About the Role
The Shore Sirens Board of Directors is composed of 8 Shore Sirens members and leaders, elected by the Shore Sirens membership. The Shore Sirens Board is a “Working Board”, as we are in the growth phase and have no paid staff, providing leadership, hands-on and operational support, managing programs, volunteers and event planning. Each Board Member has one vote with decisions carried by a simple majority (50% +1) unless otherwise specified. The Sirens President is entitled to attend Sirens Board Meetings but may not vote.
About you: a motivated self-starter, team player & problem solver with a passion for mountain biking, community, and encouraging women+ and non-binary mountain bikers to learn and connect on and off the trails.
Requirements
Manages and organizes all aspects of the Sirens Special Events including scheduling, partnerships. volunteers, and management of the events throughout the year.
The role of the Shore Sirens Board is to ensure the ongoing viability of the organization by:
Reflecting the interests and concerns of Sirens Members.
Representing and advocating for women+ non-binary mountain bikers
Formulating and approving Shore Sirens strategic direction and priorities, monitoring outcomes and progress, and regularly reviewing and making adjustments as required.
Evaluating the performance of the organization against Shore Sirens strategic direction and objectives.
Ensuring the financial security and accountability of Shore Sirens, including the development and monitoring of financial policies and oversight of the yearly operating budget.
Overseeing the overall organizational health of the organization including developing, monitoring and updating good governance practices and policies that enable the Shore Sirens to optimize resources and efforts towards achieving its mission.
Selecting, developing, supporting and evaluating the performance of the President and Vice-President (including succession planning).
Identifying, assessing, mitigating and monitoring critical developments with uncertain outcomes in order to manage risks to the organization and individuals connected to it.
Ensuring that Shore Sirens is acting in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and policies.
Upholding ethical behaviour and practices among the Shore Sirens Board and Members.
Individuals seeking to be elected to the Shore Sirens Board must:
Be a voting Shore Sirens Member in good standing.
Have demonstrated commitment to the mission and vision of Shore Sirens and the advancement of women+ and non-binary mountain biking in Canada.
Be non-partisan and willing and able to set aside specific interests in order to act on behalf of the bike industries as a whole.
Have the support of the organization for which they work for their commitment to the role of Shore Sirens Board Member.
Be willing to participate in 12 Board meetings per year (virtual or in-person) and spend approximately 4 hours per quarter reviewing Board meeting materials.
In addition to the Board obligations stated above, the Board Executive must be willing to participate in the following:
Board Chair: approximately 10 or more additional hours per year.
Board Vice Chair, Board Secretary: approximately 5 or more additional hours per year.
Board Treasurer: approximately 7 or more additional hours per year.
Responsibilities of Board Executive Members are outlined in Shore Siren’s Bylaws.
Have the support of the organization for which they work to cover travel expenses as related to attending meetings, whether in-person or virtually.
Be a participant in at least one Shore Sirens Member working group, or committee.
Make best efforts to support and attend Shore Sirens events.
Have the ability to present opinions and ask questions, as well as a willingness and ability to listen respectfully.
Have integrity, perspective and good judgment.
Be dependable, flexible and committed to learning.
Have experience on a Board (suggested but not mandatory).
Be able to communicate orally and in writing in either English or French.
Must be 18 years or older.
Must be legally able to stand as a Board Member.
No individual who has been found by a court of Canada or elsewhere to be incapable or who has the status of a bankrupt shall be a Board Member.
Outcomes and Reporting
Board Members are accountable to the membership for the roles and responsibilities outlined in this document as well as the plans and goals they establish. These will be reported on and communicated to the membership through Shore Sirens communications vehicles and the Shore Sirens AGM.
Duties
The Board has legal (fiduciary) duties as well as specific duties assigned by Shore Sirens. Legal duties stem from the premise that Board Members must act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Shore Sirens, while exercising the care, diligence and skills that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances.
Additional duties for individual Shore Sirens Board Members include:
Direction and Leadership
Developing and implementing a strategic direction that is consistent with the Shore Sirens mission.
Representing Shore Sirens at various events and consultations.
Establishing clear guidelines on public communications on behalf of the Board.
Ensure Shore Sirens activities provide high value to Shore Sirens Members.
Organizational Health
Electing Executive Officers, from among the Directors, no later than the first Board meeting after the AGM.
Establishing committees and delegating responsibility to them as needed.
Overseeing and participating on the Board’s standing committees and ad hoc committees.
Evaluating the performance of the organization against agreed strategic objectives and priorities on an annual basis.
Overseeing consistent orientation and development of new Board Members.
Establishing and reviewing the categories and criteria for Shore Sirens membership.
Seeking opportunities to engage with and assist with recruitment of new Members.
Financial, Legal and Risk Management Oversight
Establishing and monitoring the annual budget.
Reviewing and approving financial objectives, goals and actions, including significant allocations and expenditures.
Approving and overseeing significant partnership and contractual agreements.
Ensuring the financial, personnel, membership and other records of Shore Sirens are kept as required by law.
Governance
Upholding good governance policies and practices as follows:
Regular review of policies and procedures, code of conduct (which includes confidentiality and conflict of interest policies), every two years.
Regular review of Bylaws, every two years.
Annual assessment of Board performance, against specific goals and plans.
Undertaking all advance preparation required to participate fully and effectively at meetings.
Regular attendance at all Board meetings.
Fair and transparent nominating and elections process with a Board composition matrix that is
clearly communicated.
Supporting and respecting the Chair, who is nominated by and from the Board.
This Board Director job description along with the Board Director Code of Conduct will form the basis of the agreement that will be signed by each Director indicating they have read, understood and agree to abide by these provisions.
Term
Each Shore Sirens Board Member will be elected for a 1-year term, and may stand for and be re-elected by the Members for 3 additional one-year term to a maximum of four consecutive years, accordingly. After serving for four consecutive years, a Director may once again stand for election by the Members provided that they have not exercised the office of Director for a minimum of one year following the end of their most recent term.
Protection
Shore Sirens has Commercial General Liability insurance coverage in the amount of $5,000,000 and Directors’ and Officers Liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 which addresses the costs of defence against legal action as well as covering legal judgements for Board Members’ personal liability & financial loss protection from wrongful acts committed—or allegedly committed—in their capacity as Board Members of Shore Sirens.
Benefits
Shore Sirens Board Members will not receive, directly or indirectly, any pay or profit from Shore Sirens as a result of their position. Directors may be compensated for reasonable expenses while carrying out authorized Board duties, but will not be compensated for travel and accommodation expenses related to Board Meeting attendance, with the exception of the Indigenous Board seat which may be eligible for coverage of Board Meeting travel and accommodation expenses.
Approval and Review Dates
This job description will be reviewed and approved by the Board on a regular basis. It will also be made freely available to interested Shore Sirens Members.
About the Company
The Shore Sirens Mission:
The Shore Sirens is an inclusive and supportive community for women+ and non-binary mountain bikers looking to build skills and connections on and off the trails.
The Shore Sirens values are as follows:
1. Responsible: We acknowledge that we ride and play on unceded stolen lands, and commit to responsibly using our resources to support indigenous-led organizations.
2. Community-focused and Inclusive: We believe that we are stronger together -- all of our events aim to create and strengthen connections between members, and within the larger outdoor community.
3. Accessible: We aim to make mountain biking accessible through a variety of programs including Beginner rides and a Mentorship Program.
4. Taking Up Space: Unapologetically taking up space in a traditionally cis male sport and industry through transformative opportunities for us, and future generations.