ROLE OF THE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The key to a successful Club is effective leadership and regular activities. The Management Committee’s overall responsibility is to provide opportunities for fun, friendship and fellowship through a wide range of activities that engages its membership.

The role of the Committee is to manage the Club in accordance with the Club’s constitution, standing resolutions and the law. It therefore has the power to make binding decisions on behalf of the Club which are not subject to review by the membership. However, Committees should report to their members on any decisions made and are encouraged to seek their member’s views on any matters that may be considered contentious.

Each Committee member should be familiar with the Club’s constitution and standing resolutions and ensure that there are copies available at meetings. They should also be aware of Club policies and protocols and have access to insurance documents. Each Committee member should have a portfolio detailing their role and responsibilities.

Roles and Responsibilities

All Management Committee positions must be filled in accordance with the Club’s constitution and standing resolutions. Generally, a Committee includes the following roles:

President

Successful leaders have a united team working with them and good decisions are almost always made by consensus. The main role of the President is to provide leadership and direction to the Management Committee to ensure their Club embodies the true spirit of Probus – fun, friendship and fellowship. While the President and the Management Committee deal with administrative matters as part of their role, the focus should be on the engagement and retention of members and the growth of their Club.

The role of the President can be summarised as follows:

1. Should be familiar with the constitution and standing resolutions and have a copy available for reference at all meetings.
2. Should understand how to chair a meeting and the protocol for motions, debate/discussion and voting. Refer to the Rules of Debate for Meetings section of this Handbook.
3. Should ensure that an agenda is prepared for meetings.
4. Should begin and end meetings on time.
5. Should take the opportunity to meet and greet all members, guests and visiting Club members.
6. Should ensure that Committee recommendations (where required) are brought to the membership for decision/confirmation.
7. Provide leadership and direction to the Management Committee to ensure the Club embodies the true spirit of Probus – fun, friendship and fellowship.
8. Implement and review the Club’s Membership Growth Plan which focuses on engagement and retention of members as well as membership growth.
9. Implement a succession plan for all Management Committee positions.
10. Encourage members to contribute stories, articles, letters and photographs for Probus publications, PSPL’s website or social media platforms.
11. Should maintain a positive relationship with the Club’s sponsor.
12. Before vacating office, brief their successor on the role of the President and any outstanding matters and hand over all records.

Vice President

The main role of the Vice President is to assist the President in providing leadership and direction to the Management Committee to ensure their Club embodies the true spirit of Probus – fun, friendship and fellowship.

 

The role of the Vice President can be summarised as follows:

1. Should be familiar with the constitution and standing resolutions and have a copy available for reference at all meetings.
2. Should understand how to chair a meeting and the protocol for motions, debate/discussion and voting. Refer to the Rules of Debate for Meetings section of this Handbook.
3. Should work closely with the President to become familiar with the role and responsibilities of the Presidency.
4. Should take the opportunity to meet and greet all members, guests and visiting Club members.
5. Chairs meetings in the President’s absence and deals with any presidential issues that may arise in the President’s absence.
6. Assists with the duties of any Committee member in their absence or arranges an alternative assistant.
7. Assists any Committee member who has a heavy workload.
8. Before vacating office, brief their successor on the role of the Vice President and any outstanding matters and hand over all records.

A Club, by resolution of members may, in accordance with its constitution and standing  resolutions, elect a Senior and Junior Vice President as part of its succession plan. While any Club member, including an incumbent Vice President, would need to nominate for the role of President, a Club, by resolution of members, may create a standing resolution for the Vice (or Senior Vice) President to be President Elect for the ensuing year. This fulfils the general expectation that a Vice President will nominate for the role of President in the following year.

Secretary

The main role of the Secretary is to support the President to ensure the Management Committee functions smoothly. The Secretary is responsible for ensuring meetings are effectively organised and minuted. The Secretary is required to maintain up-to-date records and be the key point of contact for the Club.

