chairperson

Honorary officers generally include a Chairperson, Secretary and a Treasurer. Some organisations have additional honorary officers. These may include Vice-Chair, Vice Secretary, Press Officer and so forth. The organisation's constitution should indicate how honorary officers are to be elected or selected. It is important to check your governing document for details and ensure these terms are adhered to.

The role of a Chairperson is time consuming, with work between meetings, external representation of the organisation, and work with staff. Chairing a large organisation requires diplomatic and leadership skills of a high level.

Main duties of the chairperson

The responsibilities of a Chairperson can be summarised under five areas:

1. To provide leadership.

The overarching role of the chairperson is to provide leadership, they must be an effective strategist and a good networker.   

Every management committee/board should provide leadership to the organisation by:

Before the Meeting

1. Plan the agenda with the chief officer and officers.  Include items brought to you by other members.

Qualities, skills and knowledge

A good chairperson will:

The attached form is used along with the standard committee member application form.

Remember! Always ensure that you tailor example documents to suit the needs of your own organisation.

Management Committee meetings are vital to the effective functioning of the committee and its ability to carry out its role.  They are the means by which the Committee exercises its collective responsibility for leading the organisation.

• Overview
• Planning meetings
• Effective chairing
• Decision-making

Overview

Meetings are necessary for:

An example of what you may wish to include in your description of the role and responsibilities of your chairperson.

Remember! Always consider the dynamics of your own organisation and tailor any role descriptions accordingly.