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Section V: Executive Director
I.
Duties
II. Evaluation
III. Recruitment
Figure V.1 Calendar for 1990 Search
Figure V.2 1993 Archival Outlook
Position Advertisement
Figure V.3 1993 Chronicle of Higher
Education Position Advertisement
Figure V.4 Policy on Retention and
Disposition of Papers
I. Duties
A. General duties
of this position as expressed in Bylaw 2
Bylaw 2 states
the following duties of the Executive Director:
The Executive
Director shall keep the minutes of the Society and of the Council, prepare
and mail notices, present at each annual business meeting a report of the
activities of the Society, and perform such other duties as may be directed
by Council. The Executive Director shall have custody of and preserve the
corporate seal of the Society and shall affix the seal under the direction
of the President and Council. The Executive Director shall prepare in consultation
with the treasurer the Society's annual budget for submission to the Council,
and shall receive and disburse all funds in the general operating budget of
the Society and the funds in the various Society budgets supported by external
grants under the guidelines established by Council. Quarterly reports of all
receipts and disbursements for all budgets shall be made to the Council by
the Executive Director.
B. Specific duties
of this position as established by Council
1. Administration:
The Executive Director will spend the major portion of his/her working time
upon the administration of the Society's affairs, and in the operation and
supervision of the Society's central office and its staff. Specific duties
shall include:
- Informing
the Officers, Executive Committee, and Council of the condition of the Society
and all important factors influencing them.
- Planning,
formulating and recommending to Council basic policies and programs that
will further the objectives of the Society.
- Executing
such contracts and commitments as may be authorized by Council, or by established
policies of the Society.
- Attending
all meetings of the Council and of the Executive Committee as a nonvoting
member, recording the minutes of each body, and distributing them to members
of the Council and the elected officers in a timely way, and executing all
decisions of Council unless other provision is made by Council.
- Administering
the central office of the Society in an efficient manner, maintaining a
sound but flexible organizational structure, and directing and coordinating
all approved programs, projects, and major activities of the staff.
- Recruiting,
hiring, training, and motivating staff for the central office, obtaining
from these people maximum effort in support of the activities of the Society
by defining their working hours, benefits, and duties, by establishing performance
standards, conducting performance reviews, and maintaining a competitive
salary structure within the established budget of the Society, and recommending
to Council modifications in the rates of compensation, benefits, and privileges
offered Society staff members.
- Prior to
the development of a new staff position(s), developing a position description
and statement of its financial implications for the approval of Council
or, between Council meetings, the Executive Committee.
- Maintaining
and providing security for files, mailing lists, office equipment, and furniture,
as necessary.
2. Member
Relations. The Executive Director will spend a substantial portion of working
time in activities that promote the interest of its members in the Society,
and in providing services to its members. Specific duties shall include:
- Promoting
whenever possible interest and active participation in the Society's activities
and affairs on the part of its members.
- Directing
the central office staff in the maintenance of membership and mailing lists,
and in billing for and collection of dues.
- Providing
necessary liaison and staff support to task force, committee, section, and
roundtable chairpersons, and submitting decisions and recommendations of
these bodies to Council.
- Conducting
research and related projects, preparing reports, and publishing the results
on subjects of importance to the Society.
- Reporting
to members of the Society the activities of elected officers, the Executive
Committee, and the Council, and of members of the Society, through the communications
media of the Society.
- Maintaining
personal contact with members to the extent possible.
- Upon written request of a member, provide a copy of any forms
submitted to the IRS relating to SAA's status as a 501(c) organization.
3. General
Duties. The Executive Director will devote greater or lesser portions of working
time as necessary during each year to the following activities of the Society:
- Assisting
the planning and execution of the annual membership meeting of the Society,
working personally with the Program Committee and the Local Arrangements
Committee, and providing necessary staff support and liaison, giving special
attention to the control of the annual meeting as established by the Council
in the annual budget of the Society.
- Assuming
personally as necessary, or directing the staff, in the planning, promotion,
and administration of other meetings of the Society, its Council, its Executive
Committee, or other bodies.
- Establishing,
directing, and maintaining, through personal attention and by supervising
staff in the necessary activities, a publications sales program on behalf
of the Society, arranging and contracting at the most economical rates available
consistent with the Society's reputation as a publisher of quality, for
the publication of Society books, pamphlets, brochures, and other publications;
maintaining adequate stocks of these publications in the central office,
handling and processing orders for publications and mailing them expeditiously;
accounting for all funds expended and received in connection with this publications
program; and transmitting to Council suggestions for new, reprinted, or
cooperative publications as needs become apparent.
