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Job Description

UNANZ Secretary 

Overview

This Job description describes the Duties of the Secretary of UNANZ. In simple it terms, key components are sending out meeting invites to the National Executive along with the President approved agenda and previous minutes. Draft the minutes of the meetings, preferably within 24 hours of the meeting and submit to the President, and occasionally draft letters and other minor secretarial duties.

Context

The secretary position of a UNANZ, a non-profit organization, plays a critical role in fostering communication and diligence through efficient management and use of important records such as meeting minutes and compliance with the organization’s Handbook and Guide, and Constitution. The secretary is responsible for reviewing and updating documents as necessary and ensuring all documents are safely stored and readily accessible. 

Specific Duties Agendas and Minutes 

The secretary is responsible for ensuring that draft agendas are produced, endorsed by the President and distributed two weeks prior to the meeting.  They are to remind and ensure reports from key appointments are distributed: President’s, Treasurer’s, UN Youth, Events and others as required. Accurate minutes of meetings are to be taken and approved subsequently at each meeting. They should be drafted within 24 hours of the meeting, sent to the President for confirmation and distributed to members promptly. Using previous minutes as templates is the easiest method for compilation. Requirements of minutes may vary but should include at a minimum: 

• date, time, location of meeting;
• list of those present, apologies and those absent;
• list of items discussed; 
• reports presented;
• text of motions presented and description of their disposition. 

The Secretary signs a copy of the final, approved minutes and ensures that this copy is maintained in the corporate records.

Custodian of records

The secretary ensures that the records of the organization are maintained as required by law and made available when required by authorized persons. These records may include founding documents, (eg. letters patent, articles of incorporation), lists of directors, board and committee meeting minutes financial reports, and other official records.

Membership Records 

The Secretary ensures that official records are maintained of members of the organization and Board. They ensures that these records are available when required for reports, elections, referenda, other votes, etc.

Communication 

The Secretary ensures that proper notification is given of directors' and members' meetings as specified in the Handbook and Guide, and Constitution. The Secretary manages the general correspondence of UNANZ except for such correspondence assigned to others.

Meetings 

The Secretary participates in National Executive, Council and Conference meetings as a paid voting member. The Secretary provides items for the agenda as appropriate. In the absence of the President (and Vice-President), the Secretary calls the meeting to order, presiding until a temporary chairperson is appointed. 

Minutes should have enough information to help absent members understand what issues were discussed and what decisions were made. 

Filing of Documents

File all the stuff, electronically and physically.