Role Descriptions

Last updated: Tue 21 Dec 2021

Details of the responsibilities for each of the roles in the club.

Development Officer Junior Captain Head Coach Assistant Coach Permanent Course Officer
Webmaster Club Captain Chairman Treasurer Fixtures Secretaries
ESSOL Co-ordinator Schools Liaison Officer Club Welfare Officer Secretary Membership Secretary
Volunteer Coordinator

Role Descriptions

Development Officer

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. To lead club development work by maintaining and reviewing the club's development plan, gaining the approval for the plan from SOS committee and implementing the plan.
  2. To work with the Head Coach to recruit and manage coaches and other volunteers as necessary
  3. To ensure that appropriate policies and guidelines are in place for members and those people working with juniors.
  4. To support the Junior Captain in representing the interests of junior members at SOS committee meetings.
  5. To manage issues arising from the junior section.
  6. To work with other agencies such as local schools and local authority sports development units to improve/sustain club membership.
  7. To review with the Junior Captain the activities of the junior section on an annual basis.
  8. To administer the various Badge Award schemes.
  9. To seek permissions and register all non-coaching activities unless they are an event with published results then it should be referred to Fixtures Secretary Current Programme.

Approved by SOS Committee 8/2/16

Junior Captain

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. To work with the club coaches and development officer.
  2. To work with the Development Officer to ensure that entries for junior competitions are completed and returned.
  3. To coordinate, in consultation with the development officer, transport details for away venue competitions.
  4. To co-ordinate junior entries for BOC & JK relays in consultation with the Club Captain.
  5. To welcome new junior members to the club and introduce them to other club juniors and to adults working with the juniors.
  6. To report on the activities of juniors to and represent the interest of junior members at committee meetings.
  7. To review with the Development Officer the activities of the junior section on an annual basis.

Approved by SOS Committee 15/09/15

Head Coach

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. To implement the club's Coaching Policy.
  2. To take full responsibility for the club’s coaching sessions.
  3. To oversee the registration, preparation and analysis of all coaching sessions.
  4. To work with and include Assistant Coaches and other helpers (including juniors) in the preparation and running of each session. To delegate coaching to Assistant Coaches where appropriate and safe to do so.
  5. To offer the club feedback on the organisation and degree of success of coaching and its effect in competition.
  6. To assist in the selection of teams and travel to competitions as necessary.
  7. To help in the development of Assistant Coaches.
  8. To work within the BOF Safety Guidelines and the Sports Coach UK Code of Conduct.
  9. To promote the importance of coaching within the membership of the club.

Approved by SOS Committee 15/09/15

Assistant Coaches

Responsible to Head Coach

Main Duties

  1. To assist in the preparation of the overall coaching plan for club including juniors.
  2. To assist in the preparation of individual coaching sessions for club members including juniors.
  3. To assist in the delivery of coaching sessions for club members including juniors.
  4. To deputise for the Head Coach as required where appropriate and safe to do so'.
  5. To report back to the club on the progress and effectiveness of the coaching plan.
  6. To promote the importance of coaching within the club.

Approved by SOS Committee 15/09/15

Permanent Course Officer

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Seek areas suitable for hosting permanent orienteering courses.
  2. Liaise with landowners/tenants/organising bodies to:
    • Describe the purpose of Permanent courses
    • The processes involved in setting up a course
    • Discuss costs
  3. Facilitate the production of maps and courses
  4. Liaise with 'operators' and map/pack outlets
  5. Ensure courses are appropriate to the area and target groups
  6. Ensuring posts and markers are correctly placed
  7. Monitor use of areas
  8. Regularly monitor the courses to ensure they remain in a satisfactory condition
  9. Report back to SOS committee on current situation at least annually.

Any of the above 1-8 can be delegated to an appropriate person with respect to a particular course (with overall advice/oversight responsibilities remaining with the Permanent Course Officer).

Reviewed 23/03/2017
Approved by SOS Committee 27/03/2017

Webmaster/Results Secretary

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Arrange hosting for the club's website.
  2. Promote the site and check search engine rankings annually.
  3. Maintain reference information on the website as changes occur, and develop new content.
  4. Publish news items, event flyers and results in a timely manner and chase for information.
  5. Administer the Stragglers League.
  6. Submit event results to the BOF results system.
  7. Review the website annually for content and quality.
  8. Maintain email groups for committees.

