2021-10-13
Every condo owners association has officers that comprise the board. Among those officers, most HOAs have a board Vice President—but what do they actually do?
All board members must understand the community's needs and roles and execute them well. When constructing your community association board and defining roles, knowing what the vice president is responsible for helps the community choose the best person for the volunteer job. What does your association's vice president do? Our community association management experts weigh in!
What Is the Vice President's Role?
While some might think that the role of vice president is simply ceremonial, it's actually a critical role for condominium associations. When documenting the responsibilities for this board member, make sure they are willing and able to handle the following aspects of the volunteer position.
Filling In When the Board President Is Unavailable
The board's president and vice president must stay in close communication throughout their terms in these roles. When the homeowners association president isn't available for a meeting or when working through budget planning decisions and other community matters, the vice president steps in to oversee tasks the president would do if present.
Your vice president also serves an important role when a condo association works with an outside association management company. When the president isn't available, they become the liaison between a professional community manager, the board, and the community. In many instances, the vice president and president share responsibilities so that the community experiences seamless leadership when one or the other is absent from a meeting or planning session.
Handles Delegated Tasks
While the president and the vice president often share responsibilities, the board's VP must also handle specific tasks delegated to them by the president or board. These tasks can include coordinating social events, requesting and reviewing vendor bids from a property management company, reviewing maintenance needs and coordinating repairs, and managing association employees (if applicable). If your board is small and doesn't have many directors, the tasks on the vice president's plate could be substantial.
Oversees Community Association Committees
Heading up various HOA committees helps board members on those committees with consistent operating procedures and direction to fulfill their roles. A vice president might have an influence in choosing the best members for specific committees. They can also run meetings and navigate requests from the community and get them to the appropriate committee for review and response.
While it's important that your community association managers don't allow the vice president to "take over" or unduly influence committee activities, the VP plays an essential operational role in managing committees and how they serve the community.
What Should Your Condo Owner Association Look For In a Good Vice President?
So, who makes a good vice president for your HOA board? You can probably think of a few people who would not make an effective VP before you can identify board members who are ideal for the role.
When thinking through the candidates for this supporting role on your board, look for specific traits or qualities that are ideal for the volunteer position. A professional community association manager recommends that an excellent homeowner association vice president should:
- Be consistent in meeting attendance and their commitment to serving the community
- Have good leadership skills
- Be calm in the face of conflict or resident complaints
- Work well with other board members and the president
- Communicate well with the board and homeowners
- Be available
- Have a level head when working through rule enforcement or other issues
- Build good relationships within the community and with vendors
- Not overstep their role
Does this sound like anyone on your existing board? Sometimes board members aren't ideal for this role right away. However, after serving in other capacities and building their strengths and relationships in the community, they can rise to the challenge of an effective vice president.
A Community Management Company Helps Define Leadership Roles
When it's time to select a vice president (or any other roles within your community association management team), working with a professional management company can help HOAs and condo association boards identify and define roles, then help guide you through what to look for and the best candidates for the volunteer positions. Building an effective board is critical for serving your community well and supporting healthy communities!
Support Your HOA In Every Role With a Community Association Management Company!
Whether your condo owners association board is large or small, every role matters! Sometimes the support and insights you need to place the right members in the ideal roles can come from a professional management company with plenty of experience supporting boards of all shapes and sizes. If you're defining roles or working through board member selections, let Trestle Community Management help! Our community managers offer consulting services for community associations and condominium associations. We can also deliver full-service management if your board could use our entire suite of available services. Reach out soon to learn more!
Learn more about effective HOA boards! Download your free copy of "Best Practices for HOA Operations: A Checklist."
