YWCA USA Resource Library
The Board/Staff Partnership - a Close Look Organization Board Directors Governance Leadership Responsibilities
Roles Strategy
Organization Executive Staff Management Leadership Responsibilities
Roles Strategy
Who Does What?...... 2
Chart Outlining the Division of Roles between Board and CEO/Executive Director.. 3
Board, Committee, and Staff Roles in Financial Management and Oversight….…... 5
The YWCA Board Staff Partnership-A Close Look 1 This document is part of the YWCA USA Online Resource Library. Find more resources on the intranet at www.ywca.org.
Who Does What?
The Board
Authorized by the state and the organization’s supporters, the Board governs (guides, steers) the organization. Establishes mission and direction, ensures that the necessary resources are available, and develops guiding principles. Retains ultimate responsibility and power. Is accountable to the public trust and to the organization’s constituencies.
The Chief Executive
Authorized by the Board, the chief executive manages the daily affairs of the organization. Supports the Board with strategic information, ideas, and connections. Manages the affairs of the organization by ensuring appropriate planning, coordination, and implementation of the program established by the Board to support the mission. Retains immediate, or operational, responsibility and power.
The Partnership
Organizational health depends on an effective partnership between the Board and chief executive.
Requires regular and open communication between the Requirements for an Board chair and chief executive. Effective Partnership Requires willingness on everyone’s part to examine assumptions. Benefits from regular and systematic feedback and assessment. Clarity of roles May need redefinition as the organization grows in size and complexity. Division of responsibilities
The Board Chair's Role in Supporting the CEO Attention to working relationships 1. Communicates openly and fairly with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Executive Director (ED). 2. Serves as a liaison between the Board and CEO/ED. 3. Takes the lead in and encourages the Board to support and evaluate the CEO/ED. 4. Discusses issues confronting the organization with the CEO/ED. 5. Reviews with the CEO/ED any issues of concern to the Board.
The YWCA Board Staff Partnership-A Close Look 2
Role Designations of the Board and Chief Executive for Major Functions (Adapted from “Building and Managing An Effective Board of Directors, Center for Nonprofit Mgmt)
This chart describes the fiduciary, strategic and generative roles and responsibilities of the Board and the CEO/Executive Director.
Responsibility Board Of Directors CEO/Executive Director
Legal Exercises fiduciary role to ensure that Must provide information to the board to the organization is properly managed. demonstrate that the organization is well The board should have a mechanism to managed. validate information from the Compiles information for annual filing CEO/Executive Director. requirements. Maintains legal status; ensures the Signals to the board if any situations are likely proper paperwork is submitted to to occur/have occurred that jeopardize the legal governmental agencies. status of the organization. Reviews financial and business dealings and exercises proper judgment in self-dealing transactions -- avoidance of conflicts of interest.
Finance and Approves annual budget and long range Prepares annual budget and long range Accounting financial forecast financial forecast with input from CFO and Reviews periodic financial reports finance committee (balance sheet, income statement, Oversees preparation of periodic financial changes in financial position). reports. Ensures that proper internal controls Implements proper financial controls. are in place.
Planning Establishes mission, vision and overall Participates in establishing mission and program direction for the organization. program direction for the organization. Reviews strategic plan progress. Contributes to vision of the organization; and Assesses compliance/progress in assists the board in maintaining focus and achieving program/service outcomes. momentum for the organization Assesses program evaluation plan. Develops specific program goals and objectives based on mission. Develops reports or oversees staff development of reports to demonstrate program progress.
Policy Develop and adopt written board level Identifies need for new policies policies. Responsible for assuring the implementation of Responsible for reviewing board level policies and for assisting the board in policies periodically analyzing policy options
Contracts Approves and monitors those contracts Administers contracts approved by the board. under the purview of the board. Approves and monitors all other contracts
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Responsibility Board Of Directors CEO/Executive Director Personnel Sets and reviews over-arching Implements board level personnel policies. personnel policies. Develops and implements all other personnel Hires CEO/CEO/Executive Director policies. and evaluates his/her performance. Recommends changes in personnel policies to (Executive Committee conducts the board. performance review. Hires all personnel and evaluates performance of staff members (or delegates to appropriate supervisor).
Board Establishes and communicates clear Facilitates training and information exchange Accountability expectations of Board directorship. for members in preparation for selection of Assures effective participation of Board directors. Board directors. Facilitates effective communication among Conducts annual board self review Board directors. process.
