THE ROLES OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

This session provides for exploring the challenges of the YWCA leadership. Each brings different experiences to these positions along with varied perceptions and expectations about the roles. Let’s clarify what the challenges are and how each role is important in addressing challenges.

SECTION OBJECTIVES

You will be able to:

ROLE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A key element in establishing relationships is to understand one another’s role in the task at hand. Reviewing the duties and responsibilities of the Executive Director, President and Board gives a clear picture in understanding these roles.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: Principle Duties and Responsibilities

Board Relationship:

Provides guidance and information leading to planning, programs and policy adoption. Oversees the implementation of adopted plans, policies and programs. Serves as staff associate to designated standing committees, carrying an ex-officio relationship to all others. With the President, sees that the Board is effectively organized and a system of Board development is established. Assures safekeeping of official documents and records.

Human Resources Management:

Employs, assigns, supervises, appraises and, if necessary, terminates staff as the agent of the Board. Administers the personnel policies, implements the affirmative action and salary administration plans. Works with the personnel committee to ensure that (1) legal requirements of employer are met, (2) personnel policies are developed and reviewed, and (3) consideration is given to any questions or deviations from policy.

Planning:

Works with the association planning committee to develop and maintain a strategic planning process with long-range and/or short-range objectives, which identifies the needs f women, girls and persons of color and other underserved populations and addresses these through programs and services, public policy and advocacy.

Financial Management/Fund Development:

Carries overall responsibility for all aspects of fiscal management, including assuring adequate financing for current operating needs and long-term goals. Works with the finance committee by giving leadership to (1) the budgeting process, (2) the timely reporting of the association'’ total financial position and (3) maintaining financial controls. Works with the financial development committee to assure a comprehensive and diversified plan is in place. Carries an ex-officio relationship with the advisory panel (r Board of Trustees), providing staff service as necessary. Oversees annual giving and capital campaigns.

Membership Development:

Implements plans to assure an involved and growing pluralistic women's membership. Works with the association nominating committee to identify candidates for responsible leadership positions. Sees that membership meetings are scheduled and planned to inform members about developments in the association and to allow members to participate responsibly in decisions affecting its future.

Leadership Development:

Assures leadership development in a manner that demonstrates commitment to the needs and concerns of women, utilizing both local and national resources. Acts as a role model for members/volunteers/staff and for the wider community at large. With the President, sees that responsibility is assigned to volunteers and staff for development of leadership from the membership and for placement of developing leaders in positions of increasing responsibility. Sees to it that members/leaders participate in the life of the National Association and in inter-Association events under national and/or World YWCA sponsorship.

Public Relations:

Works to achieve and maintain a positive, visible community image, assuring that the YWCA is known as a movement of women and a valued social change and human service agency. Represents the YWCA in appropriate community or campus groups. Interprets and markets the YWCA through the media and the production of YWCA materials. Maintains sound relationships with other community or campus organizations. Serves as a resource on the specials needs of women of all ages.

Facilities Management:

Assures the proper use, management, security and upkeep of association facilities, owned or rented. Through the budget process, allocates resources for necessary maintenance as well as capital improvements. Assures use of the facilities is in compliance with federal, state and local regulations and the Mission.

Relationships:

Accountable to the Board of Directors. Works in a team relationship with President. Functions as the head of staff. Maintains relationships with Board members, other volunteers, staff and national YWCA office. Works extensively with United Way, other funding sources, campus or community groups, and planning agencies.

As leaders of the YWCA, the President and Executive Director must be totally and visibly committed to the YWCA Mission. This commitment must be conscious, purposeful, directed and consistent as the priority of the association, with appropriate modeling and reinforcement by the President.

 

BOARD PRESIDENT: Principle Duties and Responsibilities

The President is the leader of the leadership team (the Board and executive). The President's primary function is to lead the Board in setting policies and plotting the general direction of the association. The Executive Director is to take the long-range plans and devise a series of short-range objectives to achieve the goal and to manage the day-to-day operations. The Executive Director attends and participates (without vote) in the meetings of the Board except when matters concerning her/his employment are discussed.

Duties and responsibilities include:

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Principle Duties and Responsibilities

The role of the Board of Directors is to see that the YWCA is responsibly managed. Its mission is to move the YWCA toward accomplishing its stated goals both effectively and efficiently. These goals are delineated in the (a) Mission (b) program emphases voted by convention and (c) priorities determined by the YWCA members-leaders and the broader social planning groups of the local community.

The Board has legal responsibilities and general liabilities as the directors of a legal entity. They are responsible to the:

In order to perform its functions, the Board must develop and adopt policies which will provide the framework for operation of the association. Its organizational design is therefore developed around seven basic administrative functions. They are:

  1. program planning and development
  2. finance
  3. employed personnel
  4. volunteer leadership
  5. membership development
  6. plant and equipment
  7. public relations

 

EXPECTATIONS

The following can be used to guide discussion for establishing clarity in building volunteer/staff relationships:

 

A BOARD EXPECTS ITS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WILL:
  1. Serve as chief operations executive of the organization
  2. Serve as professional advisor to the Board
  3. Recommend appropriate policies for consideration
  4. Implement effectively all policies by the Board
  5. Inform the Board fully and accurately regarding the program
  6. Interpret the needs of the program and present professional recommendations on all the problems and issues considered by the Board
  7. Develop a budget (in conjunction with the finance committee) and keep the Board up-to-date on budget problems
  8. Recruit the best personnel and develop a competent staff to supervise it
  9. Devote time to improving the staff

