YWCA Canberra AGM 2015
Board Director Role description
YWCA Canberra
YWCA Canberra is a feminist, not-for-profit organisation that has provided community services and represented women’s issues in Canberra since 1929.
Through our national Member Association, YWCA Australia, we are part of the World YWCA network, which connects 125 countries across the globe.
Our rich history of supporting women and girls in Canberra through the Great Depression, the Second World War, and the rapid social and cultural changes Canberra has experienced in recent years, continues to inform and influence our work today.
Today we provide high quality, innovative services for women, girls and families in the ACT and surrounding regions. We work in the areas of children’s services, community development, housing, youth services, personal and professional training, women’s leadership and advocacy.
As a membership-based, non-religious and not-for-profit organisation, we encourage the participation of women of all cultures, beliefs and ages in our movement. Strengthened by diversity, we welcome members who are committed to recognising and celebrating the value of every human being.
YWCA Canberra Board
The Board of Directors is responsible for the governance of YWCA Canberra to ensure that the organisation is soundly managed for the benefit of all. Strong governance is essential to ensure:
- better organisational strategies and plans
- improved operational effectiveness
- more prudent regulatory compliance, financial and risk management
- improved member and stakeholder engagement and communications flow
- Increased likelihood and degree to which an organisation actually delivers on its purpose.
The Board is led by the President who acts as Chair. However, YWCA Canberra practices a shared leadership model and all board members are expected to take responsibility for board process.The Board works in close partnership with the Executive Director to ensure that its objectives and goals are achieved.
There arefour vacancies to be filled from the YWCA Canberra membership base via election at the 2015 AGM.
Future priorities
Over the next year, the YWCA Canberra Board will work with members and YWCA member associations across the country to ensure the sustainability of the YWCA movement in Australia.The Board will also focus on strengthening service delivery, seeking corporate partnerships and business development opportunities, strengthening membership engagement and further developing the She Leads leadership program.
Required skills and knowledge
An effective board requires the right group of people with an appropriate mix of skills, knowledge and experience that fits with the organisation’s objectives and strategic goals.
Board Directors should have a solid understanding of governance for not-for-profit organisations, and knowledge of Member Association models.
As a public company limited by guarantee, the YWCA Canberra Board requires specific skills, including:
- Strategic expertise – the ability to guide and review strategy through constructive questioning and suggestion.
- Accounting and finance – the ability to read and comprehend accounts, financial material presented to the board (any financial reporting requirement) and some understanding of the organisation’s financial drivers/funding and business model.*
- Legal – the board’s responsibility involves overseeing compliance with numerous laws as well as understanding an individual director’s legal duties and responsibilities.*
- Managing risk – experience in managing areas of major risk to the organisation.
- Managing people and achieving change.
- Experience infundraising and/or communications, including facilitating corporate relationships. *
- Specific NFP/industry knowledge – passion for the cause, experience in similar organisations, sectors or industries.*
- Governance – previous experience as a Board Director, either in the not-for-profit or corporate sectors.
The Board has identified skills which would be highly valued. These are marked with an asterisk.
Knowledge and demonstrated interest inthe YWCA movement and associated issues
A knowledge and appreciation of the YWCA movement in Australia and an understanding of our multifaceted organisation is highly beneficial.
All board members are expected to have a strong understanding of gender equality and the importance of women’s empowerment and leadership.
YWCA Canberra leads advocacy of the YWCA movement in the Canberra region, and as such strong knowledge of the issues and challenges facing women, children and their families in our community is highly desirable.
Capacity
As a not-for-profit volunteer Board Director, there is a strict and compulsory time commitment and an expectation that the candidate will be able to serve for the full three-year term.
Compulsory time commitments include:
- Attendance at YWCA Canberra Board planning day (held on the first weekend of February)
- Attendance at all regular Board meetings (every 6-8 weeks on a weeknight)
- Attendance at YWCA Australia’s AGM and/or National Convention
- Involvement in at least one YWCA Canberra board sub-committee, including the opportunity to chair a committee
- Attendance at YWCA Australia Board dinners held three times a year in Canberra
- Attendance at a minimum of three YWCA Canberra Member events during the calendar year.
Attendance at other events, for example corporate partner fundraising events is highly encouraged.