Developed and Presented by Tom Hughes, SCORE Seattle, for 2020 Virtual Leadership Conference

View the full presentation here: https://score.box.com/s/gzh666j68miro0p9h4qrk8mkdgzk43yu 

Chapter Organization Structure

• There is no single Organizational Structure for all chapters
• Structures vary by size of chapter, level of community involvement, and whether a chapter has a workshop program or not
• Chapters need some structure for division of responsibilities and to avoid burnout
• Following are sample organizational structures for small, mid-sized, and large chapters

Chapter Organizational Structure
 (Small Chapter - Traditional)

• Marketing, Outreach, Membership, and other responsibilities typically divided amongst these three positions
• Some chapters may have one or more chairs for some of these functions
• Some chapters may only have a Chapter Chair and either a Vice Chair or Treasurer
• Typically, there is no Executive Committee

Chapter Organizational Structure
 (Mid-Sized Chapter - Traditional)

• Workshop, Sponsorship, Mentor Development, and other responsibilities typically divided amongst these six positions
• Some chapters may have one or more chairs for some of these additional functions
• Typically, this team constitutes the Executive Committee

Chapter Organizational Structure
(Large Chapter - Traditional)

• Large chapters typically have more functional chairs to divide up the workload
• Some of these functional chairs head up committees (Marketing Committee, Workshop Committee, etc.)
• May have one or more branches with Branch Managers

Chapter Organizational Structure (Alternative)

This structure is a potential alternative to the traditional chapter organizational structure.  Traditional functions would fall under each of these four key roles.

Other considerations

• Some chapters have two (or more) Chapter Chairs that share the workload and/or alternate months (e.g. snowbirds)
• Some chapters have two to four Vice Chairs
• Key is to decide what structure works best for your chapter
• Appendix contains functional responsibilities for each of the positions

Summary

• Don’t try to do it all yourself
• Identify others in the chapter to lead various functions and solicit their help
• Get new mentors involved in a committee based on their background right away (future leaders)
• Leave a sustainable organizational structure for future leaders
• Remember: “Many Hands Make Light Work”

Job Descriptions

Chapter Chair Functional Responsibilities

• CEO of the Chapter
• Leads and Motivates Volunteers
• Sets the Vision and Strategic Direction
• Sets the Tone and the Pace for the Chapter
• Selects/Oversees Leadership Team (ExComm)
• Oversees all Chapter Operations
• Key Focus Areas:
  • Volunteer Engagement
  • Client Engagement
  • Community Engagement

• Activities outside of these areas should be distributed to others whenever possible

Vice Chair Functional Responsibilities

• “Chapter Chair in Training”
• Generally takes on selected activities such as:
  • Performance Management and Reporting
  • Administrative Activities
• Runs Chapter Meetings if Chair is Absent
• Many Chapters have Multiple Vice Chairs who Share the Workload

Admin Functional Responsibilities

• Some Chapters have a Paid Admin; others use Volunteers
• Responsible for Day-to-Day Office Operations:
  • Assigning Clients to Mentors
  • Assigning MREs (Mentoring Requests)
  • Supporting Workshops
  • Administrative Activities such as Expense Processing
  • Mail, Phones, Walk-Ins
  • Supporting Chapter Chair and Leadership Team

Secretary Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for Chapter Meeting Minutes
• May perform other functions as well
• Many chapters combine this role with other roles

Treasurer Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for Financial Activities of the Chapter
  • Day-to-Day Accounting
  • Financial Reporting
  • Expense Reimbursement from National
  • Banking
  • Attending Quarterly Finance Calls with National

Membership Chair Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for all things related to Membership:
  • Recruiting
  • Vetting New Applicants
  • Ensuring Certification Completion
  • Overseeing Onboarding Process
  • Assigning Coaches to New Mentors
  • Disciplining/Dismissing Under-Performing Mentors
  • Member Engagement (with Chapter Chair)

Outreach Chair Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for Chapter Outreach Activities
• Identifying/Working with Partner Organizations
• Speaking/Panel Engagements
• Spreading SCORE's Mission and Vision to the community
• Identifying Volunteers to Represent SCORE at Outreach Activities
• Providing Leads to Development Chair

Development Chair Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for Fundraising Activities
• Identifying Potential Sponsors
• Building Personal Relationships with Sponsors
• Communicating Regularly with Sponsors
• Works Closely with Outreach and Marketing Chairs

Marketing Chair Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for Building SCORE Awareness
• Collateral
• Success Stories
• Advertising/PSAs
• Social Media (Website, Facebook, etc.)
• Chapter Newsletters

Social Media Chair Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for Building SCORE Online Community
• Chapter Social Media Account Management
• Audience Engagement
• Content Creation - Success Stories, Mentor Spotlights, etc.
• Optional Paid Social Media Campaigns Opt In
• Social Media Analytics Dashboard Review

Workshop Chair Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for Client-Facing Workshop Program
• Identifying New Workshop Topics
• Identifying/Vetting Workshop Presenters
• Managing Workshop Schedule
• Reviewing Workshop Surveys and Making Changes as Appropriate

Mentor Development Chair Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for Mentor Education Program to Support SCORE’s “Lifelong Learning” Vision
• Mentor Education at Chapter Meetings
  • Identifying/Vetting Outside Speakers
  • Identifying/Vetting SMEs in Volunteer Base
  • Facilitating Mentor Sharing/Panel Discussions
• Volunteer Engagement through Chapter Meetings
• Mentor Education Outside of Chapter Meetings
  • Mentor Training Day and other Training Sessions

Branch Manager Functional Responsibilities

• Responsible for all Activities within Their Branch
  • Recruiting Clients and Volunteers
  • Onboarding Volunteers
  • Outreach
  • Fundraising
  • Scheduling
• Essentially Serve as Vice-Chairs for the Chapter

Advisor Functional Responsibilities

• Key Part of Leadership Team
• Usually Includes Past Chairs and Other Officers
• May Include District Director and/or Asst. DD
• Advise Chapter Chair and Other Officers
• Provide Organizational Know-How
• Often Take On Special Projects