4. Finances.
The Executive Director will spend greater or lesser amounts of working time
on the Society's finances as the demands of its fiscal year make necessary.
Specific duties with regard to finances shall include:
- In
cooperation with the treasurer, developing and recommending an annual budget,
and upon its approval by Council, operating the Society's financial affairs
within the budget.
- Developing,
recommending, and upon approval by Council, implementing an organizational
and salary structure for the staff that will meet internal needs and reflect
prudent allocation of the Society's resources. Recommendations on changes
in rates of compensation for staff are submitted to the Executive Committee
for its approval before the committee approves the budget for submission
to Council.
- Ensuring
that all funds, physical assets, and other properties of the Society are
appropriately safeguarded and administered.
- With the
approval of Council, seeking external funding to support appropriate projects
of the Society, administering and accounting for such funding to the Society
and to the agency or body granting it.
5. Professional
Relations. The Executive Director will devote substantial amounts of working
time to the establishment and maintenance of good professional relationships
with allied professional organizations, public service organizations, industries,
and with public officials and bodies at local, state, and national levels.
Specific duties shall include:
- Monitoring
the activities of the federal, state, and local governments that are of
interest to or that affect archivists individually or the profession in
general, reporting these activities to the Officers, Council, and the membership
through the communications media of the Society.
- Coordinating
the delivery to public officials and others the testimony and position statements
of the Society on issues of concern to the Society and to the profession.
- When authorized
by Council, or by the Executive Committee when time will not allow for a
full Council decision, representing the Society to public officials, or
before public bodies or other groups, on matters of concern to the Society
and the profession.
- Maintaining
effective relationships with other organizations including professional
associations, governmental bodies, public service organizations, and industries,
serving as the Society's representative when authorized by Council, and
working constantly to enhance the position of the Society with such organizations
in accordance with the policies and objectives of the Society.
Approved by
Council: June 1991
Revised: September 1994
II. Evaluation of Executive Director
The Executive
Director of the Society of American Archivists holds the most important staff
position in SAA and as such has great impact on the Society's development,
growth,
and overall well-being.
Under provisions of Bylaw 4 of the Society's Constitution and Bylaws, the Executive
Committee is required to conduct a performance review of the Executive Director
annually according to procedures mutually agreed to by the Executive Committee
and the Executive Director. The procedures are stated below.
It should be
understood throughout that the Executive Director implements policies and procedures
established by Council, the Executive Committee, or the President, and coordinates
activities with appropriate elected officials and bodies within the Society.
As a spokesperson for the Society, the Executive Director enunciates Society
policies and positions as established by standards or guidelines adopted by
the Society or in accordance with guidance of the Council, the Executive Committee,
or the President. In managing the Society's affairs, the Executive Director
operates within the budget established by Council and consults closely with
the Treasurer. Each area for rating performance thus should be understood to
include appropriate communication and consultation with elected officials and
bodies within the Society and implementation of established policies and procedures.
The evaluation
relates to:
- the duties
under the contract, including the job description in Figure
V.2
- progress toward
established goals in the annual performance plan, and
- a work plan
for the executive office.
The evaluation
is undertaken according to the Society's bylaws (Sec. 2, "Duties of the
Executive Director") in accordance with procedures as may be agreed to
by the Executive Committee and the Executive Director.
After the evaluation
is completed, the Executive Committee issues a written report to the Executive
Director.
The Executive
Committee makes a recommendation to Council as to a possible increase in compensation
and benefits for the Executive Director for the next contract year.
The procedures
below provide additional detail for implementing the requirements of the contract.
Because the contract ends on March 31 and is a "rolling" two year
contract, the time line below is proposed. For this to work properly, the
Vice
President must be as fully involved as the President because of the fact that
the President, on behalf of the Executive Committee, must provide the written
evaluation early in his/her term as President. This time line may be modified
by mutual agreement between the Executive Director and the Executive Committee.
1. The Executive
Director submits a self-evaluation for the preceding 12 months as well as
an executive office work plan and proposed objectives for the next year to
the Executive Committee (November 1).
2. The Executive
Committee solicits and receives Council input on Executive Director performance.