Decision-making Defines and communicates the role of Makes all decisions except those explicitly Board and CEO/Executive Director in reserved to the board. agency decision-making. Assures appropriate involvement of board directors in organizational decision-making.
Community Promotes the organization to various Interprets the mission of the organization to the Relations publics. community through direct involvement, public Promotes cooperative action with other relations programs, including personal contact, organizations in alignment with the descriptive program literature, and work with mission, vision and overall program the media; works closely with the board for an direction of the agency. effective division of labor.
Add Others Here
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Role Designations for Financial Management and Oversight
Board’s Role Finance Committee’s Role Staff’s Role Approves a budget that reflects the Revised budget and makes Prepares the budget and presents it organization’s goals and Board recommendations. to the finance committee or full policies. Board with back-up information.
Reviews monthly or quarterly Reviews monthly financial Monitors income and expenses on a financial statements. statements with appropriate staff daily basis. Prepares financial and Director and/or accountant. program reports that can be compared to the budget and projected activities.
Ensures adequate financial controls Reviews accounting and internal Raises policy issues and provides and that financial reports are in control policies and makes information for standard accounting accordance with accounting recommendations for changes and policy decisions. Implement practices. improvements. policies established by the Board.
Reviews the audited financial Reviews the audited financial Provides information and offers statements, management letter, and statements, management letter, and recommendations to finance senior staff’s response. senior staff’s response with staff and committee. If necessary, responds auditor. to a management letter.
Approves the organization’s Regularly reviews and makes Provides information and analysis if investment policies and reviews recommendations about investment needed. them annually. policies.
Is well-informed about the Coordinates Board training on Provides training and information as organization’s finances. financial matters. Acts as liaison requested. between full Board and staff on fiscal matters.
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Role Designations for Tasks in the Ongoing Work Plan To help convey who does what regarding board and staff, this chart suggests what usually is done by the board, by staff or jointly. Ultimately, the responsibility for the various activities depends on the life-cycle of the organization -- young organizations often have working boards that are involved in day-to-day activities, while older organizations have boards that attend exclusively to top-level policies and plans.
WORK RESPONSIBILITY
PLANNING
Ensure process and resources for planning Board
Provide input to long range goals Joint
Approve long range goals Board
Formulate annual objectives Staff
Approve annual objectives Joint
Prepare performance reports on achievement of goals and objectives Staff
Monitor achievement of goals and objectives Joint
PROGRAMMING
Assess stakeholder (customers, community) needs Staff
Train volunteer leaders Staff (Joint for Board Training)
Ensure process and resources for evaluating services and programs Board
Maintain program records; prepare program reports Staff
Prepare budget Staff
Approve budget Board See that expenditures stay within budget/Present corrective strategies as Staff needed
Solicit contributions in fundraising campaigns Board and/or Joint
Organize fundraising campaigns Staff Approve expenditures outside authorized budget Board
Insure annual audit of organization accounts Board
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PERSONNEL
Employ and set compensation for chief executive Board
Direct work of the staff Staff
Hire, supervise, set compensation for and discharge staff members Staff
Ensure high performance levels among staff Staff
COMMUNITY RELATIONS Interpret organization to community, build relationships to help further the mission Joint Write news stories Staff Provide organization linkage with other organizations Joint
BOARD COMMITTEES
Appoint committee members Board, with Staff Input
Call committee chair to urge her into action Board
Promote attendance at board/committee meetings Joint
Recruit new board members Board with Staff Input
Plan agenda for board meetings Joint
Take minutes at board meetings Joint
Plan and propose committee organization Joint
Prepare exhibits, material and proposals for board and committees Staff
Sign legal documents Board
Follow-up to insure implementation of board and committee decisions Staff
Settle conflicts between board members and/or committees if they arise Board
Material included from McKinsey & Company and Frank Martinelli, Nonprofit Strategic Planning Consultant
Many companion resources are included in the Resource Library. Of special note for board functioning are: Roles and Responsibilities of YWCA Boards of Directors and Committees, Building and Sustaining a High Functioning Board, YWCA Board Development and Governance Committee Guide, YWCA Board and Staff Relationships that Work, and the YWCA Board President/Chair Handbook
Updated fall, 2015 Please note, this information is presented as a resource, not as advice, is for YWCA use only and copyright restrictions apply. Appropriate counsel should be engaged in the development of YWCA policies, practices, procedures and actions.
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