Branch Membership Secretary Role Description

- This role description is only a guideline and each branch may require something slightly different

Purpose of the Role

- To recruit and retain CAMRA members and improve the level of activation within the Branch.

Key Activities

- To contact new Branch members welcoming them to the Branch.

- To contact local members with information on current branch and national campaigns and activities and any local membership benefits eg discounts at local pubs or beer festivals..

- To encourage lapsed members to rejoin by contacting them with details of how their money is spent and what benefits they get from being a member. 

- To assist the central Membership Team in keeping details of local members up to date eg passing on email address changes.

- To act as the link between the central Membership Team and the local branch on membership matters including local queries.

- To encourage the Branch to maximize all possible avenues to recruit members eg placing membership forms in pubs and running membership stands at suitable events such as beer festivals (both CAMRA run and non CAMRA run).

- To ensure that new faces (particularly new members) are warmly welcomed at any event they attend.

- Work with the Branch Chairman to encourage all Branch members to undertake some CAMRA activity eg distributing local Branch magazines or pub surveying.

- To monitor and report back to Branch meetings Branch membership numbers eg total number, lapsed and new members, which are accessible via CAMRA's national membership database.

- To work with the Young Members Representative and Student Liaison Officers (if there are post holders) to maximize young members recruitment and retention.

Code of Conduct

- To ensure that the data accessed from the membership database is used in line with CAMRA's Database Protection Policy (advice is available from CAMRA's central Membership Team if in doubt - see Support Section).

- To refrain from putting forward any personal points of view that is against CAMRA's policy or might bring the Campaign into disrepute.

- To refrain from action or inaction that would bring the Campaign into disrepute.

Time commitment

- Depending on the size of the branch it could be up to an hour every  week.

- Attendance at most branch meetings would be ideal. 

- If a branch is involved with festivals and similar, attending and manning membership stands would be best practice.

Skills

- Good interpersonal skills

- Good communication skills

- Access to a computer and the internet is essential

- Good writing skills would be an advantage

Support

- A Membership Secretaries Handbook and other information such as Membership Secretary User Guidelines can be found in the Media section of this website: http://www.camra.org.uk/membershipsecretaries.

- Support is available from CAMRA's central Membership Team ku.gro.armac@pihsrebmem(). This includes training on using CAMRA's membership database. 

- Advice and guidance is available from the Branch Chairman and where, appropriate, people who have previously held the post.

- Membership Secretaries in other branches can also offer advice.

- Advice and guidance on CAMRA policy is available from the Regional Director or CAMRA central branch support team. 

- The website is also a useful source of information at www.camra.org.uk.