Events TEAM

Purpose: The Events Team supports the NUA mission by connecting members and industry partners in both casual and educational settings.

Team Leader: We are currently in need of a volunteer to lead the Events Team.

Size of the Team: Chair plus two to three (2-3) members, and six to eight (6-8) leading up to a large event.

Duties / Activities: The Events Team is responsible for designing both live and virtual events that benefit NUA members and promote the industry. This may include organizing the annual meeting, exhibit space for vendors at national or regional conferences, workshops and presentations at trade shows, opportunities to interact with the media, and evening networking events.

Typical activities include:

• Working with the Membership Team to determine the frequency, type, location, and theme for each event
• Working with the Finance Team to develop a budget for each event
• Identifying and booking a suitable conference location (when applicable)
• Recruiting vendors, industry partners, and instructors for the event
• Working with the PR Team to promote the event
• Cultivating a list of backup speakers or presenters in case of last minute cancelation
• Maintaining required insurance and assigning attending team member as an emergency contact during the event
• Reporting information gathered from the conference to the Board after the event
• Formation of Ad Hoc teams as needed to focus on specific scheduled events or conferences

Time Commitment: One (1) hour per week ongoing and up to four to six (4-6) hours per week leading up to and including event dates, and post-event wrap-up.

How to apply/contact information: If you are interested in a Team position, please email us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org. Please include “Team Interest” in the subject line.

Finance Team

Purpose: The Finance Team supports the NUA mission by preparing the annual budget and supporting other teams in managing their budgets.

Team Leader: Angela Dreis

Size of the Team: Chair plus two (2) members

Duties / Activities: The Finance Committee primarily provides financial oversight for the organization. Typical tasks include budgeting and financial planning, financial reporting, and the creation and monitoring of internal controls and accountability policies.

Typical activities include:

• Working with each team to understand their financial needs for the upcoming year
• Preparing the annual budget
• Creating the quarterly actuals vs. budget report
• Executing monthly account reconciliation
• Reviewing funding requests outside of team budgets
• Responding to any team inquiries
• Providing and amending budget tracking tools, as needed
• Prioritizing and managing association spending through the annual budget
• Assure all governmental regulatory reporting performed including any State and/or Federal reports by either the treasurer or by an accounting firm approved by the Board of Directors

Time Commitment: One (1) hour per week ongoing and up to three to four (3-4) hours per week during budgeting period (September through December). The Finance Team performs a large portion of its duties from September through December as it prepares the following year’s budget.

How to apply/contact information: If you are interested in a Team position, please email us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org. Please include “Team Interest” in the subject line.

Membership Team

Purpose: The Membership Team supports the NUA mission by establishing member benefits and perks, and recruiting members at all membership levels.

Team Leader: Audrey Lonsway

Size of the Team: Chair plus four to six (4-6) members

Duties / Activities: The Membership Team is responsible for bringing in new members and retaining the current membership base. This team serves as the primary resource for current and potential members, helping them with questions that they may have about the NUA or how to get involved in the organization once they join.

Typical activities include:

• Creating and amending (as needed) the new member welcome email
• Annually reviewing membership applications, presenting the Board with any recommendations
• Researching and developing member perks and presenting proposals to the Board
• Guiding member involvement in National Upholstery Awareness Month, working closely with the PR Team
• Researching and developing member merchandise
• Conducting member surveys, ideally twice annually; compiling and distributing survey data
• Maintaining member database
• Coordinating with Newsletter Team to identify candidates for Member Spotlight
• Responding to member and potential member inquiries
• Coordinating with Webinar Team to utilize industry partners for webinars
• Working with PR Team to facilitate posting of blogs from industry partners to website, including photos
• Managing industry partner and educator relationships, to include soliciting member perks and event sponsorships

Time Commitment: Three to four (3-4) hours per month, depending on role. Larger commitments possible leading up to National Upholstery Awareness month (October) and during annual budgeting period. The Membership Team will meet at least once monthly between Board meetings.

How to apply/contact information: If you are interested in a Team position, please email us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org. Please include “Team Interest” in the subject line.

Newsletter Team (Part of Public Relations)

Purpose: The Newsletter Team is a sub-unit of the Public Relations Team. The Newsletter Team supports the NUA mission by keeping members informed about NUA activities, including networking and educational possibilities.

Team Leader: We are currently in need of a volunteer to lead the Newsletter Team.

Size of the Team: Currently consists of one member, working with PR

Duties / Activities: The Newsletter Team is responsible for the coordination and electronic publication of quarterly newsletters available to NUA members and the public.

Typical activities include:

• Compiling and reporting news from other teams
• Creating content relevant to the quarter
• Editing content and formatting emails for distribution
• Finalizing and distributing monthly newsletter
• Time Commitment: Eight to fifteen (8-15) hours per quarter. Work with this team is mostly concentrated to the three weeks spanning solicitation of content to publication

How to apply/contact information: If you are interested in a Team position, please email us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org. Please include “Team Interest” in the subject line.

Nominating Team

Purpose: The Nominating Team supports the NUA mission by providing a slate of nominees for the office of President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer and reviewing eligibility of nominations for vacancies on the Board of Directors.

