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Guide to Nominating for AIDA Board Positions

Board positions at the Australian Indigenous Doctors’ Association (AIDA) offer an opportunity to contribute to the organisation’s leadership and governance. Board members play a vital role in ensuring AIDA fulfils its mission to advocate for the growth of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander medical workforce, from students to specialists, and promote a culturally safe, racism-free healthcare system with strong accountability measures.

The following Board positions will be up for nomination:

• President
• President-Elect
• 4 x Director
• 1 x Student Director

Each role has specific responsibilities that are critical for maintaining the governance, strategic direction, and oversight of AIDA’s activities. Below is an outline of the roles and the expectations for each. Supporting documents can be found at the bottom of this page.

Role of the Board

As a collective, the Board is responsible for the governance and strategic oversight of AIDA. General responsibilities of the Board include:

• Approve and review the strategic plan and monitor its implementation.
• Approve annual budgets, targets, and financial reports.
• Appoint and/or monitor the CEO’s performance and ensure appropriate remuneration.
• Monitor risk management systems, compliance, and governance practices.
• Ensure succession plans for key positions, including the President and President-Elect.
• Report financial and operational performance to AIDA members.

Board Committees

The Board may establish committees to support its work. These committees make recommendations but cannot make binding decisions unless explicitly authorised. Current Board Committees include:

• Finance, Risk and Audit Committee
• Governance Committee
• Membership Committee
• Student Representative Committee
• Conference Committee
• PRIDOC Committee (as required)

Responsibilities of Board Members

Board members are responsible for contributing to the decision-making of the AIDA Board. A

Board members cannot make decisions for the organisation independently of other Board members.

Board members are expected to:

• Act with honesty, integrity, and the highest ethical standards.
• Adhering to the applicable obligations and duties set out in relevant organisational policies, including Board and governance policies.
• Be aware of applicable legislation and regulations.
• Complete necessary probity checks upon appointment (e.g. national police check).
• Participate in induction and ongoing education programs.
• Commit the time required to fully exercise the duties required of the position (approximately 10 hours per month is needed to prepare for and attend Board and Committee meetings. These meetings are usually held quarterly. Board meetings are a mix of in-person and online. Committee meetings are online.
• Attend and contribute to Board meetings, being well prepared, reading meeting papers and preparing to discuss agenda items.
• Attend a minimum of 80% of all Board and Committee meetings and provide timely advice if attendance is not possible. Unavailability for 2 or more consecutive meetings requires a formal leave of absence request submitted to the Board.
• Participate in at least one Board Committee and other ad hoc committees or working groups.
• Participate in other processes as required (e.g. board performance evaluations, strategic planning meetings, strategic discussions, etc).
• Attend the Annual General Meeting.
• Participate in succession planning, performance management and, if required, removal of the CEO.
• Provide a timely response to requests from management for feedback and engagement in activities specific to the business.

 Role of the President

The President leads the AIDA Board and ensures its efficient functioning. Key responsibilities include:

• Chairing Board meetings and facilitating a productive environment.
• Leading the development of board succession plans, especially for the President and President-Elect roles.
• Acting as the public spokesperson for AIDA (with support from the CEO as needed).
• Overseeing the performance and support of the CEO.
• Ensuring compliance with culturally appropriate protocols in Board decisions.
• Leading the annual evaluation of the Board’s performance.

 Role of the President-Elect

The President-Elect assumes the responsibilities of the President in their absence and supports the leadership of the Board. Responsibilities include:

• Chairing meetings when the President is unavailable.
•  Acting as a spokesperson for AIDA in external engagements.
• Stepping in as President when conflicts of interest arise with the sitting President.

 Legal Duties of Directors (Board members)

Directors are subject to specific legal obligations to ensure proper governance, including:

• Directors must act in the best interests of AIDA and ensure decisions are made for legitimate purposes.
• Directors must be diligent in preparing for meetings, understanding the financial position of AIDA, and actively participating in Board activities.
• Information gained through their role must only be used to benefit AIDA, not for personal advantage.
• Directors must declare any conflicts of interest and manage them appropriately.

 Expected behaviours for all AIDA Board members

• Act in accordance with AIDA’s Code of Conduct, policies and procedures and demonstrably committed to AIDA’s vision, mission, and values.
• Promote a ‘safety first’ culture and act in accordance with AIDA Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy and management system.
• Promote and support a zero-tolerance culture that recognises all people have the right to live their lives free from abuse, neglect, violence and discrimination.
• Foster and promote an inclusive and collaborative work environment where all employees, volunteers and members feel welcomed, respected, valued and enabled and proud to fully participate, irrespective of their individual differences in background, experience and perspectives.
• Demonstrate teamwork and collaboration and positively contribute to group activities.
• Contribute to innovation and continuous improvement and openly share information and knowledge to enable optimal outcomes for members and the communities they serve.
• Be curious, reflective, and open to continuous learning and new ways of working.
• Complete all mandatory training a required for the Board in a timely manner, to support high quality governance of the organisation.

Being a Board member at AIDA is a significant responsibility. Nominees should ensure they understand the time, effort, and commitment required to fulfil the role. Directors are expected to act with integrity, exercise sound judgment, and prioritize the interests of AIDA and its members.

If you are considering nominating for a Board position, reflect on your capacity to contribute, your alignment with AIDA’s values, and your willingness to engage in good governance practices.

Supporting documents:

Consent to act as an AIDA Board Director

AIDA Board Directors’ Code of Conduct & Declaration