Chief Operating Officer
CANDIDATE INFORMATION PACK
Comcare Trust
Executive Summary
- Significant leadership opportunity within a thriving organisation
- Contribute to the mental health addictions and social housing sector
- Achieve work life balance in beautiful Ōtautahi Christchurch
THE OPPORTUNITY
Comcare Trust is looking for a Chief Operating Officer to oversee the planned delivery of the financial strategic, operational, and business functions of the organisation. They are looking for a suitably qualified financial leader who is also an experienced COO with a depth of understanding of the health social services sector.
Comcare Trust is an innovative, forward-thinking organisation that delivers positive results for people and their families to live well in the community. Based in Waitaha (Canterbury) and Ōtepoti (Dunedin), Comcare provides support to people experiencing mental health and addiction needs and housing challenges.
THE ROLE
Reporting to the Chief Executive (CE) and serving on the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), The COO function is accountable for ensuring Comcare operates effectively and delivers its strategic and annual operational plan on time. The function will establish and implement policies, procedures, and systems that ensure the delivery of finance and business operational support services that meet compliance and regulatory obligations.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
As the ideal candidate, you will have over five years of experience in a senior financial management role. You will thrive in the innovative space, and in supporting an organisation that has gone through a period of significant growth to establish a range of financial and business-related systems and processes. You will be an adept communicator with the ability to bring people along with you. You will operate at the cutting edge of technology and understand what an organisation needs to succeed.
Applicant must be a Chartered Accountant.
For a confidential discussion, please get in touch with:
Dr Amanda Smith,
HardyGroup Principal Search Consultant
M. +64 (0)21 502 878
E. [email protected]
COMCARE TRUST
"Ko te whakaora, he hīkoi whakāmarama. Māna anō tōna ake ara whakaora e whakarau"
"A journey of discovery where an individual leads their own unique process of moving forwards"
Comcare is a New Zealand registered Charitable Trust whose purpose is to assist people who experience mental health and addiction needs and housing challenges to live well.
Established in 1987, the early emphasis was on assisting people who had experienced long stays in mental institutions to integrate into local communities. Since that time, the Trust has evolved and broadened its services to remain at the cutting edge of modern mental health practice. The Trust provides a rich and diverse range of Social Housing and Mental Health Support Services to the local community and freely offers advice, guidance, and collaboration nationally.
Comcare is a practical organisation, understanding that health improvement is gained from a whole-of-life approach that assists people in growing their confidence and skills to manage their own lives. Comcare works from a Recovery orientation that identifies and builds on people’s strengths to assist them manage the challenges in life, growing personal confidence, and building resilience.
Comcare Trust is an innovative, forward thinking organisation that:
- Is Recovery focused and builds on people’s strengths
- Delivers positive results for people and their families to live well in the community
- Takes a practical approach, doing what is necessary to assist people to overcome the barriers to independence and moving forward
- Offers services and supports known to have significant impact on wellbeing such as:
- Personal support and relationships
- Housing
- Employment
- Physical health
We have services across Waitaha (Canterbury) and in Ōtepoti (Dunedin).
Our Vision
People who experience mental illness and addictions live well.
Our Mission
To contribute positively to the recovery of people who experience mental illness and addictions through the provision of quality community services, and social housing and by supporting mental health sector development.
Comcare Trust is driven by the following values
How We Work
Strengths Based Approach
Service delivery is based on a Recovery/Strengths approach where:
- The service user owns their recovery process
- Hope is encouraged, enhanced and/or maintained
- The focus is on enhancing the strengths, abilities and resiliency of an individual
- All people are treated as equals with the capacity to learn, change, make life decisions and choices, and take action to create life change – no matter how severe their symptoms
- A holistic view is applied
- Access to resources, opportunities and meaningful relationships is encouraged
- The best clinical treatment is applied
- Family involvement is encouraged.
Recovery
A journey of recovery where an individual leads their own unique process of moving forwards
Comcare believes that:
- Everyone has strengths and capacities
- All people have the ability to change given the right conditions and resources
- People can change and grow their strengths and abilities
- People are their own experts
- A problem is the problem, the person is not the problem
- Problems can block people from noticing and appreciating their strengths and finding their own solutions
- Building open and honest relationships promotes growth
- The power for change is within us all.
Role Specification
The Chief Operating Officer, reporting to the Chief Executive (CE) and serving as a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT), is responsible for the strategic and operational management of the organisation's financial, asset, business, and ICT functions.
The COO will collaborate with management and other key stakeholders to develop and execute operational and finance strategies that drive efficiency, productivity, and sustainable growth. The role is accountable for the delivery of the COO function to ensure Comcare operates effectively and delivers its strategic and annual operational plan on time. The function will establish and implement policies, procedures, and systems that ensure the delivery of finance and business operational support services that meet compliance and regulatory obligations.
