Committee: Annual Conference Committee (ACC)
Position: Poster Chair
Term Dates: January 1, 2022-June 30, 2024
The Poster Chair serves on the Annual Conference Committee (ACC). The Poster Chair is responsible for the development and oversight of the poster fairs for the 2023 and 2024 annual conferences to advance knowledge and skill building for the field of international education and exchange. This position reports to the chair of the ACC and is a member of the ACC Executive Team, as well as the full ACC. In total, this is a two-and-a-half-year commitment.
Position updated August 2021
Major Functions and Responsibilities
- Contribute to the development of a comprehensive and cutting-edge professional development program for the annual conference.
- Solicit and review proposals for poster fairs that fit the conference theme, NAFSA Board directives, and the NAFSA Strategic Plan.
- With support from ACC Knowledge Community coordinators, recruit and lead a team of skilled volunteer poster fair organizers who help solicit poster proposals, review the proposals, prepare the accepted poster presenters, and work with staff to develop promotional materials and coordinate the fairs.
- Collaborate with poster fair organizers to create a balanced set of posters that serve the diverse annual conference audience.
- Assist in poster presenter preparation and training.
- Work closely with NAFSA staff to enhance the poster fair attendee and poster presenter experience.
- Serve as a communications liaison between the poster fair organizers and the ACC to ensure that the professional development needs of the audience members are met at the highest level possible.
- Coordinate between the poster fair organizers and the poster volunteers to ensure fairs are set up in a timely manner and that attendees can easily navigate the poster fairs.
NAFSA: Association of International Educators is a professional association driven by its Strategic Plan as established by the Board of Directors. The success of the association depends on the productive engagement of three key constituencies: the Board, member-leaders, and staff. Member-leaders are advocates for the association’s mission, vision, values, diversity and inclusion, and ethical principles. They align their work closely with the Board through its vice presidents and with staff to carry out the Strategic Plan. Member-leader roles are guided by objectives assigned by the Strategic Plan, by outcome accountabilities outlined in the Standing Rules, and by position descriptions for specific roles.
Relationships
- This position collaborates closely with other NAFSA leaders to enhance efforts across the association.
- The Poster Chair works closely with the senior director and program manager of the conference program team. Effective relationships include responsiveness to phone calls, email correspondence, timely delivery of responsibilities, open communication, and mutual respect among other characteristics.
Commitment
Volunteer Commitment:
- The Poster Chair will be appointed in November 2021 and begin in January 2022. The term ends after the annual conference in 2024. The time commitment for this position is 2.5 years.
- This individual is expected to attend the Washington Leadership Meetings (WLM) in January 2022 and 2023 (both of which are virtual) and the annual conferences in 2022, 2023, and 2024.
- The Poster Chair will also attend the ACC meetings in October of 2022 and 2023, at which workshops and sessions are selected for the next annual conference.
- The Poster Chair will participate in bimonthly conference calls throughout the 18-month period, and weekly during planning phases of the two concurrent conferences.
- The Poster Chair will communicate via email and in-person meetings. Timely responses to requests for assistance and information, as well as meeting deadline targets, are essential aspects of the coordinator’s responsibilities.
- The candidate should also prepare for and attend leadership meetings at NAFSA annual conferences, when possible, and commit to visibility and engagement during meetings, events, and activities.
- In general, the time requirement does not exceed 5 percent of a normal workweek, except during specific periods such as the month-long poster proposal review and rating process in the winter, when commitment rises to 20 percent.
Expense Reimbursement:
- Travel and expenses are reimbursed for attendance at the WLM and ACC fall meetings.
- Annual conference registration fees are waived for the two conferences that the Poster Chair helps plan (2023 and 2024).
Qualifications
- Understanding of NAFSA annual conference programs, services, and attendees, gained through attendance at three or more NAFSA annual conferences
- Broad knowledge of the professional needs of international educators
- Enthusiasm and ability to mobilize colleagues to develop strong poster proposals
- Strong leadership, analytical, and communication skills needed in leading volunteers in the proposal review process
- Demonstrated strategic planning, management, networking, and delegation experience
- Ability to work cooperatively and with mutual respect for team members and staff
- Strong coordination, analytical, oral, and written communication skills, including proficiency in using electronic tools of communication
- Understanding of NAFSA and its leadership structure and willingness to adopt organizationwide perspectives and strategic priorities
- Ability to work effectively with a team and with NAFSA staff in an outcomes-based environment
- Ability to manage unconscious bias in the assessment and decisionmaking processes
- Ability and willingness to serve and travel to conferences and meetings
- NAFSA membership throughout the length of volunteer service
