Do you want to do something worthwhile with your years of management experience?
This is a unique opportunity to join the foremost eco-centre in Europe, the Centre for Alternative Technology. Based in beautiful mid-Wales, the Centre overlooks over the Snowdonia National Park- a great area to live in.
With 35 years of expertise in the environmental sector, we have developed a wide and diverse range of activities.
We are growing fast and need an experienced manager to complete our newly created Operations Team.
The Post:
In this challenging and new position, you will report to the Directions Team, our elected strategy board, and:
• Provide leadership to a number of departments including our Engineering, Biology, ICT, Buildings Maintenance, Gardening and Display department.
• Oversee their day to day activities.
• Be responsible for budgetary forecasting
• Devise and implement new business opportunities
• Be responsible for the management of Health and Safety across the organisation.
The Person:
• An experienced manager with excellent communication and influencing skills.
• Demonstrable experience of meeting challenging objectives.
• Experience of advising on and contributing to strategy throughout a complex organisation.
• Ability to adopt a collaborative approach to management issues.
• Experience of leading cultural change within an organisation.
• An interest in environmental matters.
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Job title:
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Operations Team: Technical Manager
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Responsible to:
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Directions Team
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Staff Responsible for:
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Permanent, volunteer and contract staff as required
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Salary:
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£17,485 per annum, pro rata, plus 2% pension contribution after qualifying period
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Benefits:
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Staff discount for CAT shops & restaurant
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Hours:
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32 hours per week 4 days over 7 including some weekends and evening work ; flexible hours with core working hours between 10 am and 4pm.
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Contract:
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This is a permanent post subject to satisfactory completion of a 6 month probation period
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Introduction
With over 35 years experience, CAT is Europe’s leading centre for education and inspiration in the field of sustainability. Undertaking a wide range of activities including research, demonstration and education, we are concerned with the search for globally sustainable and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life.
CAT has a holistic approach to its work and a continuous commitment to the highest educational and environmental standards
The Centre offers information, education and has a visitor and conference centre. We attract around 60,000 people a year and employ more than 100 dedicated and creative staff.
Based in beautiful mid-Wales, the Centre overlooks the Snowdonia National park, renowned for its stunning scenery and outdoor activities. Within easy reach of the local beaches and University town of Aberystwyth, Machynlleth has a vibrant local community, has a lively arts and music scene and is a great place for families.
About CAT’s structure:
CAT consists of a Charity and a plc. However, it manages its operations on a co-operative basis, with consensus decision-making at its core.
CAT’s management structure includes two main teams – the (mainly elected) Directions Team, responsible for developing strategy and policy and answerable to the staff body, and the Operations Team, who are jointly responsible to the Directions Team for delivering the strategy within the policy framework.
Legal responsibilities, including those for financial matters and Health and Safety, are devolved to the Operations Team from CAT Charity’s Trustees and CAT plc’s Directors.
CAT’s management structure and approach to management issues is laid out in our Constitution.
About the job
As part of the Operations Team the Technical Manager is responsible for the co-ordination of the Technical Group (referred to below as “the group”) including Engineering, Biology, ICT, Buildings Maintenance and Display.
As Technical Manager, the post holder is also responsible for the management of Health and Safety across the organisation.
This job description will be reviewed 11 months after appointment, in consultation with the post holder and the Directions Team.
Responsibilities
Specific Technical Co-ordinator Functions
- To provide technical advice and input to the strategy process and technical policy development
- To ensure the technical departments have a long-term strategy for dealing with regular maintenance and one-off projects, and to implement that strategy
- To develop and manage purchasing procedures within the technical departments to ensure compliance with CAT’s sustainable policy objectives and to improve efficiency
- As designated responsible person for health and safety, to be responsible for the management of Health and Safety across CAT as a whole, working with departments to ensure that H&S matters are given due attention and that a safety culture is promoted
- to report to the Trustees and Directors directly on H&S matters.
- To convene and chair H&S committee meetings on a regular basis, ensuring that minutes are taken and published and that actions are followed up.
