Board Support Position: Sample Job Description

Use this sample to create job postings for your nonprofit’s board support positions.

Our thanks to Meg Evans, who shared her job description as Coordinator of Board Relations at the Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation in Portland, Oregon. This version is edited from the original.

---

Job Description: Coordinator of Board Relations

Full time, non-exempt

Position purpose:

To provide administrative support to the Board of Directors and associated committees. Function as the primary contact person for the Board and associated committees (Executive, Nominating, Finance).

Functions & Duties:

90% time: Administrative support and primary contact for the Board of Directors and associated committees as follows:

• Organize and engineer meetings and events and contract with and supervise subcontractors

• Create meeting(s) timeline, prepare and distribute meeting notification, correspondence, and agenda materials

• Attend board and committee meetings and record minutes

• Create and maintain board booklets

• Establish working relationship with the Board of Directors President and committee chairs in verbal, written, and electronic correspondence

• Maintain, as needed, both mailing & public relations lists of board and committees, including website updates

• Monitor board budget

• Create mailings, newsletters, and other materials for the board committee members

• Mail, track, and follow up on the annual conflict of interest disclosure and create report for Executive Committee review

10% time: Provide back-up administrative support to the Executive Director as follows:

• Schedule appointments and maintain Executive Director’s calendar

• Prepare and edit correspondence

• Make travel arrangements

Minimum Qualifications

Knowledge, skills, and abilities required:

• Self-motivated, focused, positive attitude, flexible, and proactive

• Ability to multi-task and work in fast-paced, demanding environment

• Strong organizational skills

• Ability to deal with high-level outside influentials

• Professional appearance and mannerisms

• Ability to partner (collaborate) and work well with people at all levels

• Ability to identify creative solutions that address time, budget, quality

• Ability to develop, organize, and implement office procedures and systems

• Ability to make decisions and maintain confidentiality

• Ability to initiate and complete projects with minimal supervision

• Excellent oral and written communication skills

• Strong communication, composition, computer systems, prioritizing, and public relations skills

• Board of director/trustee and executive-level contact on behalf of Executive Director

• Advanced computer skills, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access

• Word Processing: 75 wpm

• Excellent spelling, grammar, and editing skills

• Purchasing and negotiating skills

• Record and compose minutes for board meetings

Education and/or experience:

• 5 years experience in a high-level administrative support position

• Minimum 3 years’ experience working with a Board of Directors and/or board appointed committees

• Minimum 2 years of college courses or equivalent experience

Working conditions:

• Continual exposure to new tasks

• Work environment is fast-paced where work interruptions may be frequent

• Low tolerance for errors

• Must work within specified budget

• Multiple projects and timeframes occurring at once

• Standard work week is 40 hours. There may be significant time constraints that create the need for a flexible schedule during certain time periods.

• Travel to off-site locations within Portland area required (primarily OHSU campus)

• Ability to move boxes and/or materials weighing up to 50 pounds

Scope of Work:

Decision making & influencing:

Decisions made:

• Determine processes for completing job tasks

• Prioritization of tasks within pre-determined schedule (unless urgency to particular task)

• Orchestrate the logistics of events

Decisions referred to another:

• All written board correspondence must be approved

• All project work/research results must be reviewed

• Non-standard decisions are referred to appropriate person (Executive Director and President)

Quantitative information which measures this job or indicates work volume:

• Manage 3 separate lists of board members for publication purposes

• Manage all correspondence (written, verbal, electronic) for current directors, emeritus directors, and current committees

Board meetings – quarterly:

• Mail hard copy invitations and RSVP cards

• Prepare and distribute meeting materials/booklets

• Coordinates all logistics and preparations

• Complete minutes following each meeting

Executive Committee meetings – quarterly:

• Email meeting notification and track RSVPs for quorum

• Prepare and distribute meeting materials

• Coordinate all logistics and preparations

• Complete minutes following each meeting

Nominating Committee meetings – quarterly:

Email meeting notification and track RSVPs for quorum

• Update materials for distribution at meeting

• Email agenda and minutes from last meeting

• Coordinate all logistics and preparations

• Complete minutes following each meeting

Finance & Audit Committee meetings – quarterly:

• Email meeting notification and track RSVPs for quorum

• Prepare and distribute meeting materials, including materials from external vendors

• Coordinate all logistics and preparations

• Complete minutes following each meeting

• Mail the board of directors’ roster at least once/year

• Mail the request for updated photos and calendar of meetings annually

Contacts:

• Board of Directors – Current, Emeritus, Honorary, and their staff members

• Directors of Development and their Administrative Assistants

• Department of Pediatrics Faculty and Administration

• Vice Presidents and their Administrative Assistants

• Department Managers which include parking, housekeeping, catering, educational communications, and delivery services

• Staff

• Vendors – caterers, other suppliers

• Interface with the Executive Director’s contacts which include senior management, attorneys, consultants, etc.

You might also like:

• Insider Newsletters: An Easy Way to Keep Your Board in the Loop and Engaged
• An Easy-to-Use Accounting Procedures Manual Template
• Board Horror Stories: How to Reduce Board Resignations
• Rebuilding Nonprofit Boards: When a New Board Can Be a Fresh Start
• Drive Your Nonprofit’s Mission by Investing in Your People

 

You made it to the end! Please share this article!

Let’s help other nonprofit leaders succeed! Consider sharing this article with your friends and colleagues via email or social media.