engineers without borders
university of washington chapter

EWB-UW Officer Positions

If you would like to apply for an officer position, please download this document, fill out your information, and send it to ewbuw@uw.edu.

The following are a list of all of the current officer positions in EWB-UW. Click on a position or scroll down to learn more.

Project Director

The project director oversees all the projects and makes sure they are all on track. If any project needs help, the project director will aid the project leads. The project director has three main responsibilities:
  • Coordinate with project leads
  • Educate leads of procedures
  • Ensure deadlines are met
  • Coordinate with nationals
  • All appropriate paperwork
  • Conference calls
  • Any additional communication
  • Coordinate workshops that will help build teamwork and improve the projects

Assistant Project Director

Assist and learn from the current project director to eventually assume the project director's responsibilities.

Project Lead

A project lead is the contact point for project specific issues. Since the lead has many responsibilities, project leads should delegate responsibilities or have an assistant lead to ensure everything is completed. The project lead's responsibilities include:
  • All appropriate paperwork is completed before and after project
  • The design committee has a sustainable design that can be implemented in the project country
  • Communication with in country contact is active and clear
  • An estimated project budget is submitted to the EC at least a month before departure for a project
  • All trip preparations are in order before leaving including:
  • finances from treasurer
  • materials for project
  • travel preparations (visas, plane tickets, immunization, etc.)
  • all traveling members understand their responsibilities and their roles in the project
  • Assessments and Implementations stay on track while in project country

Membership Director

At least a month before project assessment or implementation trips, send an updated membership list to EWB-USA (tammy.wergin@ewb-usa.org). Make sure all trip participants are in the membership database
  • Obtain membership information from general meetings, catalyst surveys, etc.
  • Help manage the EWB-UW list-serve. Process subscription requests
  • Process other requests to get involved and/or become EWB members; welcome, encourage questions, point them in their directions of interest
  • Use information in membership database (major, skills, interests) to connect students with projects,
  • Schedule at least one social event per quarter. Strive for participation outside past and present members of the executive committee
  • Present (personally or delegate to another member) EWB information to classes and/or groups that could be potential pools for new EWB members
  • Suggested classes/groups: EE 215, AA 210, ENGR 100, CEE 100, CEE 220, ME 230, CEE 316, CEE 440, International Development Program, Global Health Program, Core business & science classes
  • During Dawg Daze, Engineering Open House, and other wide-scale events, set up informational booths/tables that represent EWB
  • Organize a team building skill set training session (consult Project director/leads)
  • When available, attend all Executive Committee and General meetings. Participate actively within these meetings and also in the organization’s list-serves

Publicity Director

The publicity director is the point person for all print and electronic media about our organization. The publicity director should:
  • Prepare updated brochures that we can present to donors
  • Prepare posters or other media for tabling for EWB
  • Prepare posters and fliers for events such as the dessert and wine fundraiser
  • Coordinate a workshop on presenting to businesses/donors
  • Coordinate with webmaster on updating the website and adding resources to the wiki

Fundraising Director

The fundraising director must coordinate with leads of fundraising to make sure:
  • Grant deadlines are met
  • Event preparations are completed
  • Donors are cultivated continually
The fundraising director must fill in where there is need if leads are having difficulty meeting deadlines etc. Also, the fundraising director and the treasurer should coordinate financial matters at fundraising events.It is also the responsibility of the Fundraising Director to communicate with the Treasurer and the following leads:
  • Parking Lead
  • Events Leads
  • Dessert and Wine Fundraiser Lead
  • Concert Lead Etc.
  • Grant Writing Lead
  • Corporate Sponsorship Lead
The Fundraising Director shall also maintain the list of donors by keeping up to date with it and ensure timely and personalized thank you letters to them.This of course is followed by an organized report toward the Executive Committee.

President

The president must be a reliable person who is invested in the chapter's success. As president, the specific responsibilities are not set in stone so much as the overarching responsibility of maintaining the chapter function and promoting growth and success within the chapter. The president's responsibilities include:
  • Schedule and chair general and EC meetings
  • Be the public face of the organization, therefore:
  • Give presentations to donors, conferences, and classes
  • Respond to queries about the chapter
  • Coordinate effective chapter activity with officers and directors
  • Fill in wherever the chapter needs aid
  • Provide leadership and conscientious precedent for chapter policy and operations

Vice President

The vice president's role should be similar to the president's role in that the vice functions to maintain the cohesion and success of the chapter. The vice has a slightly less public role, but just as important role in the chapter. The vice president's responsibilities include:
  • Support the President with his responsibilities
  • Divide up the workload of maintaining the chapter with the President (this we haven't explored much yet. Ideally the president would be involved in everything going on to a mild degree, while the VP would focus on specific areas that need assistance)
  • Chair meetings the President cannot attend
  • Meet with the President often to discuss and intentionally plan to secure the chapter's success and health
  • Formulate Strategic Plan for each year

Secretary

The Secretary’s role is to ensure effective organization of chapter activities and provide accessible records of meetings for the chapter
  • Develop procedure on how meeting minutes are transcribed and made readily available to the rest of the chapter.
  • EC Meeting minutes: improve documentation of decisions and responsibilities undertaken by the EC
  • Keep the general membership informed of scheduled meetings and educated about current issues and occurrences related to the chapter.
  • Provide expectations of the content of upcoming meetings by having the meeting moderator create and distribute meeting agendas prior to the meeting.
  • Check administrative EWB-UW email daily: relay and respond to emails
  • Check mail box weekly.

Treasurer

The treasurer handles almost all the monetary aspects of the chapter. The treasurer's responsibilities include:
  • Keep accurate and up to date records of funds
  • Facilitate transactions into and out of chapter accounts
  • Facilitate financial aspect of fundraisers
  • Disburse funds for projects
  • Reimburse funds appropriately
  • Promote an endowment from the Board of Directors

Ambassador

The ambassador is in charge of the public face of the chapter. The Ambassador will:
  • Advertise and promote EWB-UW with off-campus groups
  • Function as a liaison between EWB-UW and other student or professional groups
  • Oversee outreach activities and presentations done by EWB-UW for off-campus groups

Webmaster

The webmaster is responsible for updating the website and expanding the Internet presence of EWB-UW. The webmaster is responsible for:
  • Updating the website as requested in a timely manner
  • Improving the general content and design of website on a continuous basis