IP Handbook Page 6

PRESENT COMMITTEE AND ANALYSIS OF JOBS

 It has been a tradition of Island Professionals that generally there are no committee positions "without portfolio". Everyone on the committee has some area of responsibility upon which to report. This policy has the result that we have no passengers on the committee, also everyone on the committee is much happier to be there because they have a job of work to do. On the rare occasion when someone has been on the committee "without portfolio" the general atmosphere of dedication has swept them along into some responsibility or other.

The committee positions (jobs) are as follows: Chairman; Secretary; Treasurer; Database and I.T. Manager; Magazine desk-top-publisher and editor (two separate jobs); Social Secretary; Marketing Manager; Introductory Meetings Host and Hostess.

IP is more or less run like a business, but the only physical output as far as the membership is concerned is the monthly magazine mailing. This is a three part document. One is the actual magazine which includes a listing of the committee, chat from the chairman, a welcome to new members, various articles reviewing the previous month's activities (i.e. what you may have missed), articles of general interest, special promotions for forthcoming activities, members' small ads., puzzles and even a horoscope. Second is the social scene listing regular events and a calendar of special events; also a detailed list of new members, a full telephone list and a Happy Birthday to members whose birthdays fall next month. Third is the full database directory listing of all members, their hobbies, interests and other useful information. In practice this is updated and distributed every third month. The first part of the magazine is of such a nature as to be freely distributable to potential new members, etc.; the second and third parts are confidential.

Because all the work that goes into running the business of IP is manifested ultimately in its hard-copy output, every member in effect contributes to this and makes his or her mark on it. This is why the monthly magazine mailing is crucial, although some members from time to time fail to realise this and think (probably because they don't read it) that the magazine is not as important as it is. More than anything, it is also an assurance to the existing members that they are being cared for. Strangely, you don't have to read it to benefit from it!

A more detailed look at the various committee jobs follows:

CHAIRMAN The chairman carries the can; he or she steps into the breach when any committee member defaults. He is the source of, or channel for, inspiration, innovation and creativity within the group. He is present at a high proportion of meetings and events and has his finger on the pulse of IP life. He anticipates problems before they happen, smooths ruffled feathers and in general commands the respect of the membership. He or she also chairs the committee meetings.

Monthly tasks - chair committee meeting; attend ordinary meetings; consult with membership and committee over various matters; think constructively about short and long term direction for the group.

VICE-CHAIR Is probably the only valid post "without portfolio". The vice-chairman shadows the activity of the chairman, ever willing and ready to step into his rôle if necessary; meanwhile picking up any unallocated odd jobs.

Monthly tasks - maintain contact with membership and consult with the chairman.

SECRETARY The secretary is the chairman's right hand person. She (usually) prepares the agendas and takes minutes at the meetings, collects, collates and deals with correspondence and formal documentation received, notes apologies received and absences not explained. She is sensitive to activity and feelings within the group and reports back to the chairman anything she feels he must know about.

Monthly tasks - Prepare and distribute minutes, action lists and agendas; deal with correspondence; check that assigned tasks on action lists are performed. Oversee database manager's activities and monthly mail-out.

TREASURER The treasurer knows how much money the group has at any time, where it has come from and where it is going. She knows whether the rate of income is likely to sustain the group in the style it would wish, or whether any variation in income would be desirable. She keeps track of the assets and liabilities of the group, and prepares a monthly report of its financial status. At the end of the financial year she prepares a full report of income and expenditure, and a balance sheet listing the group's assets and liabilities, and projected cash flow for the following year. She keeps track of membership subscriptions, new and lapsed members, usually in conjunction with the Database, or IT manager, and the theoretical balance required to service the existing memberships. She also keeps a log of monies raised for charities but not yet disbursed.

Monthly tasks - collect and log completed renewal/application forms; bank fees; pass collated and logged application forms to database manager; prepare accounts report for monthly meeting, pay all necessary invoices and committee members' expenses.

DATABASE MANAGER The database and IT (information technology) manager keeps a list of members.

