This page contains the role description for the programme chair. We also have an Information for Programme Chairs page, which contains a higher-level overview of the conference, the chair’s responsibilities and instructions on how to apply.
Role Description
This main aim of this role is to oversee the production and execution of the conference programme that the RSE Community would like to see at their annual conference. The role works closely with the Logistics Chair and delegates tasks to the Programme Team. The Programme Chair and the Logistics Chair together co-chair the conference. This role will include some travel (possibly two visits) to the venue in the months running up to the conference at the programme chairs own expense and the Chair would need to attend the online meetings in UK office hours. This Chair will involve an interview with the Society Trustees before appointment and if appointed, the Chair will need to continue working with and reporting to the Trustees regularly. The Programme Chair does not need to be based at the venue.
The responsibility for some tasks is shared between the Logistics and Programme Chairs, and for other tasks it is primarily the Programme Chair’s. It is important, nevertheless, that the Programme and Logistics Chairs are in broad agreement about the decisions made in all cases. In the past, the Programme Chair and the Logistics Chair have communicated regularly throughout the week via slack, email and phone calls to make the bigger decisions and prepare agendas for the committee meeting. They also met online separately to the rest of the committee to work on timelines etc.
Pre-conference
- With the Logistics Chair:
- Co-design the call for and selection of committee members
- Welcome new conference committee members by email
- Share the chairing duties of the committee meetings
- Liaise with Logistics chair on sponsorship levels and associated benefits
- Create and update a timeline for tasks and deadlines to deliver the conference
- Give input and ultimately agreement on conference items such as t-shirts, pens etc. (led by the Logistics Chair)
- Coordinate relevant emails to delegates
- Suggest keynote speakers and potentially approach by email
- Coordinate the Programme Team making sure they accomplish the correct tasks on time – i.e. manage a group of volunteers. The Programme Team has three sub-teams – Talks, Posters and Workshops. Each sub-team has a chair, and the Talks and Workshops teams have additional team members.
- Oversee the call for participation process. This is obviously crucial to creating the programme. This will include reviewing submissions with the Posters, Workshops and Talks Chairs, other committee members and volunteers from the community. Then oversee the dissemination of the decisions and ongoing communication with presenters etc.
- Coordinate the completion of the programme app, Sched, and other Programme-related systems such as Sli.Do (if used).
During conference
- Arrive on day before conference for preparation – signage, bag stuffing etc
- Share the welcome opening talks at conference
- Share the introduction of keynote speakers
- Be on hand to deal with any problems/issues – this is often a case of making decisions (together with the Logistics Chair and Treasurer)
Post conference
- Email delegates with the feedback form