ACTE Global :: Association of Corporate Travel Executives

President Role & Responsibilities

As of April 2007

The President is the senior volunteer leader of ACTE and serves at the order of the Board and the membership. The President is the Chair of both the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. The President has general supervision of all business and affairs of the Association and gives direction and inertia to the formulation and achievement of the Associations philosophy, mission, and strategy, and goals. The President assures that the Association is making timely progress toward the fulfillment of its strategic plan.

As Chair of the Board of Directors, the President ensures that the Board of Directors fulfills its responsibilities for the governance of ACTE and implementation of its policies and procedures. The President is the main liaison between the Board and the senior management of the Association and works in partnership with the Executive Director to help the Executive Director achieve the mission of ACTE.

The President serves as the primary spokesperson for the Association.

Key Responsibilities

The President will perform the following duties and responsibilities in addition to those duties, relationships, requirements, and expectations delineated in the position description for Board of Directors and Board Member:

Represent the Association and its members to other organizations, the industry, government and public agencies, the media, and the public
Develop relationships with key senior executives throughout the business community to maximize the awareness of ACTE’s value and to maintain and increase sponsorship opportunities
Preside at all meetings of the Members of the Association, the Board of Directors, and the Executive Committee
Ensure decisions are made in a timely manner and then translated in to meaningful actions holding appropriate parties accountable for success
Work with the Executive Director, Officers, and committee chairs to develop agendas for meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee
Appoint all committee and task force chairs, except where otherwise stated in the Bylaws
Reflect any serious concerns the Executive Director has in regard to the role of the Board of Directors or individual Board members
Reflect to the Executive Director the concerns of the Board of Directors and other constituencies
Facilitate accomplishment of the Association’s strategic goals and objectives
Present to the Board of Directors an evaluation of the pace, direction, and organizational strength of the Association
Serve as the principal contact with the Executive Director and staff
Establish annual performance objectives for the Executive Director and prepare and conduct the annual performance review of the Executive Director
Train and prepare the President-elect for the responsibilities of the presidency and establish specific objectives and areas of focus for the President-elect

Length of Term: Two years

Traits of a Good President

A commitment to the Association's mission: This results in the proper allocation of time to provide the leadership, to help shepherd the Association, and to work with its, members, executive leaders and staff
The President should possess the ability to articulate ACTE’s vision and drive the Association toward achievement of that vision
Good organizational skills, intelligence business acumen and an advocate for the Association
Strong, decisive leader with excellent judgment and a willingness to take responsibility for the Association’s actions
The President should be a good public speaker with the ability to facilitate communication with and among ACTE’s stakeholders
Ability to communicate ACTE’s key messages at Conferences, and through various media, including print, radio, and television
Flexibility, the President should lead the way toward openness to new ideas
The President should be supportive of the membership, staff and the board
Unbiased, the President should not confuse their own goals with those of the Association and its members
A good listener, the President should listen as much as talk and should seek out information from ACTE’s stakeholders
Have a strong understanding and appreciation of the value of sponsors and their contributions to ACTE
Ability to expand sponsorship base and contributions
Ability to bring people to consensus and translate the consensus into meaningful action

Capabilities & Experience

The President will likely be able to demonstrate the following capabilities and have experience in the following areas:

Currently an ACTE member in good standing
Commitment to ACTE mission, vision, and goals
Previous volunteer leadership or Board experience, strongly recommended
Strong record of participation in ACTE activities and programs
Served in a senior management position (past or present)
General business management knowledge and skills: finance & budgeting, planning, marketing and sales, management, international development, mergers and acquisitions, alliances, etc.
Interaction with senior executives at the C-Level
Ability to work effectively as a team member
Ability to lead and influence others
Strong communications skills, both oral and written
Exceptional integrity and work ethics
Experience in strategic planning, PR and the development of sponsorship opportunities
Knowledge and understanding of the issues and challenges facing the business travel industry
Strong leadership skills
Ability to, and a commitment from their employer (if appropriate), to fulfill the time and travel commitments needed to fulfill the President’s role (Includes travel to ACTE’s various regions)

Time Commitment

Function/Activity	Typical Time Required
Board Meetings	4 Board meetings per year requiring travel: January: Strategic Planning Meeting (2-day meeting) April/May: Board Meeting (1-day meeting before Spring Global conference) June/July: Strategic Planning Meeting (2 day meeting) October: Board Meeting (1-day meeting before Fall Global conference)
Board Conference Calls	4 pre-scheduled conference calls, one week prior to each Board meeting (2 hours each on duration) Ad-hoc conference calls throughout the year (4-6 calls, approximately 1 hour in duration)
Preparation for Board meetings & Board Calls	1-2 days per year
Executive Committee Calls & Preparation	1-hour calls held monthly plus preparation time (2 hours per month)
Budget Preparation & Review	1 day per year
Sponsorship	Assist staff is obtaining sponsorship funds (2-3 hours per month)
Work on assigned Board projects, committees, task forces, and initiatives	Time will vary depending upon type of requested activity (estimate 1-2 hours per month)
Conferences	Attendance at two global conferences (3 days each plus travel)
Executive Forums	Attendance at 4-6 Executive Forums
PR, press Interviews & media Activities	1-2 hours per month
Interaction with Executive Director and staff	2-3 hours per month
Extraordinary Activities, i.e., mergers and acquisitions	As needed
Total Estimated Time Commitment	28-34 days per year (plus travel time)

Other

Expenses: Expenses related to attendance at Board meetings, ACTE Conferences, and other ACTE events are the responsibility of each Board member or Officer (or their company). ACTE will cover expenses for the official ACTE representative (President, President-elect, or assigned Board member) to attend events or meetings outside the required Board meetings or events. Board member expenses for these events will be covered only if approved by the President.

Confidentiality: Each member of the ACTE Board of Directors is required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement before taking office and each January during their term.