Centre for Alternative Technology

Job Description

Operations Team: Technical Co-ordinator

Hours: 40 hours per week 5 days over 7 including some weekends and evening work

Responsible to: Directions Team

Responsible for: Permanent, volunteer and contract staff as required

Status: This is a permanent post subject to satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period

Salary: £17,485 per annum

Scope:

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.

This role is a new post that is part of the Operations Team. The post holder is responsible for the co-ordination of the Technical Department group (referred to below as “the group”) including Engineering, Biology, ICT, Buildings Maintenance and Site Maintenance.

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.

Duties

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 as agreed from time to time.

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 stand for election as chair of the Operations Team, and carry out those duties if elected

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

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

Co-operative Rights and Duties

This is a permanent post and as such has voting and attendance duties regarding 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 development when policies are proposed by the Directions Team

To input to the strategy process when requested by the Directions Team

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Experience and qualifications

5 Years experience in a managerial role

Good understanding and/or degree in a discipline relevant to the post

Experience of setting and managing budgets

Experience of strategic planning

Experience of risk management

Skills

Effective leadership skills, able to manage and motivate team members

Excellent oral and written communication

Computer literate

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

High level of accuracy in all aspects of work

Able to adapt to change quickly whilst still keeping an eye on the overall direction of the group and organisation

Ability to recognise people’s strengths and weaknesses and foster an environment where the individual can flourish

Knowledge and understanding of health and safety protocols

Attributes/personal characteristics

Professional and positive approach

Team player

Self motivated and able to work on own initiative

Good listener and approachable

Problem solver

Dynamic and creative

Ability to work effectively at a senior level within a large, complex organisation

Ability and willingness to maintain absolute confidentiality of sensitive information

An ability to present technical information to a non-technical audience

Commitment to CAT’s mission for sustainable living

Ability to appreciate national and global environmental problems

Desirable

Experience of working in the 3rd sector

Experience of working in a cooperative structure

Thank you for your interest in this position. To apply:

By email:-

Please download job application form below, complete as fully as possible and return as an attachment to vacancy@cat.org.uk

Download Job Application Form (Word document)

Online:-

Please click the button below and complete the online form as fully as possible:

IMPORTANT!

Applications will only be accepted with a completed application form

Closing date for applications is: 23/11/2009

Copyright © 1995-2010 Centre for Alternative Technology Charity Limited, a company limited by guarantee
Charity no. 265239; Company no. 1090006, registered in Wales; registered office: Llwyngwern, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 9AZ; VAT number: 377 8917 83