The president leads, the treasurer runs the finances — and the Aktuar (secretary) keeps the association organised. Here is what the role means, typical tasks, and how to keep member data clean without Excel chaos.
In a Swiss association, Aktuar is the board role for minute-taking and often organisational administration — similar to a secretary. Aktuarin is the same role in feminine form: minutes, correspondence, member lists and preparing meetings and the annual general meeting. Some statutes say secretariat, others Aktuarin or Aktuar. In practice it is usually the same function: the association’s organisational memory.
On the board, the Aktuar often ranks after presidency and treasury — but the work is anything but secondary. Without clean minutes, decisions get lost. Without up-to-date addresses, newsletters and invitations fail. Without clear member records, nobody knows who can vote. In volunteer associations with 50 to a few hundred members, this role carries the day-to-day work that makes other roles possible.
Core work includes minutes of board meetings and the AGM — accurate, traceable and unchanged after signing. Next comes member and address data: joins, leaves, address changes, membership types. Many secretaries also handle invitations, member correspondence and AGM prep with the presidency. Events, official dinners or website communication can be part of the job too — depending on statutes and culture.
You are a good fit if you are reliable, organised and clear in communication. Spelling and plain language help with minutes. Being comfortable with digital tools saves hours — because retyping paper forms and reconciling spreadsheets is still everyday life in too many associations. You do not need a commercial degree. You need a calm process and one shared data source the whole board trusts.
In practice the terms overlap heavily. Some statutes say Aktuarin or Aktuar, others secretariat. Sometimes the secretariat is an office and the Aktuar sits on the board. For anyone searching what the role means, one thing matters most: whoever owns member data, minutes and communication needs one central member list instead of scattered files. That is where modern association software helps.
Stop scattered member lists: in Membear, contacts, roles and membership types live in one place — the whole board sees the same truth. Import existing lists via CSV. Onboard new members digitally with online registration instead of retyping paper. Members update addresses in the portal themselves. Newsletters use the same data as member management — no Mailchimp detour. For associations with about 80–150 members, we estimate around 18 hours saved per year in the secretariat; these are estimates, not audited metrics. Start free and make the next association year calmer.
Short, practical answers for Swiss associations.
As Aktuarin or Aktuar, keep the overview — start free with Membear.