TMF Guides · Model UN
MUN Secretariat Roles Explained
The secretariat is the team that builds and runs a conference. Holding a secretariat role is the strongest MUN credential a student can have, because it demonstrates organisational capability rather than just speaking ability.
The structure
Conferences vary, but the core hierarchy is consistent across Indian MUNs.
- Secretary-General — overall conference lead and public face.
- Director-General — operations and logistics lead.
- Deputy Secretary-General — academics and committee quality.
- Under-Secretaries-General — verticals such as marketing, delegate affairs, finance, design.
- Executive Board — chairs, vice-chairs and directors of each committee.
- Organising Committee — on-ground execution.
The executive board
The EB runs the committee itself: setting the agenda, writing the background guide, moderating debate and deciding awards.
EB roles usually require several conferences of delegate experience and are appointed through application and interview.
How to get a secretariat role
Apply early, with evidence: conferences attended, awards, and any organising experience. Interviews test judgement under pressure more than MUN trivia.
The MUN Factory recruits its secretariat and interns through an open application process announced ahead of each edition.
Frequently asked questions
What does a Secretary-General do at a MUN?
Leads the conference overall — sets direction, appoints the secretariat, addresses the opening ceremony and represents the conference publicly.
What is the executive board in MUN?
The chairs, vice-chairs and directors who run an individual committee, write its background guide and decide its awards.
How do I become a MUN chair?
Build delegate experience with awards, then apply to conferences' executive board applications and clear the interview.
Keep reading
MUN Committees: Which One Should You Pick?
Every major MUN committee type explained — UNGA bodies, ECOSOC, UNSC, UNHRC, Indian parliamentary committees, crisis committees and International Press.
MUN Awards: What Chairs Are Actually Scoring
Best Delegate, High Commendation, Special Mention and Verbal Mention explained — what chairs score, how marking works, and how to position yourself for an award.
MUN and College Applications
How Model UN actually affects college admissions in India and abroad, what admissions readers look for, and how to write about MUN without sounding generic.
Put it into practice
The MUN Factory 3.0 — registrations open
Fifteen committees across UN, Indian, Special and Event formats. Individual and delegation tracks, with tiered discounts from five delegates.