What Are the Duties of Officers of an Organization?

The president, vice president, secretary and treasurer are officers of the board of directors in an organization with the function of representing all members in the board in managing the business affairs of the organization. To be effective, officers must focus their attention on items of critical importance, rather than trivial matters. They are expected to understand the organization and their roles, to perform with a strategic plan at the organization's expectations.

The chair or president of a board acts as the group's leader and ensures that the board functions as a team. He does not run the organization but spends time considering board and committee assignments to make sure that all of the work of the board is effectively delegated for completion. He ensures an ongoing planning process for the board's activities for the year ahead and the organization's future.

The vice president assists the president in executing the organization's mission and takes over the functions of the president if the president is absent, in addition to other functions and duties required by the board. For example, in the absence of the president, the vice president coordinates working committees designated by the board and acts as parliamentarian during board meetings.

The secretary enjoys being at the heart of the action. He keeps records of the minutes of the organization and files certificates for federal and state departments. He is one of the officers required to sign checks and drafts of the organization. He attends to all correspondence of the organization. He organizes meetings including booking meeting rooms, issuing notices of meetings, preparing the agenda and other documents as well as background material.

The treasurer establishes the accounts of the organization as approved and directed by the board of directors. She not only establishes procedures for the deposit of funds and property maintenance, she also receives and disburses all funds of the organization as authorized by the board of directors. She maintains and reports records of financial transactions, when requested, to the board of directors and to the association at annual meetings.