Promoting sociology in Australia
Facilitating sociology teaching and research
Enhancing the professional development of TASA members

Executive Committee Position Descriptions


TASA PRESIDENTView PDF Version

Major responsibilities include:

  • Interpreting the mission of the Association
  • Playing a leading role in planning functions, policy development and implementation
  • Representing TASA to external bodies
  • Liaison with the editors of the Journal of Sociology and Nexus
  • Reviewing the Strategic Plan
  • Chairing the AGM and reporting on matters of relevance to the Association
  • Participating in the determination of TASA Awards and Prizes
  • Participating in the planning of the annual conference
  • Participating in the development and maintenance of TASAweb and the TASA e-list

Chairing of TASA meetings:

  • AGM
  • Executive Committee meetings
  • TASA Awards and Prizes committees
  • Other sub-committees as established by the Board such as the professionalisation working party

Reports and presentations:

  • President’s report to the AGM
  • President’s letter to the Association - published in each edition of Nexus
  • President’s Address to the annual TASA conference which is published in the Journal of Sociology (JoS)
  • Presenting TASA Awards and Prizes
  • Issuing media statements in the name of the Association
  • Representing the Association in all official functions

Conditions:

  • The TASA President must be a  member of TASA and must attend a majority of Executive Committee meetings.

TASA VICE PRESIDENT

Major responsibilities include:

  • Standing in for the President when she/he is unavailable
  • Assisting in planning functions, policy development and implementation
  • Coordinating the review and implementation of the Strategic Plan
  • Participating in the AGM and reporting on matters of relevance to the position
  • Participating in the determination of TASA Awards and Prizes
  • Participating in the selection and planning of the TASA Public Lectures
  • Participating in the planning of the annual conference
  • Assisting, as required, the General Member in coordinating the development and maintenance of TASAweb.
  • Assisting, as required, the EO with the TASA e-list

Reports:

  • Vice-President’s report - delivered at the AGM
  • The Strategic Plan

Conditions:

  • The TASA Vice-President must be a member of TASA and must attend a majority of Executive Committee meetings.

This position description is available in Wordand PDFformats.

TASA SECRETARY

Major responsibilities include:

General administration:

  • Provide general administrative support for the Executive
  • Ensure effective operation of TASA office, including accommodation, staff recruitment, conditions of employment and day-to-day duties of staff
  • Administer complex general inquiries referred by Executive Officer
  • Prepare and circulate agendas for Executive meetings and general meetings
  • Prepare a report for each Executive meeting
  • Prepare an annual report for members and present it at the AGM
  • Supervise preparation, circulation and storage of minutes of all meetings, and, where relevant, other Association reports and publications
  • Organise TASA elections
  • Ensure that TASA operations are carried out in accordance with its constitution
  • Ensure that TASA meets reporting and all other requirements under incorporation legislation
  • Maintain updates to the Secretary guidelines on TASAweb
  • Assist in planning, policy development and implementatio
  • Participate in the administration of TASA Awards and Prizes, ensuring that all terms and conditions are complied with

Membership matters:

Provide advice to and supervise Executive Office with regard to:

  • Design and dissemination of membership forms and other documentation
  • Processing of memberships and management of the membership database
  • Procedures to encourage membership renewal and the follow-up of non-renewing members
  • Preparation of mailing lists for publishers of Journal of Sociology, Health Sociology Review and Nexus

Conditions:

  • The TASA Secretary must be a member of TASA and must attend the majority of Executive Committee meetings.

This position description is available in Word and PDF formats.

TASA TREASURER

Major responsibilities include:

General administration:

  • The Treasurer shares responsibility for the financial standing of the Association with all TASA Executive Members
  • Liaison with EO to facilitate the annual audit of accounts
  • Liaison with the EO on the processing of revenue and expense related items when necessary (cheques, credit cards), ABN invoices, GST matters
  • Oversee the EO processing of Executive Committee and other expenses involved in running the Association
  • Assisting in policy development and implementation, particularly as it relates to financial matters
  • Oversee the EO in the financial management of all TASA Awards and Prizes
  • Reviewing the membership fee scale on a regular basis in line with Australian annual CPI rate
  • Ensure that all taxation requirements are met including overseeing the EO in submitting the quarterly BAS statements and annual tax return

Reports:

  • The presentation and distribution of the audited annual financial report at the AGM or SGM each year (SGM if not enough members at AGM)
  • The presentation of a financial statement to each Executive Committee meeting with quarterly cheque payments to be ratified
  • Compiling and submitting an annual report (in cooperation with the TASA Secretary and EO) for the Incorporations office in the ACT, signed by the TASA Public Office

Conditions:

  • The TASA Treasurer must be a member of TASA and must attend a majority of Executive Committee meetings.