The role of the Secretary can be summarised as follows:

1. Ensures timely and effective distribution of correspondence to Committee members and Club members as required.
2. Should be familiar with the constitution and standing resolutions and have a copy available for reference at all meetings.
3. In consultation with the President, prepares agendas for each Management Committee meeting, General Meeting and Annual General Meeting and issues formal notices of meeting.
4. Records minutes of Committee meetings, General Meetings and Annual General Meetings and presents these minutes at the following meeting for formal adoption as a ‘true and correct record’.
5. Ensures approved minutes are signed by the President or Chair at the next meeting. Refer to the Minutes section of this Handbook.
6. Issues notices for the election of Committee members and nomination and proxy forms (if applicable) in accordance with the Club’s constitution.
7. Maintains a Register of Members’  in accordance with the Club’s constitution.
8. Maintains a current list of Committee members including addresses, email and telephone numbers.
9. Presents new applications for membership for the Committee’s consideration.
10. Ensures that following the Annual General Meeting, the PSPL Annual Return Forms and payment of fees are lodged by 30 April each year.
11. The Secretary or the Treasurer may be authorised to be responsible for the security and custody of Club petty cash. Refer to the Petty Cash section of this Handbook.
12. Ensure PSPL is advised of changes to the Club’s membership list including the payment of pro- rata capitation fees as required.
13. Before vacating office, brief their successor on the role of the Secretary and any outstanding matters and hand over all records.

The Management Committee may be authorised under the Club’s standing resolutions to appoint assistants to any of the positions on the Committee. Assistants are not elected members of the Management Committee and, as such, are not entitled to vote. However, if an assistant is acting for a member of the Management Committee in his or her absence, then the assistant will have one vote.

Public Officer/Contact Person (Secretary performs this role too)

Each Club is required by its constitution to have a Secretary. Most incorporated Clubs in Australia require the Secretary, or another member of the Committee, to be designated as the Public Officer. In New Zealand, incorporated Clubs are required to appoint a Contact Person who does not need to be a member of the Committee. 

It is common practice for the Secretary to fulfil the role of Public Officer/Contact Person who acts as the official liaison person for the relevant regulator of incorporated associations (such as Probus Clubs). Unincorporated Clubs do not require the appointment of a Public Officer/Contact Person.

Following is a summary of the statutory requirements for these appointments :

New South Wales: The Associations Incorporation Act 2009 requires the appointment of a Public Officer.

Where the appointment of a Public Officer/Contact Person is required by law, incorporated Clubs are responsible for ensuring the role is filled in accordance with the relevant legislation.

Treasurer

The main role of the Treasurer is to ensure that clear and accurate financial records are maintained and that all funds are accounted for. It is not essential to have accountancy qualifications. However, it is desirable that the Treasurer be familiar with bookkeeping and banking procedures.

The role of the Treasurer can be summarised as follows:

1. Ensures that processes are in place for the handling of all Club funds in order to minimise risk of loss or theft.
2. Ensures that all payments are approved or ratified by the Management Committee.
3. Ensures that the Club has a bank account(s) which may include cheque or electronic funds transfer (EFT) facilities. Most financial institutions offer accounts where two or more signatories on an account can authorise payments electronically via a secure method. Treasurers are encouraged to review the options available through their financial institution.
4. Arranges payment of annual fees to PSPL by 30 April each year, as well as additional pro-rata payments throughout the year.
5. Prepares and submits a financial report for Committee Meetings, General Meetings and Annual General Meetings in accordance with the Club’s constitution and standing resolutions.
6. Prepares a budget each year giving consideration to the annual financial commitments and the Club’s existing financial position and recommends the amount of the Club’s annual membership subscription.
7. Collects all Club funds and issues receipts in accordance with Club protocol.
8. Ensures that Club funds are banked within two working days to comply with insurance requirements.
9. The Secretary or the Treasurer may be authorised to be responsible for the security and safe custody of the Club’s petty cash. Refer to the Petty Cash section of this Handbook.
10. Pays all accounts by non-negotiable cheque or by EFT facility. Small accounts can also be paid using petty cash with appropriate supporting documentation.
11. Reconciles bank accounts monthly.
12. Ensures that financial records are submitted in sufficient time for either certification, review or audit as required by the Club’s constitution.
13. Updates bank signatories as required. 
14. Maintains a register of Club assets.
15. Prepares guidelines detailing what items of expenditure incurred may be considered for reimbursement.
16. Be aware of government concessions and taxation requirements for a Probus Club and ensure that these are complied with.
17. Before vacating office, brief their successor on the role of the Treasurer and any outstanding matters and hand over all records.

