Position Description - President, President-Elect & Immediate Past President

American Counseling Association (ACA), founded in 1952, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the growth and enhancement of the counseling profession. ACA advances the counseling profession, mental health and well-being through education, advocacy, community, inclusion and research. We serve more than 60,000 members, including counselors in various practice settings and counselors-in -training.

Description

ACA’s Board of Directors is the governing body responsible for overseeing the vision, mission and internal operations of the organization. The Board of Directors is comprised of 15 members including four officers and 11 Directors at Large. Directors hold overall fiscal and strategic oversight responsibility for ACA, including the Fiduciary Duties of Care, Loyalty and Obedience. They are charged with the supervision and oversight of ACA’s mission. They are responsible for making decisions, delegating work and ensuring decisions are carried out in the manner intended. Ultimately, members of the Board of Directors serve as ambassadors for ACA’s mission, inside and outside of organizational commitments.

The ACA President serves as the chief governance officer of ACA and chairperson of the Board of Directors. The President-Elect is elected from among the professional members of ACA. Succession to President occurs after service as President-Elect for one year. After serving as President for one year, the President succeeds to the Immediate Past President for one year. The President, President-Elect, and Immediate Past- President are officers of the Board of Directors.

President Responsibilities

In accordance with ACA Bylaws, the President performs all duties customary to the office. Responsibilities of the President include but are not limited to:

Preside as chair at all meetings of the ACA Membership, Board of Directors, and Executive Committee
Lead the Board of Directors in establishing and advancing the Association’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities
Partner with the Board of Directors, Advisory Council, staff, and volunteers in creating, implementing and evaluating the organization’s mission and strategic initiatives
Work closely with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to ensure work of staff supports ACA, develop agendas and ensure facilitation of meetings of the Board of Directors
Serve as the Association’s ambassador to members, partners and the public by representing ACA’s mission and strategic goals at events and other activities
Engage in and facilitate transparent communication among members of the Board of Directors and key stakeholders
Serve as Chair of Executive Committee, including leading performance evaluations of the CEO and contract negotiations
Serve as a member of the Financial Affairs Committee
Serve as an ex-officio member of the Advisory Council, ensuring bidirectional communication and engagement between the Advisory Council and Board of Directors
Address instances of potential violation of the ACA Bylaws, policies and procedures or the Board’s Code of Conduct
Perform the responsibilities associated with Directors (see below)

President-Elect Responsibilities

In accordance with ACA Bylaws, the President-Elect shall assume the Presidency of ACA upon the conclusion of the President’s term of office or upon the death or resignation of the President. Responsibilities of the President-Elect include:

Provide leadership and direction to the Board of Directors in collaboration with the President
Partner with the Board of Directors to advance ACA’s mission and strategic initiatives while preparing for the transition to President
Represent ACA as an ambassador for the mission and goals of the Association at events and other activities
Engage in and facilitate transparent communication among members of the Board of Directors and key stakeholders
Appoint members to committees for the year of their Presidency
Serve as a member of the Executive Committee
Serve as a member on the Financial Affairs Committee
Perform the duties of the President in the absence or incapacity of the President
Perform additional duties as delegated by the President
Perform the responsibilities associated with all Directors (below)

Immediate Past President Responsibilities

In accordance with ACA Bylaws, responsibilities of the Immediate Past President include:

Partner with the President and President-Elect to ensure continuity of leadership and support smooth transitions in governance
Serve as Chair of the Nominations and Elections Committee
Serve as a member of the Executive Committee
Serve as a member of the Financial Affairs Committee
Perform additional duties as delegated by the President
Perform the responsibilities associated with all Directors (below)

Responsibilities of All Directors

The President-Elect and Immediate Past President also serve as voting members on the ACA Board of Directors with the following responsibilities:

Participate in creating, monitoring and updating the ACA’s strategic plan
Identify and affirm broad, long-term professional directions for ACA
Collaborate with the Board to establish and maintain governance policies to guide the affairs of ACA
Participate in decisions to grant or revoke charters for divisions, branches, corporate affiliates, and organizational affiliates
Review reports from divisions, branches, regions, organizational affiliates and committees, taking appropriate Board action
Review, amend and adopt ACA’s Bylaws to ensure alignment with its mission and evolving needs
Fulfill other functions as necessary to serve the best interests of ACA, ensuring actions are consistent with the Bylaws

Directors are expected to engage fully in these collective governance responsibilities by:

Serving as ambassadors of ACA’s mission, programs and services
Maintaining membership in good standing
Volunteering for and accepting committee or special assignments as needed
Preparing for and actively participating in Board meetings and discussions
Responding to requests for feedback or decisions between meetings in a timely manner
Engaging in collegial and constructive relationships with fellow Directors

Position Terms

The role of President is a three year commitment. The ACA President serves for one year as President-Elect, then one year as the ACA President. Then President then succeeds to Immediate Past President.

Time Commitment

The time commitment for the President-Elect and the Immediate Past President is approximately 10-15 hours per week; the time commitment for President increases to 20-25 hours per week. In addition, these individuals attend meetings of the Board of Directors (i.e., at least three per year, two of which are in person lasting two days each prior to travel) and other necessary travel. Other meetings may be called based on need. Attendance at these meetings is mandatory.

Qualifications for Service

Required

Professional member in good standing at time of nomination with a minimum of ten (10) years professional or retired membership immediately prior to nomination. There may be no more than two lapses of up to three months (for each lapse) within that time period
Demonstrated professional counselor identity as reflected in preparation, credentials, practice, alignment with the philosophical foundations of counseling and active engagement advancing the mission of ACA and the counseling profession
Evidence of successful elected leadership experience in ACA (i.e., Governing Council or Board of Directors) and/or ACA Divisions, Branches, or Regions (i.e., President, Region Chair)
Core competencies including commitment to ethical conduct, conflict resolution, consensus building/collaboration and practice experience as described in ACA Board of Directors Competencies
Hard and soft skills including sound decision-making ability, non-profit/professional association governance, public relations, as described in ACA Board of Directors Competencies
Proven commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, with the ability to lead and collaborate across cultural and social differences to advance the mission of the counseling profession.
No substantiated ethical violations, disciplinary sanctions or legal findings related to counseling practice or professional conduct within the past ten (10) years, including actions by licensure boards, ACA or other regulatory/professional organizations
Must pass a background check
Must be a member of the branch located in the jurisdiction in which they reside or work, if such exists
Must not have previously served as President of the American Counseling Association
Clear understanding of and capacity to meet the significant time, travel and leadership commitments required of the ACA Presidency
During the period in which the individual is a candidate for or serving on the Board of Directors, they may not simultaneously be a candidate for or hold a board position of another professional counseling association or an ACA division, region, branch, or organizational affiliate

Desired

These three Presidential positions are Officer positions building upon experience within ACA’s governance structure. To ensure continuity of leadership during this time of significant transition, the strongest preference is for someone from the current ACA leadership structure or a former Governing Council member who has served within the past 36 months
Demonstrated administrative, supervisory and evaluative experience to effectively guide committees and lead engagement with and evaluation of the CEO
Expertise in culturally responsive and sustaining leadership, experience serving diverse communities and/or engagement in leadership and advocacy serving the diverse communities professional counselors serve
Other strategic skills, hard skills and soft skills as described in the ACA Board of Directors Competencies; candidates should highlight specific strengths they would bring to the board