President, chief executive.
Leads the Congress as chief executive and chief spokesperson, and carries out the programs and budget the Directors approve.
Key responsibilities, with references.
Leadership
- Serves as chief executive officer and chief spokesperson of INC-USA.
- Leads the execution of Board-approved programs and budgets, within delegated limits.
- Appoints committee chairs, subject to Board confirmation where required. Committees work under written charters and report quarterly.
- With the Executive Committee, proposes the annual budget and major contracts for the Directors' vote.
- Agrees a simple yearly plan with the Executive Committee and checks progress against it at each quarterly meeting.
Meetings
- Presides over Board meetings and Executive Committee meetings.
- A Board meeting can be called to order only when the President (or the Vice President) is present to preside.
- As presiding officer, states the parliamentary authority (Robert's Rules of Order) at the start of each meeting.
- Makes sure needed meetings are called. If the President or Secretary fails to, two-thirds of Directors and two-thirds of Patrons can compel a Special Board meeting.
- Holds a short regular call with the other officers between Board meetings.
Money
- May approve small purchases up to $500 (as may the Treasurer), with a receipt.
- Is one of the two authorizers, with the Treasurer, for payments above $500.
Reporting and elections
- Provides quarterly program updates and an annual report to the Regions.
- With the Executive Committee, proposes the slate of Electoral Officers at least 90 days before an election Convention.
Who you work with.
Time and skills.
About 8 to 12 hours a week
Expect more in the three months before the Convention and around Board meetings. On top of that, every officer attends the quarterly Board meetings (virtual attendance counts) and the Convention weekend.
This is an estimate to help you plan, not a rule in the Constitution.
- Chairing meetings fairly and keeping them to time
- Speaking for the Congress in public and to partners
- Building agreement across Regions with different priorities
- Reading a budget and a budget-versus-actual report
- Delegating and following up without doing everyone's job
The only requirements to stand are the eligibility rules below.
- Served in a position in your Region. You have served in a position in your Region (an officer role or a recognised committee leadership role) for at least one year in the past five years. This is required. Only a supermajority of the Directors (two-thirds of all Directors then in office) can waive it.Art. XII §12.2
- Member in good standing of a recognized Region. You belong to a recognized INC-USA Region and are in good standing with it. Members of the National-At-Large Affiliate program cannot hold national office unless they are members of a recognized Region.Art. XII §12.2; Art. III §3.5
- Written endorsement from your Region. Your Region endorses your candidacy in writing. Your Regional President or Region Secretary is the usual person to ask.Art. XII §12.2; Appendix C §C3
- Signed Candidate Eligibility and Conflict-of-Interest Declaration. You sign the declaration (Appendix N). It confirms your eligibility and discloses any interest that could conflict with the office.Art. XII §12.2; Appendix N
If you are a Regional President. A Regional President sits on the Board as a voting Director and cannot hold an Executive Committee office at the same time. If elected, you must resign as Regional President before taking the Oath of Office. Art. IX §9.3
Term. 2 years. At most 2 consecutive terms in the same office, then a one-term break before serving in that office again. Art. X §10.3
A good first year looks like this.
Suggested
- A short written plan for the term, shared with the Directors in the first quarter
- Four quarterly Board meetings held, each properly noticed and minuted
- Committee chairs appointed and confirmed, each committee with a written charter
- Quarterly program updates sent to the Regions on time
- An annual report presented to the Regions at the Convention
Suggested outcomes to aim for, not requirements.
What every officer signs up to.
- Swear or affirm the Oath of Office: uphold the Constitution and Bylaws, protect the Organization's funds, records and reputation, disclose and avoid conflicts, and respect confidentiality.
- Act within the approved budget, delegated spending limits and adopted policies.
- Attend the quarterly Board meetings (virtual attendance counts) and the two Board meetings of Convention weekend. Officers take part without a vote; the Directors vote.
- Complete a conflict-of-interest disclosure every year and update it when something changes.
- Follow the Code of Conduct: keep personal opinions separate from official statements, and leave official statements to approved spokespersons.
- At the end of the term, hand over records, bank access, passwords and project documents to the incoming officer.
- Serve as a volunteer. Officers may be removed for cause by a two-thirds roll-call vote of all Directors then in office.
- Airfare support for an approved in-person pre-Convention planning meeting is limited to two officers: the President and the Secretary.
Stand for President? Start here.
The Candidate Information Form takes about 15 to 20 minutes, with this office already selected. You will need the name and email of your Regional President or Region Secretary for the endorsement. The application window opens by Wednesday, March 3, 2027.
Source. These descriptions follow the Constitution and Bylaws, adopted Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Convention 2026 in San Francisco.