Roles, Responsibilities and Qualifications of Directors of the Edmonton Down Syndrome Society

Opportunity

Are you looking for a rewarding way to give back to the community of Edmonton and Northern Alberta, to transform the lives of families? The Edmonton Down Syndrome Society (EDSS) is seeking passionate volunteers to sit on its Board of Directors who are committed to advocating for and enriching the lives of individuals born with Down syndrome. The Vision, Mission, and Values of the organization are outlined at http://www.edss.ca/about.

Roles and Responsibilities of Directors

The EDSS Board of Directors governs the affairs of the Society. It comprises five (5) to nine (9) members, with a maximum of seven seats elected with individuals from the community at large. There are four (4) roles on the Board of Directors with specific, additional responsibilities over and above the typical responsibilities of a Director.

• Chair – presides over all meetings of the Society and Board.
• Vice-Chair – assumes the duties of the Chair should the Chair be unable.
• Secretary – preserves minutes of all meetings as required and has the responsibility  of maintaining the records of the Society.
• Treasurer – supervises the receipt of monies paid to the Society and is responsible for proper accounting for the funds of the Society.

General Responsibilities of a Director include

• Attend meetings of the Board and the AGM to support governance responsibilities of the organization. There is no salary or remuneration offered for acting as a Director.
• Demonstrate involvement with and ongoing commitment to the goals and objectives of the EDSS and its members.
• Willingness to serve on committees to support and participate in special events of the EDSS.
• Willingness to serve a two (2) year term as a Director.
• Approve policy and other recommendations received from the Board, its standing committees, and Executive Director.
• Maintain the financial health of the organization through financial oversight and annual planning.
• Contribute to the strategic planning process and support the implementation of organizational objectives by providing expertise, advice and experience to the Board and direction to staff.

Qualifications of Directors

Directors of the EDSS must meet the following basic criteria:
• Be a resident of legal age in Alberta within the region that the EDSS covers.
• Commit to serving the complete term of two (2) years for a maximum of six (6) years or three (3) terms (as per EDSS Bylaws).
*Note: Will be required to obtain a Police Information Check and Vulnerable Sector Check as part of the process for acceptance to the Board of Directors.

Other core competencies expected of Directors of the Board include:
• A commitment to the vision and mission of the EDSS
• A passion for advocating for and working towards enriching the lives of individuals born with Down syndrome
• Knowledge of strategic and business planning
• Governance experience
• Human resources management expertise
• Marketing and communications expertise
• Legal and risk management expertise
• Financial management expertise
• Business and/or corporate experience 
• Demonstrated leadership in the not-for-profit sector or other endeavors.

Directors of the EDSS commit themselves to ethical, professional, and lawful conduct, including proper use of authority and decorum when acting as Board members. Directors must demonstrate their ability to contribute significantly to the leadership of the EDSS and to the organization's advancement, representing unconflicted loyalty to the interests of all EDSS members.

Board of Directors Application Form

This form is to be completed by anyone applying for election as an EDSS Director. Please ensure all steps are completed before submission.

Please contact the Nominations Committee at nominations@edss.ca should you have any questions about completing this application or about being a Director of the EDSS. 

Complete the following.

References: Provide details of two references one (1) general, and one (1) Board to support your application.

General Reference

Board Reference

Provide and attach with this application a cover letter and resume addressing the points below.
• Explain how you would bring to the Board a passion towards advocating for and enriching the lives of individuals born with Down syndrome and describe any current connection you have to the Down syndrome community (if any).
• Outline your experience(s) as a Board Member (corporate or not-for-profit), the organizations and time periods, as well as the knowledge and skills gained.
• Provide information about specific expertise and skills you have in business planning, HR, governance, marketing and communications; health care or advocacy, legal and risk management; financial management.

Please email resume and cover letter to nominations@edss.ca. before clicking submit below

Electronically sign and date your application.
By electronically providing my name and date below, I hereby declare that I meet the criteria to serve as a Director of the EDSS, will commit to carry out my responsibilities should I be nominated and elected, and am willing to attend and stand for election at the next EDSS Annual General Meeting (AGM). I
acknowledge that I will participate in an interview process with the EDSS nominations committee and that selection of nominees is at the discretion of the board based on needs. I also declare that the information provided in this application (including attachments provided separately) is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. Finally, I am aware that any information provided in this application may be used by the Nomination Committee to contact my references and prepare the election packages for the AGM.