Jericho Road Lynn: Steering Committee

Jericho Road Lynn Steering Committee members needed!

Jericho Road Lynn's mission is to bridge communities by matching the professional talents of GE Lynn and Lynn area skills-based volunteers (including accountants, marketing and business professionals, lawyers, designers, professional coaches, IT professionals and many others) with the needs of Lynn's community-based nonprofit organizations to promote community development, strengthen nonprofit services, and enrich the lives of volunteers.

What is the job of the Jericho Road Lynn Steering Committee?

The job of the Steering Committee is critical, since it determines both the course and the pace of the program's work. Steering Committee members meet every month, initially to help the director network, recruit volunteers, and raise funds. As the organization matures, the Steering Committee will take on increasingly strategic roles. Steering Committee members can look forward to being part of an entrepreneurial start-up that will make a real impact on organizations and people's lives.

Why join the JR Lynn Steering Committee?

JR Lynn is a start up full of room for growth, creativity and community impact. With a terrific team of community partners and individuals representing them, the Committee is poised for success! This creative endeavor will provide an opportunity for members to network with a great group of people, have fun and possibly develop new knowledge and skills.

Who is currently on the JR Lynn Steering Committee?

The Committee currently consists of three senior GE employees (Cathi Lyons, David Hyde and Bill Hayes), the coordinator of the Lynn Nonprofit Business Alliance (Mark Kennard), the Director of Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce (Leslie Gould), Andy Macey (a member of the Jericho Road Project's Board of Directors) and Dan Holin (Executive Director of the Jericho Road Project). JR Lynn's Advisory Board includes Maria Deacon, GE Lynn's Area Executive Director, and David Welbourn, CEO of the Essex County Community Foundation.

What kind of people are we looking for to join the Steering Committee?

We are looking for collaboration-minded people who know how to run an organization and who have specific skills and/or a flexible intelligence that can help guide an organization's growth. Steering Committee members should ideally have some board experience and have at least one of the following skills or resources:

--Broad social-professional networks: People who are networked in the volunteer, nonprofit and business communities will be assets to the program.
--Time: This is a working "board", so committee members should expect to spend about five hours a month on JR work, including a monthly Committee meeting.
--Fundraising: Fundraising experience, access to potential funding sources, and an ability to pledge annually to help sustain JR are all needed.

What are some of the suggested roles and responsibilities of Steering Committee members?

--Chair will work closely with the Program Director (with assistance from JRP's Executive Director) to execute the organization's strategic goals and to get the Program Director's insights on strategic issues. The chair will know how to plan and run a good meeting, will collaborate with the Program Director to plan monthly meetings, and will be an ally to the Program Director where possible. The Chair may initially JRP's Executive Director.
--Secretary will take brief notes during the meeting and disseminate them afterwards. The secretary will revisit the meeting notes and especially the agreed-upon to-dos at the beginning of each meeting. As such, the secretary plays a critical role in fostering accountability to agreed-upon action items.
--Treasurer will work with Program Director and JR Steering Committee to oversee site's finances and help identify and meet revenue goals. However, he or she will not have legal financial responsibilities since JR affiliate sites' accounting and payroll are managed by JRP Operations.
--Other very useful skills include marketing and communications and event planning.

We hope to have additional Committee members in place by July 2010. If you are interested, please email your resume and a cover letter to echulak@jerichoroadproject.org as soon as is convenient. Thank you for your interest!