Subject: FYI: Executive Assistant

From: IAB Chair <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:43:01 +0100

Dear Colleagues,

The administrative tasks for the IAB that are currently performed by the IAB chair, volunteer Executive Director and/or other volunteers has increased over the years. In order to allow more focus on the strategic issues the IAB has decided that some of these tasks maybe better performed by a paid secretarial function. Among others, this will help the IAB chair and the IAB Executive Director with managerial tasks, timely production of minutes and wiki/website maintenance. This Executive Assistant role is very similar to the role of the IESG secretary.

The Executive Assistant aids the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) Chair and Executive Director in the day-to-day management and operation of the board.  The Executive Assistant will take over most of the administrative duties of that the Executive Director has today. Note that the IAB plans to continue to use a (volunteer) Executive Director for the more technical aspects of assisting the IAB.

The IAB has submitted a proposed Statement of Work (below, for your information) to the IAOC for their review and the IAOC is currently investigating budgetary impact and contracting possibilities.

We realize that acquiring paid staff for performing these sort of functions is exceptional, therefore this heads-up.

--Olaf Kolkman, and  Bob Hinden.

For the IAB, and the IAOC respectively

> --------------------
> 
> 
> IAB Executive Assistant SOW 3-17-11
> 
> I.  Background
> 
> The Internet Architecture Board (IAB) seeks to create an Executive Assistant positon. The IAB is chartered both as a committee of the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and as an advisory body of the Internet Society (ISOC). Its responsibilities include architectural oversight of IETF activities, Internet Standards Process oversight and appeal, and the appointment of the RFC Editor. The IAB is also responsible for the management of the IETF protocol parameter registries.  <http://www.iab.org/>
> 
> The Executive Assistant will be the primary assistant of the Internet Architecture Board (IAB) Chair and Executive Director in the day-to-day management and operation of the board.   It is expected the task will take 8 to 12 hours per week on average, more for IETF meeting weeks and closer to full time during IAB retreats.
> 
> 
> II.  Executive Assistant Position
> 
> A.  Administrative Responsibilities
> 
> 	1.  The Executive Assistant must maintain a rough state of the full scope of IAB activities in order to:
> 
> 		a.  Drive meeting agendas, 
> 		b.  Complete recurring events on time (e.g. personnel appointments), and 
> 		c.  Progress IAB work items.  
> 
> 	This is an important aspect where the Executive Assistant aids the Chair, since most IAB members tend to focus on just a subset of IAB issues or technical areas.
> 
> 	2.  Other duties include:
> 
> 		a.  Coordinating the IAB meeting schedule
> 		b.  Constructing meeting agendas
> 		c.  Assisting in running meetings
> 		d.  Capturing notes and action items
> 		e.  Producing and posting public minutes once they are approved by the board
> 		f.  Documenting IAB processes and background material on the internal wiki in order to capture the
> 		organizational history as board members turnover.
> 		g.  Taking on specific projects or tasks for the board, such as drafting correspondence or assisting with 
> 		the updating / upgrading of infrastructure components (e.g. website redesign).
> 		h.  As need is determined by the IAB Chair or Executive Director, provide support for designated IAB
> 		     Projects similar to that provided for the full IAB.
> 
> 	3.  The Executive Assistant also handles various IAB logistics and elements of the IAB information flow, such as:
> 
> 		a.  Managing mailing lists
> 		b.  Running polls
> 		c.  Building and maintaining the IAB website and internal wiki.  
> 
> B.  Technical Responsibilities
> 
> 	1.  It is helpful if the Executive Assistant has some understanding of the organizational and political environment in which the IAB operates; the working model of the IAB allows for very frank and open discussion among board members, and often the Executive Assistant needs to summarize these discussions into a form that is appropriate for public distribution (e.g. meeting minutes).  
> 
> C.  IETF Meeting Weeks and IAB Retreats
> 
> 	1.  The week of each IETF meeting is busy for the IAB Chair, and consequently for the Executive Assistant.  The IAB, and various subsets of the IAB, have numerous meetings during IETF, and the Executive Assistant assists with planning and logistics for many of these.  For this reason the Executive Assistant's participation at IETF meetings is quite important, usually beginning the Saturday before the meeting and lasting through Friday evening.  
> 
> 	2.  The Executive Assistant assists in a similar manner during the annual IAB retreat (usually 2 days), and may participate in other IAB workshops and meetings throughout the year.
> 
> D.  Operational Structure
> 
> 	1.  The Executive Assistant reports to the IAB Chair in the performance of his/her responsibilities.
> 
> 	2.  The IAOC will define the approach to fill the Executive Assistant position that meets the requirements
>           defined in this SOW.
> 
> E.  Travel
> 
> 	1.  The Executive Assistant is expected to attend the three (3) IETF meetings per year, plus such retreats or
>           workshops as the IAB Chair may require, subject to available funds in the Budget.
> 
> 	2.  Travel policies regarding class of travel, compensable expenses, invoicing requirements, etc. in effect 
>           are those of the Internet Society.  
> 
> G.  Confidentiality
> 
> 	1.  The Executive Assistant is privy to confidential IAB information and is bound by the same disclosure
>           rules as all IAB members.

-----------------------------------
The Internet Architecture Board
www.iab.org
[email-masked]