Managing an Executive

Knowing the roles, and the expected workload for each member of an executive, can really make the year a lot easier. If you are unsure which roles are important for your society or who should be doing what work, keep reading! These rough rules are definitely not fixed, so use common sense, and you’ll need to work out a system that works for your society.

President

  • The president should take a holistic oversight of the society, and oversee the broader management.
  • However, the President should outline the goals of the society for the year at the beginning of their term and make sure everyone is on board.
  • It’s really important that every member of the executive is on the same page.
  • They need to run meetings, and delegate tasks to members in meetings.
  • Should any major issues or dispute management arise, it is often the President who handles these issues.

Vice President

  • They normally handle a lot of administrative details that are important to the society.
  • If you do find that your VP is better at big-picture ideas and the President is better at logistics, then these roles aren’t fixed! Find a dynamic that works for your exec!

Treasurer

  • They are responsible for the bookkeeping of the society.
  • They should work out if events are financially viable.
  • The treasurer should put applications in on GAS for Clubs Council grants, and be familiar with Clubs Council policies relating to grants.
  • They should also work on sponsorship and other sources of funds for your club.

Secretary

  • The secretary should ensure the constitution is up-to-date and being adhered to.
  • If any changes to the constitution are required for affiliation, often, this is handled by the secretary.
  • The secretary is responsible for organising the executive meetings including finding a time, arranging a venue, notifying the executive and writing the minutes.
  • When AGMs, SGMs or OGMs need to be held the secretary will find a venue, find a Returning Officer (if elections are taking place), complete a Functions on Campus Form and advertise the meeting to members.

General Members (Executive Committee Members without specific office)

  • It is fantastic to have enthusiastic General Members as they can take on as many projects as they are excited for.
  • If there are issues within an exec, if someone is overly busy with work or uni, then having General Members fill gaps can make for a smooth semester.
  • General Members can be ‘deputies’ to exec members, which can be a good way for people to get experience!

Trustees

  • To be an affiliated club, there need to be at least 3 trustees of your society. These are the people who control your bank account.
  • This is so that there are checks and balances so that no one person on the executive can spend money without supervision.
  • Often, the President, Treasurer, and one of the VP or Secretary are the Trustees.

Other Executive Positions

Depending on the purpose of your club, you may find it’s easier to have a bigger executive with more varied roles.

You could consider:

  • First Year Representatives - this is a super great way to encourage first years to get involved!
  • Events Coordinator – if your society runs a lot of events then it can be good to have someone to make sure events are on track, but this could also be integrated into the President or VP’s role.
  • Marketing Coordinator – for some societies this is a very large workload, and it can be good to have someone completely focus on it!
  • Anything else! Not all societies are the same. You should work out if anyone is doing a really big workload, or an area of the society is being forgotten about, and think about whether it would be better to have another executive member.
  • If you’re starting a society it can be a good idea to have less people on the executive who are really enthusiastic, then a lot of people who are disengaged, as it makes admin a lot easier.