The Association for association professionals in Chicagoland

Position Summary
The Governance Specialist owns the governance function of CNS. This individual contributor role is the primary point of accountability for all governance operations, committee management, board support, elections, the member engagement panel, and ad hoc governance bodies. The position works closely with the Executive Director & CEO and Board leadership and serves as the organizational resource for staff liaisons and volunteer leaders across CNS's governance structure.

Key Responsibilities

Committee & Volunteer Governance

Own the end-to-end committee lifecycle: structure, composition, terms, appointments, onboarding, and offboarding
Manage the annual committee application and appointment process in partnership with the CEO
Maintain committee rosters, track term limits, and manage volunteer waiting lists
Support staff committee liaisons and administer committee platforms and tools

Board of Directors Support

Support the CEO in board meeting preparation, agenda management, materials, and communications
Draft, distribute, and archive minutes for Board and Executive Committee meetings
Manage the annual COI disclosure process and director onboarding/offboarding
Support development of presidential communications and presentations

Elections & Nominating Committee

Manage the annual board election process end to end, ensuring compliance with CNS Bylaws
Staff the Nominating Committee

Member Engagement Panel & Ad Hoc Bodies

Serve as staff owner of the CNS Member Engagement Panel — recruitment, activations, and outcome reporting
Own the formation, operation, and wind-down of all task forces, work groups, and ad hoc governance bodies

Governance Administration

Maintain a master governance calendar covering all board, committee, and election cycles
Track participation data in the CNS membership database

Required

• Bachelor's degree
• 3–5 years of experience supporting nonprofit boards and volunteer committees in an association or membership organization
• Experience managing board elections or nomination processes
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, virtual meeting platforms, and board/document management portals
• Strong written communication skills; ability to draft accurate minutes and governance correspondence
• High degree of discretion, organizational skill, and ability to manage competing priorities independently

Preferred

• Experience in a medical or scientific membership society or healthcare-related nonprofit
• Familiarity with association management systems and online community platforms (e.g., Higher Logic, CiviCRM)
• CAE credential or active pursuit thereof
• Knowledge of nonprofit governance best practices (BoardSource, ASAE)

About Child Neurology Society

The Child Neurology Society is a national professional organization representing more than 2,500 child neurologists and researchers across the United States and Canada. We advance the optimal care of children with neurological and developmental disorders through education, advocacy, and support for the clinicians and researchers who serve them.

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