Monthly tasks - his or her duties are numerous - to annotate each member's record as to his or her status (new, renewed, due to renew or due for deletion); to enter new members' details and information, delete old and keep on backfile; to amend existing members' details; to print monthly mailing labels with status flags; to prepare various reports including next month's birthdays, subs-due list, telephone list, directory of new members and full directory; to do renewal merge letters (1 month and final 2 month); to do membership cards. He may also be called upon to do various other reports and statistics on the membership including specific lists of members' interests as requested. He is also responsible for backing up, safe keeping and confidentiality of this data, and ensuring that the requirements of the Data Protection Act (1984) are fulfilled.

DTP/EDITOR The character and image of the group is transmitted to the membership largely through the medium of the monthly magazine. This is the responsibility of the editor in conjunction with the desk-top-publisher. News, reviews, comment and opinion are all part of the magazine and it is sometimes necessary actively to chase up suitable articles. The social scene and database reports all end up in the magazine and the proper presentation of this is crucial to the image and morale of the group. There is necessarily a harmonious partnership here.

Monthly tasks - chasing up, gathering and collating of material for magazine, production of masters and delivery to printers following committee approval.

SOCIAL SECRETARY Most IP events are organised by members for members, and are publicised via the social scene in the monthly magazine. It is the job of the social secretary to collect and collate these events in time to be published in the magazine. It is also the social secretary's job to encourage the creation of events by chasing up possible ideas. Some events such as the Christmas Party and Annual Dinner are the direct responsibility of the social secretary. The social secretary also provides a contact telephone number for events, and encourages new ones.

Monthly tasks - chasing up of members' events; production of social scene for magazine, ensuring smooth running of events where possible and making proper report to committee.

MARKETING MANAGER There are two jobs here - one is the cultivation of a suitable image for the outside world, partly to do justice to the group and partly to recruit suitable new members; the other is to market the group internally so that members feel that they belong to a worthwhile organisation and so enjoy it and choose to renew for the following year. The image of the group is of course the responsibility of everyone in the group, especially the committee members, but this responsibility is crystallised within the job of the marketing manager.

Monthly tasks - control of the local press advert and submission of suitable material to committee; production of posters for distribution; monitoring of growth/decline in quality and quantity of membership; production of marketing ideas for report to committee.

NEW MEMBERS and HOSTESS These two representatives are in a way the most important because they are the first people new members really get to meet and know. On them falls the responsibility of creating the first and possibly lasting impression of IP, and whether or not these new members choose to join. We know that IP is a thoroughly good thing, and anyone failing to join after attending a new meeting may suffer a loss of social opportunity. New applicants can feel very vulnerable at these meetings, so supreme tact and care is required together with the ability to achieve a commitment from the new members if at all possible.

Monthly tasks - regular attendance at all new members' meetings; logging of enquiries and sources of referral; stock control of application forms etc., reporting back to committee on activity. Particularly the responsibility of introducing new members to existing members. As a point of note it has been found that introductory meetings work better actually in someone's own home, but a private room in a pub can work well, too. IP has found that it is helpful in introducing new members to the existing membership when the new members' meeting precedes a normal general pub meeting in the same venue. Often new members who are a little unsure of themselves will benefit by being met in the car park personally.

OTHER SUPPLEMENTARY JOBS

i) Telephone contact persons: these are the people assigned the contact phone number for adverts in the County Press and various posters and other marketing media. A guidance list is attached in the appendix.

Monthly tasks - ongoing reception and logging of calls; follow up on attendance at introductory meetings; report to committee.

ii) Children's liaison person: looks after babysitting needs, crêches, events specifically designed to accommodate the needs of members with children

Monthly tasks - monitoring of and catering for parents' needs; indirect report back to committee.

iii) Mainland liaison person: attempts to make and maintain contact with mainland groups, receive and exchange newsletters, arrange reciprocal meetings, exchange ideas.

Monthly task - ongoing search for contact on mainland and building of mainland relationships. Report back to committee.

iv) Auditor: works with the treasurer to ensure correct accounting conventions and also verifies the accounts at the end of the year; can also act as backup to treasurer if necessary.

v) Listening Ear: several interested members are prepared to provide a confidential "listening ear" for those members who may wish to share certain problems.

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