Position Opportunities and Criteria
The Engagement Team provides webcast training for newly appointed Section council members, including those in roles such as chair/vice chair, secretary/treasurer, editors and new council members. Individuals who are volunteering with the Society of Actuaries (SOA) for the first time are required to complete a Volunteer Agreement which is required of all volunteers. The SOA also provides the Section Council Best Practices Handbook as a reference for questions that arise regarding Section operations.
Council Member Duties
- Attend and participate in monthly council calls
- Review the agenda and all background documents prior to the call
- Time commitment: 60 to 90 minutes per month
- Attend and participate in virtual and/or in-person planning meetings
- Time commitment: Length of virtual meetings vary by section. Councils that hold in-person meetings typically meet one day per year, but frequency and schedule vary by section
- Participate in polls and/or votes in a timely manner
- Time commitment: negligible, requires only a few clicks to indicate calendar availability or vote on a specific topic
- Volunteer for additional council tasks and roles
- Time commitment varies depending on the project or role
- Actively participate in all council discussions
Roles within the Section council:
- Chairperson: Elected by the council, the chair serves as the main contact to the broader SOA, develops meeting agendas, screens and appoints council openings, oversees performance management and attends the biannual SOA Council of Section Chairs meeting.
- Vice Chair: Elected by the council, attends the biannual SOA Council of Section Chairs meeting and is typically elected as the next chair. This individual may be asked to lead the call if the chairperson is unavailable.
- Secretary/Treasurer: Elected by the council, the person in this position takes council notes during calls and meetings, finds volunteer replacements in the case of absences, reviews financial statements prepared by SOA staff, presents financial reports to the council, and develops the annual Section budget. The specific structure may vary by council, with some sections combining these tasks into a single role or maintaining two distinct positions as Secretary and Treasurer.
- Council Members: Elected by the Section members (unless appointed to fill a vacancy), council members are responsible for developing an annual plan of work. They are required to prepare for and actively participate in most council calls and in-person meetings, have a fiscal responsibility for using Section resources wisely, and comply with the terms outlined in the SOA Volunteer Agreement.
Other Council Activities
- Section Publications and Communications
- Newsletter Editor/Co-Editor: A Section member is chosen to lead the council in various editorial tasks, including soliciting article submissions, editing articles, creating metadata, and collaborating with SOA staff on final editing and production.
- Blasts/Bulletins: The chair or designated representative is responsible for writing the content, which is then emailed to Section members by SOA staff.
- Surveys: Section councils have the option to poll their Section members to gauge their satisfaction every two to three years. Interim surveys may be conducted to gather feedback on hot topics or professional development issues.
- Content Creation
- Meetings Sessions Coordinator: Meeting sessions coordinators submit session proposals on behalf of the Section for various SOA meetings throughout the year. Coordinators lead the council in identifying topics to be submitted and coordinate any sessions selected for the meeting. The eetings session coordinator typically submits the form for section sponsored networking events at meetings.
- Webcast Coordinator: Most Sections sponsor webcasts throughout the year on areas of interest for their members. The webcast coordinator follows the webcast submission timeline, recruits speakers, and provides information needed to market the webcast.
- Podcast Coordinator: Many Sections record podcasts, consisting of 15 to 30-minute audio recordings. The podcast coordinator hosts, identifies and invites guests, and coordinates with SOA staff to edit and publish the podcast. Podcasts often feature interviews with one or more topic experts.
- Section Webpage Coordinator: Each Section maintains web pages on the SOA website. The Section Webpage Coordinator reviews the content and works with SOA staff to make changes as needed.
- Social Networking
- LinkedIn Coordinator: For Sections with LinkedIn groups, the coordinator monitors the page and posts topics of interest on a regular basis.
- Miscellaneous Activities (Does not apply to all Sections)
- Practice Research: A liaison who participates on SOA research committees and report back to the council. Section council members may also become Project Oversight Group (POG) representatives.
- Intellectual Capital: Many Sections host calls for papers, contests and other competitions within the Section that requires coordination.
- Volunteer Liaison: The SOA has a volunteer database that includes volunteer positions for the entire organization. The Volunteer Liaison would submit the information when the Section has an open volunteer position. The liaison may also be responsible for evaluating the applicants.
- Subgroup Leadership: When Sections form subgroups, a council member may become a subgroup or team leader.