Position: Director, Bike Winnipeg Board of Directors Type: Volunteer
Start: April 2024Term: 2 years (1st term); renewable in 1-year or 2-year terms up to a maximum total of 6 yearsCommitment: 5-10 hours/month
Overview Bike Winnipeg Inc. is a member-based not-for-profit organization founded in 2007 that works to make cycling in Winnipeg a safe, enjoyable, accessible, and convenient transportation choice year-round. Our staff, board, and volunteers work with local government, businesses, NGOs, and residents to encourage cycling and bring about cycling-positive development to our neighbourhoods.
Bike Winnipeg is governed by an elected Board of Directors. We are currently looking to fill up to six (6) directorships (4 returning and 2 vacant) at our 2024 Annual General Meeting. The Board of Directors provides governance, leadership, fundraising, and financial oversight of our staff and operations. As a working board, the roles of a director include:
Participating in the governance and oversight of the organization either as an active member of the Executive Committee of the Board, reviewing and discussing the recommendations of the Executive Committee, or actively participating in financial oversight, policy compliance reviews, or human resources tasks.
Participating in the operations of the organization by being an active member of a Bike Winnipeg committee or task force, or by leading a special initiative.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a seat on the Board of Directors, an individual must:
Be at least 18 years of age (required by the Manitoba Corporations Act);Not have a bankruptcy that is undischarged (required by the Manitoba Corporations Act);
Be or become a member of Bike Winnipeg in good standing; and
Have at least one nomination from a Bike Winnipeg member, which may be a self-nomination.
How many director positions are open?
Six: two vacancies and four directors seeking re-election for a new term. Six other directors are in the middle of their terms. The Board may choose to recommend a slate of candidates based on skill sets, demographic characteristics, or other factors at the Board’s discretion.
Qualifications We are looking for enthusiastic individuals with any of the following qualifications, skills, and experience:
Board of Directors experience – non-profit/charity or for-profit
Volunteer management/management
Strategic, program, and project planning
Project/program management
Communications and/or marketing
Community affiliation/access (e.g. member or staff of a neighbourhood association)Finance and/or accounting
Event planning
Human resourcesInformation technology
Law (employment, contract, etc.)
Leadership and strategic planningSocial enterprise development
Risk management
Applying for or operating within charitable status
Political advocacy/strategy
Other relevant experience
For many directors, this is their first time on a board and a great place to learn.
Serving as a Director is a serious commitment with the following expectations:
Attend and participate in regular Board meetings (every month);
Actively participate in at least one committee (Advocacy, Fundraising, Executive/HR, Finance, Outreach & Education, Bike Theft, or Data/GIS), with meetings for each committee every one or two months;
Each director should serve as either: an Executive member (Co-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-Treasurer) and/or chair of one committee and/or represent Bike Winnipeg within another initiative or coalition (e.g. Safe Speeds Winnipeg);
Assist in board and committee work between meetings, including preparing meeting agendas and background documents/research and responding to emails in a timely way; and
Stay informed about the organization and attend at least one Bike Winnipeg program event per year (e.g. Bicycle Valet, Art Ride, Winter Bike to Work Day).
Bike Winnipeg’s Directors are expected to be engaged, to support staff, and to assist in Board projects. Directors do more than sit in meetings: they need to be responsive to email correspondence from peers and take leadership and initiative in Board administration. On the other hand, the oversight role of a Director is not to assign specific projects to staff or insist on initiatives outside of the Strategic Plan or an operations plan.
Ideally, each Director will complete their full term and fully transition their role to another before departing to help ensure continuity. If you are enjoying yourself, standing for a second term as an experienced Director is strongly encouraged. Applicants who are running for a position on the Board will be expected to attend our Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday, April 16th, 2024, at Sport Manitoba (145 Pacific Ave). Ballots may be cast by those in attendance at the AGM or by proxy (that is, members may authorize other members, including candidates, to cast a ballot on their behalf at the AGM). Those who are elected will be asked to attend an orientation meeting and board retreat on Saturday, April 20th, 2024, prior to assuming their role on the Board.
What if I am nervous about running in an election?
We all went through it and know that it can be stressful for some of us.First, deciding to nominate yourself is only the first step. Once you understand the role better, and the election process better, you can make a final decision about whether to run. So don’t let this be a reason not to fill out the nomination form!Second, we are happy to offer support and guidance throughout the process. We can walk you through each step and give advice based on our experience. Just let us know! For many people, this is their first experience on a nonprofit board; we invest time to bring everyone up to speed and offer a range of responsibility and commitment levels.
What if I am interested in this work but don’t want to run for the Board?
If you are interested in the work of the Board but are not interested in running for election, or are only interested in one committee, consider joining a committee as a volunteer. Please visit our website for more information about those opportunities.
Diversity
Bike Winnipeg is committed to recruiting, nominating, and supporting candidates for the Board that reflect the diversity Winnipeg at large. We encourage applications from people who live outside of central Winnipeg and individuals from under-represented groups (racialized groups, Indigenous people, women, people with disabilities, religious minorities, people of diverse social classes, people with diverse gender identities and/or sexual orientations, and new Canadians). We seek to maintain a maximum of 50% males on the board.
To apply
Submit an application through our online Nomination Form prior to the AGM (preferably by April 6th, 2024).Attend our AGM on Wednesday, April 16th, or contact us at contact@bikewinnipeg.ca ahead of time if you are not able to make this event.If you have any questions about the application process, or the Board itself, please contact us at contact@bikewinnipeg.ca.
We thank you for your interest and support!