Roles & Responsibilities

Understanding the duties and responsibilities of IEEE Austria Section officers

Section Chair

The Section Chair shall exercise general supervision of the affairs of the section in accordance with the policies and instructions of the Section Executive Committee. Subject to the approval of the Section Executive Committee, the Chair shall appoint the Chairs of all Standing Committees and ad hoc committees of the section. The Chair shall be the official representative of the Section.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. In possession of and familiar with the IEEE Constitution, Bylaws, MGA Operations Manual and the Section Bylaws.
  • 2. Presides at the section meetings and the Section Executive Committee.
  • 3. Operates the section to maximize satisfaction of section member needs with the resources available.
  • 4. Establishes and supports chapters in his/her section for all societies having 12 or more interested members who reside in the section.
  • 5. Establishes and supports Affinity Groups for those approved groups with 12 or more members interested in supporting such a group who reside in the section.
  • 6. Develops and presents plans for meeting members’ needs to the Section Executive Committee for review.
  • 7. Identifies appropriate volunteers and presents their appointments to the Executive Committee for review.
  • 8. Insures that all Section Officers, Committee Chairs, and Chapter Chairs are properly trained for their jobs.
  • 9. Signs L-50 financial report and confirms all reporting accurate and submitted in a timely manner.
  • 10. Insures satisfactory performance from the other Section Officers and the Section Committee Chairs.
  • 11. Appoints a Nominating Committee.
  • 12. Prepares an annual report of Section Activities for submission to the Region.
  • 13. Represents the section at all IEEE gatherings.
  • 14. Transfers section records to the new Section Chair at the end of the year.

Section Vice-Chair

The Section Vice-Chair shall support the Chair in carrying out his/her duties, oversee Standing Committees as directed by the Chair, and exercise such immediate duties as may be required in the absence or unavailability of the Chair.

Section Secretary

The Section Secretary shall record the minutes of all business meetings of the section and of the Section Executive Committee. He/she shall make such reports of his/her activities as may be required by the IEEE Executive Committee and oversee Standing Committees as directed by the Chair. The section shall retain a recorded copy of the minutes.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Accurately records minutes of all section meetings.
  • 2. Distributes agenda and meeting notices for all section meetings.
  • 3. Reports all section and subunit meetings to the IEEE Regional Activities Department using the proper forms.
  • 4. Maintains all section records.
  • 5. Notifies the IEEE Regional Activities Department of all changes in section and subunit officers.
  • 6. Maintains an adequate supply of all forms, stationary, and other materials required by the section.
  • 7. Submits Section Bylaws to the IEEE Regional Activities Department and reports any revisions to be made to them.

Section Treasurer

The Section Treasurer shall be responsible for all receipts and disbursements in accordance with the section budget, and such financial reports as may be required by the Section Executive Committee and by the IEEE Executive Committee.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Accurately maintains financial records for section.
  • 2. Maintains bank accounts of section funds.
  • 3. Processes bank account signature authority documentation for IEEE Staff Director, and Financial Services signature where local laws and regulations permit.
  • 4. Prepares the annual budget for submission to the Section Executive Committee.
  • 5. If a Finance Committee is in place, serves as chair of that committee.
  • 6. Makes disbursements in accordance with the approved budget.
  • 7. Refers expenses outside the budget to the Section Chair for action.
  • 8. Insures that all section expenditures and disbursements are made in accordance with IEEE policy.
  • 9. Is familiar with the relevant governance documents affecting financial operations, including but not limited to the RAB Operations Manual and the IEEE Policy & Procedures Manual.
  • 10. Prepares financial reports for the Section Chair, Section Executive Committee and Regional Director.
  • 11. Transfers section financial records at the beginning and end of each year.
  • 12. Submits annual report of financial activity to the IEEE Operations Center and provides follow-up where necessary to confirm that the report has been approved.

Past Section Chair

The Past Section Chair serves in an advisory capacity on section activities.

Financial Auditor

The IEEE Austria Section is a registered association according to Austrian law. The Austrian Association Act (Vereinsgesetz - VerG) requires each association to perform a yearly audit of its finances. The law demands the appointment of at least two internal financial auditors.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Verifies the correctness of the accounting records and receipts.
  • 2. Checks that assets and expenses comply with the Articles of Association (Vereinsstatuten).
  • 3. Submits an annual audit report to the associations general assembly

Student Representative

The Student Representative acts as a link between IEEE student organizations in the section and the Section Executive Committee.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Understand the role in carrying out the student-related goals and objectives of the section.
  • 2. Coordinating and encouraging activities of interest to all IEEE student organizations that report to the section.
  • 3. Work closely with Student Branches and its sub-unit chairs and other leaders in your Section in carrying out these activities.
  • 4. Provide a regular report to the Section Executive Committee about status of student units (SB, WIE, SBC).
  • 5. Passes on to successor all relevant records at the end of term.

