calls and provide information as requested.
- Maintain office equipment.
- Back up computer to external drive monthly.
- Receive requests and maintain schedule of conference calls, as posted on website. Be sure Treasurer
has viewing access for billing purposes.
- Stay in regular contact with Associate CC Clerk and consult as needed.
- Maintain a petty cash account, keep records and send to Treasurer on a monthly basis for
reimbursement.
- Coordinate with Treasurer regarding payment of regular office bills.
- Keep record of hours worked and send to Treasurer, Associate CC Clerk, and Bookkeeper by the 2nd of
each month so Associate CC Clerk can approve hours, the Treasurer can record the wages in the
budget report and the Bookkeeper can pay the wages.
- Maintain computerized databases and group emailing lists of:
- Monthly Meetings (MM), Preparative Meetings (PM) and Worship Groups (WG)
- NPYM officers, Junior Friends officers, Young Friends officer (use Nominating Grid)
- Representatives, observers, liaisons and correspondents to other organizations (use Nominating Grid)
- Standing and ad hoc committee members of NPYM
- Coordinating Committee members.
- Remote and Isolated Friends.
- Maintain lists of committee clerks at the local level, and assist Standing Clerks in facilitating
communication between Standing Committees and corresponding local Committees.
- Run background checks on Children’s Program Volunteers and Staff as applications are forwarded via
Children’s Program. Maintain secure files of results. Report any questionable findings to Youth
Committee.
- Attend Information Technology Committee meetings, usually by phone. Take notes and distribute if
requested.
- Forward State of Society reports to relevant Quarterly Meeting clerks as received.
- Forward received Epistles to Epistle clerk, and/or Committee, for later posting at AS.
- As requested by Clerks, distribute updated lists of Coordinating Committee members and NPYM
position holders to Coordinating Committee members.
- Maintain NPYM Events calendar online, updating it regularly to include quarterly meetings, NPYM
events and other regional and national Quaker and NPYM-affiliated events of interest to Friends.
- Maintain NPYM files, including Coordinating Committee and Annual Session minutes books,
employment and petty cash records, & general files.
- Maintain and update cross-reference files of CC and Annual Session (AS) minutes.
- Store NPYM Faith & Practice copies, fill & mail orders, create invoices for billing, email copy of
invoice to Treasurer, bill for books & shipping.
- Arrange for printing of NPYM Faith & Practice, in conjunction with Coordinating Committee’s and
Discipline Committee’s input. Provide printing estimates and options to CC when needed. Forward
any F&P payments to Treasurer if Secretary happens to receive. Bring copies of F&P to CC
Meetings and to AS for sale in person. (Bookstore may handle sales at AS- keep track of how many
copies sold, and note payment due to Treasurer)
- Maintain relationship with the Editor of Western Friend and supply requested information in a timely
manner. As requested by outside organizations with which we have affiliation or liaisons, submit
current list of our reps or liaisons.
- Organize and send out materials from Presiding Clerk, CC Clerk, Associate CC Clerk, and Standing
Clerks as requested.
- In coordination with CC Clerk, plan and distribute welcome letter and package, including job
description & relevant materials, to people newly approved for positions.
- Attend Coordinating Committee meetings and Annual Session. Try to attend the plenary in which
Coordinating Committee report is given.
- Assist with preparations for Annual Session
- Work with the Webkeeper to see that current information is posted on the website. Coordinate keeping
a complete file of all website related information, including passwords and service providers.
- As is practical, use the secretary’s email as the contact email address for service provider contacts
(alternatively Treasurer’s or Webkeeper’s as appropriate).
REGULAR PRE-CC MEETING TASKS
- Distribute CC clerk’s letters, agenda and background materials to CC members no later than 2 weeks
before the CC meeting (as sent by CC Clerk).
- Assist CC Clerk as requested to organize CC meeting.
REGULAR POST-CC MEETING TASKS
- Work with the CC Clerk and CC Recording Clerk to distribute the post-CC meeting materials
as soon as possible (within 4 weeks of the meeting). This may include:
- Cover letter
- CC minutes and attachments
- Updated CC address list
- Instructions for phone conference line
- Instructions on website use.
- Updated calendar
- Dated information needing general distribution
- Annual Session minutes in the post-AS mailing
- If minutes are not available to-do list should go out within 2 weeks.
- Archiving materials according to the current Archive policy, maintaining and/or forwarding specified
hard copies, and coordinating with Archivist to this end.
- File hard copies of CC mailings in minutes book.
- Keep ongoing file of CC minutes on the computer hard disc, and maintain a backup electronic file.
- Update cross reference of CC minutes. Maintain computer and hard copies of cross references.
PRE-ANNUAL SESSION TASKS IN ADDITION TO PRE COORDINATING COMMITTEE TASKS
- Beginning in early spring, assist AS Clerk in preparation for AS session in any way needed. This may
involve sending out letters to Monthly Meetings and Worship groups regarding seasoning concerns,
sending out letters to the Friend in Residence committee, sending out YM invitations to other
Quaker organizations, or a variety of tasks.
- Obtain Membership information by sending out Statistical Report forms to Monthly Meetings and
Worship Groups. Coordinate timing of the mailing with MMs’ State of Society Reports in April.
