Nonprofit Board Officer Board Secretary

Position Summary: The Board contributes to the mission of the Drug-Free Youth Coalition by providing mission-based leadership and strategic governance. The Board ensures it carries out its fiduciary duties and fulfills five key roles for the organization: 1) Lead strategically, 2) Ensure financial stability, 3) Be an ambassador, 4) Support and supervise the Executive Director (ED), and 5) Ensure healthy governance.

Major Responsibilities: Each individual board member contributes to the full board in fulfilling its major duties. Some of the work below may be carried out by specific board members or committees, but each individual board member has the responsibility to ensure the full board carries out the following roles and duties:

• Lead Strategically
  • Become knowledgeable about the activities and business of the organization.
  • Help develop and communicate the organization’s strategic direction, goals, and plan.
  • Monitor outcomes related to stated goals and strategies and revise as needed.
  • Assist organizational leadership in anticipating and navigating change.
• Ensure Financial Stability
  • Approve the organization’s annual budget.
  • Regularly review and understand the organization’s financial statements and assess the organization’s financial position; ask questions to improve understanding of the financial statements.
  • Ensure financial reporting requirements are compliant with state regulations, including 990 filings, audits, and registration with the Secretary of State and Attorney General.
• Be An Ambassador
  • Represent the organization in the community. Cultivate relationships from personal and professional networks that support the organization’s mission.
  • Participate in fundraising efforts.
  • Attend the annual conference and fundraisers, act as an ambassador, and volunteer to assist in activities.
• Support and Supervise the Executive Director
  • Select, set compensation for, and conduct an annual evaluation of the performance of the Executive Director.
  • Act as a trusted advisor to the ED, ensuring they have the moral and professional support they need to further the Drug-Free Youth Coalition’s goals.
  • Ensure an emergency and long-term succession plan is in place for the Executive Director
• Ensure Healthy Governance
  • Recruit and orient new board members. Develop a plan for board succession and officer leadership.
  • Review bylaws and maintain compliance with all legal requirements, conflict of interest policies, and other guiding documents. Review policies annually and update as needed.
  • Partner with the ED to ensure Board resolutions are carried out.
  • Be prepared for and attend all board meetings.
  • Serve on committees or task forces and take on special assignments as needed.
  • Conduct a self-evaluation that allows board members to improve their governance practices.

Board Officer Secretary Job Descriptions

Position summary: The secretary of the Drug-Free Youth Coalition’s Board of Directors provides administrative support to ensure seamless operations, effective communication, and compliance with regulations.

Major Responsibilities:

• Maintaining board records and ensuring effective management of the organization’s records.
• Managing board meeting minutes: Collect and send a draft of the minutes to the Chair for approval and then send them on to the rest of the Board. Minutes should reflect the activities of meetings objectively, without unnecessary commentary. They should include the following information:
  • Who is present and absent
  • Agenda
  • Items discussed
  • Key issues raised
  • Votes and action items and
  • Any other relevant information
• Ensuring minutes are distributed to members shortly after each meeting.
• Maintaining sufficient familiarity with legal documents (articles, by-laws, IRS letters, etc.) to reference when necessary in board meetings.
• Maintaining a chart of starting and ending dates for each Board member.
• Working with the Executive Director to ensure all decisions and documents are consolidated in the Society for Nonprofits Handbook.
• Provide administrative support to the Board and the Executive Director
• Communication and Correspondence
  • Respond to inquiries, emails, and phone calls.
  • Prepare and send newsletters, reports, and updates.
  • Manage social media accounts (optional).
  • Develop and maintain stakeholder relationships.
  • Ensure consistent branding.
• Governance and Compliance
  • Maintain accurate board meeting records.
  • Ensure regulatory compliance.
  • Manage conflicts of interest disclosures.
  • Coordinate annual reports and filings.

Length of Term: Two years, which may be renewed for one additional two-year term if the officer remains eligible to serve on the board, pending board approval. Officers may be re-elected to the position after taking off at least one term from the officer role.

Time Commitment: Three hours per month on average in addition to the time committed for general board duties (3-4 hours), for a total board commitment of 6-7 hours per month.

In the absence of the Secretary at any meeting, a secretary pro tempore shall be appointed by the presiding Officer.