IEEE Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology (SIGHT) welcomes applicants for the 2020 Steering Committee and related subcommittees.
The IEEE SIGHT 2020 Steering Committee (SSC) will consist of:
- IEEE SIGHT 2020 Chair – appointed by IEEE Humanitarian Activities Committee (HAC) Chair
- IEEE SIGHT Immediate Past Chair
- Projects & Assessment Chair
- Operations Chair
- Education Chair
- Communications Chair
This document includes the position descriptions for the open roles on the 2020 SSC and information on the subcommittees they chair. Please apply for either SSC or subcommittee membership using the 2020 Steering Committee Nomination Form – by 30 October 2019.
Before applying, please consider that a SIGHT Steering Committee role requires 8 – 10 hours of work per month, and a Subcommittee role requires approximately 5 hours. The SIGHT program’s success depends upon its volunteer leaders’ ability to dedicate time and effort to its annual goals.
Projects & Assessment Subcommittee
Purpose: Accountable for the solicitation and funding of SIGHT group projects as well as for quality improvement of projects funded and future Calls for Proposals.
- Duties of the committee:
- Reviewing proposals and reaching recommendations on which projects to support and at what level
- Improving quality of each SIGHT proposal by providing feedback to project applicants
- Evaluating the performance of projects funded to inform recommendations for future calls, including updating/editing the IEEE SIGHT Projects call proposals
- Auditing/assessing past and current funded projects
- Developing overall assessment tools and metrics for the IEEE SIGHT program, including ways to measure project impact
Projects & Assessment Chair’s key responsibilities:
- Identifying experienced reviewers with necessary available time, expertise and enthusiasm
- Convening subcommittee meetings
- Managing the review process with staff support, including assigning reviews associated with each call to subcommittee members in a timely fashion
- Building consensus to recommend proposals for funding and, with staff support, providing feedback to successful and unsuccessful applicants
- Reviewing and updating call for proposals annually and as needed during the year
- Conducting outreach to gauge impact and assess resources needed for greater impact
- Communicating assessment recommendations to SSC
- Promoting internal and external communication of assessment results
- Liaising with the HAC Projects and Assessment Committees
Qualifications:
- Extensive experience with, knowledge of (and ideally participation in) sustainable development and humanitarian technology related project activities
- Prior knowledge of the SIGHT program, ideally as part of an active SIGHT group
- Ability to delegate work and manage volunteers to deliver results
- Ability to bring a group to consensus
- Expertise in assessment and data analysis
- Ability to synthesize and analyze quantitative and qualitative data and prepare reports
Support provided: Up to 9 subcommittee volunteers, moderate staff support
Operations Subcommittee
Purpose: Accountable for the establishment and continued operation of SIGHT groups as well as continuous operational improvement
Duties of the committee:
- Guiding new SIGHT groups, including special support for student SIGHT groups, as well as supporting the lifecycle of established SIGHT groups
- Managing the group petition review process with staff support, including assigning reviews to subcommittee members in a timely fashion
- Building consensus to recommend approval or denial of group petitions
- Following up with SIGHT group activities, including ensuring that SIGHT groups have met their operating requirements in order to be considered active
- Assessing group effectiveness and satisfaction of SIGHT group volunteers
- Recognizing and rewarding volunteers by developing, maintaining, and evolving recognition for SIGHT activities
Operations Chair’s key responsibilities:
- Responsible for reviewing and communicating recommendations for SIGHT group petitions
- Overseeing reporting (including annual report) and all other operating requirements
- Supporting SIGHT groups and providing additional support for student SIGHTs when needed
- Convening subcommittee meetings
- Overseeing any recognition process
- Evaluating the program process and providing recommendations for the following year
Qualifications:
- Previous familiarity with the SIGHT program, ideally as part of a SIGHT group
- Prior humanitarian program/project experience
- Ability to bring a group to consensus
- Strategic thinker
- Ability to delegate work and manage volunteers to deliver results
Support provided: Approximately 3-4 subcommittee volunteers, moderate staff support
Education Subcommittee
Purpose: Accountable for education of all SIGHT groups and individual members.
Duties of the committee:
- Maintaining the IEEE SIGHT toolkit
- Developing education requirements for SIGHT groups
- Facilitating basic understanding of community development
- Providing clear support and developing templates for SIGHT groups and SIGHT projects
- Providing education/exposure to mainstream development activities
- Providing education resources (readings, articles, webinars, etc) for individual SIGHT members
Education Chair’s key responsibilities:
- Convening subcommittee meetings
- Overseeing research and development of educational materials
- Continually seeking out new educational topics, themes, and approaches
- Providing educational materials for Engagement Subcommittee use
- Liaising with HAC Education Committee
Qualifications:
- Extensive experience with and knowledge of humanitarian/sustainable development projects
- Strategic thinker
- Strong research skills
- Ability to delegate work and manage volunteers to deliver results
- Familiarity with mainstream humanitarian/development activities
- Team player eager to work for the common good
Support provided: Approximately 3-4 volunteers, some staff support
Communications Subcommittee
Purpose: Accountable for internal and external communications for the SIGHT program as well as maintaining and upholding the SIGHT brand.
Duties of the committee:
- Strategic communications with SIGHT groups (i.e. newsletter, website, social media, etc.)
- Promotion and recruitment of SIGHT groups
- Dissemination of information, including best practices
- Kindling passions and connecting with a global movement
- Advocating and sharing successes
- Identifying, communicating, and growing the benefits of the SIGHT program and volunteer participation
- Marketing/branding SIGHT and keeping brand evergreen
- Enlisting and managing professional marketing/branding services
Communications Chair’s key responsibilities:
- Working closely with SIGHT newsletter editor to suggest topics, create a communication schedule, and execute strategic communications
- Being the voice of SIGHT and promoting and recruiting SIGHT groups
- Providing communications with SIGHT groups about best practices
- Liaising with all other Subcommittees in order to receive updates, information, suggestions, etc.
- Working closely with professional/branding services to develop materials
- Keep track of SIGHT brand usage
- Providing guidance on SIGHT brand usage, including reaching out when SIGHT brand is used incorrectly
Qualifications:
- Knowledge of strategic communications and media
- Experience developing and implementing communications strategies that advance social change
- Superior written and verbal communication skills
- Prior marketing/branding experience
- Professional, tactful communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Experience with and knowledge of humanitarian/sustainable development projects
Support provided: Approximately 3-4 subcommittee volunteers, support from SIGHT newsletter editor, some additional staff support
September 2019