Operations Team Common Functions
- To be a member of the Operations Team, liaise with other members of the team and attend regular formal meetings to co-ordinate the delivery of CAT’s strategy, all in accordance with the Operations Team Terms of Reference.
- To work in line with the principles stated in CAT’s Constitution.
- To co-ordinate budgets for the departments listed above
- To foster a strong team and to effectively delegate responsibilities to those in their team.
- To work with the rest of the Operations and Directions Teams to produce a combined annual and longer-term budget and work plan for the group, in accordance with priorities agreed with the Directions Team
- To co-ordinate staffing for the group, including ensuring job descriptions are up-to-date and taking part in recruitment panels
- To ensure compliance with all CAT policies within their group
- To provide advice and input to the strategy process and policy development, especially where it impacts on the group’s departments; to ensure that the group’s strategies contribute to the overall organisational strategy as developed by the Directions Team
- To line manage staff leading the group’s departments, including setting annual targets, approval of work plans, annual job appraisals and dealing with any disciplinary matters that may arise (the latter in consultation with CAT’s HR department)
- To ensure that line management activities are carried out within the group, following CAT’s employment policies and in line with the management ethos as laid out in CAT’s Constitution.
- To co-ordinate projects that cut across the group to ensure that they are delivered in a timely and cost-effective manner; to liaise with other groups and departments to deliver organisation-wide projects as required
- To be responsible for the management of Health and Safety within the group, ensuring that H&S matters are given due attention and that a safety culture is promoted.
- To report to the Directions Team on a quarterly basis, and when requested
- To report to CAT’s Charity Trustees and plc Directors on a quarterly basis
- To carry out the duties as chair of the Operations Team for one month three times each year on a rotation basis.
- To meet with the group’s department and/ or budget heads at least monthly to discuss team and individual issues; minuting, publishing and following up on actions
- To be a member of internal groups as required by the Directions Team
- to provide reports and information to management and monitoring groups by the dates agreed with those groups. In particular, to provide financial, progress and environmental performance information.
Co-operative Duties
- Permanent posts have attendance and voting duties and involvement in the wider management of CAT.
- To attend a minimum of 6 Monthly Staff Meetings per year
- To consider issues presented to the staff body and be involved in the decision-making process regarding such issues
- To input to policy and strategy development as required by the Directions Team
- To familiarise and comply with CAT policies and procedures
Person Specification
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Criteria
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Essential
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Desirable
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1. Qualifications
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Good understanding and/or degree in a discipline relevant to the post
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X
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2. Knowledge and experience
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5 Years experience in a managerial role
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X
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Experience of setting and managing budgets
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X
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Experience of strategic planning
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X
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Experience of risk management
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X
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3. Skills including:
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Effective leadership skills, able to manage and motivate team members
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X
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- Excellent oral and written communication
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X
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X
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- Strong project management and organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively, delegate responsibilities and deal calmly with the pressure of deadlines and conflicting priorities
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X
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- High level of accuracy in all aspects of work
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X
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- Able to adapt to change quickly whilst still keeping an eye on the overall direction of the group and organisation
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X
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- Ability to recognise people’s strengths and weaknesses and foster an environment where the individual can flourish
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X
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- Knowledge and understanding of health and safety protocols
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X
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4. Personal attributes (to be assessed at interview)
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Professional and positive approach
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X
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- Self motivated and able to work on own initiative
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X
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- Good listener and approachable
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X
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X
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X
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X
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- Ability to work effectively at a senior level within a large, complex organisation.
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X
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- Ability and willingness to maintain absolute confidentiality of sensitive information
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X
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- An ability to present technical information to a non-technical audience
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X
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- Commitment to CAT’s mission for sustainable living
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X
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- Ability to appreciate national and global environmental problems
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X
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5. Other
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- Experience of working in a cooperative structure
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X
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- Experience of working in the 3rd sector
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X
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Thank you for your interest. Please complete the application form available on the CAT website at www.cat.org.uk. Please note, only applications received on the application form will be considered.
Closing date for applications: 4/3/11
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