Selection of WGC

BACKGROUND

The CEOS Terms of Reference make provision for the creation and dissolution of working groups:

CEOS may establish, as mutually agreed, standing working groups where an ad hoc status is deemed insufficient. More permanent status may be required to ensure long-term continuity of work in certain areas where the magnitude and complexity of the task is not suitable to short-term solutions. These standing working groups shall continue without requiring specific confirmation by the Plenary. The Chairs of such groups shall report at each CEOS Plenary session on accomplishments and future plans. If the consensus of the Plenary is that such a group is no longer required, the Plenary may discontinue the group. In the absence of such a decision, however, the standing working group shall continue. Representatives from all CEOS Members are invited to participate in all working groups.

The 1996 Plenary adopted general guidelines on the selection of working group chairs. While the guidelines are intended to address most commonly occurring situations, circumstances may arise which have not been explicitly described. Rather than attempting to develop highly detailed procedures, the Plenary agreed that these guidelines should be used as a starting point and adjusted, as appropriate, to fit the specific situation.

REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFICE

The following are considered important characteristics for the selection of Working Group Chairs:

The agency sponsoring the Working Group Chair should provide adequate support to the position, including travel support, secretariat services, and time to devote to the work.
The Working Group Chair should have a good knowledge of CEOS and of the area of work for the working group, including both the technical and the policy aspects.
Ideally, the Working Group Chair should have at least one year of experience as a member of the respective working group.
When possible, there should be a period of overlap or transition between the outgoing and incoming Working Group Chairs.
Ideally, the Working Group Chair should have a demonstrated ability to effectively lead technical working groups.
The Working Group Chair may be a member of any participating CEOS agency (i.e., any member or associate agency).
In cases where a Vice Chair is designated to automatically assume the Chair position, these criteria would be considered in the selection of the Vice Chair.

For the case of an existing working group, the group is usually in the best position to determine the individual qualifications of a participant to lead the group in its work. However, in the case of the formation of a new group, candidates should be identified through a higher-level search process.

EXISTING WORKING GROUPS

The following process should be followed for the selection of working group Chairs:

During the year prior to the expected change of office (or as soon as practical), the working group should identify one or more candidates for the position.
The working group should forward the name of the candidate to the CEOS Chair as soon as possible.
The CEOS Chair should contact the candidate’s agency to obtain a formal statement of support, if not included with the nomination.
Once the statement of support has been received, the name of the candidate, along with the support statement, should be reported by the CEOS Chair in timely correspondence to all participating CEOS agencies.
Alternatively, if the working group is unable to select a single candidate, then the CEOS Chair will work with the working group and the organizations of the candidates to verify organizational support, etc., and to identify the best candidate for the position at that time. The CEOS Chair, after determining consensus in accordance with the CEOS Terms of Reference, would then report the name of the candidate in timely correspondence to participating CEOS agencies.
If the Working Group is unable to identify a viable candidate, then the CEOS Chair, working with the Working Group members and participating CEOS agencies, should actively seek candidates for the position. The CEOS Chair, after determining consensus in accordance with the CEOS Terms of Reference, would then report the name of the candidate in timely correspondence to participating CEOS agencies.
In cases where a Vice Chair is designated to automatically assume the Chair position, this process would be used to identify the Working Group Vice Chair.

RESIGNATION OF WORKING GROUP CHAIR

There may be times when an individual is unable to continue as Chair throughout an approved term of office. In such situations, the sponsoring agency may be willing to continue support and propose a replacement Chair to serve out the current term. To allow for such events, the following procedures should be followed:

Except in cases where the Vice Chair is designated to automatically assume the chair position, if an individual can no longer continue as Chair during a term of appointment, the supporting agency for the outgoing Chair may designate a successor for the Chair to the Working Group to serve out the original term.
If the previously supporting agency does not designate a successor for the Chair, the standard procedure for designating new Chairs of existing Working Groups applies.
In cases where a Vice Chair is designated to automatically assume the Chair position, the Vice Chair will become Chair upon the resignation of the previous Chair and will serve a nominal term as specified in the Terms of Reference for the Working Group.
Whenever there is a change in the Chair position, the Working Group shall notify the CEOS Chair in a timely manner. Upon confirmation of sponsoring agency support for the incoming Working Group Chair, the CEOS Chair shall notify participating CEOS agencies of the change.

NEW WORKING GROUPS

When a new Working Group is created by the CEOS Plenary, whether to address a new area of work or formed out of predecessor Working Groups, the following process should be followed:

The CEOS Chair shall invite nominations, including statements of organizational support, from participating CEOS agencies.
After review of the candidates and the statements of support from their organizations, the CEOS Chair, after consultation with CEOS members, should communicate the recommendation in a timely manner to participating CEOS agencies.
In the case of a new Working Group, the recommendation for Chair, vice Chair(s) (if applicable), along with the proposed terms of reference, will be discussed and adopted at a CEOS Plenary meeting, in accordance with the CEOS Terms of Reference.

SPECIFYING TERMS OF OFFICE

The specified terms of office for Working Group Chairs differ between WGISS and WGCV. The WGISS Terms of Reference call for a two-year term for the Chair and Vice Chair, while the WGCV Terms of Reference specify a three- to five-year term. There is no evidence that uniformity in such practices necessarily leads to a more effective Working Group. However, it seems prudent to specify a nominal term of office for the Chair of each Working Group. Therefore, the Terms of Reference for each Working Group should specify a nominal term of office for the Working Group Chair. In cases where a Vice Chair is designated to automatically assume the Chair position, the Terms of Reference for the Working Group shall also specify a nominal term of office for the Working Group Vice Chair.

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