Committee FAQ – Snow Sports Northumbria

SNOW SPORTS NORTHUMBRIA COMMITTEE ROLES 2021/22

Hello you lovely lot! Its that time of year again where we trying to gauge the interest for next years committee. As a team we have decided to restructure the committee that you were introduced this year so there have been some changes made to the roles, duties and responsibilities of each role.

The biggest change this year is that the trip sec role will no longer exist, and the introduction of Race Secretary will be the next challenge to take SSN to another level!

If you’re interested in applying for any of these roles, please get in touch with current committee and you can ask any questions you have to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into! You can email us at northumbriassn@gmail.com or just drop one of us a message

We are also aiming to organise a handover weekend sometime during summer. This will comprise of a few days over which new and old committee can come together, discuss positives and negatives from the previous year and start to put together a comprehensive plan for the coming year. It is our hope that this will allow committee to bond earlier and should ensure that handovers are done thoroughly enough to ensure the new year begins as smoothly as possible. We’re currently looking at dates for this but these will be released soon!

JOINT COMMITTEE DUTIES

Although your role will be focused on the individual areas as listed below, it’s important to know that a place on committee is very much a team player role.

It’s important that you’re willing to always pull your weight and help to take the weight off others. Committee is like a family and you have to be a support system for one another. So take time to read through all the roles and know that sometimes they can be just as much yours as everyone else’s

Being part of the SSN Committee is a fantastic opportunity and will provide you with a wealth of valuable experience (and will undoubtedly look impressive post-graduation). But, it is not something to be undertaken lightly… it requires a lot of time, motivation and dedication, but ultimately, the experience is incredibly rewarding and also a lot of fun! Over the last year we estimate around 200 to 250 hours of work is required for each role to ensure that SSN maintains the momentum that has been created by previous committees.

As Ben Parker said “With great power, comes great responsibility”

These will be some of your joint roles:

Strengthening club relationships and contacts within University Snow sports.
Be able to carry out required tasks outside of university term time (e.g. Xmas trip, Easter Trip, ball prep, after summer exams, preparations for the coming year throughout the summer, other activities outside of role requirements to help further the society).
Whenever representing SSN, ensure it is done in an appropriate manner and all members are included within the society.
Be available to drive club transport when necessary.
Ensuring that all club members have been made aware of the club’s rules and safety policy.
Ensuring the club policies are adhered to.
Any other duties as agreed by any of the committee.
Attending every SSN Social unless previously arranged with the Social Secretary/Secretary/ President.
Enticing new sponsorship.
Encouraging freshers to get involved in the club and supporting them to do so.
Responding to messages appropriately via the SSN social media accounts.
All committee members are paid members of the society. Responsibility to ensure this happens falls within the Presidents role.
Every Committee needs to attend the rep training weekend with their chosen operator to ensure they have fill knowledge of the process and organisational elements of how Ski trips are ran to further aid the society when required.

INDIVIDUAL DUTIES

President

The President is responsible for the club as a whole. S/He should be the figurehead of society and liaison between the Students Union and the rest of committee/society.

The President must ensure the club’s committee has been registered with the SU and has given information about the roles required to the other officers (committee) by the end of summer term.

Organising with the Secretary (Vice President), and to some extent the rest of the committee, club holidays (usually two per academic year i.e. Christmas Trip and Easter Trip) and will delegate tasks within the committee appropriately.
Liaise with the SU Activates/Sports Officer and keep the department updated.
Keeping an eye on welfare of other committee members by helping or delegating where appropriate, making sure no one person has too much to do at one time.
Being a contact point for club members via email.
Planning Fresher’s week, including events and sign up strategy.
Main point of contact between the Club and chosen tour operator (i.e.Wasteland). Responsible for going over our contract at the beginning of each year.
Liaise with the treasurer to ensure all SU grants are applied for in good time.
Liaise with the treasurer to committee to a financial plan to ensure the society is able to maintain activities without depleting the societies accounts
Ensuring the committee is informed of everything going on by means of regular update meetings and making sure they are doing their set tasks.
Organisation of Club clothing, assisted by the Media & Merch.
The welfare and safety of the members.
Striving to advance SSN as a whole and work with the rest of committee to ensure that the society improves on the pervious years activities.

Secretary (Vice President)

The Secretary’s role is to help with all club administration including membership lists and the club website. They The secretary is responsible for the email system and mailing lists and is in charge of sourcing sponsorship throughout the year. They are second face of the society and work alongside the President to ensure the society is runs smoothly. Available to step into the Presidency role is required.

Administration of all club matter and must work closely with the SU to achieve this.
Responsible for emailing out to potential sponsors to gain extra funding and stash opportunities. To help Media and Merch find a stash provider.
Ensuring the website is up to date (to be assisted by Media and Merch).
Helping with administration on both of the SSN trips abroad.
Providing secretarial support to the club committee, taking minutes at meetings to ensure everyone can stay up to date.
Ensuring all members are kept aware of all club activities.
Moderating/administrating mailing lists regularly, ensuring we are sending out regular emails to members.
Creating or developing media output to support marketing strategies and development of merchandise (to assist the Media and Merch)

Treasurer

The treasurer is responsible for all money matters regarding the club. S/he must keep an eye on what is going in and out of the accounts, creating a budget, constructing balance sheets, anticipating cash flow shortages and handing in claims forms to the union.

