General Information for all Board Members
Board members are responsible for determining PCRS policy in human resources, planning, finance, community relations, organizational development and operations.
Human Resources - Board members have three key responsibilities in this area:
- Board membership, which includes recruiting new board members, recognizing and nurturing existing board members, and providing existing board members with opportunities to grow and develop as leaders
- Executive Director oversight, which includes hiring, termination, disciplining and ongoing evaluation of the Executive Director
- Personnel policies, which include policies relating to the Executive Director’s employment
Planning - Board members have three key responsibilities in this area:
- Establishing and reviewing PCRS mission/philosophy/goals
- Planning which services/programs PCRS provides
- Evaluating PCRS services/programs and operations on a regular basis
Finance - Board members have four key responsibilities in this area:
- Ensuring financial accountability of PCRS
- Overseeing an ongoing process of budget development, approval and review
- Raising funds and/or ensuring that adequate funds are available to support PCRS policies and programs
- Overseeing properties or investments of PCRS
Community Relations - Board members have three key responsibilities in this area:
- Ensuring that PCRS programs and services appropriately address the needs of those we serve
- Advocating for PCRS services/programs, which includes an awareness that board members are always emissaries of PCRS in the community
- Co-operative action which includes determining occasions when PCRS could/should take part in coalitions, joint operations, etc.
Organizational Operations - Board members have four key responsibilities in this area:
- Ensuring that PCRS management systems are adequate and appropriate
- Ensuring that the board's operations are adequate and appropriate, which includes writing policies for conduct of meetings and operation of board business
- Ensuring that organizational and legal structure are adequate and appropriate
- Ensuring that PCRS and its board members meet all applicable legal requirements
In performing duties as a member of the PCRS board, every board member is expected to:
- Demonstrate a strong belief and commitment to the PCRS mission;
- Devote the necessary time to prepare for and participate in board and committee meetings;
- Exhibit high ethical standards and integrity in all board actions.
- Be an enthusiastic advocate for PCRS;
- Take responsibility and accountability for PCRS and all decisions made by the board;
- Spend the time necessary to learn how to do the job, and maintain an ongoing schedule of in-service to learn how to do the job better; and
- Demonstrate willingness to work as a team member with other board members, the Executive Director, and the Chief Financial Officer
The board, in collaboration with the Executive Director, will be responsible for improving the operations of the PCRS board of directors by:
- Being on the alert for potential new board members.
- Maintaining a file of potential board members.
- Facilitating the orientation of new board members
- Facilitating ongoing board in-service programs.
Serving as a board member of PCRS involves a very special commitment. To meet that commitment, board members are expected to:
- ensure adherence to the PCRS mission.
- attend and actively participate in all of the board's meetings, and notify the executive director of anticipated absence.
- when absent from a meeting, review minutes and results of the missed meeting.
- do their homework to be prepared to participate fully in board and committee meetings.
- act only with the full board, not individually unless authorized to do so by the full board.
- speak for the full board only when the full board sanctions their doing so.
Job Descriptions
The President collaborates with the Executive Director to prepare board meeting agendas, preside at board meetings, appoint committees and committee chairs, sign official documents requiring signature, and may represent the board in public and official capacities as instructed by the board. The president will also:
- chair the Executive Committee
- make special assignments and appoint representatives to other organizations
- act as liaison between board and Executive Director
- encourage the board to do long-range planning
- assist board members to build their board skills
- act to discipline board members who violate ethical standards of the board
- encourage all board members to participate in board activities.
- ensure that all board members' views are represented in board meetings.
The President-elect presides at board meetings in the absence of the president and assumes the office of the president when the board determines that the president can no longer serve. The president-elect will also:
- serve on the Executive Committee
- work with the president to be prepared to assume that office if necessary
- manage special assignments as requested by the president
The VP Administration, in collaboration with the Executive Director, oversees the records of the board, including meeting minutes, the charter and any historical documents. When required, the VP Administration will also sign notes, contracts and other official agreements on behalf of PCRS and at the direction of the board. The VP Administration will also:
- be responsible, in collaboration with the Executive Director, for monitoring and updating the bylaws, policy manual and board policy
- serve on the Executive Committee
The VP Finance oversees, but does not manage, the financial records of PCRS, and ensures that the board regularly receives reports of the financial condition of PCRS. The VP Finance will also:
|
