Governing Documentation

Roles and responsibilities for those on the Management

Committee

Officers:

Chair
 To steer organisation and run meetings.
 To act as a figurehead for the organisation, for example, representing it
at functions, meetings or in the press and when the Chair gives the views
of the organisation he/she shall do so on the basis of a line which has
been agreed by the Management Committee.
 To lead on the development of the organisation.
 To take urgent action (but not decision making, unless authorised)
between committee meetings when it is not possible or practical to hold a
meeting.

Secretary
 To ensure that the charity complies with legal or regulatory requirements, as
well as the completion of administrative duties to support the organisation.
 One of the most important roles is to take minutes of all significant meetings
and to procure that another member or Management Committee member, as
appropriate, takes minutes of any meeting that the Secretary is unavailable to
minute. Investigate and if need be procure the registration of the organisation
as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Treasurer –
 To help the organisation carry out its financial responsibilities by using their best
reasonable efforts to:
o Present financial reports in a format that helps the
Management Committee understand the organisation’s
financial position;
o Oversee the preparation and scrutiny of annual accounts and
sending documentation to an external auditor at the end of each
financial year;
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 o Undertake book-keeping, budgeting and preparation of reports.

Communications and Media Officer –

 To deliver effective and timely communication of the organisation’s
activities to the membership and other stakeholders.
 To promote the organisation and its range of activities through pro-
actively obtaining media coverage.
 To promote organisation events through social media and the media
as required.
 To promote knowledge, understanding and coverage of Independent
Schools’ Drama within social media and the media as required.
 To manage incoming media enquiries.

To avoid creating an ‘inner group’ that excludes other members from access to
transparent decision making, NISDA has both a Management Committee and Patrons
to oversee or give counsel or guidance to the duties of the Officers above.

Management Committee – In addition to the four individuals above, who are targeted
with driving the underlying continuation of the organisation up to, but not exceeding,
eight more will focus directly on the provision of conference on a yearly basis.

Three posts come from hosting conference: past host, current host and upcoming
host [if known in advance].

The roles of the remaining five may include, but are not strictly limited to:
o organisation of stall holders and external organisations;
o keeping of accurate databases and lists of potential attendees and
members;
o ambassadors for the organisation during conference, directing members
and overseeing the health and safety requirements of the host;
o preparatory school liaison;
o state school liaison;
o technical liaison;
o teacher training liaison.

Patrons:
This is a high profile figurehead role to advance the cause of the organisation. The
organisation currently has three Patrons and will aim to have between one and four
at the discretion of the Management Committee. Patrons terms of office last longer
than the Membership Committee or Officers so they can provide the checks and
balances necessary when viewed over a longer period of time and provide guidance.
As of conference 2016 this will be limited to a decade of service. Their roles may
include, but are not strictly limited to:
o providing advice to the management committee;
o mentoring;
o particular advice on continuing professional development;
o involvement with promoting the organisation in the wider media.

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As founder members the contributions of Peter Broad and David Smith are
recognised in their roles of Emeritus Patrons.

How to become involved:

As of conference 2017: Members/potential members from the organisation’s

database are contacted by the upcoming host with information on which roles are
available. Members who wish to be considered have to submit an application
consisting of a paragraph of writing as to why they wish to take on the role, and
get a proposer and a seconder. Their application for the role is then shared with
members attending conference that year, who will be present at the AGM. Voting
then takes place during the Conference, decided by majority secret ballot, and
organised by a member of the Management Committee.

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