Balmain Sailing Club Roles & Responsibilities

October 02, 2013

Balmain Regatta - Teamwork makes for a great event!

The Balmain Sailing Club is a friendly, inclusive sailing club with regular racing, cruising and a sailing school for children & adults. The emphasis is on fun and

friendly competition in a beautiful waterfront location. To do this the club has a structure as per below and needs the help of as many members as possible to lighten the load on all and to maximise the benefits each member can enjoy.

Please read the scope below and if you would love to get involved please contact the appropriate committee member and you will be rewarded with being able to help achieve our goals, develop new skills, meet new and wonderful people and generally get to know everyone a lot better.

Role of Commodore

The Commodore sets the overall annual committee agenda and helps the committee prioritise its goals and then keeps the committee on track by working within that overall framework. Volunteers also fill key roles to enable this to happen efficiently.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Manage committee meetings
• Represent the club at local, state, and national levels
• Act as a facilitator for club activities
• Ensure planning and budgeting for the future is being carried out in accordance with the views of the club membership.
• Represent the Sailing School at committee meetings and guide their activities
• Represent the cruising club at committee meetings and guide their activities
• Represent the licenced premises activities at committee meetings

Role of Vice Commodore

The Vice Commodore has the very important role of ensuring the successful management of on water racing activities and the welfare of sailors during these activities. Volunteers fill key roles to enable this to happen efficiently.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Determine and communicate sailing instructions
• Determine the divisions and sailing classes
• Set up the race day crew positions and ensure that these are filled by competent people, whilst also training new volunteers.
• Manage the handicapping systems and race results
• Provide Cat 7 inspections for member boats

Role of Infrastructure Director

The Infrastructure member is responsible for all building and deck works required to maintain the units, including kitchens, toilets and bar room and to improve as directed by the committee.

Volunteers are required to both take on the various key roles and to assist at working bees to enable the club to provide maximum enjoyment of the facilities.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Set up the required roles and fill these roles with volunteers
• Prepare budgets and work programs 
• Prioritise in line with the committees goals
• Set targets and manage to completion
• Prepare safety and occupational standards for the safety of people carrying out the works.

Role of Marketing and Promotions

The Marketing and Promotions role is very key in enabling the club to function financially as we need both members and sponsors to allow the club to grow and to upgrade facilities. Harnessing the emerging technologies to allow for more efficient carrying out of tasks such as membership data, sponsorship data and finances will allow the club to focus on the members, both existing and potential and provide a good return for our sponsors. Engaging the wider community in the clubs activities will assist in all aspects of the clubs goals.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Develop Marking and Promotions budgets in line with club goals
• Provide communications to members and sponsors as well as to the greater community.
• Manage and maintain website to keep club activities efficient and user friendly for all members, potential members, sponsors and volunteers.
• Maintain membership registers.

Role of Treasurer

The Treasurer sets up accounting and systems to ensure that the clubs finances are managed effectively and in complying terms. Processes to account for the expenses incurred and appropriate authorisations of these expenses allow for
the club to manage within budgets. The Treasurer also has responsibility for Human Resources, which is essentially about people management, and our aim is to be able to treat members, volunteers and suppliers in a caring and supportive environment.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Establish practices to ensure that the clubs finances are managed in accordance with accounting standards
• Maintain books and ledgers.
• Maintain website income systems (including memberships, racing, storage and other incomes).
• Maintain Paypal account.
• Report to YA on memberships.
• Maintain budgets and report against these on a monthly basis
• Manage the various accounts held with banks
• Ensure that authorised invoices are paid
• Prepare reports and financial input to decision making as per the request of the committee.
• Manage major projects accounts.
• Manage cash floats and cashflow.
• Ensure general administration duties are carried out.

Role of Projects

The club is always looking to improve the facilities for members and these major projects take a huge amount of time and resources so the role of Projects is designed to allow the club committee to have sufficient due diligence in the project scope to ensure that budgeting, quoting and engagement of contractors is done such that the clubs liabilities are minimised and the projects come in successfully on time and budget. The major project is the pontoon and there is a need for various other projects to be commenced such as the building upgrade and existing deck repairs.

Responsibilities and duties:

• Set up project teams in accordance with the committees goals
• Scope out the projects and obtain budget costings
• Identify the funding shortfalls and work with Marketing to determine funding viability.
• Prepare plans and submissions for interested bodies.
• Prepare capital works feasibility analysis for committee sign off.
• Oversee the project and ensure sufficient due diligence is given to reporting and communication to enable the committee, members and interested parties to be comfortable with the project.
• Minimise the costs of doing projects by engaging as many of the clubs resources and skills as possible

Role of Secretary

• Responsibilities and duties:
• The Secretary is responsible for the recording of minutes, setting of the agenda with the Commodore, informing committee of meetings and events.
• The secretary must have a close liaison with all committee members and be able to ensure that sufficient time is given in meetings to have matters of concern dealt with.
• The Secretary distributes external communications to the appropriate persons for resolution.
• Call for nominations for committee and other positions within the club. Maintain a register of keys, leases, and other important files.
• Respond to general duties as directed by the club committee.
• The clubs constitution must be adhered to and the secretary is responsible for ensuring that practices are in line with the constitution.
• The Secretary is also the registered Public Officer.