Becoming a Director

Roles and Responsibilities of a Society of Homeopaths’ Director
A Society of Homeopaths’ Board member will ideally have the following attributes:

At The Society of Homeopaths, we rely on the active support and participation of our nationwide network of members, working alongside our highly skilled staff team, to promote and advance homeopathy as well as provide a full range of membership services.

The Society is governed by a board comprising 8 individual members, elected by the membership. A financial expert currently advises us in a consultancy capacity.

The board of The Society is one of governance, setting the strategic direction for the organisation whilst leaving the management of the organisation to the staff. There are also 3 sub-committees of the board, which directors may wish to become involved with (Finance & General Purposes, Membership and Professional Standards).

The term for board membership is three years. A maximum of two consecutive terms in office may be served after which a director is normally required to step down for one year before seeking re-election.

Democracy is the central pillar of this membership-based organisation and all individual Registered members are eligible to vote in the election for members to the board.

Board members receive a quarterly honorarium plus a loss of earnings allowance for attending meetings. Travel expenses are also reimbursed.

Meeting dates for the board in 2008 are:

15 -16 May (Residential – venue to be confirmed)
21 July - venue to be confirmed
10 November - venue to be confirmed

Board members come from a wide range of backgrounds, sharing a diverse set of skills and experience. If you have any further questions or would like to find out more, please call Paula Ross, Chief Executive, on 0845 450 6611.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Society of Homeopaths’ Director

There are two kinds of roles and responsibilities:

1. Collective

To be thoroughly acquainted with the objects for which the Society was set up and to monitor the Society’s ongoing performance in relation to these objects
Setting objectives for the organisation to further its overall objects
Setting plans to achieve these objectives
Approving budgets to achieve these objectives
Monitoring the organisation’s performance in relation to these objectives
Checking and approving the Society’s annual accounts
Establishing and overseeing a framework for delegation to the Chief Executive
Taking key decisions
Ensuring effective management of the Board by electing to particular offices according to set procedures e.g. Chair, Professional Conduct, etc
Ensuring the organisation remains solvent and operates in accordance with the laws of the land and accepted business propriety
Ensuring prudent management
Controlling entry to and exit from the Society’s register i.e. approving registration criteria and taking final decisions, following a recommendation arising from professional conduct proceedings, about removal or suspension of any member from the register.

2. Individual

To support the Objects, Values and Policies of the Society
To be aware that a director's responsibility is to balance promotion of the needs and issues of individual members or groups of members, with the overall good of the whole membership of the Society
To share responsibility for eventual/minuted decisions
To be prepared to serve on the committees and subcommittees that govern the running of the organisation
To build and maintain at all times a constructive relationship with staff
To undertake to prepare properly for all relevant meetings by reading advance papers and attending at least 75% of meetings relevant to your own responsibilities
To be prepared to take part in any CPD, training or induction process offered in relation to the roles and responsibilities of being a director
To be prepared to register any other interests on taking office, update and amend these as they change and to notify specific potential conflicts of interest prior to discussion of any particular agenda item
To represent the Society in a positive way at all times while in office
To be willing to share any specific individual skills that may be useful to the organisation

A Society of Homeopaths’ Board member will ideally have the following attributes:

A desire to work for the good of the Society and of its members;
An independent and enquiring mind that is attentive to detail;
Ability to absorb the key points from large often complex written/verbal information;
A team player, able to listen sensitively to and understand the views of, others inside and outside the Board;
Ability to question intelligently, debate constructively, challenge rigorously, and decide dispassionately;
Be computer literate;
Ability to give on average two days a month to the Society

Please note that the closing date for nominations is 7th March 2008.

Download Director's Code of Conduct

Becoming a Director in 2008 - nomination form