Input may be sought also from the three Council members who rotated off the
Council in September. This is suggested because they have the most extensive
contact with the Executive Director during the evaluation period (November
1).
3. The Executive
Committee reviews self-evaluation, office plan, and objectives for the new
year with Council input. Members communicate comments and conclusions and
recommend a compensation package (December 1).
4. President
meets with the Executive Director for performance review prior to the full
Winter Council meeting.
5. President
recommends contract extension or other course of action as appropriate for
Council action (Winter Council Meeting).
6. President,
on behalf of the Executive Committee, provides a written report to the Executive
Director (February 1).
Approved by
the Executive Committee: April 3, 1997
III. Recruitment
of Executive Director
The successful
recruitment of an Executive Director has five distinct phases: position evaluation,
issue formulation, solicitation, screening, and selection.
A. Position
Evaluation
In the event
of a vacancy in the Executive Director position Council, at or before its
next meeting, will examine the current job description and contract as well
as the executive office staffing pattern and personnel and other pertinent
materials to determine the:
1. Adequacy
of the position description
2. Minimum salary
3. Emphases of the search
4. Starting dates for the new Executive Director
B. Issue Formulation
Prior to developing
a job announcement or initiating the search process, Council must resolve
several issues pertaining to the search process. In the past these have included:
- Decide whether,
how and when to fill the position on an interim basis. This decision may
impact on the time period of the search. In 1990 Council decided to recruit
an interim director. The interim director chose not to be a candidate
for
the permanent position. Council also must decide on the selection process
for an interim director — how to advertise the interim vacancy,
who will interview and select (Council, the Executive Committee or a
search
committee), and the scope of responsibilities of the interim director.
- Determine
whether to guarantee a period of job security to the SAA executive staff.
In the past Council guaranteed the staff job security for six months after
the new Executive Director began his or her position.
- Decide whether
to employ a professional recruitment service.
- Determine
whether to accept or solicit nominations in addition to applications. If
this is done the deadline for nominations should be set 30 days in advance
of the application deadline to allow time for nominees to prepare and submit
an application. Council must determine who will contact nominees to request
that they formally apply.
- Establish
the schedule of Council meetings in relation to the recruitment timetable
and the methods of communication between and among Council and the screening
committee. In the interest of both time and expense it is best to do as
much as possible using teleconferencing, email, fax and express mail communication.
- Determine
the kinds of recruitment related activity to be undertaken at the annual
meeting. To a large extent this will depend on the timing of the meeting
relative to the search process. If the meeting occurs early in the process,
as it did in 1990, this could include a pre-established time and place for
potential applicants to meet with Council members to discuss the position
and benefits. It also can include Council meetings devoted to issue formulation
or applicant screening and an organizational meeting for the screening committee.
- Set the
size and composition of the search or screening committee. Should there
be members representing the public and the staff? Who appoints the members
of the committee — the current President or the Vice President if
the process will not be completed during the present term?
- Define the
authority delegated to the screening committee concerning the review of
the candidates and the establishment of the list of finalists.
- Establish
the minimum criteria which candidates must meet to be considered for the
position of Executive Director.
- Establish
procedures to be employed if Council determines the candidate pool is inadequate.
- Decide whether
to have a "transition and orientation committee." If this committee
is appointed, Council must establish its composition and procedures.
- Set the
minimum time period for the initial contract (two years, three years?).
- Prepare
reading materials and/or issues to provide to each candidate in advance
of
- their interview.
- Develop
the questions to ask each candidate during the final interviews. In 1990
each candidate received the same question before the interview, several
standard questions during the interview, and open questions. The Council
divided into four groups to develop the questions — administration,
membership services, communications, and promotion.
- Determine
who will define the final terms of the contract — Council or the Executive
Committee. If Council delegates this to the Executive Committee, it must
determine whether and how Council will review the contract — by meeting,
mail, email, teleconference or other means.
C. Solicitation
1. Establish
a schedule for the solicitation, screening, and recruitment process including
a starting date for the new Executive Director. The schedule developed in
1990 is included as figure V.1.
2. Prepare
the job announcement. Two announcements used in 1990 are included as figures
V.2 and V.3.
3. Decide how
and where to advertise the vacancy. In addition to the Society's own newsletter,
in 1990 Council announced the vacancy in the newsletters of regional associations,
the National Association of Government Archivists and Records Administrators,
the American Library Association, the American Historical Association, the
Organization of American Historians, and the Chronicle of Higher Education.
