Archived - This content has been developed for the transition binder for the NRC President, December 2020
Mandate
The Senior Executive Committee (SEC) acts as the main internal decision‑making body in all matters pertaining to the National Research Council's (NRC's) operations. SEC ensures the achievement of NRC's performance, objectives and outcomes; maintains compliance with policy and regulatory requirements; and maximizes the impact of NRC's investments in compliance with NRC's mandate and priorities.
SEC derives its authority from its Chairperson, the President of NRC.
Membership
SEC is composed of the President and all Vice‑Presidents and Vice‑President equivalents who report to the President. This includes:
- NRC President (as Chairperson)
- Line VPs (Research Divisions, Industrial Research Assistance Program, and Chief Digital Research Officer)
- Corporate VPs (Business and Professional Services, Corporate Services and CFO, Human Resources and Secretary General)
- Special Advisors to the President
- Chief Science Officer
The Director General of Communication Branch attends SEC meetings as an observer.
Along with the Secretary to the Committee, the President's Chief of Staff attends SEC meetings.
Responsibilities and duties
Key areas of responsibility for SEC
- Establishes overall strategic direction, including the approval of multi‑year strategic plans
- Approves NRC's high‑level overarching frameworks, strategies and plans related to:
- program design and delivery
- communications and engagement
- real property and security
- health and safety
- information management and information technology
- human resources
- Approves annual corporate priorities and the corporate risk profile
- Approves progress reports on the implementation of corporate priorities and risk response strategies
- Monitors all Areas of Management (AoM) of the Management Accountability Framework (MAF), for example financial management, information management and information technology management, people management, and approves the management response to all MAF action plans
- Approves management responses to audit reports
- Approves NRC's annual operating plan and annual division‑level operational budgets, monitors progress and initiates corrective measures as necessary, including in‑year financial adjustments recommended by the Financial Management Committee
- Approves NRC's Investment Plan, investment performance measurement and reporting frameworks
- Approves investments in assets and major capital projects
- Approves major change to NRC's organizational structure
- Approves internal financial, HR and administrative policies
- Acts as the NRC Performance Measurement and Evaluation Committee (PMEC)
- Provides general coordination among the responsibility areas its members
- Provides linkages with the NRC Council
Key areas of responsibility for the Chairperson
SEC meetings are chaired by the NRC President.
The major responsibilities of the Chairperson include:
- setting the agendas for Committee meetings;
- setting the schedule of meetings; and
- convening and presiding over the meetings.
If the Chairperson is unavailable, he/she will name a replacement Chairperson.
Support to the Committee
Secretarial support is provided by the Corporate Secretariat, reporting to the Secretary General.
Meetings
Frequency
SEC meets monthly, with additional meetings as needed, as determined by the Chairperson.
Quorum
To achieve quorum, a meeting requires the participation of the Chairperson, four Line VPs and two Corporate VPs.
Members may be replaced by an alternate at the Director General or Executive Director level, who have delegated authority for that member.
Preparation and attendance by members
To enhance the effectiveness of Committee meetings, each member is expected to devote the time needed to prepare for and participate in each meeting by reading background and reference materials provided by the secretariat in advance of the meeting.
To ensure good engagement, Committee meetings take place in‑person; however, participation by video or teleconferences may be accommodated with notice in certain circumstances.
Attendance by non‑members
Committee members may ask other representatives of the NRC to attend meetings as necessary to inform deliberations.
Records of decision
Minutes of each meeting are prepared by the secretariat. The minutes will contain a record of the persons present and decisions taken, as well as a high‑level summary of the discussion.
Minutes will be submitted for SEC approval a maximum of 30 days from the date of the meeting.
Committee members will inform the appropriate staff in their divisions of decisions taken by SEC.
Decision making
SEC makes decisions based on general agreement, with final decisions taken by the Chairperson. Between meetings, decisions may be made secretarially where the responses must meet the quorum established above (section 4.2).
Operations
Committees Reporting to SEC
SEC regularly (at least annually) receives reports and recommendations from the Chairs of the following standing committees:
- Financial Management Committee
- Investment Management Committee
- Human Resources Promotion Committees (Research Officer and Research Council Officer)
- Program Review Committee
- Outstanding Achievement Awards Committee
- National Committee on Safety and Health (NCOSH)
- Environmental Stewardship Committee
- International Governance Committee
- Intellectual Property (IP) Oversight Committee
- Committee on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI)
- Learning Advisory Committee (LAC)
- NRC Governing Committee on the Recruitment and Retention of Women