This position description is available in Word and PDFformats.

TASA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE GENERAL MEMBER

Major responsibilities include:

  • Attending meetings of the Executive Committee
  • Assisting in planning functions and the development and implementation of policy
  • Assisting in the running of the AGM
  • Participating in the review and implementation of the Strategic Plan
  • Taking on project officer positions as decided by the Executive (see below)
  • Participating in various sub-committees such as the TASA Publications and Professional Development committee, the Membership Promotion committee
  • Standing in for office bearing positions such as Secretary and Treasurer when required

Project officers:

General Executive members may take up a number of specific project officer positions or membership of sub-committees established by the Executive Committee:

  • Media officer: promoting the conference and each issue of the journal; being the first contact for media inquiries
  • Conference liaison: overseeing the operation of the annual conference
  • Membership Services/Promotion: committee member
  • Web Manager
  • Teaching & Professional Development Committee: committee member
  • National Sociological Associations liaison officer
  • Government/non-academic sector liaison officer
  • Professionalisation working-party: member

The above positions may be assigned to the three executive members when they take office.

Conditions:

  • TASA Executive General Members must be members of TASA and must attend a majority of Executive Committee meetings.

This position description is available in Wordand PDF formats.

TASA EXECUTIVE OFFICER

The TASA Executive Officer (EO) is an assistant to the whole of the Executive. The core responsibilities are as an assistant to the President and Vice-President and facilitating the Secretary, Treasurer and Web Editor roles. The EO reports to the TASA President and whole Executive, and has direct responsibility for carrying out the administrative management, operational, governance, and technical functions of the TASA office. These responsibilities include office management, frequent communication and interaction with the Executive and general TASA members, administration of policies and procedures, and over-seeing the fulfilment of Constitutional and Incorporation requirements. The position carries substantial responsibility and requires a broad range of skills and the ability to exercise considerable judgment, initiative, discretion, and independence.

Relevant skills include: demonstrated ability to organize, plan and supervise projects; demonstrated interpersonal skills, proven ability to work independently and under pressure; sound working knowledge of computer word processing and excel databases is essential.

Major responsibilities include:

  • Manage the TASA Office
  • Processing of membership applications and payments
  • Produce a weekly Elist for TASA members in both Plain text and HTML
  • Dealing with Member and public queries for e-list inserts
  • Organise the timely payment of all accounts and invoices
  • Banking and monitoring of TASA bank accounts - ensuring that there is always enough money in the cheque account to cover cheques drawn on the account
  • Working with the Treasurer to manage the day to day financial affairs of the association, and assist the bookkeeper, auditor and Treasurer in producing financial reports
  • Assist the Treasurer in ensuring annual Incorporation requirements are met
  • Preparation of material for BAS and the annual audit of TASA accounts
  • Liaising with the bookkeeper and auditor
  • Dealing with Member and public queries regarding TASA
  • Handle routine correspondence, liaising with the Secretary and other Executive members as required
  • Dealing with Media queries
  • Promotion of TASA through membership drives
  • Promotion of TASA events via e-list, TASAweb and advertising through other association websites, and newsletters
  • Monitoring of TASAweb content and keeping it up-to-date using the CMS
  • Monitoring and updating policy and procedures to ensure they reflect the needs and practices of TASA
  • Assist convenors in the administration of TASA prizes
  • Prepare material from the TASA office for Nexus
  • Compile Nexus in Microsoft Publishing
  • Liaise with Nexus Editors on final Nexus issue
  • Prepare mailing list for Nexus
  • Arrange for printing and posting of Nexus
  • Assist Secretary with the organisation of TASA elections
  • Handle advertising and mailing list rental applications
  • Provide mailing list to the JoS publisher
  • Prepare monthly back-order JoS list

Preparation for TASA meetings:

  • Bookings for meeting venues and phone hook-ups
  • Booking of accommodation for Executive members travelling to the meeting
  • Arrange catering for face-to-face meetings
  • Preparation of agenda and associated meeting documentation
  • Placement of AGM documentation in NEXUS and online
  • Record and transcribe minutes of the meetings
  • Distribute meeting minutes to the Executive
  • Placement of meeting records online in the Exec-only section

Reports:

  • Assist the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Web Editor in preparation of their respective reports
  • Preparation of the demographic summary information from the membership database

Conditions:

  • The EO should be a member of TASA and must attend all Executive Committee meetings, the AGM and the annual TASA Conference.
  • The role and duties of the EO may vary at the discretion of the President.

This position description is available in Word and PDF formats.