D. Screening
At the first
meeting subsequent to the vacancy Council must determine the composition of
the screening committee as indicated in item B6 above. The duties and functions
of the committee include:
- Advertise
the vacancy.
- Review all
applicants
- Establish
a list of qualified candidates, the number to be determined according to
the size and character of the pool. In 1990 the first "cut" reduced
the list to twenty. The committee may solicit additional information
necessary
to assess any candidate.
- Reduce the
list of qualified candidates through deliberation and communication with
the listed and/or additional references. In 1990 this list was reduced to
eight.
- Communicate
with Council the list of the qualified candidates and the reasons for recommending
each candidate. In the past Council has preferred to keep this list to four
or five candidates.
- Respond
to Council's determination that the list of candidates is sufficient or
that additional recruitment of candidates or other measures are necessary.
- Obtain letters
of reference and recommendation and other relevant information for all remaining
candidates. This information may be circulated among the committee by the
most expedient means such as express mail or fax.
- Arrange
the final interview schedule for all candidates on the final list. In the
past this was the responsibility of SAA staff.
E. Selection
1. Council
and SAA staff interview each finalist on the short list. In the past this
was accomplished in Chicago over a four-day period. The specific interview
schedule was developed by the SAA staff based on the availability of the finalists.
- Each finalist
was interviewed by the entire Council for 45 minutes with a minimum 15 minute
break between candidates. During the interview each candidate responded
to the pre-supplied question, to questions from the list asked of all candidates,
and other questions which arose based on the interview. Council also discussed
the terms of the proposed contract, including salary, with each candidate.
- Each candidate
was interviewed by four Council subgroups, focusing on particular issues.
- Each candidate
was interviewed at the SAA office by the staff for a period of one hour.
2. Council
met with the staff after the interviews to receive staff reactions and recommendations.
3. Council
selected the new Executive Director through a formal vote. The final acceptance
process included any final negotiations regarding the contract and the starting
date.
Approved by
Council: June 1991
Figure
V.1: Calendar for 1990 Executive Director Search
June
Executive
Committee Actions:
— review
position description
— draft job announcement
— draft calendar for search
— recommend Screening Committee members
Council
Actions:
— review
Executive Committee report
— modify as necessary
— select Screening Committee members
— adopt search process
July - September
Advertising
period:
— mid-July
Chronicle of Higher Education
— September Archival Outlook (mailed mid-August)
— Other newsletters as appropriate
September
30
Application
deadline
October 11-12
Screening Committee
Meeting
— review
applicant pool
— seek additional information necessary to assess qualifications
— eliminate applicants who do not meet minimum qualifications
— establish first-cut pool of candidates
— report first pool to Council
— Council conference call
— Council determines if pool is sufficient or if additional recruiting
or other measures are necessary
October 12
- November 15
Steering Committee
Actions
— obtain
letters of reference and other relevant data
— share copies of all information with committee members by express mail
November 20
Steering Committee
Meeting
— determine
short list of candidates
— provide each Council member with the information (application, vita,
references, etc.) for each finalist
November 30
— Council
conference call with Screening Committee Chair
— Approval or revision of short list of finalists
December 1
- 15
— SAA
offices arranges interview schedule
January 9
- 13
Council actions:
— Interview
finalists in Chicago
— Select new Executive Director
March - April
New Executive
Director begins duties.
Figure
V.2: Position Advertisement in Archival Outlook, July 1993
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
The Society of
American Archivists, a national professional association headquartered in Chicago,
is seeking an Executive Director. With a staff of 12 and a budget of $1.2 million,
the Executive Director provides leadership for membership services and for publication,
education, and advocacy programs.
Responsibilities:
Working with elected officers and a nine-member council who provide overall
direction, the Executive Director develops the Society's programs and resources
by:
- conducting
financial planning, administering the budget and grant-funded projects
- managing office
staff
- overseeing
substantial publications and continuing education programs
- administering
membership services, including overseeing annual meetings, and
- representing
the Society to its diverse constituencies.
