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NSU SUB-COMMITTEE ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES                                                             BACK TO TOP      

FUNDRAISING

  • Organize and run fundraising events

  • Annual fund/campaign

  • Engage and manage relationships with corporate and individual sponsors

  • Manage donor database

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MARKETING

  • Oversees the organization’s brand and message

  • Develops strategies that encourage consumer awareness, involvement and investment in the organization's mission

  • Responsible for the content of the website and all communication vehicles and messages designed to engage current and prospective donors, partners, sponsors and program participants (volunteers, mentors and mentees)

  • Handles ALL publicity for the organization designed to promote awareness, fundraising events and community/donor engagement (including: press releases, social media, signage, etc.)

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PROGRAM CURRICULUM

  • Work with the Program Director to determine programming goals and specific learnings/events for mentees  

  • Establish and maintain calendar, together with program director

  • Support Program Director with other needs, as appropriate

  • Establish and maintain enrichment and available resource database for mentees

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PROGRAM EVALUATION

  • Ensure that NSU programs and operations are aligned with the NSU mission

  • Identify, research, and analyze aspects of NSU programs and operations, making recommendations for change when necessary

  • Define and determine criterion to evaluate program effectiveness and student success

  • Collaborate with the program director to develop, administer and analyze annual mentor and mentee surveys

  • Report results to NSU Board at least annuall

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EQUITY

  • Inform and educate the NSU community about the role of equity in our program and interactions, through understanding and relating equity efforts in education in MA, in the Needham schools, and Portrait of a Needham graduate  

  • Connect with equity efforts within the school

  • Develop advocacy role within NSU and the community

  • Bring relevant educational opportunities to the board, mentors and volunteers

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COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

  • Develop messages for communication with organizations with similar missions and related services

  • Build and maintain relationships with key organizations including the Needham Community Council, Needham Youth Services., Parent Talk, Elementary, Middle and High schools and PTCs, NWC, Rotary Club, NEF

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VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

  • Establish a pool of community members interested in and qualified to become mentors to NSU students from the beginning of senior year through 2 years post-graduation

  • Train and pair mentors, and monitor and evaluate these relationships

  • Coordinate with Programming Committee and Program Director to determine needs for mentees and post gradua

 

NHS LIAISON

  (NHS employee who advocates for NSU program, mentors and mentees within the NHS school community)

  • Meet with NHS principal to discuss NSU

  • Represent NHS voice/viewpoint on the board and in meetings

  • Educate NHS staff about NSU

  • Help identify and recruit program mentors

  • Attend meetings with Aaron Sicotte and NSU Co-Chairs

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MENTOR ADVISOR  

  (Current or former mentor who advises/counsels NSU mentors in coordination with the Program Director)

  • Holds periodic mentor meetings/breakfasts

  • Works with Program Director to onboard/train new mentors 

  • Helps to transition mentors taking on a mentee mid-cycle

  • Attends board meetings

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Development, maintenance, and technical ownership of the NSU website and other software, such as relating to accounting, fundraising, and marketing, used by the NSU Board in conducting NSU business.

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  • Implementation and technical ownership of databases and other repositories for NSU documents and other data

  • Implementation and technical ownership of databases and other repositories for NSU documents and other data

  • Ensure the security of technical systems used within NSU, and implement policies and procedures about the secure use of technology systems for NSU business

  • Train NSU Board members and other constituents, as needed, on the use of technology for NSU and on the associated policies and procedures, including those related to security 

  • Take part in any conversations involving technology and information security and serve as the authority on those subjects 

  • Participate in organizational goal-setting and strategic planning to ensure that technology and security matters are considered in making decisions at the very highest level of the organization

  • Provide input in recruiting future board members for the Committee, as needed, to ensure that the Technology Committee is adequately resources at all times

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GOVERNANCE

  • Identify open board positions, necessary skill sets and candidates to fill key roles

  • Onboards/orients new board members

  • Develops ongoing educational opportunities for the entire board

 

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Staff Positons

NSU STAFF POSITIONS                                                                                                     BACK TO TOP

Program Director

The Program Director’s duties include but are not limited to:

 

Collaboration, Recruitment and Matching  ​

  • Work with Pollard Guidance and Assistant Principals to sustain awareness of the program and identify potential students 

  • Regularly meet with NHS liaison about program and students 

  • Work with NHS admin to be sure students are aware of and receiving necessary scholarships for HS programs (sports, clubs, prom, cap & gown, etc) 

  • Check in with HS administration/teachers and Assistant Program Director about student behavior/attendance 

  • Work with Assistant Director to assign mentee-mentor matches 

  • Prepare and send letters of acknowledgment 

  • Communicate with Assistant Director on mentor recruitment

 

Training and Supervision​

  • With support of Assistant Director meet with prospective mentees, mentors to explain goals of program  

  • Arrange Mentor Training 

  • Solicit mentor feedback on training

  • Manage Google Classroom & Remind app with up-to-date information on events, logs, enrichment etc. 

  • Check-in with mentors and mentees at least monthly around the progress of the relationship

  • Coach mentors when difficult or challenging situations arise with their mentees or the mentee/mentor relationship.

