General Manager Operations JOB DESCRIPTION - New Zealand ...

General Manager Operations
JOB DESCRIPTION
December 2011
Location:
Hours of Work:
Responsible to:
Responsible for:
Direct Reports:
National Office, Auckland
Full Time
Executive Director
All HIV Prevention and NZAF Health Service staff
Programme Manager Social Marketing
Programme Manager African Communities
Programme Manager Community Engagement
Northern Regional Manager (Burnett Centre)
Central Regional Manager (Āwhina Centre)
Southern Regional Manager (Te Toka Centre)
The New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) has an expectation that all staff will:
Demonstrate an understanding of, and commitment to, our work principles that are based on the
philosophy of health promotion (hauora) outlined in the World Health Organisation’s Ottawa Charter
(1986), social marketing as a key method to achieving behaviour change, and a commitment to
meaningful relationships with tangata whenua.
Agree and work with the NZAF's stated vision, mission, purpose, goals and principles (as stated in the
Strategic Plan), and to abide by the Ethical Code of Conduct, operational policies and procedures.
Comply with all health and safety procedures to ensure their own safety and the safety of others in the
workplace and actively participate in maintaining a safe working environment at the NZAF.
JOB ENVIRONMENT
This is a full time position based at the NZAF’s National Office in Auckland.
The NZAF has two key roles: reducing the transmission of HIV and providing support for people living with
HIV, their whānau and families. All activities within the NZAF contribute to both tasks. The majority of the
organisation’s operations are provided through two groups; NZAF Health Services and the HIV Prevention
group. NZAF Health Services have a strong personal health/individual focus and NZAF HIV prevention
activities have a very public health and community focus. However, there is a strong overlap and synergy
JD – GM Operations (December 2011)

etween the work. For example, counselling has a strong focus on changing behaviour that supports
condom use and safe sexual behaviours for an individual, while the development of a condom culture via
HIV prevention activities supports people affected by HIV by creating a non-discriminatory, pro-sexual
environment.
The primary population group most affected by HIV in New Zealand is gay and bisexual men, and many of
our services are targeted to this population. This requires an acceptance of sexual diversity, sensitivity to
the special health needs of men who have sex with men and the creation of a working environment
supportive of takatāpui tāne, gay and bisexual men.
NZAF Health Services are focused on the needs of the communities living with HIV, their whānau and
families. The HIV Prevention group focuses on the gay and bisexual men’s communities and New Zealandbased
African communities because these are the populations groups most affected by HIV.
The NZAF is a registered charity that grew out of gay community initiatives in the 1980s. The legal structure
is a Charitable Trust with a Trust Board. Employees are members of the Trust but do not have the right to
vote at its annual general meeting or on any other matter referred to the membership.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
• To support the Executive Director (ED) in the leadership and management of the NZAF. (The ED is
primarily responsible for leadership and strategy and the General Manager Operations (GM) is
primarily responsible for operational implementation. The ED and GM will work closely together as
a team to ensure that all functions are effectively carried out).
• To effectively manage the NZAF HIV Prevention and Health Services operations including human
and financial resources, achievement of agreed operational targets, maintenance and
improvement of operational quality and stakeholder relationships.
• To work with the ED on the planning, implementation and further development of the NZAF HIV
Prevention and NZAF Health Services strategic and operational plans.
• Enable operational input into strategic direction across the organisation.
• Encourage organisation-wide thinking, trust, collaboration, and communication across NZAF
operations.
• To make ongoing and quantifiable inroads into a reduction in HIV transmission rates through the
successful implementation of targeted strategies and related services.
FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Responsible To
Responsible For
INTERNAL
Executive Director
The GM Operations reports to the Executive Director who will provide day-today
operational direction, strategic guidance, supervision and on-going
professional support.
Social Marketing and Community Engagement Teams
There are approximately twenty staff in the Social Marketing and Community
Engagement Teams, made up of teams of social marketing and community
engagement professionals. The GM Operations leads this group’s operations
and will directly manage the:
• Programme Manager Social Marketing
• Programme Manager African Communities
• Programme Manager Community Engagement
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The team works in a collegial and peer-based way across all projects and
programmes.
NZAF Health Services
There are approximately twenty staff in NZAF Health Services plus a network
of sub-contractors in provincial cities. The teams are made up of professional
counsellors, psychotherapists, social workers and nurses. They provide HIV
testing, other STI testing and free counselling services for people at risk of HIV.
