CALL FOR NOMINATIONS - SSA Board of Directors

October 1, 2015
 
To: All SSA Member Organizations, Participants and Volunteers
From: Nominations Committee, Saskatchewan Soccer Association
Re: Nominations to the SSA Board of Directors
 
I am writing on behalf of the Board of Directors of the Saskatchewan Soccer Association (SSA) to request that the information below concerning nominations to the SSA Board for 2016-18 be circulated widely within your organization.
 
THE ORGANIZATION
 
SSA is dedicated to developing the sport of soccer for all, through innovative policies and quality programs. Our primary objectives are to promote participation, enhance development, provide service at all levels and to govern the sport of soccer in the province of Saskatchewan.
 
SSA is governed by a Board of Directors, consisting of a maximum of 12 Directors, who are elected at our Annual General Meeting. It is a governing Board, which delegates the day-to-day operations, including soccer programming to SSA management and staff. The Board’s primary functions are:  Board development, approval of SSA Member Organizations, policy development, strategic planning, financial oversight, and selection and evaluation of the Executive Director.
 
AN OPEN AND TRANSPARENT RECRUITMENT PROCESS
 
The SSA Board of Directors has developed a process to recruit Board candidates that is open and transparent. The process works as follows:
 

1. A Nomination Form is completed by the Nominator. A  Director-Candidate Information is completed by the Nominee. Both documents are forwarded to the Chair of the SSA Nominations Committee by the DEADLINE: Dec. 19^th, 2015.
2. Nominated candidates are sent the Introduction to the SSA and SSA Board of Directors which outlines information about the SSA Mission, the nature of the SSA’s work, and the responsibilities and expectations of Directors of SSA.  After reading this information, candidates provide confirmation by e-mail to the Nominations Chair that they wish to let their name stand for nomination to the Board. DEADLINE January 15^th, 2016.
3. The Board considers all Nominations and based on specific skill competencies it requires prepares a slate of candidates for presentation to the Annual General Meeting.

A key step in this process is the candidate’s confirmation of interest in letting his or her name stand for nomination after reading the information about the role and responsibilities of the Board and its Directors. The candidate must have a understanding about the nature and extent of the commitment that is required of a SSA Director. 
Each candidate needs to confirm that their first responsibility in soccer is to the SSA Board of Directors, all other forms of soccer participation need to be secondary to their role as an SSA Director. As per SSA and CSA bylaws: To ensure that there is no conflict of loyalty no director of the Saskatchewan Soccer Association shall hold simultaneously a position of director of another organization which is a member of the SSA. 

A DIVERSE BOARD
 
SSA considers it vitally important to achieve diversity in the composition of its Board of Directors. We wish to attract individuals with diverse backgrounds, expertise and experience from across the province. We are looking for individuals who will add value, enhancing the current Board composition with needed skill sets that will support the strategic responsibilities of the Board.
 
After having studied the composition of the current Board, our Nominations Committee has determined that we would like to add individuals from different parts of the province including Females, Aboriginal and/or New Canadians and individuals with expertise in:

• Communications, Public relations, Marketing
• Connections to the corporate and business community
• Business, Accounting, Policy Development
• Non-profit governance
• The law
• Strategic Planning

The primary criteria are a genuine interest and commitment to contributing to the governance of the game for the betterment of the province as a whole. Individuals with a desire to make a contribution to the growth of the Association who do not fall into noted categories are also welcome.
 
If you have any questions about the nomination process, please do not hesitate to contact me at lisa.bagonluri@usask.ca
 
Sincerely,
 
Lisa Bagonluri
Chair, Nominations Committee, Board of Directors, Saskatchewan Soccer Association