Call for Board Members

AIGA Kansas City, our local chapter of the nation’s oldest and largest professional association for design, wants you to help shape our creative landscape. We will be seeking volunteers for a number of open board positions, and invite you to join our 100% volunteer-run organization to help bring exciting and diverse programming to KC creatives. We’re looking for individuals with a passion for design, vision for our community, and drive to make things happen.

The incoming volunteer board will play a pivotal role in continuing to shape AIGA KC into a leading organization within the Kansas City design community and beyond. Serving on the board can enrich both your personal and professional life, providing you an opportunity to meet accomplished industry leaders and network with up-and-coming talent.

This year, there will be opportunities to serve at all levels. Regardless of position, you’ll be working alongside a strong and passionate team of returning board members, providing you the chance to dive in headfirst as you gain leadership skills and connect with peers on a whole new level, or simply start small and volunteer at a single event.

AIGA membership is not required at the time of application, but those elected are required to join and maintain their memberships for the duration of their terms. (For more information about membership levels, visit aiga.org/belong.) Each term begins in July and concludes in June of the following year.

Do you think you’re ready?! Nominate yourself or recommend a colleague (with their permission) by filling out a nomination form now. (Applications accepted through May 24.)

ELECTED POSITIONS: 2-YEAR TERM

Open Positions – President &  Vice Presidents

President
President-Elect
Vice President of Membership
Vice President of Sponsorship
Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion

Open Positions – Directors

Membership
Programming
Operations/Secretary

APPOINTED 1-YEAR TERM

Open Positions – Associates

Communications – Documentarian
Community Engagement
Education
Education – Mentorship
Diversity and Inclusion
Sponsorship
Student Advocate
Volunteer Opportunities

Open Positions – Presidents and Vice Presidents


President
You have a deep respect for the role of AIGA in the design community and the value of design leadership in society. You understand nonprofit board management and process, and grasp the big picture while working the details. Planning and strategic planning are your middle name. You have AIGA chapter board service or commensurate leadership experience. You will act as the public face of the chapter while overseeing all activities and programs; be responsible for strategic planning; plan and preside over monthly board meetings and annual chapter leadership retreat; evaluate board structure; ensure board continuity; manage nominations process. You will encourage broad chapter participation by supporting Vice Presidents to maintain and develop active committees.

The president is responsible for guiding the chapter in an effort to remain relevant in the community and financially viable. You will set goals, assist committees, interface with the community and its leaders on behalf of the chapter, create budgets and provide an overall vision for the health of AIGA KC.

The President shall be the Chief Executive Officer and general manager of the Chapter and shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter. The President may execute on behalf of the Chapter any contract or other written instructions to which the Chapter is a party not to exceed $750 and any contract or written instructions which has been approved by the Board of Directors. The Presidential term is 1 year preceded by 1 year as President-Elect.


President-Elect
The president-elect has shown commitment, initiative and gravitas within the design community to serve as the interim leader to the chapter. The president-elect will sharpen their presidential skills by both observation and inclusion into presidential duties including goal setting, board management, event management, community interfacing, membership and board recruitment. The President-Elect will begin by attending meetings with the financial manager, assisting in budget creation, filing relevant documents and gathering the committee to plan the chapter retreat.

The President-Elect shall be the interim executive officer of the President. The President-Elect shall aid the President while effectively learning the details of chapter management, interface with the National office of AIGA over a 1 year term prior to becoming President.


Membership
AIGA is a membership-based organization, which means our organization is dependent on happy and engaged members. The membership committee’s purpose is both inward and outward: we represent the voice of the members to the board, and we act as AIGA ambassadors to current and potential members. We consider our members’ needs first and foremost. This looks like running membership drives and engagement surveys, hosting social events, recruiting potential members, tracking and reporting membership data, and managing any additional membership engagement efforts.

Our motto is “the more the merrier.” You can find us preaching the design gospel at any happy hour, but at the root of it all, we are striving for a more diverse, vibrant and engaged membership.


Sponsorship
You enjoy puzzles and process to help identify and engage potential sponsors for chapter events and initiatives. Network to find great fits to support an event or activity and coordinate with the event chairs. Revel in the process of relaying the benefits of supporting design and our organization.

You love lists and are comfortable with technology. You’ll work with our online registration system to manage sponsorship registration for large events and registration exemptions for regular programming. You’ll manage registration at our premier events to ensure a smooth registration experience for the AIGA community.


Diversity and Inclusion
D&I is committed to creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices are active in all aspects of our organization. This requires a culture of inclusion in which all individuals feel respected and are treated fairly, and different viewpoints, opinions, thoughts, and ideas are encouraged and embraced.