The GM Operations leads this group’s operations and will directly manage the:
• Northern Regional Manager (NZAF Burnett Centre - Auckland)
• Central Regional Manager (NZAF Āwhina Centre - Wellington)
• Southern Regional Manager (NZAF South/Te Toka Centre - Christchurch)
NZAF Health Services operate to high clinical standards which the GM
Operations will be expected to ensure are maintained.
Key Internal
Relationships
• Scientific Director
• National Manager Finance and Administration
• Communications and Fundraising Manager
• Strategic Policy Advisor
• International Development Programme Co-ordinator
EXTERNAL
Stakeholders
The GM Operations will work with the ED to ensure the NZAF has close
collaboration with key stakeholders, community leaders and organisations in all
of the target audiences across all regions in respect to the work programmes.
Contractors, Consultants and Service Providers
The GM Operations will ensure the NZAF manages operational relationships
with all providers, contractors and key stakeholders within approved processes,
budgets and practices so that planned outcomes are achieved.
Funders
The GM Operations is responsible for maintaining the confidence of funders in
regards to NZAF Health Services and HIV Prevention operations. This includes
the negotiation of realistic outputs and performance indicators; achievement of
contracted targets and volumes; full, accurate and timely reporting; and
maintaining the goodwill of funders as far as possible.
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KEY TASKS
EXPECTED RESULTS
Planning
• Manage the development of the NZAF HIV
Prevention and Health Services strategic and annual
plans in line with the overall NZAF Strategic Plan.
• Ensure appropriate levels of internal and external
consultation and participation in planning.
Leadership
• Assist the ED to lead organisational change that
promotes collaboration, organisation-wide thinking
and communication.
• Provide operational leadership that encourages
staff and stakeholders to understand the links
between the operations, strategy and vision of the
organisation.
• Foster an environment that promotes trust,
communication and co-operation.
Stakeholder Management
• Work collegially with the ED and other leaders
within the NZAF to develop relationships with
stakeholders that support the achievement of the
NZAF’s strategic goals.
• The GM Operations is visible and accessible to key
stakeholder communities relative to their level of
risk namely: the gay and bisexual men’s
communities and New Zealand-based African
communities.
• Plans developed according to
expectations, implemented and
monitored.
• Key internal and external (as
appropriate) stakeholders report
satisfaction with participation in
development of strategy and
planning.
• Clear evidence of change in
accordance with adopted plans
and strategies compared with
prior years.
• Staff and stakeholders report
satisfaction with expression of
vision and can provide evidence
of leadership.
• NZAF staff surveys reports more
than 80% satisfaction in key
related categories.
• Evidence of input to positive
relationships.
• Evidence of visibility and
accessibility to key stakeholder
communities.
Operations Management
• Manage and recruit operational managers, (Social
Marketing, Community Engagement, Community
Engagement African Communities and three
regional Health Services managers) including the
development of individual work programmes or
performance plans, and individual development
plans.
• Ensure staff are well supported to perform within
their roles, including the provision of regular
management supervision.
• Ensure adequate staffing levels and remuneration
across the programmes.
• Oversee the development and implementation of
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• All staff have individual annual work
programmes and development plans
in place.
• All of these plans have evidence of
implementation, monitoring and
agreed progress.
• Human resource capacity across NZAF
is appropriate in respect to
organisational constraints.
• Annual operational plans in place for
all programmes, are relevant and lead
individual work plans.
• Managers report being well supported

annual operational plans that provide clear
milestones and timeframes for activities that
achieve the goals of strategic plans.
• Ensure good project planning processes are in place
and effectively working across the programmes.
• Ensure funding agreements with government and
other funders are delivered on and effective
relationships are maintained with funders.
Financial
• Develop annual budget and expenditure plans that
achieve approval by the NZAF Trust Board.
• Monitor and manage expenditure against budget.
• Comply with Financial Delegations Policy.
• Ensure all staff work within NZAF finance policies and
procedures.
• Support managers to manage NZAF finances effectively
within their delegated budgets.
Evaluation and Knowledge
• Ensure all operational activity is strongly evidencebased
and knowledge-led.
with appropriate supervision. Their
staff report satisfaction with the
support received by their programme
managers.
• Evidence of good consistent project
planning processes utilised by
required staff.
• The Ministry of Health and other
funders report satisfaction with
reports on provider specification
delivery.
• Evidence of tracking, monitoring and
management of income and
expenditure against budget.
• Variation reports accurately reflect
changes and progress against expected
budget levels.
