Club Officer Roles and Resources
Clubs must have a minimum of three officers to be in good standing with Toastmasters International: a president, one vice president, and a secretary or secretary/treasurer, and these offices must be held by three different individuals. While four officers must be trained during each semi-annual training period to receive credit toward the Distinguished Club Program, it’s highly recommended to have all seven officers trained each training period. Here are those seven different officer roles in the hierarchical order, and the responsibilities of each:
President
As President, you are the person who sets the tone for the club. You are expected to provide helpful, supportive leadership for all of the club’s activities. You motivate, make peace, and facilitate as required. Though you must occasionally step in and make a difficult decision, you rarely do so without consulting club members and other club officers. Strive to show respect for all members, even when you do not agree with them, and provide leadership for all. Stay current on all new developments via the Leader Letter and the announcements published on the Toastmasters website.
Role Summary
Responsibilities:
• Provide positive leadership to all officers and members
• Build a cohesive team and ensure all tasks are completed
• Oversee and facilitate club meetings
• Lead by example and treat all members fairly and equally
• Hold yourself and other officers accountable
• Be diplomatic in resolving conflict
• Encourage participation in Distinguished Club Program
• Ensure financial responsibility and accountability for club funds
• Remain current with the Leader Letter
• Represent your club at district leadership and area council meetings
• Be familiar with all aspects of the Addendum of Standard Club Options and Club Constitution
• Facilitate Base Camp Manager tasks
Skills learned:
• Team building and delegation
• Positive small group leadership
• Organization and problem-solving
• Organizing communities to accomplish a specific task or event
• Critical thinking
• Networking and relationship-building
• Conflict management
• Delivery of tactful and constructive feedback
• Succession planning
• Compliance with standard procedures
Vice President Education
As Vice President Education, you schedule members’ speeches and projects and serve as a resource for questions about education awards, speech contests, and the mentor program. You are an important source of Toastmasters knowledge for club members, and it is your job to become familiar with all aspects of the Toastmasters education program. Stay current on all new developments via the Leader Letter and the announcements published on the Toastmasters website.
Role Summary
Responsibilities:
• Set club meeting agendas and assign meeting roles
• Manage club schedule and plan meetings
• Manage member progress in Pathways and act as the primary Base Camp Manager
• Encourage member engagement in the Pathways learning experience
• Plan speech contests
• Hold yourself and other officers accountable
• Keep current with Toastmasters programs
• Manage mentor program
• Provide positive and impartial evaluation on speeches/projects
• Remain current with the Leader Letter
Skills learned:
• Strategic planning
• Evaluate individual’s performance and determine strengths/weaknesses
• Organization and problem-solving
• Successful mentoring techniques
• Positive small group collaboration
• Critical thinking
• Motivate others to set and achieve personal goals
• Strategic thinking
• Succession planning
• Compliance with standard procedures
Vice President Membership
As Vice President Membership, you promote the club and manage the process of bringing in guests and transforming them into members. By initiating contact with guests, making them feel welcome, and providing them with the information they need to join, you help maintain a constant influx of new people into your club. You also attentively monitor membership levels and strategize with the rest of the executive committee about how to overcome membership challenges when they occur. Stay current on all new developments via the Leader Letter and the announcements published on the Toastmasters website.
Role Summary
Responsibilities:
• Initiate contact with guests and help them feel welcome
• Provide hospitality and membership information for guests
• Reply to all communications from prospective members in a timely manner
• Manage the process of converting guests to members
• Monitor membership levels and strategize with the club executive committee to cover membership
challenges when they occur
• Conduct membership-building programs
• Promote the club and recruit new members
• Hold yourself and other officers accountable
• Remain current with the Leader Letter
Skills learned:
• Marketing
• Networking and relationship-building
• Strategic planning
• Critical thinking
• Internal/external communication skills
• Organization and problem-solving
• Positive small group collaboration
• Succession planning
• Compliance with standard procedures
Vice President Public Relations
As Vice President Public Relations, you will be responsible for attracting guests to the meeting through publicity, social media, and public relations. You’ll keep club members informed of happenings in the club by producing a club newsletter and maintain the club website. As you promote the club and update content on your club website, remember to safeguard the Toastmasters brand identity. It’s your job to notify the media whenever your club does something newsworthy with written press releases. Stay current on all new developments via The Leader Letter, Toastmasters Magazine and announcements published on the Toastmasters website and social media sites.
