Join our Board of Directors
PAW Team is currently seeking individuals to join our leadership team! Members of the board of directors oversee the financial health and stability of the organization, support staff with daily operations as needed and hold it accountable to working in accordance with the PAW Team mission and guiding philosophies. Board meetings are held monthly on 2nd Tuesdays, and subcommittees are scheduled by the members.
Candidates for the PAW Team board of directors must meet with a Board representative and the Co-Directors to complete an onboarding process before final consideration. These steps are to ensure that PAW Team and any potential candidates are a good fit for one another. Anyone interested in applying should read the description below, and reach out to our Co-Executive Director, Nicole Perkins.
PAW Team’s Mission: The Portland Animal Welfare Team saves lives, alleviates suffering, and keeps pets and people together by providing veterinary care to the pets of people experiencing houselessness or extreme poverty.
Commitment
1. Commit to serving the entirety of their board term of service of three years.
2. The board of directors meets monthly. This position is at least a 10-hour monthly time commitment (some months may be slightly more or less).
3. Participate actively in at least one committee for the duration of the term of service. Committees typically meet every other month, but may fluctuate throughout the year. “Active participation” is defined as a minimum commitment of taking on one task and/or giving 5 hours of personal time to committee deliverables monthly.
4. Attend at least two fundraising events per calendar year.
Minimum qualifications
1. Awareness of one’s own personal unearned privilege and an interest to continue learning about what this means in our community. Commitment to working with the board of directors to promote and include DEI work in everything that we do.
2. Ability to conduct oneself with professionalism, fairness, and an open-minded approach to all discussions and written communications between board members, staff, clients and donors.
3. A commitment to developing relationships with fellow board members, staff, and the PAW Team community.
4. PAW Team strives for a well-rounded leadership team with a variety of experiences and expertise. There are no professional requirements to apply, but we are always seeking those with experience in one or more of the following areas:
Veterinary medicine (Vets, vet tech, or vet assistants)
Non-profit administration
Fundraising
Social/Human Services
Finance (especially from a non-profit lens)
Law
Board Tasks and Expectations. These are the main tasks that members are responsible for while serving on the board. This list may vary depending on the specific role or committee involvement.
1. Uphold the mission and vision of PAW Team and treat other board members, staff, clients and donors with respect, equity, and dignity.
2. Conduct yourself with professionalism, fairness, and an open-minded approach to all discussions and written communications between board members, staff, clients and donors.
3. Volunteer in operational support for a minimum of eight hours during the calendar year (on at least two different days). These volunteer hours must occur when PAW Team is open to the public and serving clients. This could mean volunteering in the clinic, clinic support, the supply room, or other daily support duties as needed.
4. Board member giving is a public commitment to the organization’s work and is vital to the continued financial health of PAW Team. Board members are expected to make at least one personal financial contribution to PAW Team annually. There is no specific donation amount required. We value socioeconomic diversity on the board and recognize that everyone has different economic means. The amount of the gift should be personally meaningful for you and should reflect your larger commitment to the organization's mission and values.
5. PAW Team board members are encouraged to recruit potential board and/or committee members from their networks. Once they have identified an interested individual, the board member should introduce the potential member to the Executive Director and/or Medical Programs Director.
Committee Work All board members must serve and participate actively in at least one committee for the duration of their term of service. “Active participation” is defined as a minimum commitment of taking on one task and/or giving 5 hours of personal time to committee deliverables monthly or as needed. Board members may join more than one committee.
The Executive Committee - Three board officer positions serve on the committee, each of whom serve two-year terms: President of the Board, Secretary of the Board, and Board Treasurer. As a committee, members together ensure all other members of the board are provided with structure, predictability, and clear expectations. The committee is responsible for planning, identifying and sorting board priorities, managing conflict and for navigating the budgeting planning and approval process.
The Medical Committee - The medical committee works to support the Medical Director and staff with medical programming development and implementation. They assist with as-needed clinical support and strategy development and roll out, drawing from our backgrounds in the veterinary and/or human medical professions.
The Operations Committee - Works with staff to support the programs of PAW Team by representing board expectations, ensuring alignment with strategic initiatives, and providing guidance about overall direction of programs. Meets bi-monthly and includes both staff and board members who work together to accomplish programming goals.
The Fundraising Committee - Works closely with the Executive Director to oversee all fundraising activities needed to carry out the mission of the organization. Identifies, assesses, and reviews all fundraising strategies and opportunities. Reviews fundraising plan and calendar approved by the board.