A network of over 350 volunteers is central to the CIPR community, guiding our strategic direction, representing members, and leading our initiatives. 

Volunteering offers a great opportunity to develop new skills, meet new people, and engage in unique and rewarding work. 

Joining a Group or Network can be an exciting time and there are lots of ways to get involved and roles you take up on a committee. Below, we have broken down some key committee roles, highlighting the tasks involved with these positions. However, we understand that each group is free to manage its allocation of tasks in any which way they feel works best for them. 

 

Group Chairs 

Responsibilities include: 

  • Lead the group and committee 
  • Liaise with HQ staff 
  • Attend quarterly formal Group Chairs meetings or delegate 
  • Act as main contact for member and non-member inquiries at HQ 
  • Welcome new members and handle lapsed member information 
  • Serve as spokesperson for the group and CIPR 
  • Support national initiatives like membership and CPD drives 
  • Coordinate with local university PR courses 
  • Assist in generating PR for the CIPR 
  • Organise regular committee meetings 
  • Coordinate the group's AGM with the Secretary 
  • Oversee all contracts, approved by HQ 
  • Attend and speak at group events, including award ceremonies.  
  • Review and approve all group email content 
  • Manage content on the group's CIPR website pages 
  • Ensure a thorough handover when stepping down 
More information on the Chair role can be found here.
 

Budget Managers 

Responsibilities include: 

  • Utilise the CIPR finance team's budget manager guide, schedule, and templates 
  • Attend Budget Manager meetings or delegate attendance 
  • Monitor the Group's bank account for timely transactions 
  • Process legitimate expenses for committee members and others as needed 
  • Manage payments for Group costs, such as event venues 
  • Handle receipts and invoicing for sponsorships 
  • Submit monthly and quarterly financial reports to the CIPR Finance Team 
  • Assist committee in budget preparation and ongoing monitoring 

 More information on the Budget Manager role can be found here.
 
Secretary 

Responsibilities include: 
  • Support the chair and committee as needed, per committee meetings 
  • Maintain and update non-financial records for the group 
  • Keep relevant documents accessible for committee and AGM meetings 
  • Assist in organising committee meetings and AGMs 
  • Ensure AGM notices reach members without email via hard copy mailings 
  • Record meeting minutes comprehensively, including attendance, motions, and outcomes 
  • Distribute minutes promptly and present them for approval at subsequent meetings 
  • Email AGM and committee meeting minutes to HQ 

 
 
Events Coordinator 

Responsibilities include: 

  • Coordinate event arrangements, potentially collaborating with other CIPR groups 
  • Handle venue bookings as required 
  • Communicate with event speakers 
  • Coordinate with HQ to list events on the CIPR event portal and manage attendees 
  • Act as the main contact for HQ and event attendees 
  • Collaborate with committee members to advertise events through group emails and social channels 
  • Work with HQ to send post-event communications to attendees 

 
 
Social Media Coordinator 

Responsibilities include: 

  • Post content aligned with CIPR goals: engaging the PR community, recruiting and retaining members, raising awareness of CIPR and its services, and promoting the PR profession. 
  • Create original content such as blogs, vlogs, infographics, and images. 
  • Share relevant third-party content to reach CIPR's target audiences. 
  • Collaborate on central campaigns and initiatives. 
  • Initiate conversations and engage with the PR community. 
  • Monitor and respond to mentions of the group or network. 
  • Amplify CIPR news and announcements. 
  • Report conversations to CIPR for corporate responses if needed. 
  • Share content from other CIPR groups or networks. 
  • Promote both group and CIPR network events. 

 
 
 EDI Champion 

Responsibilities include: 

  • Support CIPR's EDI strategy within the group, implementing initiatives and messages. 
  • Attend two virtual EDI Champion meetings led by CIPR, involving EDIC Group Chairs and Diversity & Inclusion Network representatives. 
  • Conduct a SWOT analysis to identify local priorities and action plans, with support from CIPR HQ. 
  • Collaborate with other EDI champions to ensure consistency and share best practices via a WhatsApp group. 
  • Monitor and report committee diversity statistics using provided EDI dashboards. 
  • Engage with EDIC through the Group Chairs EDIC representative. 
  • Establish relationships with relevant external organisations as appropriate. 
  • Ensure all group activities promote equity, diversity, and inclusion. 
  • Organise at least one EDI activity/resource annually, such as an event or social media campaign. 
  • Seek guidance and support from CIPR HQ as needed. 

 
 
Download a copy of the roles and responsibilities here.

 

 

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