Student Branch Coordinator

The Student Branch Coordinator is responsible for managing all IEEE student activities at the section level.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Become familiar with IEEE Student Activities-related programs through contact with the Regional Student Activities Chair (RSAC), Regional Student Representative (RSR), the Student Concourse web site at www.ieee.org/students and IEEE Student Services Staff.
  • 2. With the approval of the Section Executive Committee, plan and execute training programs to address the needs and concerns of Student members and promote active involvement with IEEE after graduation.
  • 3. Serve as liaison to Student Branch Counselors and Student Branch Chairs to maintain communication with the Section.
  • 4. Provide a regular report to the Section Executive Committee about the status of Student Activities programs in the section and in the geographic area. Remind the section that sections receive a rebate for Student Members.
  • 5. Pass on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Membership Development Officer

The Membership Development Officer is responsible for promoting membership drive events at the sectional level.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Receives monthly mailings of section membership statistics from IEEE Operations Center.
  • 2. Maintains a current record of section membership.
  • 3. Analyzes section membership information and identifying membership problems and opportunities.
  • 4. Submits requests as needed for membership development materials, including posters and applications, to IEEE Operations Center staff.
  • 5. Communicates regularly with Regional Membership Development Officer.
  • 6. Coordinates membership exhibits for local conferences, including but not limited to use of IEEE Cooperative Display program, soliciting materials for exhibits, identifying volunteers to staff booth.
  • 7. May be asked to manage section membership database (SAMIeee).
  • 8. Serves as resource to members seeking information on Senior member elevations.
  • 9. Communicates regularly with YP and Student representatives as well as Chapter Chairs about membership recruitment and development opportunities within those groupings.
  • 10. Identifies opportunities for recruitment and elevation within the section.
  • 11. Provides regular membership status report with recommendations to Section Executive Committee.
  • 12. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Web Officer

The Web Officer is responsible for facilitating the distribution of information and knowledge of the section to its members.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Maintains the section website
  • 2. Maintains or coordinates the maintenance of:
  • 1. Section access to membership data (SAMIEEE)
  • 2. Section email distribution lists
  • 3. Provides member contact data upon request to Section Officers and Chapter Chairs.
  • 4. Communicates regularly with the Section Executive Committee.
  • 5. Periodically reviews member data and communicates concerns to IEEE Operations Center.
  • 6. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Public Relations Officer

The Public Relations Officer is responsible for the distribution of information about activities in the section to its members.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Is knowledgeable of IEEE governance documents as they relate to electronic communications, including but not limited to IEEE Policy & Procedures.
  • 2. Gathers information and articles about activities in the section.
  • 3. Publishes the section newsletter.
  • 4. Manages the social media accounts of the section.
  • 5. Provides monthly or quarterly update to Section Executive Committee, and especially the Section Secretary on the status of the Sections electronic communications activity.
  • 6. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Awards Officer

The Awards Officer is responsible for organising and arranging major award activities for the Section.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Knowledgeable of IEEE governance documents as they relate to Awards & Recognition, including IEEE Bylaws, Policy & Procedures, and MGA Operations Manual.
  • 2. Shall maintain historical records of section awards distributed.
  • 3. Submits any new Section Award to Region 8 Awards & Recognition Committee for approval. Is knowledgeable of IEEE recognition products, including pins, plaques, certificates, etc., and process for ordering.
  • 4. The Awards Officer drafts letters for recognition of newly elevated Senior members and Fellows for signature of Section Chair, and distribution by Section Secretary.
  • 5. Shall preside at meetings of the Awards Committee. Forwards recommendations to Section Executive Committee for approval. Provides regular report, including recommendations, to Section Executive Committee for information and, where appropriate, action.
  • 6. The Awards Officer will also solicit nominations for IEEE Institute-level awards and medals.
  • 7. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Professional Activities Officer

The Professional Activities Officer is responsible for promoting professional activities events at the section level (i.e. everything nontechnical contributing to members’ careers: Personal Skills, Influence Skills, Relationship Skills, Product Skills, Writing Skills, Oral Skills, Employment, Entrepreneurship).

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Have a working understanding of the IEEE organization.
  • 2. Know the professional issues of concern to IEEE and those of concern to your membership.
  • 3. Communicate items of professional interest to your membership At Executive Committee meetings, At Section, Chapter, Student Branch, and Affinity Group meetings or through articles in section newsletters or social media postings.
  • 4. Develop, coordinate, and present professional programs in support of the section goals and objectives.
  • 5. Provide a regular report to the Section Executive Committee about status of professional activities in the section and in the geographic area.
  • 6. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Educational Activities Officer

The Educational Activities Officer is responsible for promoting educational events at the sectional level.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Be aware of section’s demographics with relation to membership employed by academia, industry, and government.
  • 2. With the approval of the Section Executive Committee, plan and execute training programs to address the technical and professional development of the membership
  • 3. Maintain information about Educational Activities through the IEEE Professional Development Institute (http://www.ieee.org/pdi).
  • 4. Where appropriate, maintain information about national society(ies) and their educational activities.
  • 5. Maintain information about area educational and training opportunities and promote these programs to the IEEE membership.
  • 6. Provide a regular report to the Section Executive Committee about status of Educational Activities programs in the section and in the geographic area.
  • 7. Maintain communications with Regional Educational Activities contact.
  • 8. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Chapter Coordinator

The Chapter Coordinator is responsible for maintaining communications with all section chapters and assists them.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Establish and maintain communications with all Section Chapters.
  • 2. Assist with chapter management and find meaningful solutions to concerns and problems raised by chapters.
  • 3. Distribute and present Chapter Officer training materials developed by MGA Board volunteers and MGA Department Staff as provided by IEEE Operations Center Staff
  • 4. Be familiar with and advise Chapter Officers of resources available to them through IEEE Operations Center.
  • 5. Foster better Society, Section and Chapter cooperation through efforts to improve the understanding of mutual responsibilities and the effectiveness of member services delivery.
  • 6. Identify and clarify problems with chapter meetings, activities and arrangements of potential concern to all officers and appointees having chapter responsibility.
  • 7. Provide a regular report to the Section Executive Committee about status of chapters.
  • 8. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Conference Coordinator

The Conference Coordinator is responsible for arranging major IEEE conferences in the section and to ensure the good technical quality of conferences technically co-sponsored by the section as well as by the chapters in the section.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Activities, including but not limited to planning, organizing, controlling and keeping the executive updated as to fund raising and budgeting for planned major events such conferences to be supported by the section.
  • 2. Be aware of Section demographics with relation to membership employed by academia, industry, and government.  Where appropriate, coordinate with the Awards Officer for special initiatives related to events.
  • 3. Maintain information about area expositions and conferences and where appropriate promote these to the IEEE membership.
  • 4. Help conference organizers to succeed in organizing IEEE conferences in the section.
  • 5. Maintain the report of each conference organized in the section.
  • 6. Submit regular report to Section Executive Committee on status of conferences and potential events to be considered for our memberships benefit.
  • 7. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Organizational Officer

The Organizational Officer supports the Section Secretary and the Section Executive Committee with the organization of activities at the section level.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Organizes the Section Officer meetings.
  • 2. Supports the organization of the annual general assembly.
  • 3. Supports the Section Excom with the organization of social activities on the section level such as the annual spring walks.
  • 4. Communicates regularly with the Section Secretary and the Section Executive Committee.
  • 5. Passes on to successor all relevant records of office at the end of term.

Industry Relations Officer

The Industry Relations Officer provides the leadership necessary to build relationships between the section and local employers of electrical or computer engineers.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Promotes IEEE to industry as a relevant information provider to enhance the technical skills of their employees.
  • 2. Works with industry to establish an understanding of their needs and demonstrates that IEEE can help address their needs.
  • 3. Identifies ways to recognize industry for technical or professional achievements relevant to the IEEE.
  • 4. Invites local executives to spead at section/chapter events.
  • 5. Identifies potential IEEE historic milestone related to specific company.
  • 6. Builds partnerships with local industry.

Entrepreneurship Officer

The Entrepreneurship Officer enables technology entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey to accelerate the commercialization of technologies that improve lives, and advance entrepreneurship‑led global development.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Foster local entrepreneurial ecosystems by connecting section members with successful founders.
  • 2. Organize workshops, hackathons, and pitch competitions with global IEEE backing to give members access to mentorship and funding opportunities.
  • 3. Partner with regional startup accelerators, incubators, and industry leaders to advance engineering-driven innovation.
  • 4. Develop and promote educational resources, toolkits, and training pathways that teach foundational business, leadership, and commercialization skills.
  • 5. Act as the liaison between the local membership base, regional governing boards (such as MGA or Region 10), and IEEE-USA or local PACE (Professional Activities) groups.
  • 6. For more details see: entrepreneurship.ieee.org

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Officer

The Section Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer is expected to collaborate with the Section leadership and to collect and track diversity metrics and best practices across the section.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Develop and recommend policies and mechanisms to improve diversity and inclusion across the section.
  • 2. Define, track, and publish diversity metrics, new initiatives, and best practices to highlight efforts and progress around diversity and inclusion happening at section level.
  • 3. Identify appropriate internal and external entities and collaborations that will further support and enhance sections Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives.
  • 4. Actively develop a strategy for informing and engaging the section membership
  • 5. Follow IEEE R8 DEI Adhoc committee and resources.

WIE Liaison officer

An IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) Liaison Officer (such as a Chapter Liaison) serves as the critical bridge connecting an IEEE Technical Society or local chapter with the WIE Affinity Group. Their primary goal is to promote diversity, facilitate joint activities, and increase the participation of women in technology.

Summary of Duties and Responsibilities:

  • 1. Promotes WIE within the local technical chapters.
  • 2. Facilitates coordination between the section WIE Affinity Group and technical chapters to organize joint activities.
  • 3. Conducts statistical analysis on womens membership within technical chapters.
  • 4. Shares relevant activities, feedback, and updates with the Region 8 WIE Committee.
These responsibilities are in accordance with IEEE policies and guidelines.