Title: Director at Large – Advocacy
Term: 2 years
Method of Appointment: Elected by Membership at Annual General Meeting
Reporting Structure: Reports to the President
Time Commitment: 1 hour per week
Position Scope:
The Director at Large – Advocacy serves as a central point of contact and expertise for advocacy in libraries. The Director leads an Advocacy Committee tasked with considering and discussing advocacy-related issues, working with the MLA President and Board to address timely matters impacting library programming and services, and providing training or resources to support advocacy efforts and related skill development in members of the Manitoba library community.
Benefits of the Position:
- Opportunity to expand on and/or develop skills relevant to the profession in a safe and supportive environment
- Develop a rich and fulsome portfolio of experiences and strengthen your Resume or Curriculum Vitae
- Satisfaction of making a difference in the community
- Opportunity to connect with other, committed individuals in the profession and throughout Manitoba
- Ability to network with colleagues across Manitoba
- Increased understanding of group dynamics and relationships
- May have the opportunity to represent the Association at the national level, through The Partnership, which the Association is a member of
Required Skills:
- A commitment to, and a clear understanding of, the mission and vision of the Association
- Knowledge of the meeting procedures, decision-making rules, governance policies and the bylaws and constitution of the Association
- Understanding of the issues facing libraries and library professionals in Manitoba and Canada
- Strong organizational skills
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to work effectively in a team environment as well as work independently
Desirable Skills:
- One year of previous service on a Board
- Experience serving in an advocacy role for an association, organization or in the workplace
Duties:
- Regularly attends scheduled meetings
- Orients incoming Director at Large – Advocacy
- Monitors Advocacy email and responds to incoming emails and correspondence
- Maintains and organizes electronic documents and filing related to the position
- Works closely with Board members, especially the Trustees Division Chair, to ensure targeted and timely advocacy
- Leads and oversees the Advocacy Committee, including recruiting new members, bringing issues forward to the Board, negotiating and directing the work of Committee members
- In collaboration with the Board, raises, leads discussions, and addresses as appropriate, advocacy issues raised by the Board members, MLA members and/or members of the library community
Deliverables
- Provide a verbal or written monthly report on activities and related information at Board meetings
- Provide a brief written report of activities for the Annual Report
Creation Date: October 22, 2021; KM
Review Date: