The title Meta Lead was introduced during the lead up to the 2015 Festival as a way to group leads that worked across multiple teams and projects that would need to regularly coordinate with each other (as opposed to leads that could work mostly autonomously). Not everyone adopted or understood the title as there wasn't a clear initiative to define this role in the context of the greater organizational structure.

After the 2015 festival, changes were made in the organizational structure. Namely, the former board was dissolved, a structural review was initiated and an interim structure has now been proposed by the Directors. Here is an organigram and description of the new structure, as published to all leads by the directors:
Structure: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1snD9UdbpeibLcd4ONEiyXm-ZtT3QIuTNt1IEs1Xj3qc/edit
Organigram: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_BUeUpN55kYVm5jVzFQaFhvU2M

Here is the text from the document above concerning the Metalead role:
......
MetaLeads
A MetaLead runs a department of Nowhere. This will normally be a logical collection of a group of smaller projects. MetaLeads have executive authority for their department. If a decision has a legal, financial, ethical or strategic impact its needs to be run past the committees for approval. A department may have either one or two MetaLeads, depending on individual strengths and the requirements of the specific role.

MetaLead tasks include:
Agree budget with the finance team and manage expenditure.
Recruit and manage leads and volunteers for their area and ensure work schedules are in place.
Ensure H&S of volunteers and everyone at the event.
Take part in the monthly MetaLeads committee meeting.
Liaise and consult with the other MetaLeads to ensure that information is shared, and work closely with them on cross-departmental projects.
Ensure their area of responsibility is delivered to agreed timeline and budget.
Regularly review the work of their colleagues and undergo corresponding peer reviews.

MetaLead Committee
The MetaLead committee is the executive body in charge of the day to day running of Nowhere.

Membership: MetaLeads and administrator
Forum for communicating between the different departments and for raising issues.
Discuss day to day issues affecting the event, and make decisions on policy related to their area.

The committee will aim to work by consensus, with the administrator holding final authority to make a decisions on issues where no clear consensus exists.

Deliverables: The MetaLead committee meets once a month. Meeting minutes will be shared after each meeting.
.......

Some of the Meta Leads feel that the title could be improved, so let's hear some proposals and try this decision making tool out!