As with most things, you can make each role on the SOS Committee as simple or as complicated as you like. Most new Committee members start off by following the handover instructions left by their predecessor before gaining the confidence to make the role ‘their own’. Therefore, the role descriptions below are more like guidelines – roles can be crafted and/or split (shared) to suit.

 

Membership Secretary

What the role is: The role of Membership Secretary is all about communication (usually by email but sometimes on the phone or by text/WhatsApp). Acts as the ‘first point of contact’ with the organisation.

What the role is not: The Membership Secretary does NOT do everything.

Time involved: 10-20 minutes / day. In general the role takes approximately 10-20 minutes per day depending on the time of year – 31st October to 31st January being the busiest times.

The Suffolk Open Studios Membership Secretary will:

  • Monitor the SOS email account admin@suffolkopenstudios.org Monday – Friday. There is an “out-of-office” response permanently switched on to inform everyone who emails SOS that their email has been received and to let them know the timeframe within which they might realistically expect to receive a reply. Messages that come in through the website’s “Contact Us” page tend to go straight to the Spam folder so this also has to be checked regularly.
  • Respond to emails relating to SOS membership e.g. artists asking how they can join – there are multiple email templates set up which not only speed up the process of replying but also ensure that correct and consistent information is provided. How much/little these are modified to add a ‘personal touch’ is up to the individual Membership Secretary.
  • Forward all other emails to the relevant Committee member e.g. “I’m a member and I can’t log in to the website!” would be forwarded to the Web Admin.
  • Prepare and send out a ‘regular’ newsletter to members (currently via Mailchimp – the frequency is up to you)  keeping them informed of the latest news information supplied by other Committee members e.g. links and deadlines for Exhibition submissions. As with emails – templates have been set up which just need to be updated for each newsletter.
  • Request, at predetermined times of the year (see SOS Calendar), that the Marketing Team (Press, Social Media) and Web Admin post information, reminders and links to membership opening and closing.
  • Notify the membership of the date and time of the AGM (plus send out the Agenda etc.) – the details are decided by the Committee as a whole not the Membership Secretary who simply communicates the Committee’s decision to the members.

Possible role-share:

  • One member could monitor the email address
  • One member could prepare and send the Members-only Newsletters

Skills required: The ability to send emails.

Support available: All Committee members have access to the SOS email account and can temporarily take over the monitoring and replying to/ forwarding of emails in the case of holiday or illness at short notice. The previous Membership Secretary will available to help out if asked.

Useful personal qualities: It helps, but is not essential, to like people.