• National Manager Finance and
Administration and ED report
compliance with finance policies and
specifically Financial Delegations Policy.
• Evidence of breaches or noncompliance
within team acted upon
promptly.
Evidence of ongoing development and
knowledge expansion through:
• Staff uptake of professional
development opportunities.
• Dissemination and use of relevant
research and up-to-date literature by
staff.
• Evidence of improvement in delivery
and knowledge linked to effective
evaluations.
NZAF Leadership
• Attend team meetings, planning sessions and staff hui
as agreed with the ED.
• Actively participate in organisation wide activities such
as Strategic Planning, Annual Report production,
volunteer activities, community and member-based
events.
• Evidence of support for united and
cohesive leadership for all NZAF
activities.
• Evidence of positive collegial
relationships with leaders across the
NZAF with evidence of cross
programme partnerships and
initiatives.
• Key internal relationship positions
report satisfaction with GMs
participation and contribution
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Biculturalism
• Work plans include a focus on improving the NZAF’s
operational responsiveness to Māori.
Any other reasonable task which is consistent with the
grade and overall purpose of the position.
• Key Māori stakeholders (internal and
where appropriate external) report
satisfaction with leadership on
relationships and responsiveness.
GM open to new initiatives, participates
and leads in change projects, responds
constructively to proposals and leads with
new initiatives.
AUTHORITY
Budget
Managers have authority to approve expenditure within budgets approved by the NZAF Trust Board in
accordance with the Financial Delegation Policy. This role is level two below the ED at level one. All
Managers are required to ensure that they and all of their staff fully comply with the NZAF finance policies
and procedures.
The approximate budget of HIV Prevention and NZAF Health Services is $4.5 million pa.
SUPPORT OFFERED
Supervision
The ED is responsible for ensuring that the GM Operations understands their role and tasks, and is
supported in carrying them out. Consultancy and external supervision may be arranged in consultation
between the ED and the GM Operations when particular additional expertise is required.
Performance Appraisal
Performance appraisal according to a model that includes self, peer, and manager assessment will be
carried out annually by the ED.
Professional Development
The value and advantage of education and staff development for both the worker and the NZAF is
recognised. Adequate training, information and assistance will be provided to ensure that the GM
Operations is able to meet the responsibilities of the position.
Administrative Assistance
Administrative assistance will be provided to the GM Operations Director by the Administration and
Finance team but this role is largely self-supporting.
Conditions of Employment
Terms and conditions of employment will be set out in a Letter of Appointment and Individual Employment
Agreement or Collective Employment Agreement.
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GM OPERATIONS PERSON SPECIFICATION
These specifications strongly guide the short listing process for appointment to this position.
QUALIFICATIONS
Tertiary level qualification related to management, and/or significant
equivalent management experience.
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, a) Demonstrated ability to manage across a range of complex
EXPERIENCE, ABILITIES &
and varied operations with a high level of autonomy.
ATTRIBUTES
b) Proven structured planning capability and the ability to
effectively delegate and monitor team performance
delivery.
c) Proven ability to effectively manage complex and multidisciplinary
teams.
d) Empathy and a professional approach to related sexuality
and sexual issues.
e) Demonstrated ability to relate to, work and communicate
effectively within gay and bisexual men’s communities.
f) Proven ability to multi-task, prioritise and consistently meet
personal deadlines.
g) A strong service delivery excellence orientation.
h) Understanding of organisational marketing, branding and
communications.
i) Ability to significantly improve service responsiveness to
Māori.
j) Demonstrated ability to articulate the links between
operational issues and strategic goals in a way that inspires
staff.
k) Excellent oral and written skills in English.
l) Ability to work effectively at an organisation-wide level, see
linkages and synergies and initiate collaborative and/or
organisation wide activities.
m) Advanced staff management skills.
n) Advanced budget management skills.
o) Significant experience leading people and change and in
achieving desired outcomes.
p) Ability to work additional and flexible hours.
q) Understanding and ability to manage personal/professional
boundaries.
r) High levels of energy, initiative and motivation.
BICULTURALISM
The NZAF is committed to meaningful relationships with tangata
whenua. Prospective employees who already have some
knowledge of tikanga Māori and te reo Māori are preferred, and it
is essential that all employees demonstrate willingness to learning
in these areas.
PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE • Fluency in te reo Māori.
• Previous experience working in HIV prevention and/or
support services.
Understanding of the HIV prevention and support sectors
internationally.
Knowledge of social marketing and health promotion.
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