 

AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EXPECTS A BOARD WILL:
  1. Counsel and advise - giving the benefit of its Judgement, expertise and familiarity with the local setting
  2. Consult with the executive on all matters which the Board is considering
  3. Delegate responsibility for all executive functions
  4. Refrain from handling administrative details
  5. Make all the staff responsible to the Executive Director
  6. Share all communications with the Executive Director
  7. Provide support to the Executive Director and staff in carrying out their professional duties
  8. Support the Executive Director in all decisions and actions consistent with policies of the Board and the standards of the organization
  9. Hold the Executive Director accountable for the supervision of the organization
  10. Evaluate the work of the Executive Director

Copyright. United Way of America 1980

 

WHO DOES WHAT?

RESPONSIBILITIES IN VOLUNTEER/STAFF RELATIONSHIPS

Leadership of not-for-profit organizations is a partnership of staff and volunteers. Below are listed typical tasks that are part of organizational life in the conduct of operations. Identify in the blank spaces in the right hand column the group or individuals primarily responsible:

For the function of President/Board [policy makers] use…………P

For the function of Executive Director [employees] use…………ED

If the function is shared by volunteers and staff use………………SH

  1. To develop and formulate the association’s strategic plan, goals and objectives _____
  2. To employ the association’s Executive Director. _____
  3. To assure the association Mission is implemented and achieved. _____
  4. To establish policies to guide the association’s work. _____
  5. To prepare a preliminary budget. _____
  6. To see that the association’s expenses operate within the budget during the year. _____
  7. To assure that the association has sufficient resources to achieve its goals. _____
  8. To employ a director of fund raising. _____
  9. To employ a program director. _____
  10. To recruit and educate volunteers for committees. _____
  11. To serve as committee chair. _____
  12. To plan the agenda for a Board or Committee meeting. _____
  13. To monitor the implementation of planning and policy decisions of the Board. _____
  14. To recruit new Board members. _____
  15. To encourage attendance at Board meeting. _____
  16. To arrange for the orientation of new Board members. _____
  17. To be the final legal authority for the association. _____
  18. To interpret positively the association’s program and work in the community. _____
  19. To train association volunteers. _____
  20. To direct staff. _____
  21. To write a proposal for a foundation or government grant. _____
  22. To develop the annual fund-raising campaign strategy. _____
  23. To contribute to the association’s annual fund raising effort. _____
  24. To recommend the salaries for staff. _____
  25. To speak to human resource, business and education groups as a part of the association’s marketing plan. _____
  26. To fire an office secretary. _____
  27. To be a member of the association’s annual campaign committee. _____
  28. To adopt policies for fiscal management and insurance programs. _____
  29. To see that the board functions properly. _____
  30. To supervise the management of property and equipment. _____
  31. To effect a sound system of record keeping. _____
  32. To identify for the Board what priorities to adopt and what choices to make. _____

Developing and maintaining an effective volunteer/paid leadership team becomes a continuing challenge for both volunteer and paid administrative personnel in voluntary organizations. Because of the one to three-year terms most administrative volunteers serve in not-for-profit organizations, the paid administrative staff is faced with the challenge of developing a healthy administrative partnership with their volunteer counterparts. The development of these relationships involve much patience, understanding, and a willingness on both sides to make it work.

Key factors that can affect the administrative partnership are:

  1. An understanding and resolution of expectations each brings to the working relationship:
    • the amount of time the volunteer expects to devote to the job
    • the kind and amount of staff support
    • how decisions are made
    • who follows through on what
    • the amount of administrative latitude the paid staff should have
  2. Easy and frank discussions and sharing about the skills, knowledge, resources, and styles of leadership each brings to the partnership:
    • complementing each other's skills and resources in managing work of unit
    • negotiating the work load based on each person's strengths and needs
    • recognizing non-negotiable tasks and responsibilities
  3. An awareness of the effect the team's social relationships outside the work setting may have on the team's effectiveness.
  4. Awareness of how stereotyping can affect a working relationship:
    • preconceptions about age, race, orientation, sex roles
    • volunteers, paid personnel and social and/or organizational status
  5. A mutual understanding of each person's job as defined by the organization; job descriptions that reflect functional responsibility, authority, accountability and working relationship within the organization.
  6. Well planned induction training. Content should include:
    • what are the specific responsibilities, authority and accountability of the job?
    • what are the component parts of the job?
    • what are the tools and resources for doing the job?
    • with whom will the individual work?
    • to whom should the individual go for help?
    • what are the conditions under which the staff member will work?
    • what are the methods of communicating and reporting?
    • what is the system for reviewing the individual's performance and work?
    • what plans and resources are there for the continuing growth and development of the individual in this job?
  7. The willingness of both leaders to acknowledge, resolve or manage their personal needs and the needs of the organization.
    • mutual responsibility for effective service delivery

The Staff/Volunteer relationship within the YWCA is the strength of the management team. It is a partnership with clear responsibilities and boundaries.

We've clarified the duties and responsibilities of the Executive Director and of the President and the Board. Establishing effective relationships requires the commitment to work in harmony with staff and volunteers as a team.

Effective team characteristics may include:

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