The Board of Directors
Board Structure
The North Vancouver FC is run by our volunteer Board of Directors. We currently have eighteen available Director positions (established when our founding Board was created during the merger of our three North Vancouver parent clubs.) Six Directors from each of our founding Clubs were appointed to sit on the inaugural NVFC Board. We encourage participation from across our three primary regions to ensure strong representation for all our Membership.
Our first Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in the Spring of 2011, with our newly elected Directors beginning their terms of office from that date.
Our Role
The Board of Directors represents the public face of our Club, setting and implementing the policies which govern our Club. We are also a working board, and our Directors hold portfolios and manage the various areas of our operations. We expect our Directors to conduct themselves with professional decorum and respect. While we are not in a paid position, the level of responsibility that our Directors hold is the equivalent to management within a small-sized business.
We welcome interest in joining our Board, and ask that Members who believe they have what it takes, to please contact our President at president@nvfc.ca.
Learn More About Being a Member of our Board
The benefits of Directorship are many. We have a strong team that supports each other, and helps each other learn.
We have opportunities for Development, Learning on the Job, and Mentorships. We are happy to tell you more about our individual roles, and invite you to
consider joining our Board of Directors.
Also on this page, you will also find information on the General Requirements of all Directors, and outlines of specific Board of Director Job Descriptions.
Development
Our Board encourages personal development, and we offer relevant professional development opportunities to our Directors. These can include attending related courses, workshops, conferences, or seminars. The extent of these opportunities is both budget and task dependent.
Learning the Job
Sometimes, volunteers hesitate in putting their name forward if they are not entirely sure what they are in for when taking on a new position. To help with that, our Board works as a team to provide mentoring and training to new Directors.
Most positions can be learned on the job, and to support a new Director’s training, we have created detailed job descriptions and guides.
Mentorships
A few Board positions are extremely specific, and we encourage our interested Members to work with the current Directors to learn more about the position and what the duties entail.
As part of our recruitment process, these positions involve a three-month ‘transition period’ in which the outgoing Director will provide assistance to the new Director through a direct mentoring relationship. It is an expectation in this situation that each incoming Director will consider the future role of mentor as part of the job. Mentoring is dependent upon availability of previous volunteers.
Roles that typically involve a Mentor include:
- President
- Treasurer
- Divisional Directors (may gain experience as Age Group Coordinators)
- Development Director
- Sponsorship & Partnership Director
Learn More
There is plenty of work to go around! If you would like to learn more about our Board, we are happy to share both our knowledge and a few of our tasks, so you can have a taste of the work, and help you make an informed decision. Most Directors find that the support we provide helps with any concerns they have about the workload involved. Contact our Club Administrator at info@nvfc.ca and we will put you in touch with the right person!
How to Join the Board of Directors
Deciding to Join
The decision to join the Board involves a great deal of committment and time. Likely, you have already been involved with our Club on some other level, and would like to increase your role within our organization. We appreciate the committment you are making.
A few points to keep in mind:
- Our Board meets at 7:00 pm, the 1st Wednesday of every month (excluding August)
- When merrited, the Board may agree to hold additional meetings - e.g., to manage workload, attend training, or complete specific tasks
- Regular BoD Meetings are currently held at the Delbrook Rec Centre - 600 West Queens Road, North Vancouver (map)
- We are a working Board and, with few exceptions (such as a Director being mentored/trained for a future role), Directors are expected to take on one or more portfolios of responsibilities (please see the Job Descriptions below)
- Directors typically join one or more working committees, and meetings of those committees are scheduled and held separately from our monthly scheduled Board meetings - examples include: finance committee; evaluations committee; policy committee
- Directors are responsible for setting and operating within their own budgets (as appropriate, and as approved by the Board)
- We act in accordance with our Club's Core Values & Core Purpose statements
Many Directors love their roles, and run for re-election for several years in a row. Their expertise is invaluable - we strongly encourage anyone considering running for a position on our Board to talk to our current Directors.
We always need more help than we have! Volunteering in one of our Special Portfolios is an excellent way for you to get a feel for what we do, and to learn more about the work of our Board. Please see our Volunteers page for more details on our non-Board positions.
Another way to gain some insight into working on the Board is to volunteer for one of our working committees. These committees vary in time commitment, and are typically struck to manage specific tasks. If you are interested in helping out, please contact our Board Secretary to find out what might be available.
We ask that you read the Job Descriptions section carefully to ensure you have a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities you take on when you become a North Vancouver FC Director.
Elections at the Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Our Board of Director positions are elected annually at the AGM. Currently, Directors hold one-year terms, elected as Members at Large, and are assigned to portfolios after the new Board is formed. Club Officer positions are elected on alternating years.
If a current Director indicates that they will not be standing for re-election, the known Board vacancy will be posted prior to the AGM. However, all elected positions† are open to competition during the elections at the AGM.
Members may indicate their interest in running for a Board of Director position by notifying the Board Secretary at least two weeks prior to the AGM, or they may be nominated from the floor during the AGM. Please read the Club Bylaws for details.
Mid-term Vacancies
If a position becomes vacant prior to an AGM, we will post a mid-term vacancy expression of interest. If you are interesting in filling the position, you are invited to supply a little information about yourself and your interest in joining the Board:
- We need to know your qualifications (if required - see note† below) for the specific position you are applying for;
- We would love to know about your history with our Club and your interest in participating at the Board level;
- Any previous volunteer experience you have would be appreciated; and
- Please list any relevant memberships and associations that will assist us in evaluating your application.
When responding to a mid-term vacancy, the Board will review your application, and applicants will be invited to a Board of Director’s meeting to introduce yourself and respond to any questions the Board might have.
If you need more information, and would like to discuss joining our Board of Directors, please contact our President, at president@nvfc.ca.
† Please note: some portfolios, such as Treasurer and Development Director, require specialized skills in order to be successful – most portfolios available do not require specific background or training. Please review the Board Job Descriptions carefully for more information. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the President at president@nvfc.ca.
North Vancouver FC Board of Directors - Job Descriptions
As noted at the top of this page, the NVFC Board of Directors represents the public face of our Club. While we are not in a paid position, the level of responsibility that a Director holds is the equivalent to management within a small-sized business, and we are responsible for setting and implementing the policies which govern our Club. We are also a working board, and our Directors hold portfolios and manager the various areas of our operations.
We expect our Directors to conduct themselves with professional decorum and respect.
We take our portfolios and our duties seriously, and we are committed to:
- Accomplishing our tasks in a timely and complete manner;
- Maintaining Board confidentiality;
- Standing behind Board decisions;
- Honouring our Club's Core Values & Core Purpose;
- Maintaining appropriate tone and behaviour during Board Meetings, telephone conversations, and in our electronic communications;
- Respecting the differing opinions of others, including fellow Directors, our Membership, and our community; and
- Ensuring our partners, sponsors, and stakeholders are treated with high regard, and have their needs fully considered during Board discussions and in our actions and decisions.
General Requirements for All Directors
Board of Director Portfolio Job Descriptions
Under development - please check back in the last week of March or contact our President at president@nvfc.ca. Thank you. xx