Required
Qualifications: 5 years administrative and management experience involving
one or more of the following: membership/constituent/customer services, advocacy,
and project direction. This experience must include both:
- two years
financial management experience and
- two years
experience supervising professional staff
- advanced degree
in humanities or social sciences, or certification in appropriate field and
3 additional years of administrative or management experience
- knowledge
of, or willingness to learn about, the concerns and challenges facing the
archival profession, and
- demonstrated
excellence in written and oral communication.
The Society
of American Archivists: Serving the educational and informational needs
of its members since 1936, provides leadership to help ensure the identification,
preservation, and use of the nation's historic record. The SAA has over 3,000
individual and 500 institutional members including archivists, manuscript curators,
and allied professionals located in the U.S., Canada, and throughout the world.
The Executive
Director will lead an organization that has recently developed a long-range
plan focused on exerting national leadership, professional development, advocacy
and outreach,
and responding
to the challenges of new information technologies. The Executive Director contributes
directly to initiatives to improve the Society's financial base, organizational
structure, and
communications.
Compensation:
The minimum salary is $55,000 plus benefits.
Date Available:
The Executive Director will assume responsibilities no later than April 1, 1994.
Deadline:
The position is vacant until filled, but initial screening of applications will
begin September 15, 1993. Candidates filing after this deadline will not be
guaranteed consideration. Nominations are welcome but must be received by August
15, 1993. To apply, submit a letter, a vita, and the names of three references.
Applications, nominations, and inquiries should be addressed to:
J. Frank Cook,
Co-Chair, Search Committee
B134 Memorial Library, 728 State Street
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI 53706
Phone (608) 262-3290 Fax (608) 265-2754
E-mail jfcook@macc.wisc.edu
Figure
V.3: Position Advertisement in the Chronicle of Higher Education
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Society of American
Archivists
Located in Chicago,
the national professional association of archivists seeks an Executive Director
to direct all major activities, develop financial resources, and represent the
Society to diverse constituents. A detailed position description will be furnished
to applicants. Qualifications include demonstrated appreciation of cultural
institutions, administrative experience, and financial planning skills. An advanced
degree and knowledge of archival work is preferred. The minimum salary is $50,000
plus benefits. To apply, send a letter, a vita, and the names of three references
by September 30, 1990 to: John Fleckner, Screening Committee, Archives Center
c340, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington,
D.C. 20560. Duties will begin no later than June 1991.
Figure
V.4: Policy on the Retention and Disposition of Papers Resulting from the 1993-1994
SAA Executive Director Search Committee
At its January
1994 meeting, the Council of the Society of American Archivists (SAA) unanimously
adopted the following policy:
- As SAA Archivist
J. Frank Cook also served as Co-Chair of the Executive Director Search Committee
(SC) and has a complete record of all the SC's work. All other members of
the SC should immediately and confidentially destroy all files except those
unique items that, in their individual professional judgement, should be retained
by the SAA Archives. Those few items, with the prior approval of the SAA Archivist,
or at the specific request of the Executive Committee should there be a disagreement
between the SC and the Archivist as to the need for retention, would be sent
to the Archivist for retention in the Archives.
- The SAA Archivist's
complete files should be retained for three (3) calendar years from the date
the new Executive Director takes office with access by non-SC members of SAA
requiring written approval by the Council's Executive Committee. Access by
Council, the Executive Committee, staff, or the general public will be determined
by Council; and the Archivist may request, in any specific instance, written
confirmation of Council approval from the SAA President.
- At the conclusion
of this three (3) years' retention of the complete files, providing that no
litigation is pending or anticipated, the SAA's Archivist will personally
and confidentially shred all files containing personally identifiable information,
or where that would damage the record of the proceedings, remove all personally
identifiable information.
- At the end
of the three-year retention period, the entire file of every unsuccessful
candidate would be completely destroyed except for statistical data that does
not contain personally identifiable information.
- The only record
retained permanently would be (a) a record of the process and (b) all reports
that did not contain ranking of the candidates or other frank, candid evaluations
of individual candidates. Unless otherwise ordered by Council, these files
would be open to public examination.
- It is recognized
that future search committees might, for procedural purposes, benefit from
a detailed examination of all files. However, the risk both to candidates'
careers and the possibility of damaging the effectiveness of the newly-appointed
Executive Director by, for example, revealing his/her ranking among the final
candidates, makes retaining more files than indicated above an unacceptable
policy.
- All files
from previous searches that are currently in the Archives, or may come to
the Archives in the future, will be retained or disposed of according to the
policies adopted by Council for this search.
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