Secretary-General’s duties

The first four ex-officio officers listed above coordinate together and with each other’s support, the various ERA activities on behalf of the Council thus following Council’s decisions and regularly reporting to the Council.

The President oversees the activities of ERA (i.e. Society, Council, Staff). Collaborates closely with the Secretary-General (mainly) and the Treasurer/Renal Science Chair. Weekly calls with the other ex-officio officers. Receives support from the ERA HQ.

The Secretary-General is expected to oversee the general administrative activities of the Society supporting the President/Council. In particular, he/she oversees the ERA HQ activities. Is in charge of incoming funds. He/she should oversee the organization of all meetings, in particular: 3xCouncil meetings per year (in person), bi-monthly virtual Council meetings, 2x retreats (=Summer and pre-Christmas), bi-weekly calls (ERA HQ senior staff/ex-officio officers), emails on a daily basis. The workload is 2-3 hours a day. Receives support from the ERA HQ.

The Treasurer is in charge of budgets, expenditures. Weekly calls with the other ex-officio officers. Receives support from the ERA HQ.

The Renal Science Chair is in charge of scientific and educational activities (i.e. Working Groups, E-Seminars, etc.). Weekly calls with the other ex-officio officers. Receives support from the ERA HQ.

The Chair of the Registry is supported by the Registry staff (AMC) and oversees all the Registry activities/output. For the administrative matters the ERA Registry collaborates with the ERA HQ.

*Subject to the approval by the ERA General Assembly of the Constitution that will be submitted to the 2023 Ordinary General Assembly (June 17, 2023).

Appendix

1. The Secretary-General is responsible, in collaboration with the President (who must agree on the items listed), of repairing/submitting/ending/finalising/receiving the following matters:
   • agendas of the Council Meetings
   • agendas of the General Assembly
   • agendas of any other meeting that the Council deems necessary
   • the invitations to the meetings of non-Council members and for the final approval and signing of the Minutes of the Meetings
   • for informing the ERA speakers/chairs and representatives in events organised by third parties, as well as for receiving their report after the event
   • for signing all ERA diplomas and certificates issued while he/she is office (except for his/her own personal diploma, which must be signed by the Secretary-General Elect)
   • for informing all the people directly involved of the outcomes of the Council’s decisions (candidates for Council; SAB positions; selected future Congress venues, etc.), following the confirmation/approval by the President.
2. He/she is in charge of preparing the diplomas and eventual gifts for Council members ending their term.
3. He/she is the person responsible for the Council member elections, in particular, the ERA Secretary-General will be in charge of informing all Council candidates about the exact date and time of the post-Congress Council meeting so that travel arrangements can be booked taking into consideration this meeting to which they will have to participate if elected.
4. He/she is the person responsible for granting the FERA title.
5. He/she is responsible for following all the income generated by the activities of the Society (Congress activity; Membership activity; industry relations/sponsorships, etc.).
6. Similar to the role of the Treasurer, he/she can authorize senior staff to pay amounts above EUR 50,000.00.
7. Together with the Treasurer, he/she is responsible for the ERA Group accounts and has full signatory on said accounts.
8. He/she is in charge of following all membership matters, including verifying all materials sent to members.
9. He/she represents the Council in relation to the activities of the ERA HQ both within the Council and with the ERA HQ.
10. He/she is responsible for granting ERA non-financial support in collaboration with the President and the Renal Science Chair.
11. He/she is responsible for evaluating/scoring the Industry Symposia for the annual ERA Congresses, in collaboration with the Renal Science Chair.
12. During his/her term, he/she is one of the directors, and the Chair, of ERA-Eurocongress Ltd., ERA’s Subsidiary Company. As Chair he/she is in charge of recording the minutes of the meeting of said Company.
13. During his/her term, he/she is the YNP advisor (no vote within the YNP Board).
14. The ERA HQ gives secretarial support to this role.

*Subject to the approval by the ERA General Assembly of the Constitution that will be submitted to the 2023 Ordinary General Assembly (June 17, 2023).

Last update: December 2022

Note: EKHA (European Kidney Health Alliance), BMA (BioMedical Alliance), DOPPS (Dialysis Outcomes and Practice Patterns Study), ESPN (European Society for Paediatric Nephrology), KHI (Kidney Health Initiative), YNP (Young Nephrologists’ Platform), CME (Continuing Medical Education), SEID (Scientific and Education Interaction Day)