Request replies by mid May. Track receipt of responses, and follow up any missing. Maintain file of
statistical reports and send the membership information to the Treasurer by early June.
- Obtain from Monthly Meetings in April-May, updated address lists in preparation for publishing the
directory. Track receipt of responses, and follow up any missing.
- Put together a directory of the yearly meeting, including individuals’ information, Meetings’
information, NPYM email addresses, contact information for NPYM, and Nominating Grid. Enter
updates to data into the NPYM database. Pull NPYM Membership reports from database.
- Arrange for printing and making a CD version of NPYM Directory. Bring copies of directory to
Annual session. Create sign-in sheet for tracking distribution of directories at AS.
- In coordination with the Registrar, distribute Annual Session information and registration materials to
Outreach and Visitation Committee to be sent to isolated Friends. Send registrations to any others
requesting the information.
- Coordinate with webkeeper to post copies of plenary reports to website. Inform CC via email, at
Clerk’s request, of availability of posted reports.
- Coordinate with ASPC regarding ways to assist. Coordinate with Registrar, plus Volunteer and
Children’s Program Coordinators, to have relevant information in office at AS.
- Determine AS office schedule. Post as appropriate prior to and during AS.
- Send collected epistles to the Clerk of the Epistle Committee (if they have not been sent already).
- Print a few copies of all plenary reports, for reference use, in office and at plenary meetings.
- Refresh office supplies (ink!) and first aid kit.
- Create and bring master list of contact info including cell phones of attenders (per report from
registration website), and of active AS clerks, officers, and planners.
ANNUAL SESSION
- Transport office supplies to Annual Session site and set up office accordingly, including computer and
printer options, plus office supplies that attenders may use (push pins! ;p) . Set up internet
connections. Make the office computer and printers available for use by the Daily Bulletin Editor
and others as needed.
- Transport ample copies of Faith and Practice to be made available in the bookstore, and ample copies
of the new NPYM Directory and CDs.
- Set up informational “concierge” station –(i.e., maps, schedules, registration, volunteer, transportation,
children’s program, transportation, medical emergency, contact info.)
- Post office schedule, AS schedule, and Daily Bulletins outside office.
- Maintain Lost & Found box, plus possible gardening items for work day.
- Coordinate with bookstore for sales of F&P.
- Assist any AS attenders with internet/printing/copying needs, directions, and referrals.
- Assist Presiding Clerk, Epistle Clerk, and others in setting up plenary room, posting items (i.e.
Epistles, plenary reports, interest group schedules, worship share lists, etc.).
- As much as possible, distribute new Directory to all MMs, PMs and WGs present at CC and to
Nominating Committee members and other YM officers. Track which positions have received
copies.
- Attend CC meeting at Annual Session.
- Have a good time!
- Remain available to fulfill tasks as needed by CC Clerk, Associate CC Clerk or other YM officers
(such as General Arrangements, Physical Arrangements and Program Clerks).
- Set up ride share board.
- Break down and transport office.
POST-ANNUAL SESSION TASKS
- Coordinate with the CC Clerk to reserve meeting places for the next CC meeting.
- Do regular post-CC meeting tasks, as outlined above.
- Forward copies- as requested by Clerks- of Minutes, Proceedings, Epistles, and AS Clerk's Report
along with the regular post-CC information. Coordinate with Webkeeper for posting of items to
website. Coordinate with Clerk re: emailed notice that items have been posted.
- Contact FWCC London, and distribute both electronic and postal mail copies of NPYM’s Epistle to
FWCC’s current list of YM’s world wide. Include Epistles from all age groups. Include translation
in Spanish to appropriate recipients.
- Distribute updated copies of the AS and CC cross-references to the incoming CC and AS Clerks (and
anyone else who requests one).
- Distribute/mail Directories (hard copy or CD format) which were not distributed at Annual Session to
MM's, WGs, YM officers., and CCc members.
- In coordination with CC Clerk, send thank you letters to continuing officers.
- Inform FWCC, AFSC, FCNL and any others of new and ongoing representatives from NPYM (they
will send requests).
JOB REQUIREMENTS:
- Flexibility, ability to work unsupervised, ability to prioritize.
- Detail oriented.
- Able to lift and move up to 35 lb.
- Willing to travel to Annual Session and Coordinating Committee meetings.
- Knowledge of NPYM structure and organization and knowledge of other Friends organizations.
- Computer knowledge: proficiency with a standard word processing program and spreadsheet program,
and ability to scan documents. Database experience and Mac experience are helpful. Must also have
proficiency with Adobe Acrobat and knowledge on how to do group e-mails. Basic computer
troubleshooting skills are also useful.
EVALUATION: 6 months and one year then Annually by the Personnel Committee.
EXPENSES & TRAVEL: Reimbursement is provided for:
- Office expenses, including office cell phone, internet, postage, printing and photocopying.
- Mileage is paid for travel to Annual Session and Coordinating Committee meetings, at the current
established federal rate. Local mileage is paid for travel for work on behalf on the Yearly Meeting.
- Secretary will maintain a "petty cash" fund for office expenses to be reimbursed monthly by the
Treasurer.
- A fee waiver will be provided to attend the NPYM annual session.
- NPYM will furnish basic office equipment and supplies necessary to carry out the expectations of the
job.