Board Officer - Secretary

Duties of the SAILS Board Secretary 

The Board of Directors for Stillborn And Infant Loss Support (SAILS) is seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented professional to serve as our next Board Secretary. The SAILS Board Secretary plays a critical role in fostering communication and ensuring proper management and utilization of important organizational records. The board secretary provides administrative and clerical support to the board, through the timely and accurate collection and sharing of information directly related to its activities. The secretary is the custodian of the organization’s records, ensuring that the board is well informed and that its activities are well documented for the use of board members, the governance committee and relevant government bodies. More specifically, the board secretary’s role includes, but is not limited to:

Communication – A Primary Role of the Secretary

• Serves as an active conduit for communication between the board, management, and members (if any), by giving proper notice of any meetings and timely distribution of materials such as agendas and meeting minutes. 
• Remains knowledgeable of the organization’s records and related materials, and should be able to provide advice and resources to the board on relevant topics at issue, such as particular governance matters being addressed at a meeting or a new amendment to state corporate law, for example.
• Serves as a resource to the board as they discharge their fiduciary duties.
• Insuring board member names, bios, meeting minutes, annual reports and plans are published, as agreed upon by the board, on the organization’s website

Scheduling, Notice, and Materials

• Knows and complies with notice requirements and scheduling meetings to accommodate the directors. 
• Develops and distributes a board calendar before the start of each year
• Maintains a list of board member contact information, appointment dates and terms
• Schedules board meetings, ensuring an adequate number of meetings are held per year, in accordance with the organization’s bylaws. 
• Ensures that board meetings are efficiently and effectively held by preparing and sending meeting materials far enough in advance of the meeting for each director to review such materials, correct any errors, and prepare questions and comments.

Minutes of Meetings

• Records minutes of meetings, maintaining organizational documents that provide a memorialized chronology of key information such as board actions, elections of officers or directors, and certain reports from committees and staff. 
• Distributes copies of board minutes and actions to board members promptly after meetings.

Maintenance of Corporate Records

• Maintains accurate documentation, meeting legal requirements, such as annual filing deadlines
• Keeps a calendar of filing deadlines, including a filing with the corporation’s Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the state tax agency, and the IRS. 
• Reviews and updates documents as necessary, ensuring all documents are safely stored and readily accessible for inspection by directors and/or members.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• High school diploma or GED required
• 1-2 years of experience providing administrative support
• Experience taking meeting minutes
• Experience with Google Workspace including Sheets, Forms, Docs and Presentations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Skills

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively.
• Excellent organizational skills regarding documentation and file or record-keeping
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.

Time Commitment

• Two Year Term (24 months)
• Attend Board Meetings once a quarter (2 hrs)
• 10-12 hours per month (board meetings, work sessions, special projects, prep, learning/advocacy/events)
• Annual Board Retreat in October- 7 hours

Other Requirements

• Committed to serving the community with a minimum of one-year previous community service experience.
• “Give or Get Policy:” Committed to making a personal donation or raising a minimum of $500 annually.
• Fundraise and generate funding opportunities;
• Serve in an advisory capacity;
• Commit to the Mission of the organization;
• Provide input into the strategic planning process;
• Represent the agency to constituents while promoting and publicizing the organization;
• Share relationships and secure in-kind resources to support the vision of the organization;
• Maintain confidentiality related to organization business and intellectual ideas; and
• Be prepared and willing to work towards expanding our visibility in the community.