We are actively engaged in furthering Diversity & Inclusion within the design community, and we support organizations with missions and goals that value equity and inclusion for people of all backgrounds.

Our mission is to encourage diversity in design education, discourse, and practice to strengthen and expand the relevance of design in all areas of society. To augment ongoing AIGA KC programs with new ideas and resources that take a comprehensive approach, considering race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability and disability, age, and other factors that shape creative perspective and professional experience.

Open Positions – Directors


Membership
The Membership Director oversees the growth of our Chapter’s membership. They are responsible for encouraging new memberships, as well as helping with the needs of our existing membership.


Programming
You’ll plan vital, core AIGA programming throughout the year, to reach our diverse member interests and audiences. We’ve identified several strategic areas for programming, and in the application process you can check off your interest areas, and we’ll do our best to match you with those interests.


Operations
You make molehills out of mountains. This important position is focused on helping the chapter deal with day-to-day tasks, such as organizing board meetings and assisting the President with communication and sponsorship duties and coordinating with the VPs. You maintain the internal communications portals, are responsible for chapter minutes and important document filings, and are comfortable with technology such as google drive and project management software such as Slack and G-suites. You’ll help develop onboarding materials for new board members and help orient them to the board.

The Director of Operations is the grease in the wheels. You are responsible for ensuring that the inner workings of the chapter move smoothly by supplying support to chapter leaders, the board and affiliated organizations. The secretary is the invaluable factotum who supports from both a management standpoint and a affiliation standpoint.

Open Positions – Associates


Communications – Documentarian
The ability to capture the moment is a gift, and you have it. You love to be in the mix and have an instinct for recognizing where the action is and how best to visually document it. As AIGA KC Documentarian, it’s up to you to build an image archive for all programming throughout the year. You must have photography experience (motion experience is a bonus), and will be expected to attend and document each chapter event before uploading images to a Facebook album. This is a one-year, appointed, non-voting position on a board committee.


Community Engagement
You see the big picture of how AIGA is relevant in our community and strive for a more visible presence. You connect AIGA KC with other organizations — creative, business, and city-focused and are an AIGA KC representative on the CFAD board. You’ll plan at least one program for the Center and work to fulfill requirements of our center partnership including recruiting volunteers for center events, and helping with center sponsorship efforts. You build consensus and support for Center efforts on the AIGA KC board. You work closely with the Communications team to be sure events are promoted within and outside of the creative field. You guide the AIGA KC Director/Design Week and Made in the Middle Conference.

You represent AIGA KC as a Design Week co-director for CFAD and your primary responsibility is to plan an amazing KC Design Week as part of the CFAD team. You’ll manage the development of the KCDW brand by a guest designer and help manage the website updates. You’ll build consensus on the AIGA KC board for the design week programming and work to fulfill the AIGA KC sponsorship responsibilities for KCDW. This is a one-year, appointed, non-voting position on a board committee.


Education
You have an interest in eduction and will assist the Education Director to plan program and events for students. This is a one-year, appointed, non-voting position on a board committee. This is a one-year, appointed, non-voting position on a board committee.


Education – Mentorship
You have an interest in mentorship and will be responsible for mentorship programming throughout the year. This is a one-year, appointed, non-voting position on a board committee.


Diversity and Inclusion
D&I is committed to creating an inclusive environment where diverse voices are active in all aspects of our organization. This requires a culture of inclusion in which all individuals feel respected and are treated fairly, and different viewpoints, opinions, thoughts, and ideas are encouraged and embraced.

We are actively engaged in furthering Diversity & Inclusion within the design community, and we support organizations with missions and goals that value equity and inclusion for people of all backgrounds.

Our mission is to encourage diversity in design education, discourse, and practice to strengthen and expand the relevance of design in all areas of society. To augment ongoing AIGA KC programs with new ideas and resources that take a comprehensive approach, considering race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability and disability, age, and other factors that shape creative perspective and professional experience. This is a one-year, appointed, non-voting position on a board committee.


Sponsorship
You enjoy puz­zles and process to help iden­tify and engage poten­tial spon­sors for chap­ter events and ini­tia­tives. Network to find great fits to sup­port an event or activ­ity and coor­di­nate with the event chairs. Revel in the process of relay­ing the ben­e­fits of sup­port­ing design and our organization. This is a one-year, appointed, non-voting position on a board committee.


Student Advocate
You are a full-time graphic design student in the area and will be the voice for AIGA KC student members and help spread the word about AIGA KC events to students.


Volunteer Opportunities
You are an AIGA member and want to start small and volunteer at single event to get a taste of the organization, support design in KC and meet fellow creatives.


By AIGA
Published April 1, 2019