Role of GMC Member & National Networks Officer

The GMC Member & National Networks Officer is part of the EACD General Management Committee. The General Management Committee (GMC) is ultimately accountable for all organisation matters in regard to the EACD. The GMC Member & National Networks Officer participates in GMC Meetings as a voting member and can provide items for the agenda as appropriate. The GMC shall meet as required, but at least twice annually. The GMC Member & National Networks Officer will be elected at the Annual General Meeting by members of the EACD amongst themselves. A term of office shall be for 3 years, renewable once.

Responsibilities and duties as GMC Member

GMC members steer the organisation towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as by making sure the EACD organisation has adequate resources to advance its mission.

The GMC ensures the EACD has a secure future in line with its mission by:

• Establishing the EACD's strategic direction and priorities, and regularly scanning the external operating environment to ensure that the EACD's strategic direction remains both appropriate and achievable.
• Monitoring organisational performance and evaluating the achievement of the strategic and financial plans and annual budget outcomes.
• Establishing the policy framework for governing the EACD from which all operational policies and actions are developed.
• Appointing, setting targets in order to evaluate the performance of and reward as appropriate, the staff member(s) of the EACD.
• Reporting back to EACD members at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
• Monitoring organisational compliance of the EACD with the relevant legislation and bylaws, and with the EACD's own policies.

GMC members have to be members of EACD and must attend the EACD Annual Meetings during their term.

Responsibilities and duties as National Networks Officer

The National Networks Officer will be responsible for the EACD National Coordinator Strategy as described below, subject to approval of the GMC.

The responsibilities and duties of the EACD National Networks Officer are:

• To build a community of EACD National Coordinators, including a strategy for continued engagement and commitment of National Coordinators to the mission of EACD.
• To organise regular meetings (3-4 times per year) for the EACD National Coordinators.
• To foster co-operation and communication between professionals and professional organisations from different European countries with an interest in childhood-onset disabilities.
• To identify national and regional needs for training and education, and to facilitate the organisation of local events (training courses, webinars, seminars, etc.) where appropriate.
• To liaise with the National Coordinators and National Academies (or equivalent organisations and networks), and to encourage links to the EACD from existing organisations
• To support National Coordinators where appropriate in setting up a National Academy if there is no alternative professional network
• To present on request of the GMC, during a GMC meeting and/or AGM meeting an update on EACD's National Coordinator Strategy.

To achieve this objective the National Networks Officer is expected to work closely together with the EACD National Coordinators.

Accountability

The GMC Member & National Networks Officer is accountable to the GMC and to the EACD Members (via the Annual General Meeting). The GMC Member & National Networks Officer is accountable for the stated duties and responsibilities; however, it is not necessarily the GMC Member itself who carries out the activity.