Roles

Management Committee Members govern by directing and controlling the organisation through collective decision making. They act as a pool of expertise and advice, manage staff, volunteers or projects such as the Coordinator or newsletter, and do work including staffing a helpline, answering correspondence, filling out grant applications, changing hearing aid batteries, or representing the organisation externally.

Governance

Members fulfil five core governance functions: determine mission and strategy, ensure accountability, look after the committee through renewal, decision making and learning, safeguard assets both tangible (money, property) and intangible (reputation, name), and act as boundary-spanners linking the organisation to stakeholders such as members, community and funders.

Conduct (Legal)

Members must be active, act jointly, act constitutionally and within the law, act in the interests of beneficiaries, act reasonably and honestly, have a duty of care, not delegate control, not benefit personally unless allowed, and avoid conflicts of interest through written processes and policies.

Conduct (Practical)

Members should attend meetings, prepare by reading agendas and papers, clarify with the chair if needed, arrive on time, participate fully, listen openly, contribute positively, be concise, discourage side conversations, keep beneficiaries’ interests in mind, declare conflicts of interest, and fulfil responsibilities assigned with progress reports.

Conduct (Best Practice)

If more detail is needed, a separate Code of Conduct may be used.

Ideal Qualities

Members should have commitment to the organisation and its aims, willingness to devote time and effort, good judgement and independence of mind, willingness to work collectively, and seek constructive debate and dialogue over confrontation.