Call for Applications: Board Directors

Friday, September 20, 2019

About Access Copyright

For over 30 years, Access Copyright has facilitated content use for educational and professional purposes. Access Copyright has helped people make customized use of published materials combined with an assurance that the original creators and publishers also benefit, so that they can continue creating new and innovative works. This is vitally important to a strong Canadian culture and to all who rely on quality publications.

Serving on our Board

Access Copyright’s Board of Directors play an integral role in ensuring the organization can carry out its social mission to facilitate content use for educational and professional purposes while ensuring that the original creators and publishers also benefit, so that they can continue creating new and innovative works.

Board directors determine policy as well as the organization’s strategic direction, make high-level decisions and provide guidance to senior management.

Serving as a Board Director means participating in an organization that is proactively working to ensure creators and publishers will be fairly compensated for the use of their works in an increasingly digitally connected world while also being a strong advocate for creator-centered innovation as well as fair compensation.

If you have the passion, perspective and experience to contribute to Access Copyright, our Nominating Committee would like to hear from you.

We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates who reside outside of Ontario, are from an equity-seeking community*, and have background in any or all the following areas:

Visual arts
Education and/or multinational publishing
Exploring and developing new models in digital publishing

Desirable Requirements:

Experience as a working visual artist and/or publishing professional as well as applicable industry knowledge;
Interest in current changes occurring in the creator and publishing world, including technology and digital issues;
Strong belief that creators and publishers should be fairly compensated while also sensitive to the challenges and needs of content users;
Understanding of basic financial and investment practices for businesses;
Demonstrated skills in communications, negotiations and listening;
Able to think strategically and laterally.

Also Interested in Candidates with:

Previous Board experience;
Understanding of copyright, and the current legislative and political environment;
Knowledge of the needs of the education and user communities;
Knowledge of licensing and contracts;
Knowledge of how copyright collectives work;
Demonstrated skills in lobbying, problem solving, policy making and risk assessment.

Commitment

Access Copyright is a non-profit organization, and Board directors serve on a volunteer basis and receive a small honoraria on a semi-annual basis.

Directors of the Access Copyright Board are elected by members to serve a three-year term. The Board meets for a full-day four times a year in Toronto, typically on a Friday in June, September, December and April of the following year. Directors are also expected to attend the Access Copyright Annual General Meeting which falls on the day after the April Board meeting. Additionally, directors serving on a committee(s) can also expect to meet quarterly via teleconference. Four Board and committee meetings via teleconference may be called, as required, throughout the year with appropriate advance notice.

Board members travelling to Toronto from outside of the Greater Toronto Area are entitled to claim reimbursement for travel and accommodation related to attending in-person meetings throughout the year.

How to Apply

Individuals interested in applying to serve on the Access Copyright Board are invited to send in a resumé and cover letter summarizing their qualifications to Robert Gilbert, Communications Specialist at Access Copyright, at info@accesscopyright.ca. The deadline for applications is October 31, 2019.

We thank everyone for their interest but only those selected for an interview by the Nominating Committee will be contacted. Candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee as director candidates to the Board for a three-year term must be approved by the membership at the 2019 Access Copyright Annual General Meeting in Toronto on April 24, 2020.

Access Copyright is committed to providing accommodations for people with disabilities. If you require an accommodation, we will work with you to meet your needs. Kindly let us know of your needs.

*From the City of Toronto Glossary of Access and Equity Terms: "Employment Equity designated groups refers to social groups whose members had historically been denied equal access to employment, education, social services, housing because of membership in the group. The designated groups in Canada are visible minorities, women, Aboriginal peoples, and people with disabilities." For more information, go to: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/services/appointment-framework/employment-equity-diversity/employment-equity-groups.html