Board Member Job Description

“By definition, a director can’t be passive. How can you direct anything if you’re just sitting there waiting for someone to tell you what to do?”  — from HFHI’s Welcome to the Board

QUALIFICATIONS

• Unbridled enthusiasm and contagious passion for the mission and vision of Habitat
• Able to sign the Affiliate Covenant, avoid conflicts of interest, and honor confidentiality
• A reputation for integrity, the ability to keep commitments, and willingness to learn 
• Emotional maturity with ability to build team spirit and lead by example without micromanaging
• Representative of a diverse part of the community and able to influence that community
• Able to dedicate time to work with a committee, and able to encourage others to do so
• Able to contribute financial resources and enthusiastic about encouraging others to give
• Ability to interpret a financial report and make long-range plans for growth
• Good communication skills, flexibility, and a sense of humor

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES – making informed decisions, maintaining accountability, and assuring health and growth

• Attend board meetings
• If able, Attend regional training workshops, visit other affiliates, and read Habitat publications to become well-educated about the organization, so you can make informed policy decisions
• Determine the affiliate’s vision, mission, and long-range plans, and monitor their success
• Do things in the affiliate’s best interest (not your own) to ensure that its affairs are conducted legally  and responsibly, in confidentiality, with no conflict of interest–financial or personal agenda
• Maintain the property of the affiliate in a reasonable state of repair
• Encourage staff development to ensure effective stewardship of abundant community resources
• Employ, evaluate, and nurture the CEO/President, who employs and evaluates other staff
• Serve on a committee to ensure the board’s policies and procedures are implemented.  Committee expertise is a critical factor in being able to provide good governance. 
• Secure the funds necessary to finance the affiliate’s operations, by giving money and by raising money.  Each member should be able to make an annual financial contribution and participate in one fundraising event a year.
• Be responsible to the Board of Directors Chairperson and the CEO/President (as the board’s elected and assigned representatives), once the Board meeting adjourns.  
• When Board consensus is reached on a policy, be openly supportive, even if you disagreed during the approval process.  If you cannot morally support Board actions or policies once approved, you should resign: ongoing contention is contrary to the public trust.  (Resignation should be in writing to the chair and the board of directors. Otherwise, you can be held liable for board actions if the affiliate is sued.)

RESULTS

• Transforming personal growth and leadership development 
• An efficient, accountable, and sustainable organization based on mutual trust and consensus
• An important contribution to the elimination of substandard housing from the earth

Updated by Governance Committee August 21, 2025