Administration of the club’s finances.
Apply for the monthly grant from the SU.
Collecting sponsorship money from sponsors.
Filling in and signing all claims forms that s/he agrees with for invoices that need to be paid.
Ensuring affiliation to both BUCS and King’s Ski Club (with the Race Secretary).
Producing the club’s annual budget.
Budget/costings for trips, racing and events.
Collecting money from members for all club activities and events (and having an effective recording system to allow them to do so).
In charge of organising transport: making sure drivers are signed up, booking coaches/minibuses/vans and sorting people to drive for smaller events. This can be a bit of a logistical nightmare sometimes but is a huge part of making sure events and trainings run smoothly (this will also be heavily supported by the Race Secretary)
Ensuring all active participants are PAID club members.

Media & Merch

S/he must take responsibility for cultivating SSN ‘image’ by ensuring we look swish in stash on and off the slopes and have an engaging social media presence. Previous experience in design, video editing or photography is advantageous but not essential, creativity and a willingness to learn/try new things is essential!

In charge of club social media – ensuring regular engaging posts are going out for events, trips, giveaways. Delegating to other committee members when necessary to ensure a good span and quality of content.
Selecting and designing committee jackets (ensuring they’re available by BUDs).
Work with the Secretary to ensure the website is up to date.
Producing concepts and designs for club Stash including hoodies, beanies, hats, trip T’s for both Christmas and Easter Trip.
Producing artwork, designs or colour schemes for various promotional material (leaflets, posters, social media posts etc.)
In charge of social media output during events such as trips (insta stories etc.) to keep platforms current.
Choose stash provider

Race Secretary

The Race Secretaryis a new role this year, they work closely with the President, Secretary and the SU to develop this role throughout the summer months intime for release and sign ups in September, but their main role is the administrative process behind this. They are in charge of everything to do with competitions, training and competition entries for all 3 disciplines. It is worth noting that the captains can be selected to help with management of teams and workload (to be elected closer to the end of the year if suitable) will be working closely to organise these events and put together teams. Where appropriate, the race sec can delegate tasks to other committee members to share the workload to ensure success.

Organising training sessions each week, along with transport (to be supported by the President and the SU)
Organising supplementary snow training along with the appropriate captain
Organising transport to and from competitions, and if necessary, accommodation.
Organising competitions entries for BUDS, BUISC, BUSC and Kings races.
Working closely with the three captains to enter teams into competitions.
Ensuring all entry forms are filled in correctly, on time and that all entry fees are paid on time (by liaising with the treasurer and SU).
Ensuring all competitors conduct themselves in a respectable manner.
Helping source equipment for team members.
Set up Strength and Conditioning with the sports centre (if possible).
Work with the VP Activities/sport over the summer months to develop a programme that can be displayed to incoming fresher at fair.

Social secretary (Male and Female)

The Social Secretary(s) must be present at all social events and race meetings where they are in charge of rallying team support. They are also responsible for the social component of all trips including those abroad. The SSN Pub Golf, Winter ball and summer ball are the biggest events of the year and must be organised with attention to every detail by the social secretaries; this also applies to the Valley rally in trips.

Organising the freshers and re-freshers socials and making sure as many freshers/returning members are involved as possible.
Take command of the largest socials of the year, as evidenced above (to be assisted by the President/ Vice)
Organising and promoting socials with different and exciting themes.
Organising the SSN winter and summer ball.
Organising nights out and club meals at UK events such as BUDs etc.
Liaising with the Trip Secretary to produce an inclusive and exciting social schedule for the trips abroad.
Rallying support at all competitive events.
Introducing freshers to the club and supporting them throughout the year.
Looking after the club speaker and making sure it is charged for every event.
Picking Fresher ambassadors and delegating tasks to them to further promote SSN.

By having two social secretaries a year we hope that next year’s committee will be able to keep providing regular socials without any members taking on too much responsibility. The two Social secs will be expected to work together to keep up some of our favourite yearly events and also bring in new and exciting ideas. They will be expected to divide up the workload with the help of the President to ensure equal workload between the two. It will also allow for more flexibility as events would be brainstormed/planned together but the person putting in the leg work could alternate from social to social.

SUMMARY

Just to repeat, although you will have a specific role, you must be willing to chip in a pull your weight if necessary and remember that every event only happens with the close teamwork of several members of committee. As with many things, you get out what you put in. Remember that there are perks that go with your role, but these are representative of the amount of work you will be doing and will be retracted if your fellow committee members feel like you are not fulfilling your role.

If you’re interested in any of these roles please get in touch with current committee as they may be able to give you more info or advice on what you may be better suited!

All the love

2021/22 SSN Committee xx