This will be achieved through the provision of strategic and operational services in financial management; activity-based accounting; payroll management; property investment and asset management as well as business services (information and communication technologies (ICT); digitisation and systemisation; facilities management; procurement, supplier management and general business and contract administration).
Key responsibilities include:
- Providing strategic leadership of financial and accounting functions. This includes responsibility for leading the internal and external financial reporting (presenting monthly, statutory, annual, and ad hoc financial reports), budgeting planning processes, as well as ensuring financial information is complete and compliant with relevant accounting principles, in line with agreed reporting and statutory timeframes.
- Providing an overview and insight into financial, asset, and investment performance through the provision of financial and investment expertise and analytics to support the CE and Board in leading decision-making.
- Championing improvements in digital technology and systems through the development of a strategy and policy to increase information accessibility and security, and to ensure the effective day-to-day provision of integrated systems management), cyber security framework (standards, guidelines, and best practices), document controls, data governance processes, and programmes.
- Overseeing procurement policies, and procedures, which includes contract management negotiations and setting up service level agreements, as well as dealing with insurance policies.
- Providing payroll leadership for Comcare on all aspects of payroll management, ensuring that Comcare is compliant with all relevant legislation.
- Ensuring ICT operating systems and databases are fit for purpose and ensuring the smooth operation of ICT systems and technology to enable the effective operation of Comcare. Ensuring that the hybrid model for ICT, leverages the ICT function to address day-to-day user requirements
View more detail about the role in the Position Description.
The incumbent must have:
- A degree qualification in accountancy, financial or business management (with financial management as a core competency)
- Member of an appropriate professional body e.g. Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
Desirable:
Postgraduate management qualification.
- 1.Strategy - proven experience in strategic and annual planning, integrating budget and forecast processes, and aligning organisational goals and objectives with financial and operational performance.
- 2.Mergers and Acquisitions - expertise in mergers and acquisitions and financial investment strategies, including financial modelling, due diligence, and negotiating outcomes in line with strategic priorities.
- 3.Technology - proven ability to drive technological advancements, system integration, business process improvements, and cybersecurity, with experience in creating technology strategies, annual plans, and policies.
- 4.Financial Leadership - extensive experience in senior financial leadership, including statutory reporting, regulatory compliance, and ensuring accurate financial reporting for organisations with multiple facilities. Proven track record in managing cash flow, optimising debt and investment portfolios, minimising financial risk, and linking financial performance to strategic objectives.
- 5.Stakeholder engagement - demonstrated capability in stakeholder engagement, strong communication skills, and building credible relationships across internal and external stakeholders to improve customer and stakeholder satisfaction.
- 6.Te Tiriti O Waitangi - strong commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi, relationship with iwi, and a commitment to developing cultural competencies.
Direct Reports: 4 (plus 1 Fixed Term)
Indirect Reports: 7
To be discussed with HG Consultant
Service Location: Christchurch
Reports to: Chief Executive
Functional Team: Finance and Business Services
The closing date for applications is Friday, 1 November 2024
The reference number to include in your application is H24_4946
Note: Please use the online platform to submit your application. It will not be accepted via email.
If you require assistance in submitting your application online, please get in touch with Executive Search Coordinator, Aldie Zuñiga: M: +61 (0)49 410 1082 / E: [email protected]
Your application must include:
- 1.Cover letter addressed to the Principal Consultant;
- 2.A written response addressing the key selection criteria; and
- 3.An up to date copy of your Curriculum Vitae.
It Is standard practice for HardyGroup to acknowledge receipt of your application no later than the next business day. We request that if you do not receive the acknowledgement, you contact the search coordinator listed above as soon as possible after the 24-hour business period and arrange to resend your application if necessary.
For a confidential discussion, please contact:
Dr Amanda Smith
HardyGroup Principal Consultant
M. +64 (0)21 502 878
E. [email protected]
LIVING AND WORKING IN CHRISTCHURCH
Ōtautahi Christchurch wants you to have it all. We are a city of possibility, of ambition, of balance. A city where you can create a full life, for your whole life. Haere mai, welcome home.
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ABOUT US
HardyGroup’s (HG) mission is simple
Find and Grow Great Leaders - and we have been doing exactly that for more than 30 years in public and private health, primary, community and aged care as well as the broader public service.
Our synergistic business model of Executive Search and Recruitment integrated with Executive Leadership and Learning is our unique point of difference.
It ensures our clients can count on us for the lifecycle of their organisations leadership journey and why we are regarded as the leading trans-Tasman partner agency by clients.
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