Global Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Alliance

Structure and Function of GFRA Executive Committee

(Comprised of GFRA partners)

The GFRA Executive Committee will consist of six positions, as described below. In addition, there will be shadow roles to ensure succession.

Election of new members to the GFRA Executive Committee is made by GFRA partners every two years during a roll call of the GFRA partners via e-mail, teleconference, or a General Assembly of the GFRA.

The President position is filled from a country that is endemic for FMD.

Positions are filled with GFRA partners who have recently been actively involved in the organisation and activities of the GFRA.

The current Executive Committee members will approach potential replacements when the current members are no longer in a position to perform their duties on the Executive Committee.

In addition, nominations for positions on the Executive Committee could be made by any GFRA partner every two years.

President

  • Elected for a two-year term
  • Work closely with the Executive Committee to ensure the GFRA vision reaches globally
  • Recruit new partners, collaborators, and stakeholders
  • Represents the GFRA at all official meetings and functions, or delegates to Executive Committee members as needed
  • Responsible for organising and chairing the GFRA scientific workshops, including logistics and selecting relevant topics for the scientific program in collaboration with the Science Director and Executive Committee Members
  • Engage with Executive Committee members to secure funding and sponsors to support participation of FMD scientists worldwide, with special emphasis on developing countries
  • Write a report following the GFRA scientific workshop with the assistance of Executive Committee members

Past President

  • Previous President remains on the Executive Committee for an additional two years
  • Primary role is to support the new President
  • Provides continuity and support for on-going and new GFRA initiatives

Chief Executive (CE)

  • Work with Executive Committee to ensure the GFRA strategic goals are implemented, remain relevant and adjust goals if necessary
  • Works with the Executive Secretary to ensure an active communications program is in place and the GFRA website is updated as needed
  • Work closely with the Executive Committee to identify new regions where GFRA needs to be promoted, identify critical individuals and engage them to take up this task
  • Responsible for operations, chairing Executive Committee meetings, ensuring the newsletter and reports are published
  • Work closely with the President in organising and facilitating GFRA scientific workshops and other GFRA functions
  • Work closely with the Science Director in organizing GFRA workshops in conjunction with other FMD meetings such as EUFMD
  • Work with the Finance Director and assist in fund raising
  • Chair the biennial GFRA conference organising committee

Executive Secretary

  • Organise teleconferences in conjunction with the CE and providing agendas and minutes
  • Assist Finance Director with fund raising
  • Responsible for maintaining the website
  • Assist CE in compiling mailing lists for various activities
  • Assist CE with publishing and distributing reports and newsletters
  • Contact relevant institutions to publish GFRA reports on their institution websites

Finance Director

  • Responsible for fund raising to ensure participation at workshops
  • Work closely with Executive Committee members and stakeholders to obtain sponsors to support the activities of the GFRA
  • Responsible for engaging with FAO to obtain funding for secretarial assistance with reports
  • With the assistance of the CE, responsible for feedback to funders on outcomes of workshops
  • Responsible for financial reconciliation if necessary

Science Director

  • Maintain scientific contact with all GFRA partners and provide regular feedback to the Executive Committee
  • Assist President with science reports
  • Provide leadership in identifying research gaps with feedback to the Executive Committee for action
  • Engage with organizations with a stake in FMD research (EUFMD, FAO, OIE) and partner with them to organise GFRA scientific workshops
  • Organise the scientific programme for GFRA conference and EUFMD sessions

Succession positions

  • At least 4 members to help the ExCo in various roles to determine if they want to join the GFRA Executive committee continue and to identify positions they are interested in.