Employment opportunity - OFFICE MANAGER

POSITION DESCRIPTION

OFFICE MANAGER

Employer: Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc.
Location: Wagga Wagga, NSW
Salary/Conditions: 22.5 hours per week  @ $75,000 - $81,000 per-annum pro-rata, including Super. (determined by qualifications and experience).  1 year contract until 30 June 2014 with prospects for renewal subject to funding and performance.

Murrumbidgee Landcare Inc. (MLi) is a not-for-profit, community organisation that has been representing community Landcare in the Murrumbidgee catchment for over 17 years.  MLi  works to support Landcare Networks; promote community Landcare and the Landcare ethos; and broker strategic alliances to develop projects that improve community and land holder knowledge and promote adoption of sustainable agricultural and environmental practices.

MLi currently has contracts with both state and national governments, with regional agencies and other organisations to deliver projects involving community engagement, education and on-ground works to achieve environmental targets. These are multi-partner projects which employ local staff as well as contractors. Some projects are short term and others extend to 2018. The total value of these contracts is approximately $1.3 million.

MLi seeks to employ a part-time (22.5 hours per week) Office Manager to be based at the MLi office at the Wagga Agricultural Institute, Pine Gully Road, Wagga Wagga.

The Office Manager will be responsible for working directly with the volunteer executive, led by the Chairman Dr Ted Wolfe, to:

• Develop, implement and support activities to realise the strategic goals of the organisation
• Organise, service and document committee and steering committee meetings
• Oversee the administration of the organisation and its projects, including contract management, financial management and staff management.
• Supervise  the efficient and effective communication of project and organisation goals, achievements and opportunities
• Maintain web delivered communications and contact systems

Contract management

• Oversee the administration of project, consultant and staff contracts
• Ensure contractual reporting obligations are met
• Coordinate preparation of project reports
• Authorise and submit project reports to meet contractual obligations
• Ensure contractual funding acknowledgements are met
• Liaise with contracting agents
• Liaise with project partners
• Represent the organisation in contract negotiations
• Administer and provide secretariat to project steering committees

Financial management

• Maintain the organisations accounts
• Manage project budgets
• Oversee annual audit
• Prepare financial reports on projects to meet contractual obligations
• Prepare quarterly financial reports on the total organisation for the MLi committee
• Manage wages, superannuation and tax obligations for all staff and contractors

Staff Management

• Supervise project staff
• Maintain employment records
• Manage employee and contractor contracts
• Liaise with project staff to ensure work plans meet project, financial and staff obligations
• Manage fortnightly timesheets and leave entitlements

Reporting
The Office Manager will report:

• Quarterly to the full committee of MLi, made up  of volunteer representatives of the Landcare community.
• As required to the volunteer Executive of MLi

Communication
The Office Manager will:

• Implement internal and external communications strategies to ensure efficient and effective communication of project and organisation goals, achievements and opportunities
• Maintain web delivered communications and contact systems

SELECTION CRITERIA

ESSENTIAL

The successful applicant will have:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent computer, web and email skills
• Excellent report writing skills
• Demonstrated experience in project administration
• Demonstrated experience in contract administration
• Demonstrated experience in staff administraton
• An ability to work independently and autonomously in a small-office situation with minimal supervision
• Demonstrated understanding of a MERI-based system (Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement) (or equivlant) for managing projects.
• Demonstrated experience of working with multi-partner and multi-stakeholder projects or activities.
• Demonstrated experience with financial management and reporting.
• Appreciation of the ethos of not-for-profit, community organisations

DESIRABLE

It is desirable that the successful applicant will have:

• A familiarity with a project-based system of funding improvements in natural resource management on public and private lands by the Australian Government (e.g., Caring for Our Country) and the NSW Government, including through Catchment Management Authorities
• An understanding of the procedures of incorporated associations
• An appreciation of NRM issues and the various government and non-government organisations involved in addressing NRM issues
• An appreciation and understanding of key issues facing farmers and land managers in rural and regional areas.

The position is based in Wagga Wagga for 22.5 hours per week up to 30th June 2014, with scope for continuing employment and increasing employment hours beyond this date. Working hours are flexible but the Manager is required to work from the Wagga Wagga office and be available for quarterly committee meeting and project steering committee meetings.

Further information
Ted Wolfe, Chair, ph. 02 6922 4347
mob. 0401 753 786, email: twolfe@csu.edu.au

Marion Benjamin, Program Manager
ph. 02 6933 1443, mob. 0431 935 774
email: office@murrumbidgeelandcare.asn.au
 
Closing date: Monday 8th July  2013
Applications may be submitted:
By post - P.O.Box 710, Wagga Wagga, NSW
By email - office@murrumbidgeelandcare.asn.au