News for paid-up members. It's general election time. The current Council of the World Public Health Nutrition Association (the Association) is being dissolved, to be replaced by what will be our new governing body, the Association's Executive Committee, which will be supported by an Advisory Council.

Barrie Margetts, Association president, explains: 'Our current Council, which was elected in 2010, has served us well, as have so many other Association members. The evidence is clear. Two examples are our magnificently successful Rio2012 congress, with our Brazilian partner Abrasco, and our flourishing website together with World Nutrition whose contributors include many Association members.

'Now though, we are entering a whole new phase of development. Most importantly, much of our work from now on will be on major public health nutrition projects where we believe we have special competence. We have also decided to give more emphasis on professional development, globally and also with a special focus on Africa. Plus we have also agreed to give our communications, which include our social media and the home page of our website, as well as World Nutrition, more prominence.

'All this means that we need a new governing body with active working members responsible for specific Association work, or else for convening and leading designated projects. In addition, we will ensure the strategic advice and guidance we need by means of our new Advisory Council, whose members, drawn from a range of associated disciplines as well as from public health nutrition, will be appointed by our Executive Committee. The current Council will remain in place until the time of the first meeting of the Executive Committee.

'This new arrangement should make us fully fit to face the challenges of this decade and beyond, and better able to fulfil our mission'.

Our Executive Committee: Would you like to serve?

Membership of the Executive Committee, as the Association's governing body, is a substantial responsibility. Members serve for four years, and after that may stand for election to serve for a further four years. (The President serves for one term of four years). All currently paid-up members of the Association are eligible to vote in our elections, and also are eligible to apply to become a member of the Executive Committee. We expect that candidates will have proven relevant experience.

We encourage members from the global South, women, and younger members, to stand. Applicants with less experience who apply but are not elected, may be selected to become a member of a relevant Executive Committee member's team, and in this way they will gain more experience.

If you would like to be a candidate, please fill in the application form by downloading it here and once you have completed it, send it to wphnasecretariat@gmail.com

Before you make a decision whether or not to apply, please carefully read the information that follows. The deadline to send your application is Friday 31 August at 23.59 GMT. (Please check the time difference between where you are, and GMT!).

Are you a voting member?

This month of August is the first stage of the election process, in which currently paid-up Association members who have no directly conflicting interests, can apply to be elected as Executive Committee members. If you are an Association member and have paid your annual subscription within this last year (as from 1 September 2011), you are eligible to vote.

If you are not sure if you have paid in this time, or if you think you may have a direct conflicted interest (for example, employment by sectors of the food industry whose interests do or may conflict with those of public health) please contact wphnasecretariat@gmail.com.

If you are not now currently paid-up but wish to join now in this month of August so that you can apply to be elected as a member of the executive committee, or simply to vote, please click here. If you would like to renew your membership, click here.

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Schedule

The election schedule is as follows:
1-31 August	Time for applications for election to Executive Committee
1-4 September	Scrutiny of applications to ensure validity
5-20 September	Voting
21-24 September	Scrutiny of votes
25-30 September	Prepare results
1 October	Results announced on website and in newsletter
18 October	First teleconference of Executive Committee

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Posts on the Executive Committee

All the elected posts on the Executive Committee, with the exception of that of President, are now open for election. Some of these correspond to positions on the current Council, others do not. Those holding a post on the current Council who wish to continue, or to take another post, are asked to make their application now.

Each post is open for direct election. Candidates are asked to apply for a specific post. The application forms ask candidates to specify their qualifications for the post. they are applying for. If these details are not completed or are inadequate the scrutineers may disqualify the candidate.

Requirements: general

Teamwork
Executive Committee members are expected to be team leaders and as such, convenors of sub-committees in their areas of work. These may take the form of task forces reporting on specific issues. As such, they will identify a deputy who will stand in for them as needs arise. They will also identify and as appropriate train other team members to carry out specific tasks in their areas of work.

Promotion
All Executive Committee members are expected to promote the Association and its work whenever they can; to recruit new members and retain existing members; when possible and appropriate to form regional groups of members; to propose ideas, contacts and contributions to the Association's website and to World Nutrition; and to play an active part in progressing the Association's strategic plan.

Workload
Executive Committee members should expect to be engaged in Association work on average for at least half a day or four hours a week. There will be periods of intense work including unsocial hours. Some posts demand more time, at least until teams are built up and work shared. Any elected member who is unable to progress required work over a reasonable period of time, will be asked to stand down or else to accept a less demanding position.