Team Leader: Rachel Fletcher

Size of the Team: Chair plus Immediate Past President plus three (3) additional members

Duties / Activities: The Nominating Team identifies potential candidates for current or upcoming vacancies and works diligently toward attracting and securing top talent. The team’s duties include identifying, recruiting, screening and interviewing candidates for Board positions.

Typical activities include:

• Assessing the specific needs of the organization and the next Board of Directors
• Gathering a list of interested candidates from various means, including recommendations throughout the year from members and Directors.
• Interviewing interested candidates, identifying potential needs-skills matches
• Reviewing applicants and finalizing list of candidates
• Setting the rules and procedures for conducting the balloting for the election
• Auditing the results of the election
• Announcing the results of the election at the Annual Board Meeting

Time Commitment: One (1) hour per week ongoing and up to four to six (4-6) hours per week leading up to and including election dates, and post-election wrap-up.

How to apply/contact information: If you are interested in a Team position, please email us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org. Please include “Team Interest” in the subject line.

Public Relations Team

Purpose: The Public Relations Team promotes the NUA’s mission and benefits through online and print media (social media, website, email, direct mail, fliers/inserts, etc.).

Team Leader: We are currently in need of a volunteer to lead the PR Team.

Size of the Team: Chair plus a minimum of six (6) members

Duties / Activities: The Public Relations Team is responsible for building brand identity and online presence through the creation and dissemination of multimedia content online. The team creates awareness of the NUA’s projects and activities and promotes the values and work of the organization.

Typical activities include:

• Acting as the framework through which information is disseminated to members and the public
• Handing all marketing, advertising, press releases, promotions of events, and other communications
• Creating and maintaining brand cohesiveness and ensuring all PR communication adheres to set guidelines
• Maintaining relevant social media accounts; scheduling and posting content on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn and moderating comments on each platform
• Identifying and recruiting subject matter experts and content contributors to produce stories of interest for the NUA blog and newsletters
• Working with other committees and members to develop new content
• Identifying creative ways to engage members and the community at large

Time Commitment: One to two (1-2) hours per week ongoing, with larger commitments possible during special events. Work for this committee will generally be evenly distributed throughout the year.

How to apply/contact information: If you are interested in a Team position, please email us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org. Please include “Team Interest” in the subject line.

Volunteer Coordination Team

Purpose: The Volunteer Coordination Team supports the NUA mission by growing the pool of qualified volunteers through prospecting, recruitment, and retention efforts. This team helps volunteers find their best fit and looks for ways to ensure high volunteer engagement and enhance the overall member experience.

Team Leader: Debby Albrecht

Size of the Team: Leader/Chair plus three to four (3-4) members. Additional positions will be added as the organization grows.

Duties / Activities: The Volunteer Coordination Team recruits and trains new volunteers, keeps a database of volunteer information and skills, matches volunteers to opportunities that suit their skills, keeps volunteers informed, and conveys the organization's purpose to the public.

Typical activities include:

• Writing and posting volunteer job descriptions based on organization’s needs
• Developing and communicating volunteer incentives
• Identifying and recruiting new volunteers
• Matching interested volunteers’ skills with organization’s needs
• Providing organization orientation/onboarding for new volunteers
• Supervising volunteer activities and working with other team to assess ongoing volunteer requirements
• Tracking volunteer hours and initiatives for reporting
• Retaining current volunteers through ongoing training, recognition, and development
• Ensuring Volunteers have the necessary resources to support the mission of the organization

Time Commitment: Two to three (2-3) hours per week ongoing, with larger commitments possible during special events or volunteer recruitment periods.

How to apply/contact information: If you are interested in a Team position, please email us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org. Please include “Team Interest” in the subject line.

Webinar Team (part of Membership)

Purpose: The Webinar Team is a sub-unit of the Membership Team. The Webinar Team supports the NUA mission by providing educational opportunities to its members.

Team Leader: Kim Newell

Size of the Team: Chair plus two to three (2-3) members

Duties / Activities: The Webinar Team designs and implements the webinar program that serves the organization’s needs, identifies topics, and finds appropriate speakers to fill the schedule.

Typical activities include:

• Developing list of webinar topics
• Finding and scheduling appropriate presenters to facilitate webinars (presenters should be scheduled and under contract a minimum of six (6) months before their scheduled webinar)
• Coordinating with Membership Team to utilize industry partners for webinars
• Scheduling software testing before each webinar
• Downloading, editing and uploading webinars to YouTube within 48 hours of broadcast
• Working within the approved budget
• Annually revising speaker contracts and submitting to the Board for approval

Time Commitment: One (1) hour per week ongoing and up to two to three (2-3) hours per week during webinars planning period (September). The Webinar Committee performs a large portion of its duties in September as that is when it develops potential topics based on a list approved by the Board. The team operates on a regular schedule that renews each month for webinar recording and distribution.

How to apply/contact information: If you are interested in a Team position, please email us at info@nationalupholsteryassociation.org. Please include “Team Interest” in the subject line.