Role Summary
Responsibilities:
• Promote the club to eligible guests and notify the media regarding the club’s existence and benefits
• Develop and maintain club social media pages and website
• Write new releases and distribute marketing materials
• Create club publicity campaigns
• Ensure the Club Contact and Meeting Information is up to date in Club Central
• Understand the importance and impact of the Toastmasters brand
• Update web content and safeguard the Toastmasters brand
• Remain current with the Leader Letter, Toastmaster magazine, and Toastmasters International’s social
media channels
Skills learned:
• Marketing and promotion
• Social and public media/developing media relations
• Development of a social media plan across multiple platforms while adhering to brand standards
• Communication and interaction with local communities
• Writing press releases
• Networking and relationship-building
• Critical thinking
• Organization and problem-solving
• Positive small group collaboration
• Compliance with standard procedures
Secretary
As the Secretary, you maintain all club records, manage club files, handle club correspondence, and take the minutes at each club and executive committee meeting. You are also in charge of updating and distributing a roster of the current paid membership, and keeping the club officer list current at World Headquarters. Though some clubs combine the secretary role with the treasurer, it’s best to have a dedicated secretary who can help reduce the workload of the treasurer and occasionally assist the vice president education as well. Stay current on all new developments via the Leader Letter and the announcements published on the Toastmasters website.
Role Summary
Responsibilities:
• Take minutes at club and executive committee meetings
• Organize and maintain club records and files
• Update and distribute membership rosters
• Update the club and officer list at Toastmasters International
• Understand basic parliamentary procedures
• Order supplies as needed
• Remain current with the Leader Letter
• Record attendance at meetings
Skills learned:
• Organization and problem-solving
• Record maintenance
• Critical thinking
• Meeting organization
• Document decisions agreed to at meetings and communicate decisions to larger audiences
• Compliance with standard procedures
Treasurer
As the Treasurer, you are the club’s accountant. You manage the club’s bank account, writing checks as approved by the executive committee and deposit dues and other club revenues. You are also in charge of submitting membership-renewal dues to World Headquarters (accompanied by the names of renewing members), filing necessary tax documents, and keeping timely, accurate, up-to-date financial records for the club. Though the treasurer’s duties are usually not the most demanding of all the club leadership positions, the consequences for members can be serious when they’re not completed accurately and on time. Stay current on all new developments via The Leader Letter and the announcements published on the Toastmasters website.
Role Summary
Responsibilities:
• Record and maintain accurate and up-to-date financial club records
• Manage club bank account, make deposits, and write checks as approved
• Collect and submit membership and renewal dues
• Create budget
• File necessary tax documents
• Prepare documents for the Annual Audit Committee
• Prepare quarterly financial reports
• Remain current with the Leader Letter
• Track Toastmasters International gift certificates awarded to the club
Skills learned:
• Basic bookkeeping
• Budget monitoring
• Financial record control and maintenance
• Adhering to financial controls
• Critical thinking
• Organization and problem-solving
• Compliance with standard procedures
Sergeant at Arms
As Sergeant at Arms, you keep track of the club’s physical property, such as the banner, lectern, timing device, and other meeting materials. You arrive early to prepare the meeting place for members, and you stay late to stow all of the club’s equipment. You are also in charge of the meeting place itself, obtaining a new space when necessary, and maintaining contact with the people who allow you to use the space for your club meetings. The sergeant at arms also has a role to play during business meetings, speech contests, and other special club events. For example, the sergeant at arms escorts potential new members outside of the club’s meeting place while the members vote on admitting them to the club. The sergeant at arms stands at the door while contestants compete in speech contests to ensure that the speaker is not interrupted by latecomers. Stay current on all new developments via The Leader Letter and the announcements published on the Toastmasters website.
Role Summary
Responsibilities:
• Store club equipment and materials
• Manage meeting facilities
• Provide hospitality and membership information for guests
• Understand physical logistics
• Distribute club materials
• Negotiate, as needed
• Remain current with the Leader Letter
• Track Toastmasters International gift certificates awarded to the club
Skills learned:
• Organization and problem-solving
• Maintaining records
• Inventory control
• Understanding of physical logistics
• Networking and relationship-building
• Compliance with standard procedures
Immediate Past President
As the Immediate Past President (IPP), you will provide advice and counsel as requested by the Club President. You are expected to provide helpful, supportive leadership for all the club’s activities, and you will provide counsel to the other club officers in a manner that is conducive to club success when called upon. You are a member of the Club Executive Committee and can vote on any matter discussed. You show respect for all members, even when you do not agree with them, and provide leadership for all.
Role Summary
Responsibilities:
• Provide positive leadership to all officers and members
• Lead by example and treat all members fairly and equally
• Be diplomatic in resolving conflict
• Encourage participation in the Distinguished Club Program
• Be familiar with all aspects of the “Addendum of Standard Club Options” and “Club Constitution”
• Chair the Club Leadership Committee
• Provide advice and counsel when requested to by the Club President
• Remain current with the Leader Letter
Skills learned:
• Positive small group leadership
• Organization and problem-solving
• Organizing communities to accomplish a specific task or event
• Critical thinking
• Networking and relationship-building
• Conflict management
• Delivery of tactful and constructive feedback
• Succession planning
• Compliance with standard procedures