Meetings
The Executive Committee meets by telephone conference, every two months. All members are asked to read meeting agenda papers, prepare papers on request, attend meetings, and take note of and follow Committee agreements as noted.

Responsibilities of the Committee as a whole
As the governing body of the Association, the Executive Committee is responsible for all aspects of its work. These include the soundness of its administration and finance, and the progress of its strategic plan. Specific tasks are delegated to Committee members as specified below.

Alternate President, and co-options
The Committee as a whole is responsible for nominating one of its members as Alternate President, who will act as President as needs arise. The Committee will also co-opted people as members to fill posts not filled by election, to convene projects, or for other purposes.

Members
Members all have specific tasks with front-line responsibilities, subject to the two-monthly Executive Committee discussions and agreements. Members are expected to present written reports on their work to the Executive Committee usually every six months, and substantial reports as required from time to time and to General Assemblies of Association members.

The following post is open for election not now but in 2014 when the post-holder will retire:

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President
Post-holder: Barrie Margetts
Provides leadership for the Association. Chairs formal meetings of and on behalf of the Association. Takes overall responsibility for delivery of the Association's strategic plan. Represents the Association on the boards of other relevant organisations. Takes special responsibility for Association areas of work as needs arise (for example, in the event of crucial vacancies or absences, or for new areas of work).

The following posts (which include several new posts) are open for election now:

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General Secretary
Current post-holder: Sabrina Ionata de Oliveira (1)
Administers the Association (other than financial affairs) and its formal documents, including its statutes and its annual report and accounts. Convenes the Executive Committee and the Advisory Council, and is responsible for their agenda, agenda papers and notes. Takes responsibility between meetings for progression of strategic plan. Convenes general meetings of Association members. Supervises elections.
(1) is not standing for election to this post

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Treasurer
Post currently vacant
Administers the financial affairs of the Association. Manages accounts and budgets other than those delegated to project convenors. Oversees activities of the Association that involve income and expenditure. Ensures that Association conferences generate a surplus. Coordinates all fund-raising activities. Supplies financial information for the annual report. Manages the accountant and auditors.

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Projects Director
New post
Co-ordinates all Association projects for which convenors have direct responsibility. Supports project convenors in their work. Takes special responsibility for the Association's strategic plan especially inasmuch as this relates to projects. Seeks new projects within the Association's capabilities that are liable to prove important, influential, and sources of income.

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Membership Secretary
Current post-holder: Fabio Gomes
Manages all aspects of membership, recruitment of new members and retention of existing members. Oversees membership application systems, membership records, and members' profiles published on the Association's website. Builds and maintains regional membership centres and convenors. Identifies members to work for the Association including website and World Nutrition contributions and assistance.

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Publications Secretary
Current post-holder: Geoffrey Cannon Editor of World Nutrition. Directs and supervises the work of assistant editors and contributors to the journal. Controls its design, art and picture direction. Convenes its Board and develops its contributors. Oversees the work of the web manager responsible for assembling the journal. Directs other Association publications such as books, the annual report, prospectuses and presentations.

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External affairs Secretary
Post currently vacant
Projects and advocates the Association to all other relevant entities, organisations and key policy-makers and other leaders, at all levels including international and national, other than those for which the President is directly responsible, including those suitable for collaborations and joint ventures and policy initiatives. Identifies key issues and challenges as these do or may affect the Association.

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Information Secretary
New post
Directs the Association's home-page (its website as distinct from World Nutrition). Develops contacts and networks with other organisations, and with conferences, other events, and sources of information. Directs the Association's social media activities. Directs the Association's newsletter emailed monthly to all members and general mailing list and is responsible for expansion of this list.

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Professional affairs Secretary
Current post-holder: Roger Hughes
Oversees all Association activities relating to its mission as the global professional representative organisation in its field. These include development and maintenance of the professional code of the Association, of professional capacity development, and the formal certification of qualified public health nutritionists. Works in liaison with other organisations and initiatives with similar objectives.

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Regions Secretary (Africa)
New post
Takes special responsibility for sub-Saharan Africa on behalf of the Association, in close liaison with the Membership Secretary and the Professional Affairs Secretary. Builds up networks of Association members and at the same time works to develop capacity in various regions, including English, French and Portuguese-speaking countries, in liaison with existing African organisations.

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Conferences Secretary
Post currently vacant
Oversees conferences for which the Association has sole or shared responsibility. These especially include the Delhi2016 conference to be held in partnership with the Public Health Foundation of India and the Indian Nutrition Society. Ensures with the Treasurer that conferences generate a surplus of funds. Oversees process of agreeing local partners and convenes organising committees in liaison with partners.

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