Sheena Devlin

Sheena was previously Executive Director (Education and Children’s Services) in Perth and Kinross.

The role of the General Secretary is to support the President, Vice-President and Executive in ensuring the smooth functioning of the Executive Committee.

In summary, the Secretary is responsible for:

1. Ensuring meetings are effectively organised and that minutes are taken
2. Maintaining effective records and administration (including the website)
3. Upholding the legal requirements of governing documents, charity law, company law etc (where relevant).
4. Dealing timeously with all communication and correspondence
5. Responding timeously to all communication with ADES members
6. Line Managing the Executive Officer and Professional Learning Officer
7. Overseeing the running of the ADES networks
8. Proactively working with ADES members to provide support and advice
9. Being one of three ADES Leads for Collaborative Improvement

It is important to note that although the Secretary ensures that these responsibilities are met, much of the work can be delegated to paid staff or ADES members.

Given these responsibilities, the General Secretary often acts as an information and reference point for the President and other committee members: clarifying past practice and decisions; confirming legal requirements; and retrieving relevant documentation.

The General Secretary ensures that all responsibilities are met, but will have less involvement in actually carrying them out when these are delegated. Examples of this can be the management of networks, record keeping, minute taking at Executive Meetings, filing correspondence and communication of activities etc.

Main responsibilities of the General Secretary

1. Ensuring meetings are effectively organised and minuted
2. Maintaining effective records and administration
3. Upholding legal requirements
4. Communication and correspondence