The Management Committee may be authorised under the Club’s standing resolutions to appoint assistants to any of the positions on the Committee. Assistants are not elected members of the Management Committee and, as such, are not entitled to vote. However, if an assistant is acting for a member of the Management Committee in their absence, then the assistant will have one vote.

A standing resolution may authorise the Treasurer and at least one other Committee member, appointed by the Management Committee, to use EFT for Club accounts.

Immediate Past President (Not applicable at this time)

The Immediate Past President (IPP) is normally an ex officio member of the Management Committee in recognition or by virtue of their past service as President. This is not an elected position but rather an appointment to offer support and advice and assist with the succession of the new President.

The IPP does not have any greater authority within the Committee than any other member of the Committee. The IPP is eligible to hold any other position on the Committee. If elected to such a position, the IPP only has one vote in that elected position. Otherwise, the voting entitlement (if any) of the IPP is normally determined by a Club’s standing resolution.

Newsletter Officer (Secretary performs this role too)

Monthly newsletters vary widely in Probus, some providing concise news and announcements on a single A4 sheet and others assuming the proportions of a community newspaper. The size, format and choice of material are the responsibility of the Newsletter Officer (or Management Committee).

The Newsletter Officer should ensure requests by members for privacy are met. A Club’s newsletter may include the following:

1. A meeting’s guest speaker and subject. 
2. Program for the next two or three meetings.
3. Calendar of activities and outings.
4. Future outings and co-ordinators contact numbers for each outing.
5. Report of previous meeting, often with a summary of the guest speaker’s address and Club member’s talk.
6. News of Club interest groups and co-ordinators contact numbers.
7. Member profiles, particularly for new members.
8. Extracts from PSPL’s publications such as Active Retirees and Management Committee Update highlighting feature articles or special offers.
9. Reminder to visit the PSPL website and social media platforms.
10. Special news regarding members: birthdays, anniversaries, overseas trips.
11. Information from the Committee, PSPL and Membership Representatives.
12. Information on local Rotary projects.

Displaying contact information and/or Club bank account details in the public domain increases the risk of this information being used for unwanted spam or identity theft. Clubs that publish their newsletters on the internet should either remove this information from the newsletter or publish a ‘’public’’ version of the newsletter without the sensitive information.

With respect to photographs or videos included in newsletters, while consent to appearing in a photograph or video taken during an approved Probus event will usually be implied, Management Committees are responsible for ensuring that they have consent from participants for their photographs or videos to be published in their newsletters. Refer to the Privacy section of this Handbook for additional information on photographs and videos.

Clubs may seek sponsorship or donations from local businesses to cover newsletter printing and postage costs. Such sponsors or donors may receive recognition in the newsletter in the form of a small advertisement or statement. Sponsorship of Club newsletters does not authorise or entitle the sponsor or donor to use the Probus name or Probus logo.

Any newsletter containing advertisements as a result of sponsorship arrangements or donations should include a disclaimer stating that ‘’Probus does not endorse any of the advertisers in this publication”.

It is recommended that a copy of the newsletter be sent to the Club’s sponsoring Rotary Club (if applicable). This will help strengthen the Club’s relationship with Rotary and share what is happening in the local community. Copies of newsletters should also be forwarded to local Membership Representatives and PSPL for inclusion of newsworthy items in Probus publications, PSPL’s website or social media platforms. 

