Ringing Forums

The Essex Association have this on their website: https://eacr.org.uk/about/rules/jobdesc.html
We’ve been trying to collate something similar for the Middlesex but basically just have our ‘rules’ which give a very basic line or two about the expectations of each role.

In the Middlesex the BRF Treasurer is separate to the General Treasurer but the Essex role looks like it combines both. Their Master role takes on some of what Middlesex expects the President to do and some of what Middlesex expects the General Secretary to do so it is interesting to see the different ways of splitting the overall requirements of running an Association.

we have comprehensive job descriptions of branch officers at: https://odg.org.uk/sdb/documents/other/JobDescriptions.pdf
The other place to look is the CC publication ‘Getting it right’, which is about running societies. I can’t find it in the CC Shop so maybe it’s out of print, but there must be some copies around.

Steph - we have prepared these but not publicly. Contact the 'Master' and 'Clerk to the BRF' via contacts given on the WDCRA website -

https://www.wdcra.org.uk/assn/central.htm

The Suffolk Guild has some useful descriptors. Two very different approaches depending on what suits you.

South East District
North East District

Whilst the NE has a typical description of the role and generally what to expect, the SE have perhaps a little more process in them (a balance that we'll get right in future versions). Both are important to help those new in the roles find their feet - we shouldn't be setting up our successors for a hard time just because we didn't tell them what was expected.

These descriptors are so important for perspective leaders in our associations and societies - I remember when I was deciding whether to stand as a District Ringing Master that these descriptions were what eventually helped make my mind up. I didn't have to be able to conduct Stedman, sell my soul, or solve world hunger - just to be more responsible for things I was doing anyway.

The DerbyDA has a wide range of role descriptions here: https://derbyda.org.uk/role-descriptions/

PDG has a complete set of current roles on the website.
Link to the description is on the role title.
https://pdg.org.uk/homepage/officers

Rather than Job Descriptions would it not be better to refer to them as Role Responsibilities? These can list what is required by the Association rules and then it leaves the individual to make the job their own. Also whatever document you use don't make it too long; a few years ago I saw a General Secretary's job description that was over two pages long. Enough to put off even the most willing volunteer!

Thanks Lucy - same issue as me then!

Yes, good points

Thanks!

Thanks Sue!

Exactly!! Thanks :-)

Thanks John! We may have a copy of that in our Association bookstall...

Thanks Alison

While it's good not to be too prescriptive mabout 'how' a job should be done, going to the other extreme isn't helpful. Someone new in post needs to know 'what' needs to be done. A definitive list is better than hoping the outgoing office holder will remember to mention everything, or that the incoming office holder will manage to work everything out (in time not to get caught out).
Guild rules are unlikely to have anything like enough detail. Typically they just list what roles there should be, with no indication of who does what.

These can be usefully divided into two separate things - a top level 'Role Responsibilities' definition (Requirements) and a lower level set of Procedures - how the job can be done (has been done). The Procedures ought to be maintained and updated by the role holder, so if they want to change the way things are done they have the freedom to do so, but provide enough information that any successor can take over the reins without too much disruption.

I would take this one step further and suggest that we write procedure notes to explain what tasks each role needs to do and how. The reason I am suggesting this is because I have just discovered this week (after being involved in my branch committee for five years) that there is a dedicated section of our association website (behind a login and password) where you can generate a members pack which includes a letter from the RM, map, tower listing etc. There was no handover due to vacancies at the time and procedure notes would likely have avoided this.