What does it take to be a PASS Director?
| What PASS wants | What you get | Details on being a Director |
Are you an Ideal Board Member?
The PASS Board of Directors is the executive body of the Professional Association for SQL Server. It sets PASS's vision and direction and ensures that PASS achieves its mission: to help the PASS community Connect, Share, and Learn. This year, there are 3 open positions available. PASS is looking for Ideal Board Members to fill these roles. As an Ideal Board Member:
- You are passionate about PASS: its ideals, its mission, and the volunteers that sustain the organization
- You are deeply involved in the Microsoft SQL Server Platform community
- You have a history of donating your time as a volunteer (preferably with PASS)
- You have strong written and verbal skills
- You have a strategic eye – you see PASS becoming a central player in the Microsoft Data Platform community, and you have realistic plans for how it can achieve this
- You have ideas on how the PASS Board of Directors can help the community Connect, Share, and Learn
- You have a proven track record of making big things happen
But the PASS Board of Directors is also responsible for the day-to-day activities of the organization, as well as setting the course for short- and long-term decisions. As such, this highly strategic position is a considerable commitment, both in terms of time and resources, with substantial management responsibilities. Thus, as an Ideal Board Member:
- You have a proven track record of setting concrete goals and delivering on time
- You have project management experience, including setting priorities and directing teams
- You work well in groups – you are as willing to contribute as you are to listen
- You understand how budgets work and have proven experience of setting and adhering to them
- You have truly exceptional time-management skills
As an Ideal Board Member, you recognize that being on the Board of Directors will require two years of passion, dedication, and hands-on contribution. In fact, you look forward to the challenge. You have a burning desire to make a difference to PASS by helping the Board provide opportunities for the community to advance their technical and professional skills, network at local and international levels, and interact with the industry's most accomplished users and experts.
To make this happen, you are ready to devote a few hours a week on PASS issues. Also, you are able to participate in at least one one-hour conference call a month, as well as attend three in-face Board meetings (totaling 6 days not including travel time) and one conference (totaling 4-5 days) per year. You want to create PASS history!
What Do You Get?
- Major leadership and management experience
- Significant contribution to the database industry by being a leading voice in a major organization
- Enhanced community reputation and networking
- Complimentary registration for the PASS Summit, the largest annual SQL Server event
- Covered expenses for Board meetings and events
- Rewards for consistently superior performance
What does it take to be a PASS Director?
| General Qualifications |
- Strong written, verbal, and time management skills.
- Strong leadership and management abilities.
- At least 5 years of practical experience with SQL Server or related products.
- Prior experience within the PASS volunteer organisation.
- Support and understanding from employer to fulfil the role of a Board member, which includes time away from work for meetings and conferences, as well as Board calls during business hours.
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| Time Commitments |
- Commit time required to the term of office set by the Bylaws (2 years).
- Attend one conference per year.
- Attend three to four in-face Board meetings per year, consisting of 2 days of in-person meetings each – this adds up to a minimum of 6 full days of meetings plus travel time to the location (often Seattle), and is often on weekdays.
- Available to participate in one one-hour conference call per month.
- Attendance at special conferences or meetings called by the President.
- Additional time commitment per week varies per project/discussion but averages to minimum 2-3 hours per week.
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| General Responsibilities |
- Sets policies and strategic direction for PASS.
- Completes four quarterly strategic plans per year with the understanding that each member will be held accountable to those goals and measured for success/failure in his/her portfolio.
- Has fiduciary and budgetary responsibility for PASS and reviews monthly financial statements.
- Sets direction of PASS’ management firm to ensure that activities are carried out in accordance with PASS’ goals and objectives.
- Approves and monitors general activity and budget.
- Maintains communication channels with Microsoft and all levels of PASS.
- Participates in strategic planning sessions held by user groups, Microsoft, or other organizations that require non-disclosure.
- Acts in accordance with PASS’ bylaws.
- Represents PASS to other user groups.
- Votes on issues presented to the PASS organization.
- Acts in any capacity designated by the Board of Directors.
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| Benefits |
- Through interaction with PASS’s membership, directors provide vision, develop policies, and contribute to making PASS a successful, sustainable, highly effective organization.
- Directors interact with top experts in the SQL Server industry, broadening their networks and learning from the best minds in the business.
- Directors explicitly manage a specific portfolio of activities for the PASS organization, with commensurate titles (such as “Director of Global Community Development” or “Director of Technology”), which directly enriches their resume.
- Directors’ registration fees are waived for the PASS annual North American Summit.
- Directors’ registration fees may be waived for other PASS events, at the discretion of the Board.
- All Board-related expenses, including required travel and hotel costs, are fully compensated.
- Directors have first opportunity to broaden their writing opportunities by writing for PASS outlets, such as the PASS general website, SIG websites, newsletters, and other publications.
- Through volunteer training and direct mentoring, directors learn important strategic leadership skills, including budget management, financial planning, small team management, project planning and tracking, volunteer motivation, and priority setting.
- Directors make pertinent business decisions necessary to grow and manage a dynamic, small business in the technology industry.
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