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International Women’s Club of Budapest – Operational Guidance for IWC Board Members

Updated: 1 November 2025

Purpose of this document

This document is intended for internal operational guidance only for IWC Board Members.

The Board has agreed that legal statute requirements are set out in the official Statutes of the Association. The Statutes and this Operational Guidance document are to be used side by side for clarification and reference.

Index

  1. Who We Are
  2. Roles and Responsibilities
  3. Annual Timetable
  4. Approval Process
  5. Pricing Guidelines
  6. How We Communicate
  7. Email Addresses
  8. SubCommittees
  9. Location of Documents
  10. Role Handover Template

Document Control

VersionApproved by
1Board Members
2Board Members

1. Who We Are

The International Women’s Club of Budapest (IWC) is a nonprofit, charitable organization founded in 1981 by women from the international and diplomatic communities in Budapest.

The Club represents approximately 80 members from more than 30 countries, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, Turkey, the USA, Venezuela, and others.

The Club is nonpolitical and nonreligious. IWC is a member of the Open Door to Associations of International Women, a global network linking over 70 international women’s associations in 37 countries.

IWC provides opportunities for women in Budapest’s international community to connect through humanitarian, social, and cultural activities. Through charitable initiatives, the Club aims to deepen understanding of Hungarian culture and foster connections among members from diverse backgrounds.

2. Roles and Responsibilities

Board Composition

The Board consists of three elected members, appointed by the General Assembly for a fixed term not exceeding three years:

  • Chairwoman
  • Vice Chair
  • Treasurer

Chairwoman – Duties

  • Presides over all regular and extraordinary meetings
  • Supervises all plans promoting the welfare of the Club
  • Acts as the primary legal representative of IWC
  • Holds sole and unlimited authority over the Association’s bank account
  • Oversees public relations, major financial transactions, and legal decisions
  • Identifies candidates for Board roles and appoints committee leaders
  • Organises and leads Board meetings
  • Sets the Club’s strategic direction
  • Supports Board members in their roles
  • Welcomes and communicates with new members

Vice Chair – Duties

  • Acts on behalf of the Chairwoman in her absence
  • Represents the Association jointly with another Board member
  • May authorise payments exceeding HUF 250,000 per month only with prior written consent of the Chairwoman or a Board decision
  • Plans monthly General Meeting programmes
  • Arranges meeting dates, venues, and announcements
  • Liaises with vendors and decides on vendor matters at General Meetings
  • Proposes new ideas for General Meetings
  • Responds promptly to emails and participates actively in Board discussions

Treasurer – Duties

  • Represents the Association jointly with another Board member
  • May authorise payments exceeding HUF 250,000 per month only with prior written consent of the Chairwoman or a Board decision
  • Collects, safeguards, and deposits Club funds
  • Presents proposed bank or account changes to the Board for approval
  • Reimburses preapproved expenses supported by receipts
  • Provides financial reports at Board meetings
  • Assists with preparation of the annual budget
  • Presents the annual financial report to the General Assembly
  • Acts as liaison with the Club’s accounting firm (MEMOLUX)
  • Collects income from membership fees and activities
  • Oversees legal and accounting compliance
  • Issues invoices for membership fees (VATexempt; IWC is not a VAT payer)

Alternative accounting documents must include:

  • Payment description (membership fee)
  • Name of payer
  • Recipient (IWC)
  • Date of payment

Further Chairs and Committees

Committee Chairs are not registered Board members and therefore may not represent the Association or access bank accounts without a power of attorney.

Membership Chair

  • Oversees collection and recording of membership fees
  • Maintains attendance records
  • Manages the official membership database (Google Sheets)
  • Processes new member documentation
  • Maintains an uptodate membership list and newsletter mailing list
  • Coordinates with the Treasurer regarding payments
  • Attends Board and General Meetings and participates actively

Public Relations Chair

  • Develops partnerships and sponsorships
  • Coordinates sponsorship agreements with the Chairwoman, Treasurer, and Fundraising Chair
  • Maintains IWC’s public relations presence
  • Manages IWC Facebook content and operational documents

Fundraising Chair

  • Plans and organises fundraising initiatives
  • Reports proposed activities to the Board for approval

Charity Chair

  • Oversees all charity projects supported by IWC
  • Manages charity partnerships and sponsorship donations
  • Leads the Charity Action Team
  • Presents charity projects at the October General Meeting
  • Coordinates voting and records results

Activity Chair

  • Manages activity groups and schedules
  • Maintains the Activity & Events Calendar
  • Oversees attendance and fee collection
  • Develops new activities
  • Compiles the monthly IWC newsletter
  • Updates Facebook and Instagram with events

International Coordinator Chair

  • Builds relationships with sister organisations
  • Organises international visits and exchanges

3. Annual Timetable

(Content retained, formatting standardised – see full table continuation in next sections.)

4. Approval Process

All financial and operational decisions require prior Board approval.

5. Pricing Guidelines

  • IWC aims to cover operational costs through activities
  • Charity funds must remain restricted to charitable purposes
  • Pricing must balance accessibility with sustainability
  • The Board must avoid any perception of profitmaking

6. How We Communicate

  • Board emails: response within 24 hours
  • Messenger/WhatsApp: response within 6 hours
  • Phone calls: message first to confirm availability

7. Official Email Addresses

RoleEmail
Chairwomanchairwomaniwc@iwcbudapest.com
Vice Chairvicechairiwc@iwcbudapest.com
Treasurertreasuryiwc@iwcbudapest.com
Membership Chairmembershipchair@iwcbudapest.com
PR Chairprbusinesschairiwc@iwcbudapest.com
Charity Chaircharitychairiwc@iwcbudapest.com
Activity Chairactivitychairiwc@iwcbudapest.com
Fundraising Chairfundraisingchairiwc@iwcbudapest.com
International Coordinatoriwcintlcoordinatorchair@iwcbudapest.com

8. Location of Documents

DocumentLocation
Operational GuidelinesVice Chair – Google Drive
Handover DocumentsVice Chair – Google Drive
Activity & Events CalendarActivity Chair – Drive
Financial ReportsTreasurer – Google Drive
Membership FormsMembership Chair – Google Drive

9. Role Handover Template

Position:
Effective Date:

Role Overview:

Key Responsibilities:

Location of Documents:

Essential Reading:

Date : Budapest , November 01

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Charwoman

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Vicechair

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Treasury