PSPL has a newsletter template for use by Clubs which is available in the Club Administration section of the PSPL website under Forms and Templates.

Publicity Officer (Not up for nomination this year)

The role of the Publicity Officer is to raise Probus awareness by generating publicity in the local community. This includes informing the local media of Club events. Not all local news media send reporters and photographers to events organised by community groups. Accordingly, to have Clubs news and events reported, pro-activity is essential.

The Officer should:

1. Submit articles to local newspapers and radio stations. Please be aware of the requirements of members privacy when submitting articles or news.
2. Check deadline dates and always submit content well in advance.
3. Photographs should be electronically submitted and accompanied by a caption naming those pictured.
4. If an article is used by local media, telephone or send a note of appreciation. A polite word of thanks will not only make someone’s day but also may encourage consideration and acceptance of future articles.
5. Regularly submit articles and photographs of interest to PSPL for inclusion in Probus publications, PSPL’s website or social media platforms.

While consent to appearing in a photograph or video taken during an approved Probus event will usually be implied, Management Committees are responsible for ensuring that they have consent from participants for their photographs or videos to be published in PSPL’s publications prior to sending these to PSPL. Refer to the Privacy section of this Handbook for additional information on photographs and videos.

Guest Speaker Officer 

Each month, members have the opportunity to hear from interesting guest speakers. Many members retain an active interest in Probus because of the diversity of speakers. To hold the interest of members, programs should be well-balanced with informative and thought-provoking subjects presented by accomplished speakers.

The Officer should:

1. Aim to arrange a varied program six months in advance. Utilise Probus Partners as guest speakers on a regular basis to stay up to date with the latest Partner offers.
2. Provide a list of proposed speakers to the Committee to gauge interest.
3. Approach the speaker at least three months before the meeting at which the person is invited to speak. If necessary, explain the objectives of Probus.
4. Check payment or any other requirements the speaker may have prior to confirming the booking.
5. Ask the speaker for the title of the talk and biographical notes (for the information of the Newsletter Officer and the member chosen to introduce the speaker).
6. Follow up with a letter/email confirming the arrangements, setting out the location, time (suggest arrival in time to have tea/coffee with members), length of address, transport arrangements and contact telephone number.
7. Follow up with a reminder telephone call about five days before the date of meeting, checking on any special arrangements, equipment required (white board, screen, and projector) and confirm any transport arrangements.
8. Greet speaker on arrival - offer refreshments, introduce to the President, the Committee and the member who will be introducing the speaker.
9. Arrange for a member, preferably one with some understanding of or interest in the subject, to thank the speaker and present a small gift in appreciation. Attractive small gifts with the Probus logo are available from our authorised licensee(s). 
10. Try to have a short list of emergency speakers who can fill in with an interesting talk at short notice. Probus Partners can usually fill in for cancelled speakers at short notice.
11. Appreciate that Club members often make the most interesting guest speakers. Such talks help promote friendship within the Club.

While some speakers may offer a product or service, it is not recommended that any sales of the product or service be conducted during a Probus meeting. Any member wishing to use products or services from guest speakers do so in a private capacity. Accordingly, members should understand the speaker’s terms and conditions as neither PSPL, nor the Club/Association take responsibility for any product or service provided.

A list of guest speakers is available in the Club Administration section of the PSPL website under Guest Speakers List. 

Membership Officer

The Membership Officer is responsible for maintaining up-to-date membership records, management of membership applications and assisting with membership retention and growth.

