Management Team/Statutes

From OpenStreetMap Foundation

A document that explains what the Management Team is, how it works, and what powers it has. Written by Matt Amos, and (in the 2013-06-18 version) approved by the OSMF board in their meeting on 2013-06-20.

Management Team

(version: 2013-06-18)

The role of the management team is to ensure the smooth running of the WGs and to help them reach their goals. The list of activities and responsibilities below is a sketch, and it is anticipated that it will evolve over the course of the MT’s existence.

Responsibilities

  • Reporting
    • Collect reports on all WG and board activities.
      • Ensure that these groups are reporting regularly on their activities.
      • Ensure that these reports are available on the OSMF website.
    • Produce regular quarterly summary / highlight (containing most important / salient decisions and events) for communication:
      • on OSMF website
      • to the board
      • via CWG to membership (and on OSMF blog, perhaps edited for clarity / interest outside the OSMF).
    • Collect reports on board activity and regularly (quarterly) distribute to each WG as relevant to their activities (much of this information may well have been distributed already - this is to ensure that no-one misses anything that might be important to them).
  • Planning
    • Facilitate planning by WGs
    • Collect WG plans on a regular annual basis to share between WGs, with the OSMF membership and board.
    • Aggregate feedback from WGs, membership and board to include in next planning cycle.
    • MT is responsible for approving plans, in accordance with published board guidelines.
  • Communication
    • Facilitate communication between WGs
    • Ensure that WGs are aware of each-others’ plans and activities.
    • Facilitate cooperation between WGs where there are common goals.
  • Budget
    • Produce annual budget forecasts based on current plans for board approval.
    • MT is responsible for authorising spend in accordance with an approved budget.
    • MT is responsible for keeping total spend below the authorised level, although MT may decide to redistribute funds within the budget if the situation requires.
  • Administration
    • Facilitate the smooth working of the WGs - note that direct intervention in a WG should be considered an extraordinary measure, and should not happen in the normal course of business.
    • Ensure that WG meetings are taking place regularly. If they are not, take such steps as are necessary to revive the WG, or even dissolve it (in extremis).
    • MT is responsible for the approval, creation, administration and dissolution of WGs as a matter of delegation of responsibility from the board.
    • MT is responsible for approving and maintaining policy documents (e.g: proposed by WGs - see “Policy Procedure” below) as OSMF policy, in accordance with published board guidelines.
    • MT is responsible for verifying that WGs operate within the policies which have been set. WGs operating out of policy may require extra help to review their policies and/or actions.
    • Ensure that each WG has:
      • Appropriate contact details on the OSMF website.
      • Details of the method or contact to use when applying to join.

Attendees at meetings

  • The MT Chair, or an authorised delegate.
  • At least one attendee from each WG to keep the MT up-to-date with WG activities and communicate back to the WG. Note that this does not have to be the WG Chair.
  • Others, at the invitation of the MT Chair, or WGs.
  • Some meetings may be “open”, at which no sensitive material may be discussed, and are open to the general OSMF membership. The scheduling of “open” meetings is up to the MT to decide and publish.

Chairman

The role of the Chairman is to ensure the MT meets the goals set out in this document. The requirements and responsibilities below are a sketch, and it is anticipated that the scope of the role will evolve and change in partnership with the Chairman.

It is expected that the role of Chairman will be time-consuming. For this reason, we prefer candidates who are able to give it their full attention (i.e: holding no other OSMF posts) and, if necessary, a stipend may be available.

Requirements

  1. The Chairman will not be a Chairman or Secretary of any other OSMF body.
  2. The Chairman will not be a member of the OSMF board of directors.
  3. The Chairman ideally would not be a member of any other OSMF body.

Responsibilities

  • Reporting
    • Facilitate and coordinate the meetings of the MT and ensure reports are published.
    • The Chairman should attend board meetings.
  • Planning
    • Assist MT attendees with planning and ensure adequate planning has taken place.
  • Communication
    • Ensure comprehensive minutes of MT activities are published wherever possible.
    • Coordinate with WGs & board to ensure regular and timely information flow.

Spending against budgets

In order to track spending against budgets accurately and without approximation:

  • WG & MT members, when entering expense reimbursement claims or requesting an invoice payment, will make it clear which WG / budget area the spend is against. (In the description?)
  • Each month, the OSMF Treasurer will provide a report to MT consisting of all line items of spending for which a WG / budget area has been provided. (Note: the procedure for doing this is just a proposal and is subject to further discussion on a workable solution)
  • WGs will check each of these reports against their expectations and flag any discrepancies to MT and the Treasurer.

Policy Procedure

From time to time, the need for a new policy or a modification to an existing policy will be identified. This section sets out the procedure for policy amendment:

  • A need is identified, and communicated to the WG responsible for that area. If no working group is responsible the request should go to either the most appropriate WG or MT.
  • If a WG does not feel that it is the most appropriate place to start this procedure, it should forward the request to MT.
  • MT may delegate the request to a WG as it feels appropriate - which may involve forming a new or temporary WG.
  • The WG carries out such research and/or consultation as it feels appropriate, and formulates a policy proposal, which it then puts forward to MT.
  • MT may:
    • PASS the policy proposal, in which case it is enacted,
    • REJECT the policy proposal, in which case it is returned to the WG along with feedback appropriate to its improvement.
    • FORWARD the policy proposal to other groups for wider discussion, for example: amongst the OSMF membership and/or board.
    • DROP the policy proposal, in which case it is not enacted.
  • MT is expected to FORWARD the proposal where enacting the policy would have significant impact on the activities of OSMF members, and the wider OSM community. While not every policy will require a full public consultation, MT is expected to exercise good judgement in circulating policy proposals such that the wider community is aware of such proposals where the proposal would significantly influence their activities in the project.
  • MT is expected to DROP a proposal only when the need which originated the proposal has dissipated, or the proposal has been superseded by another.
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