Project Officer and Admin Officer Stewart Island / Rakiura Community and Environment Trust.

Administration Officer

for the Stewart Island / Rakiura Community and Environment Trust

Job Description

Location;                         Halfmoon Bay - Stewart Island / Rakiura

Salary;                   $19.50 per hour ( 30 hours a week)

Term;                             1 year (An extension of one year is possible should funding be available).

• To undertake and manage administration activities on behalf of the Stewart Island / Rakiura Community and Environment Trust (SIRCET).
• To manage, develop and maintain the Environment Centre and Trust website.
• To develop long-term sustainable funding opportunities

They will also be responsible for supervising the Project Officer who is responsible for the delivery of the Halfmoon Bay Habitat Restoration Project.

The Administration Officer will be employed by SIRCET, which was formed in 2002 to promote projects that benefit our community and environment around the settled parts of Halfmoon Bay . SIRCET is committed to raising awareness in environmental ecosystem protection and restoration, waste minimisation and sustainable resource use.

SIRCET is a Charitable Trust composed entirely of people who live on or have a close association with Stewart Island . The Trust has been responsible for instigating the recycling station on Stewart Island (now operated by council) and is presently operating an Environment Centre on Stewart Island as well as its current core activity of driving the Halfmoon Bay Habitat Restoration Project (HMBHRP).

The Environment Centre is situated in the hub of Stewart Island ’s commercial area, and presides next to the general store (Ship to Shore) and Glowing Sky clothing store. A feature of this position will be to upgrade the Environment Centre material, introduce interesting activities and use the centre as an avenue to facilitate an interest in Environmental and Community issues.

Currently SIRCET is almost solely focused on the Halfmoon Bay Habitat Restoration Project (HMBHRP). This project aims to control and manage pest animals (possums, feral cats and rats) on private land around Halfmoon Bay with a view to providing a safe habitat for the native bird population. A recent addition to the project is the shift in focus from purely animal pest management to ecosystem protection as a whole. This includes pest plant management, forest regeneration and assists in species monitoring of a variety of species including weka, robins, little blue penguins, titi and any newly released native species. The project hinges on volunteer input to assist in the pest management programme and relies on technical advice from the Department of Conservation amongst other technical experts.

This position will be an integral part of a team charged with the exciting challenge of encouraging community awareness and participation in environmental protection. The Administration Officer position is initially a one year contract with a likely extension for an additional year given sufficient available funding, for 1560 hours per year, averaging 30 hours per week. (Note – this ‘spread’ of hours can be flexible and negotiated)

The Administration Officer will be supervised by, and report directly to, the staff liaison trustee.

The Administration Officer will be required to maintain good relationships with the Trust Project Officer, Treasurer, landowners and stakeholders, community, sponsors/funding providers, suppliers, Environment Southland, Southland District Council, Landcare Trust and other restoration community groups, like-minded organisations, Department of Conservation (DOC), technical experts, staff liaison trustee and the Board of Trustees.

The Trust is a member of the Otago Southland Employers Association and follows their procedures on employment agreements and for resolving employment relations problems.

The Administration Officer will be responsible for carrying out administrative duties for SIRCET

These responsibilities include:

Ø      Supervision of Project Officer

Ø      Contact person for SIRCET

Ø      Developing sustainable funding means

Ø      Sponsorship

Ø      Coordination and development of publicity and educational materials

Ø      Coordination of community workshops and school activities

Ø      SIRCET website

Ø      Environment Centre activities

Ø      Purchase decisions within approved allocation levels

The Administration Officer is responsible for upholding the good reputation of SIRCET in every activity and for complying with reasonable Health and Safety and Code of Conduct standards.

Duties will be predominately office based and include:

• Contact person for SIRCET
• Supervision of Project Officer
• Environment Centre direction, updates and organisation
• Identifying short and long term funding opportunities
• Writing funding applications and sponsorship proposals
• Reporting to funding organisations and sponsors
• Coordinating and undertaking workshops and school activities
• Facilitating and coordinating Strategy reviews
• Media opportunities such as articles in newsletters
• Coordination of the development of publicity materials
• Coordination of website updates (and undertaking if need be)
• Purchasing within approval levels
• Communicating funding targets and project budgeting requirements
• Demonstrate project activities and achievements
• Any other reasonable task relating to the administration of the SIRCET projects 

1. Experience in working with a community organisation
2. Experience in report writing and funding applications
3. Excellent written and verbal communication skills
4. Excellent work planning and time management skills
5. Excellent computer skills including word processing and spreadsheets
6. Knowledge or ability to acquire knowledge of websites and their development
7. Knowledge or ability to acquire knowledge of publicity material development
8. Capacity to supervise and manage staff
9. Excellent relationship building skills
10. Sensitivity to public opinion and information requests, and to working on private land
11. Capacity to work unsupervised and to manage flexible attendance
12. Current drivers licence desirable