Purpose
(a) To be responsible to the Board of Trustees for oversight of the IET’s portfolio of membership and professional development products and services, and for its charitable activities in education
(b) To provide assurance to the Board of Trustees concerning the effective delivery of strategic programmes as delegated by the Board of Trustees
(c) To monitor performance of strategic programmes as delegated by the Board of Trustees.
Terms of reference
Strategic advice and support
(a) Oversee the execution of the IET Strategy in respect of membership and professional development products, and in the education of 5-19 year olds.
(b) Recommend changes to the IET’s membership and professional development products portfolio strategic direction, including advising the Board of Trustees regarding the setting of subscription fees and on membership policy.
(c) Support the development and enhancement of the membership and professional development strategy.
(d) Look beyond the period of the IET Plan, and provide advice that will enable the IET to maintain its position as a world class provider of membership and professional development products and services.
Supporting the effective and efficient delivery of the Corporate Plan
(e) Provide input during the creation of the IET Plan, identifying requirements for new initiatives, and the adjustment or cessation of activities relevant to membership of the IET and the professional development of its members.
(f) Provide assurance to the Board of Trustees that the final draft of the IET Plan is aligned to its longer range strategic objectives and that the Membership and Professional Development Board has had the appropriate opportunity to input to the planning process.
(g) Keep under review the portfolio of membership and professional development products and services to ensure that they are continuing to meet user needs.
(h) Develop strategies for recruitment and retention of members, and ensuring efficient and effective implementation.
(i) Ensure that the IET meets any regulatory requirements for the award of professional registration qualifications or assurance programmes.
(j) Make nominations and approve recommendations for Scholarships, Prizes and Young Professional competition awards.
(k) Provide direction and oversight of the IET’s Education 5-19 activities and policy work and receive an annual report on safeguarding.
(l) Provide assurance to the Board of Trustees concerning the effective delivery of strategic programmes as delegated by the Board of Trustees.
(m) Receive the Minutes of the Committees that report to the Board, note the decisions taken by these Committees and, if necessary, report to the Board of Trustees any decisions that require its attention.
Stewardship, assurance and risk management
(n) Recommend to the Board of Trustees the creation and dissolution of governance, and other groups which report through the Membership and Professional Development Board.
(o) Monitor performance using KPIs, as defined in the IET Plan, and ensure that progress is being made.
(p) Provide advice on longer range issues that might impact the effective and efficient delivery of the IET Plan, identifying and identify mitigations.
(q) Ensuring ensure that effective risk management plans are in place for those risks the management of which has been delegated to the Membership and Professional Development Board, in accordance with the IET’s risk management process and, in respect of the IET’s membership and professional development activities, identify and respond to other significant and material risks to the IET’s ‘licence to operate’ and its capability to deliver its long term objectives.
(r) Monitor performance of strategic programmes as delegated by the Board of Trustees.
(s) Provide a process to ensure that membership and professional development activity, irrespective of where it is delivered, complies with the strategy and IET Plan.
Stakeholder management
(t) Operate a process to identify and manage all key membership and professional development stakeholders.
(u) Identify key issues and create an action plan to engage members and other stakeholders both pro-actively and in response to their needs and expectations.
(v) Ensure that the portfolio of membership and professional development products and services takes full account of the needs of Young Professionals.
(w) Liaise with other Main Boards.
Reporting
(x) Provide written and/or oral progress reports and assurances to the Board of Trustees at least quarterly.
(y) Notify the Board of Trustees immediately of emerging risks or issues that might adversely impact on the delivery of the strategy or IET Plan are identified.
Constitution
Subject to the remainder of this paragraph, the Membership and Professional Development Board shall be made up as follows:
- Chair – appointed by the Board of Trustees from the elected Trustees
- Senior staff member – Director Membership and Professional Development
- Chairs of Committees reporting to the Board
- Nine Ordinary Members, who are Ordinary Members of Council, appointed to the Main Board by the Board of Trustees, on the recommendation of the Nominations and Succession Committee
- One registered member from each level of the Engineering Council register, appointed by the Board of Trustees.
- One of the IET’s two representatives on the Engineering Council Board of Trustees.
- A Deputy President
- The Honorary Treasurer
The Board may request the Board of Trustees to appoint additional members to ensure the Board has the right balance of skills and knowledge to achieve its task.
Casual vacancies will be filled in accordance with clause 17 of the Council Regulations.
Quorum
The quorum necessary for the transaction of business by the Membership and Professional Development Board shall be eight.
Meetings
(a) The Membership and Professional Development Board shall meet at least twice per year and otherwise as required.
(b) Members of the Membership and Professional Development Board participate in a meeting of the Membership and Professional Development Board when:
(i) the meeting has been called in accordance with paragraph (c) below
(ii) they can each communicate to the others any information or opinions they have on any particular item of the business of the meeting.
(c) In determining whether members of the Membership and Professional Development Board are participating in a meeting of the Membership and Professional Development Board, it is irrelevant where any such member is or how they communicate with each other. If all the members of the Membership and Professional Development Board participating in a meeting of the Membership and Professional Development Board are not in the same place, they may decide that the meeting is to be treated as taking place wherever any of them is.
(d) Meetings of the Membership and Professional Development Board shall be called by the Chair.
(e) Unless otherwise agreed, notice of each meeting of the Membership and Professional Development Board confirming the venue, time and date, together with an agenda of items to be discussed, shall be forwarded to each member of the Membership and Professional Development Board and any other person required to attend, no later than 5 working days before the date of the meeting. Where available, supporting papers shall be sent to Membership and Professional Development Board members and to other attendees as appropriate, at the same time.
(f) The Membership and Professional Development Board shall keep minutes of the proceedings and resolutions of all Membership and Professional Development Board meetings, including the names of those present and in attendance.
(g) Draft minutes of Membership and Professional Development Board meetings shall be circulated promptly to all members of the Membership and Professional Development Board. Once approved, minutes should be circulated to all members of the Board of Trustees unless in the opinion of the Chair (acting reasonably) it would be inappropriate to do so.
Other matters
The Membership and Professional Development Board shall:
(a) have access to sufficient resources to carry out its duties, including the access to the Governance Team for assistance as required
(b) be provided with appropriate and timely training, both in the form of an induction programme for new members and on an ongoing basis for all members
(c) give due consideration to laws and regulations and any applicable rules as appropriate
(d) arrange for periodic reviews of its own performance and, at least annually, review its constitution and terms of reference to ensure it is operating at maximum effectiveness and recommend any changes it considers necessary to the Board of Trustees for approval.