ICA Board Director Job Description

The Interstitial Cystitis Association’s Board of Directors plays a leadership role in implementing strategic direction while securing funds to advance the ICA and its mission. The Board’s collective responsibilities include:

• Determining the organization’s mission and purpose.
• Supporting the Executive Director.
• Ensuring effective organizational planning.
• Ensuring adequate resources.
• Managing resources effectively.
• Determining and monitoring the organization’s programs and services.
• Enhancing the organization’s public image.

As a member of the Board of Directors, the Director is responsible for helping the ICA consistently achieve its mission and organizational objectives. Core responsibilities include: fundraising, policy formation, decision-making, and oversight. The Director demonstrates strong leadership skills, resourcefulness, creativity, and commitment. S/he seeks out solutions to new challenges, and identifies and capitalizes on new opportunities. The Board works closely with individuals and organizations to aid those with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) by raising funds to conduct research for a cure and/or effective treatments; support high quality care and treatment; advocate for issues that affect quality of life and care; and promote public awareness of IC.

THE DIRECTOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:

• Serving as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director in the development, approval, implementation, and review of ICA’s strategic plan aimed at carrying out the organization’s mission.
• Playing a leadership role in fundraising, considering ICA a philanthropic priority, and making an annual gift (give or get) to reflect that priority.
• Being transparent, including communicating to stakeholders and the public, and responding appropriately to requests for information.
• Maintaining fiscal responsibility.
• Ensuring high levels of executive management performance.
• Planning for the succession and diversity of the Board.
• Representing ICA to stakeholders and serving as an ambassador for ICA.

DIRECTOR QUALIFICATIONS:

• Strong support of the ICA’s mission, vision, and strategic direction.
• Willingness to access personal and professional networks on behalf of ICA.
• Ability to devote sufficient time and energy to the performance of duties as a Director.
• Willingness to assume the responsibilities associated with being a Director.
• Demonstrated integrity, high ethical standards, and respect of privacy and confidentiality.
• Ability to recognize and assess business risks and strategic opportunities.
• Ability to distinguish between Board (policy-making body) and Management (administration of policy) roles.
• Ability to think, act, and speak independently, and with conviction and confidence.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to conceptualize and think strategically.
• Good problem-solving and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to meet time commitments.
• Savvy diplomatic skills and a natural affinity for cultivating relationships, convening, facilitating, and building consensus among diverse individuals.
• Willingness to participate in board orientation and continuing education.
• Values consistent with those of the organization.

EXPECTATIONS:

As a member of the Board, and in contributing to the collective achievement of the role of the Board, the Director is responsible for the following:

FIDUCIARY DUTIES

• The Director reviews financial results for ICA and ensures that reports are accurate and in accordance with accepted accounting principles and procedures.
• The Director assesses the financial structure of ICA and determines if resources are adequate for its current and projected needs given ICA’s strategic plan by approving the annual budget.
• The Director approves major actions undertaken by ICA’s management, such as capital expenditures on projects over authorized limits or revisions to programs and services.
• The Director assures that published reports accurately reflect operating results and the financial condition of ICA to enhance stakeholder communication, and organizational transparency and accountability.
• The Director will actively participate in generating operating revenues and contributing to the organization’s financial stability by making one of their top charitable gifts to ICA each year, identifying potential funding sources and soliciting contributions through their network, and personally soliciting individuals selected by ICA.
• The Director’s fiduciary duty includes a requirement that he or she avoid situations where the interests of the Director are in conflict with the interests of ICA.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• The Director is expected to maintain the confidential nature of Board deliberations.
• The Director is expected to accept and abide by the legal responsibilities of the Board as specified by its bylaws as well as federal and state laws and regulations.
• The Director is expected to comply with conflict of interest policies and disclosure forms developed by the Board, and to refrain from actions and involvements that might prove embarrassing to ICA, and to resign if such actions or involvements develop.
• The Director is not solely accountable to any special group or interest, and shall act and make decisions that are in the best interest of ICA, as a whole. The Director shall be knowledgeable of the stakeholders to whom ICA is accountable and shall appropriately take into account the interests of such stakeholders when making decisions as Director, but shall not prefer the interests of any one group if to do so would not be in the best interests of ICA.
• The Director is expected to exercise their own thought and judgment in the decision-making process, to vote according to one’s own conviction, and not simply “rubber-stamp” the opinions of others.

TEAMWORK AND PARTICIPATION

• The Director shall develop and maintain sound relations and work cooperatively and respectfully with the Board Chair, members of the Board, and the Executive Director and ICA staff.
• The Director shall not attempt to dominate a discussion.
• The Director is expected to properly prepare for meetings, participate actively in Board discussions, and generally participate constructively.
• The Director must feel comfortable expressing a dissenting opinion or vote.
• The Director shall at all times be respectful of the views of others, even when there is a difference of opinion. Despite any discrepancies, the Director is expected to act in solidarity with the Board once a final decision has been made.

COMMUNITY REPRESENTATION AND SUPPORT

• The Director shall represent the Board and serve as an ambassador of the organization in the community when asked to do so by the Board Chair or Executive Director.
• The Director is expected to participate in the ICA Annual Capitol Hill Walk and/or participate in other advocacy activities, such as calling and writing congressmen on behalf of IC constituents.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• The Director is expected to participate in a Board orientation/onboarding session and Board education sessions in fundraising and other subject/topic areas.
• The Director shall commit to be responsible for continuous self-improvement. The Director shall receive and act upon the results of Board evaluations in a positive and constructive manner.

KNOWLEDGE

The Director shall be knowledgeable about the following:

• The current activities of ICA by following its electronic and print publications.
• ICA’s stakeholders.
• The duties and expectations of a Director.
• The Board’s governance role.
• ICA’s governance structure and processes.
• ICA’s bylaws and governance policies.
• Issues that have faced the Board.
• How legal and accounting advice is provided to the Board.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Travel costs to attend in-person Board meeting are at the Director’s own expense.
• Ability to meet after working hours and on weekends.
• Time commitment of approximately 50 to 100 hours per year or approximately one to two hours per week.
• Serve a three-year term (up to three consecutive terms).

Also see:

Call for Applications
Application Form