The Guild is managed by a Council of 11, elected by members at the Annual General Meeting in March to represent their interests, deal with routine management matters and organise events of interest and value. The full Council typically meets four times a year and sub-committees overseeing particular activities (such as membership, communications and marketing/sponsorship) may also meet from time to time.
The Guild Council's chief elected officers are the President and Chairman, who change either annually or every two years, and the Honorary Treasurer, who is elected annually by the Council and serves for as long as they wish to do so. At the discretion of Council, the Treasurer is paid an annual honorarium.
The General Secretary was also an Honorary position until 2010 when it became an an appointment with an annual fee. Council members who undertake roles that demand a lot of time (eg Social Secretary, Website/eAlerts Editor) are also paid a fee.
Each Council member serves a term of no more than three years before they must either stand down or seek re-election at an Annual General Meeting. Under a new rule introduced in 2011, they may serve for another two years before compulsorily standing down for 12 months, after which they can seek re-election if they wish.
The Council can bestow Honorary Membership on people who are not Guild members but have been of special service to the Guild, and Fellowship (FGAJ) to members who have given the organisation outstanding support and service. The five longest-serving Fellows of the Guild are appointed Senior Fellows; they receive all Council Minutes and may attend Council meetings.