Approved by SOS Committee 8/2/16

Club Captain

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. To advise club members via email of the British and JK Relays, the Compass Sport Cup/Trophy Competition, and any other competitions which may involve club teams.
  2. To place club members into appropriate teams trying to take into account the members' wishes and limitations posed by the classes available.
  3. To liaise with the junior captain as regards junior entries.
  4. To ensure that entries are completed and sent in with appropriate fee.
  5. To collect entry fees from competitors and pass on to the Treasurer.

Approved by SOS Committee 8/2/16

Chairman

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Chairing meetings of the Stragglers Committee:
    • In partnership with the secretary agreeing an agenda and ensuring its distribution, by the secretary, in good time.
    • Steer the meeting through the agenda.
    • Bring each agenda item to a productive conclusion, with action points identified as appropriate.
    • Keep irrelevant "contributions" to a minimum.
    • Complete the business in 2 hours.
    • Keep the peace.
  2. Communicating significant issues to the membership via the Chair's Chat column in the newsletter, website bulletin board and/or group mailings as appropriate.
  3. Representing the Club at meetings of other organisations.
  4. Representing the interest of the club, independently and/or as instructed by the committee, with local, regional and national sporting bodies and both governmental and non governmental organisations.

Reviewed by Colin West November 2015

Treasurer

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Maintain the financial records for the club and manage any bank accounts.
  2. Initiate payments which have been authorised.
  3. Issue invoices where required.
  4. Pay in all receipts.
  5. Complete BO and EAOA levy returns and send levies.
  6. Pay land fees and notify interested parties of participating numbers where required, e.g. Forestry Commission.
  7. Report current financial position to each Committee meeting.
  8. Prepare annual accounts for the AGM and arrange for their independent examination.
  9. Keep a Receipts and Payments account for each event.

Approved by SOS Committee 08/03/2011

Fixtures Secretary (Future Programme)

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Devising the future fixtures programme
  2. Reporting to and consulting with the SOS committee on fixtures matters
  3. Negotiating and agreeing the programme with the other East Anglian clubs
  4. Recruiting officials for the programme
  5. Maintaining a status list of the future programme
  6. Maintaining a list of SOS Officials

A detailed Job Description can be found here.

Approved by SOS Committee 8/2/16

Fixtures Secretary (Current Programme)

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Registering events with British Orienteering
  2. Obtaining permissions from landowners and ensuring their wishes are respected
  3. Completing landowners' paperwork or arranging for its completion
  4. Reporting to and consulting with the SOS committee on current fixtures matters
  5. Briefing Officials as necessary
  6. Amending and finalising registrations as plans are developed
  7. Maintaining a status list of the current programme
  8. Maintaining lists of venues and landowners
  9. Maintaining correspondence files
  10. Maintain archive of risk assessments and BOF insurance documentation.
  11. Passing invoices to Treasurer and other communications to the appropriate person

A detailed Job Description can be found here.

Approved by SOS Committee 8/2/16

ESSOL Co-ordinator

Responsible to SOS and SUFFOC Committees

Main Duties

  1. Collect and collate results from ESSOL fixtures and ensure prompt transfer of information to Web Master.
  2. Deal with queries and corrections concerning the results and pass on information as required.
  3. Interpret the ESSOL rules with reference to other Club officials as necessary.
  4. Liaise with fixture secretaries of concerned clubs to ensure suitable events and venues available for ESSOL events.
  5. Ensure ESSOL events sufficiently publicised.
  6. Submit regular updates of ESSOL results to newsletter.
  7. Organise presentation and distribution of awards at end of season

Approved by SOS Committee 15/09/15

Schools Liaison Officer

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Be a first point of contact for schools seeking information concerning Orienteering and SOS.
  2. Deal with or pass queries on to relevant Club officials as necessary.
  3. Be involved, if possible, in any School Events organised or supported by the Club.
  4. Help promote the sport of orienteering to local schools and try to establish regular contact with them.
  5. Coordinate the annual Schools Week including publicity, administration, permissions and registration.

