SIFT is now hiring a new General Manager. Please see the full job description below
Job Description
Job Title: General Manager
Responsible To: Chair of the board of the Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust (SIFT)
Responsible For: All staff contracted or employed by the SIFT
Date: 1 July 2012
Position Status: Permanent Part Time (4 days per week)
Job Purpose:
Contribute to the achievement of the SIFT’s vision and mission by supporting waste minimisation projects through effective project assessment, management and mentoring.
Work with key local stakeholders and influencers in the waste and sustainability sector in order to effectively promote the SIFT and achieve its vision.
The Organisation
The Sustainable Initiatives Fund Trust is a Canterbury-based publicly funded charitable trust that provides vital financial assistance to local businesses and individuals for projects that will reduce waste and will contribute to the development of a sustainable future for Canterbury.
Vision:
The collective sustainable actions and behaviours of individuals, businesses, and communities in Canterbury and wider New Zealand minimise the disposal of waste material into landfill and the wider environment.
Mission:
To achieve this vision, SIFT will take a leadership role in the promotion and adoption of sustainable business, community and individual practices through its funding of waste minimisation and other sustainable initiatives and related research and education activities that focus on the reduction and avoidance of waste.
SIFT funds innovative research-based recycling and waste prevention or minimisation projects, through equity investments, loans and grants, which will divert waste from Canterbury landfills and from the environment.
Our goal is for these projects -
- To become commercially viable
- To provide a component of a long term solution to reducing Canterbury’s waste
- To develop the growth of useful sustainable applications
- To develop new technologies and/or products that utilise recovered materials and/or minimise disposal of waste to the environment, and
- Create sustainable job opportunities
Working relationships
Within the organisation
- Directly responsible to the Chair of the SIFT board.
- Responsible for the employment and management of any staff employed by the organisation.
Outside the organisation
- Establish and maintain effective links with other professional groups, government departments, research agencies, legal advisors, local bodies, and community groups with a particular interest in waste, sustainability, and their impacts on land, air and water resources.
- Undertake, where appropriate, effective communication with members of the public, and industry representatives, on matters relating to SIFT its goals and projects.
The jobholder is accountable for:
The General Manager position is responsible for the day to day management and operation of the SIFT. Specifically the role requires the following:
Board Support and Strategy
- Ensure all SIFT actions and projects are consistent with the SIFT trust deed and objectives.
- Manage all obligations and responsibilities to the Charities Commission
- Manage all obligations, reporting requirement and responsibilities to the SIFT board
- Maintain the Trust Deed
- Develop, with the board, the annual Strategic Plan and budgets
- Prepare the GM’s Report for each board meeting.
Management & Administration
- Maintain the SIFT building lease requirements
- Manage all administrational requirements including accounts, memberships, archives, insurances
- Maintain and update, as required, SIFT policies and procedures
- Manage all assets of the SIFT
- Manage contractors and staff as required
- Ensure Health and Safety requirements are monitored and met.
Finances
- Ensures that the organisation is financially sound, with effective forecasting and monitoring of revenue and expenses through best practice contract management.
- Work with the bookkeeper, as required, to pay invoices, update investment information and maintain SIFT’s accounts
- Manage all investments to ensure the best interest rates are received and sufficient cash is maintained to fund projects
- Work with the bookkeeper to prepare the GST Returns (6 monthly).
- Manage all IRD obligations and tax exempt status.
- Work with contractors to annually to prepare the Annual Financial accounts for audit.
Project Management
- Project manage all current projects to ensure they are meeting their milestones, tasks and payment schedule
- Balance helping the project to secure SIFT’s investments with ensuring the work/milestones is/are achieved
- Ensure all reports and documentation are produced in a timely manner
- Maintain project communications holding regular meetings with project principals and referring to and involving the board where further advice is required
- Manage risks relating to projects in a timely manner
- Maintain and archive all necessary project information
New Projects
- Seek new applications through networks and marketing.
- Monitor interest and information pertaining to potential projects
- Carry out Due Diligence on all applications received
- Carry out an Application Assessment Report for the board
Marketing
- Develop and implement an annual Marketing Plan Develop and implement a communications plan
- Maintain, build and/or source new relationships that could help SIFT to meet its core objectives
- Create and maintain a stakeholders database
- Manage the SIFT website
- Develop brand guidelines and manage brand
Organise SIFT hosted events
Sustainability
- Develop, implement and monitor a sustainability strategy, which interfaces with SIFT’s strategic plan
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of the position and incumbent. However, from time to time the General Manager may be required to accept and carry out other duties as assigned by the Chair of the board of SIFT.
Delegated Authorities
- Financial
- As set and approved by the Board
- Jobholder signs correspondence for organisation
- Contractual commitments
- Manage all present contracts on a daily basis seeking board input around any decisions beyond what is defined by the contract
- Manage any contracts specific to the delivery of product or service to SIFT with prior sign-off from the board
- Staffing
- Manage the recruitment of any staff or contractors required following agreement to and sign-off from the board on a Job Description, process and legal requirements
- Line management of staff and contractors
- Media and PR
- Chair and GM to act as spokespeople for SIFT
- All PR and media statements to be signed off by the board prior to any engagement with the media
Person Specification
- Qualifications/Training
- Essential: A relevant tertiary degree.
- Preferred: A degree(s) or post-graduate qualification that relates to business development or environmental management.
- Knowledge/Experience
- Essential: Comprehensive understanding business planning, management, investment and operations ; relationship management and conflict resolution; experience that has enabled the development of significant networks throughout the Canterbury region and New Zealand at a level of influence; and experience of working closely and successfully with a board.
- Preferred: Experience of business management with specific regard to investment in and the development of companies in the start-up phase; an understanding of specific waste and environmental issues pertaining to the Christchurch market; experience in developing, leveraging and supporting professional networks.
- Key Skills/Job Competencies
- Financial fluency
- Excellent business management
- Excellent relationship management
- Excellent project management
- Ability to target and deliver new investment opportunities
- Marketing skills
- Driving strategy through implementation to completion
- Good working knowledge of computer-based tools for email, word processing and presentation.
- A current driver’s licence.
- Personal Attributes
- Shows a commitment to environmental sustainability principles
- Self motivating and managing
- An excellent communicator
- Adaptable and flexible
- Demonstrates an engaging, professional and confident demeanour that reassures others and commands respect; conveying an image that builds credibility and trust in the organisation.
- Remains calm, controlled, and productive when confronted by stressful situations, and is able to adjust appropriately to varying situations.
You can also find out more about this new and exciting opportunity on the Seek website. Applicants can submit their CV’s via the Seek Website no later than the 11th of July.