 

Cohort Activities​

  • Reach out to outside agencies and organizations for planning cohort activities 

  • Plan and implement monthly cohort events for the mentors/mentees 

  • Lead monthly meetings with mentors/mentees 

  • Develop Check-Ins/ Exit Tickets for mentees/mentors 

  • Track attendance and reach out to mentors and mentees that were not in attendance 

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Parent Communication​

  • Update parents/guardians via phone, email, or in person 

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Accountability​

  • Attend Needham Steps Up Board meetings 

  • Provide regular updates to Needham Steps Up Board 

  • Prepare and submit a draft budget to Needham Steps Up Board by early winter Submit a final budget to Needham Steps Up Board by the spring 

  • Review Enrichment Grant requests and send approvals to the board or to treasurer for payment 

  • Address financial needs of mentees 

 

Planning and Assessment​

  • Evaluate success and impact of the program

  • Work with Needham Steps Up Board to collect and use data from assessment tools for future planning 

  • Work with Needham Steps Up Board on special projects and long-term planning and expansion of the program 

 

Community Involvement

  • Collaborate with Community Volunteer Liaison in training and supporting volunteers

  • Collaborate with Community Volunteer Liaison to determine appropriate placement of volunteers 

  • Connect with volunteers to help them understand the profile and needs of individual mentees 

  • Research enrichment opportunities for mentees and share information with mentees/mentors and community volunteers.

 

Maintaining Data

  • Reach out to recent graduates and past mentors for updates on hw graduates are doing

  • Stay connected with Community Volunteer Mentors and Liaison to track progress

  • Maintain contact information and updates on Needham Steps Up alumni for at least one year

  • Track enrichment grants used, per student

 

Assistant Director

The Assistant Director’s responsibilities include but are not limited to:

 

Collaboration, Recruitment and Matching  

  • Identify and contact prospective mentees and mentors 

  • Work with Program Director to identify prospective students

  • Once students are identified, check in with guidance/admin/teachers to determine current needs

  • Prepare and distribute application materials to prospective mentees 

  • Recommend  prospective mentors to Program Director and High School Administration  

  • Recruit prospective mentors in collaboration with high school administration

  • Distribute application materials to prospective mentors

  • Collect mentee and mentor application materials 

  • Assign mentee-mentor matches with Program Director support

  • Recruit new mentees based on space availability

 

Training and Supervision​

  • Meet with prospective mentees and mentors to explain goals and expectations of the program

  • Check in with mentees who are not accessing the program and/or are facing challenges in meeting with mentors

 

Cohort Activities​

  • Send announcements/reminders in NHS bulletin for events

  • Reach out to mentors and mentees in the building to remind them of the events/meetings

  • Assist in planning events 

  • Assist (lead in the absence of the Director) in running cohort events for the mentors/mentees

    Attend monthly meetings with mentors and mentees

    Educate and encourage utilization of Enrichment Grants

 

Accountability​

  • Provide stipend forms to mentors (Dec/May)

  • Collect and submit forms with Principal signature for mentor stipends

  • Keep track of high school events/calendar and make Program Director aware of any high school programming that may require scholarships

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Community Involvement

  • Research enrichment opportunities for mentees and share this information with mentees/mentors & community volunteers

  • Attend NSU Community Events

 

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Officer Positions

NSU OFFICER POSITIONS                                                                                                   BACK TO TOP 

Co-Presidents

The board president/chair(s) may be a single or shared position that oversees the work of the board and the organization's professional staff. The chair(s) works closely with the Program Director and board members/committee chairs to make sure the strategic plan and specific board goals/resolutions are carried out. This is a staggered 2 year position. Additional responsibilities include:

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  • Appoint committee chairs and recommend committee members

  • Schedule meetings; prepare agendas for and lead board meetings

  • Conduct new board member orientation

  • Coordinate Program Director's annual performance evaluation

  • Work with the governance or nominating committee to recruit new board members

  • Serve as spokesperson for the organization

  • Help board members assess their performance

  • Oversee periodic review of current strategic plan and drive strategic planning every five years or as needed

  • Ensure ongoing relationships with NPS staff and community groups

 

Treasurer

The treasurer maintains and reports on the organization's budget, income statement and balance sheet and overall financial condition. He or she should understand financial accounting for nonprofit organizations and work with the co-chairs to insure that appropriate financial reports are made available to the board on a timely basis. The treasurer works with the NPS finance department to appropriately transfer funds.  The treasurer also oversees preparation and filing of the organization’s taxes annually and answers board member related questions. Works with the Secretary to insure appropriate filings with the Secretary of the Commonwealth and IRS (or Treasurer).

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Clerk (Secretary)

  • Secure meeting space for all meetings

  • Responsible for taking minutes of each board meeting, circulating a draft for review, and posting final minutes to a designated shared drive, catalogued chronologically by year

  • Maintains shared drive with meeting minutes and all important records

  • Manage post office correspondence

  • Receive and deposit all checks

  • Works with Treasurer to insure appropriate filings with the Secretary of the Commonwealth and IRS (or Treasurer)

  • This is a 1-2 year position

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