Approved by SOS Committee 8/2/16

Club Welfare Officer

Responsible to SOS Committee

The welfare and support of young people and vulnerable adults in orienteering is of the highest importance to British Orienteering. The Club Welfare Officer will, therefore, act as a first point of contact for any person in orienteering at a club level who has a concern about safeguarding the welfare of children and vulnerable adults. They will assist the club in developing and promoting an environment inclusive of, and friendly to, young people.

The Club Welfare Officer will have

  1. Basic knowledge of and/or familiarity with the pertinent legislation and Government guidance relevant to this role.
  2. A basic knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of the statutory agencies within child welfare, such as Social Services, Police and the NSPCC.
  3. Understanding of local procedures for reporting child welfare concerns to the statutory agencies.
  4. Familiarisation with the British Orienteering O-Safe Child Welfare Policy and Procedures and knowledge of how to put this into practice in relation to young people in your club.
  5. Awareness of equity issues within the context of child welfare.
  6. A basic knowledge of the different forms of behaviour that can occur within and outside sport which are harmful to young people, from poor practice to child abuse.

Main duties

  1. To help safeguard young people and vulnerable adults by the promotion and implementation of the British Orienteering, O-Safe - Child Welfare Policy and Procedures at a club level.
  2. To be the first point of contact in the club for the reporting of concerns relating to the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable adult.
  3. To assist in the raising of awareness of others in orienteering at a club level in respect to the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
  4. To be the source of advice and information on the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable adults at a club level.
  5. To report regularly to the club's committee, becoming a club Committee Member if appropriate.
  6. Communicate with others and especially acting as a link person with the British Orienteering Lead Child Welfare officer
  7. To maintain confidentiality, as far is practically possible, in all child and vulnerable adult's welfare matters - further information is available on confidentiality and the related flow of information in the document entitled 'Protocols for Information Sharing'.
  8. Administer/organise paperwork and record information received.

Reviewed by SOS Committee 6/3/18

Secretary

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Obtain instructions from SOS Committee regarding date, venue and agenda for Annual General Meeting (AGM) and issue timely notice of, and agenda for, meeting in accordance with the Constitution.
  2. Take minutes of AGM, obtain approval of them from SOS Committee and publish them, for final approval at the next AGM.
  3. Notify British Orienteering and the East Anglian Orienteering Association of SOS Officers appointed at AGMs and otherwise as necessary.
  4. Issue notice of dates, venues and agendas for SOS Committee meetings as instructed by the SOS Committee.
  5. Take minutes of SOS Committee meetings, issue them to Committee members and obtain approval of them from the SOS Committee.
  6. Communicate and respond to enquiries by mail, email and telephone on behalf of SOS, and report to SOS Committee, as necessary.
  7. Keep safe the minutes of SOS AGMs and Committee meetings and produce them as required.
  8. Before 1st November each year submit an Annual Return to British Orienteering National Office listing, for the following year or part thereof,
    1. the annual British Orienteering affiliation fee,
    2. names & contact details for the club's officers,
    3. SOS membership fees for the following year, and providing a link to
    4. the SOS constitution on the club website and
    5. the Minutes of the latest AGM on the club website.

A description of the Secretary's year can be found here.

Approved by SOS Committee 8/2/16

Membership Secretary

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Liaise with British Orienteering to extract information about membership.
  2. Report membership numbers, geography and demographics to the Committee.
  3. Encourage those whose membership has lapsed to continue their membership.
  4. Act as a focal point for contact with non-members to encourage participation and membership.
  5. Pass information on new members to the Committee.
  6. * Report to the Committee on changes and trends in the make-up of the membership (e.g. age, sex, location, schools, families/individuals), suggest reasons for the changes and suggest recruitment activities.

Approved by SOS Committee 15/09/15

* Addition of this item proposed by Andrew Cordle for consideration at the next Committee Meeting

Volunteer Coordinator

Responsible to SOS Committee

Main Duties

  1. Maintain a register of members' relevant experience and qualifications.
  2. Encourage members to volunteer and suggest areas where they could contribute.
  3. Work with the Fixtures Secretaries to provide the necessary pool of volunteers to run Events.
  4. Work with the Development officer to provide the necessary pool of volunteers to run coaching.
  5. Work with the Chairman to provide the necessary pool of volunteers to provide administrative support to the Club.
  6. Coordinate rewards and recognition of volunteers

Approved by SOS Committee 15/09/15