The Officer should:

1. Maintain an up-to-date Register of Members.
2. Advise PSPL of any changes to the Club’s Member Listing i.e. new members, resignations. These changes can be submitted online through the Club Administration section of the PSPL or via the Member Listing Amendment Form, also available on the PSPL website.
3. Distribute Probus Membership Cards and Passports to Probus. Passports can be ordered through the Online Shop or by contacting the PSPL Team.
4. Maintain a record of members and visitors at each meeting and advise the Secretary of those present.
5. Ensure that name badges are available at each meeting, that they are handed to members as they arrive and collected before they leave. Alternatively, members may wish to retain their own badges.
6. Ensure that membership application forms are completed correctly. Applications should not be issued unless the Club has a vacancy for membership or has set a protocol for a waiting list. No monies should be accepted prior to acceptance of membership.
7. Prepare induction kits for new members containing a copy of the Club’s constitution and information about Probus. Note that Member Induction Kits are available in the Online Shop in the Club Administration section of the PSPL website or by contacting the PSPL Team. Refer to the sample Induction of New Members section of this Handbook for suggested wording.
8. Ensure that there is a welcoming program in place for the new member’s first few meetings through a ‘’buddy’’ program.

Activities Officer 

The role of the Outings, Activities and Tours Officer is exciting and rewarding. It requires planning, organisational skills, patience and imagination. It is recommended that more than one Officer be appointed to fulfil this role.

The Management Committee should approve a Probus activity once they are satisfied that it meets all management guidelines. These activities include any event organised by a Club or Association such as meetings, outings, tours, trips and interest groups.

When assessing whether or not to approve an activity, the Management Committee should consider all of the information related to that activity in order to approve it. This would normally include interest from members, location, availability, cost and risk assessment.

For insurance purposes, the approval of an activity should be reflected in the Club’s minutes as being approved. Not all of the information the Management Committee considers needs to be reflected in the Club minutes. However, the minutes should contain sufficient information to understand what is being approved.

The Officer(s) should:

1. Investigate and propose suitable outings and activities to the Management Committee for consideration. In costing each outing or activity, ensure that all expenditure is covered and any cancellation fees are taken into account. Any discounts or ‘’free of charge’’ offers should be applied so as to benefit all participating members.
2. Maintain liaison with other Clubs with a view to arranging occasional joint outings. 
3. Ensure that a risk assessment for each activity is conducted when determining suitability. 
4. Ascertain feasibility - costs and booking arrangements.
5. Ask members for suggestions of proposed outings, tours and other activities.
6. Ensure that attendance lists are maintained for all approved activities.
7. Ensure that all members are provided with clear instructions in relation to the activity or outing that minimise risk including contingency plans.
8. Collect money by a nominated date before each activity, keep complete records and issue receipts for all funds received.
9. Give all money collected to the Treasurer for banking with a detailed listing of all funds received. 
10. Carefully record all expenses, such as postage and telephone calls, and submit these to the Treasurer with receipts for reimbursement.
11. Consider offers from Probus Partners and MBS Partners given that they normally attract a discount for Probus members.

From time to time, the Officer may be invited to participate in familiarisation programs known as “Famils” programs. This enables the Officer to experience a destination firsthand in readiness for a Club trip. Clubs should set a protocol for free of charge (FOC) benefits offered to Officers.

Welfare Officer

The role of the Welfare Officer is to keep in touch with sick or bereaved members or those members feeling isolated or lonely or who may be in need of moral support or physical help.

The Officer should:

1. Send cards with appropriate messages to sick and bereaved members.
2. Advise the Committee if support is needed, either by member visits or transport to meetings.
3. Consider recommending non-active membership for those with long term illnesses.
4. Ensure that the member is kept up-to-date on Club matters.
5. Consider types of activities to suit those not participating
6. In conjuction with Membership Officer, mentor visitors and new members
7. Identify non active members due to illness, physical disability etc
8. Issue Medical Cards to all members at the monthly General Meeting
9. Welcome visitors to the monthly General Meeting
10. Carefully record all expenses, such as postage and telephone calls, and submit these to the Treasurer with receipts for reimbursement.

General Committee Member

Is an elected and equal member of the Committee. Takes on roles to assist in the effective functioning of the club, particularly where there is a heavy work load. May elect to permanently take on particular roles, as approved by the Committee.