Honorary officers

Within each organisation, it is possible that an individual on the board will be appointed to perform additional duties in the position of an ‘honorary officer’. The most common honorary positions are those of chair, deputy/vice chair and treasurer. Honorary positions tend to be unpaid and should not be confused with the duties performed by paid staff. To ensure that all board members are clear as to their role and responsibilities it is advisable to have role descriptions for the board as a whole and specific ones dealing with these honorary positions.

It is important to remember that all board members are collectively responsible for the decisions and governance of the organisation. This does not mean that they must agree on every decision taken, but that they all have a duty to actively participate in the decision-making process.

Of critical importance is the position of chair.

Chair

The primary role of the chair is to provide leadership to the board. Some view the position as that of ‘first amongst equals’, an ambassador, and the public face of the organisation. Each body is likely to require different things from the role of chair and the board should discuss these when developing a role description for the position.

Leadership

An effective chair will provide leadership and management to the board, enabling them to fulfil their responsibilities for the overall governance and strategic direction of the organisation. The chair will play an integral role in ensuring that appropriate decisions are correctly made, including developing the organisation’s aims in accordance with the governing document and legal and regulato