Make a difference as Secretary of the European Juggling Association.
The organisation
At the European Juggling Association (EJA), we believe in the power of juggling and performing arts to connect people across borders and differences, creating beautiful and joyful moments together. As a Europe-wide, volunteer-led organisation, we exists to stimulate and promote juggling in Europe and beyond. We do so primarily by maintaining the continuity of the European Juggling Conventions, aiming to take place in a different place in Europe every year.
We support the EJCs in many ways. We are closely involved with the organising teams, relaying information and experience from previous conventions. We also promote the EJCs locally in many European countries and languages by leveraging the EJA’s multinational board.
In August 2022, we are looking for a new Secretary to take over the term of our previous one, who sadly had to step down earlier in the year. The terms will last two more years.
The role
The Secretary is one of the three key leadership roles in the EJA, the other two being President and Treasurer. Together, these three lead the organisation.
The Secretary’s primary area of responsibility is operations and (legal) compliance.
What does success as the Secretary look like?
A successful Secretary enables others (especially people within the organisation) to do their work effectively and timely, and in compliance with relevant rules and regulations. Often, a successful Secretary’s work is collaborative and their work enables others: people within the organisation will feel that they have the tools and structures they need to succeed, and they understand why and how to follow relevant processes and procedures.
What does the Secretary need to do?
The Secretary collaborates with others to maintain and foster effective interaction between the formal and informal rules of the organisation. They collaborate to develop relevant material for meetings and the running of the organisation. This material includes, for example, meeting agendas and minutes, or appropriate policies and procedures. They communicate regularly, reliably, and clearly with people from different cultures. They are able to understand complex concepts and translate them into simple language.
The Secretary’s responsibilities include:
- To ensure the organisation has all necessary processes, policies and procedures it requires to (1) be legally compliant and (2) achieve its strategic objectives
- To maintain and develop the organisation’s systems and tools needed to achieve success
- To develop relevant material for meetings and the running of the organisation (e.g., meeting agendas and minutes)
- To collaborate and seek advice from experts where necessary
- To develop and maintain effective communication channels with internal and external stakeholders (meaning, people or agencies connected to the organisation)
This role is a volunteer position, and therefore unpaid. Reasonable and necessary expenses can be covered.
As a voting member of the board, this role (alongside several others) takes legal and fiduciary responsibility for the organisation. If you are interested in doing or helping with the work but would not like this level of responsibility, please get in touch, and we will find a solution!
What is this kind of role often called in other languages or organisations?
Chief Operating Officer; Head of Operations; Schriftführer; Leiter*in des operativen Geschäfts; Director*a de operaciones
You could be a great Secretary if…
You have a good understanding of the European Juggling Convention, ideally having been on a few of them and understand their differences, similarities, and how they are organised. You have been around in the juggling and circus scene a bit, and you are passionate about it.
You have experience in supporting groups and organisations with the development and effective implementation of policies and procedures that serve the organisation’s objectives, in a way that enables people to comply with them.
You are a do-er who is able to complete work (e.g., agendas or meeting notes) to a high quality and to deadlines. You proactively seek help where you don’t know things, and you anticipate problems before they arise and do something about them.
You can communicate well in English, both in written and spoken form, and you are sensitive to cultural differences and language barriers that can impact the European Juggling Association. Bonus points if you have an understanding of organisational structures both in a legal context and in context to enable people to work together effectively.
This is a voluntary role, so while it might go without saying, it’s worth noting: You also have all necessary equipment required to fulfil a role like this (e. g. a computer, internet, phone, etc) and you are willing to use this as part of your role.
(Disclaimer: We’re not necessarily looking for people with fully developed skills and experience in all these things. Rather, we are looking for people who want to do this kind of work, who want to learn and do a good job, who can dedicate the time and effort that the job requires, and who do things they see need to be done (or are able to find the right help they need to get it done). If you have loads of experience and want to use it for the benefit of juggling and circus arts, great! If you don’t have the experience but want to learn, and have the time and commitment to do well, also great!)
How to apply
If this sounds like you, or if you have any questions, send an email to the Executive Committee at directors@eja.net. Please include a little bit about why you’d be passionate about the EJA and being its Secretary, and how you meet the person specification. A CV outlining your past experience would be very helpful.
Please send this email by the end of Monday, 8 August 2022.
We will then meet you at the EJC in Tres Cantos for further conversations – please come to us after the General Assembly, which will start on Tuesday, 9 August, 17:00 in the Arena. If you cannot come to the EJC, we will arrange a call after the EJC. The Secretary will be elected by the board at a board meeting after the EJC.