Position Description

A. What The Student Christian Movement of Aotearoa does:

SCM is the oldest student group in Aotearoa New Zealand and has a proud history, a distinctive ethos and clearly defined objectives. SCMA:

1) Trains ecumenical and social leaders

2) Provides community and support for members

3) Educates about theology from an open-minded, open-ended perspective

4) Campaigns and promote causes

5) Behaves internationally and regionally through WSCF

6) Functions within relevant legislation and good organisational practice

7) Models and promotes justice in a cheerful and collaborative fashion

B. What the National Secretary of SCMA does within the organisation:

The National Secretary supports this work by the members: SCMA is a student-led organisation.

However, a National Staff worker is required because students don’t necessarily have the required amounts of extra-curricular time in which to do all the above without seriously imperilling their academic achievement. Having a National Staff-worker encourages other agencies to interact with SCMA, as they get to know someone and, more importantly, they get to know there is someone they can easily contact.

1) Help work towards objectives 1-7 by supporting any relevant people, in particular:

a) National Coordinating Group

· Attending meetings of the NCG in an advisory capacity and taking minutes

· Notifying the NCG Convener in good time of business that the NCG needs to address

· Helping to organise the annual NCG In-Person Meeting

· Reporting regularly to NCG meetings

b) National Officers and Coordinators

· Providing information and other resources to all coordinators

· Handling and filing mail for the treasurer, and counter-signing cheques

· If directed by the NCG, temporarily deputising for any coordinator position that is unfilled

c) Local groups and local group administrators

· Maintaining affiliation of local groups and receiving new applications for affiliation

· Gathering and storing membership information

d) Individual members

· Maintaining effective communication systems aimed at ensuring member participation

· Writing references detailing voluntary work undertaken for SCM

· Providing information about the ethos of SCM for newer members

· Advising successful and unsuccessful applicants for WSCF programmes and helping to organise WSCF travel

e) Partner organisations especially the SCMA Trust, CCANZ and other ecumenical groups

· Responding to requests and other correspondence swiftly and professionally

f) Working Groups, especially as Conference organisers

· Providing useful information from National files

· Providing banking support

2) Promote objective 6 by managing the SCMA National Office efficiently

a) Processing all correspondence

b) Being available for liaison with external agencies so that it is worth their while contacting SCM

c) Recording vital correspondence in a register

d) Making the library of publications as available as possible

e) Managing petty-cash systems when necessary

f) Liasing promptly with legal agencies especially Inland Revenue, Accident Compensation Corporation, The Companies Office, SCM’s auditors, The National Archives

g) Keeping the membership database

h) Monitoring the Movement’s compliance with its own constitution

i) Maintaining the National files and sending old material to National Archives

j) Being pay-roll clerk for the Movement

3) Promote objectives 2, 5, 6 and 7 by

a) Circulating incoming information to members

· In the form of mail-outs, email, website, newsletters and phone calls

4) Promote objective 5 by

a) Keeping in regular and timely contact with WSCF Asia-Pacific Regional Office in Hong Kong

· Organising in conjunction with the NCG a selection process for nominees to WSCF-AP programmes

· Attending meetings of WSCF-AP National Secretaries

· Facilitating applications for funding to the MAP programme

· Ensuring awareness in the movement of the workings of WSCF-AP in particular international leadership opportunities such as ExCo, Regional Standing Committee and Regional Women’s Committee

· Sending news about SCMA to WSCF-AP for publication and distribute WSCF-AP publications

· Seeking opportunities for SCMA Regional participation and learning

b) Regular and timely contact with WSCF Inter-regional Office in Geneva

· Facilitating applications to WSCF-IRO for Centennial Fund and EAP funding

· Ensuring payment of WSCF affiliation fees is up-to-date

· Organising in conjunction with the NCG a selection process for nominees to WSCF Inter-regional programmes

· Seeking opportunities for SCMA Inter-Regional participation and learning

c) Regular contact with other movements in the Pacific sub-region

· Exchanging newsletters

· Staff to Staff peer-support and resource sharing

· Seeking opportunities for SCMA sub-regional participation and learning

5) Promotes objectives 1, 2, 5 and 6 by

a) Attending all National programmes of the movement, and any joint-programmes as required

· Providing information and advice

· Recording and distributing minutes

· Contributing to organisation if desired and if possible

6) Promote objectives 2 and 6 by

a) Organising regular communication with Senior Friends of the movement and assuring good service to donors

7) There are no specific provisions in this position description about promoting objective 4

8) Promote objective 6 by

a) Providing some level of administrative support and peer support for any other SCM staff

9) Any other tasks necessary to fulfil these objectives

a) as stipulated by the National Coordinating Group and/or AGM

C. Person specification/key skills

1) Self motivating and able to work on own within a budget

2) Able to work appropriately in an organisation with well-established patterns and culture

3) Able to work cooperatively and collaboratively

4) Proficient at email, word-processing, spreadsheets, open to learning about databases and web publishing

5) Good at recognising, harnessing and rewarding the contribution of volunteers

6) Have good communication and negotiation skills on paper/email and in person

7) Be willing to promote SCM at conferences and build networks

8) Be good at completing tasks within time frames, and predicting what tasks cannot be completed in the given timeframe

9) Be flexible - will have to work some evenings and weekends, will have to work at different locations including conference venues

D. Special Responsibilities and Principles

a) The National Secretary will occasionally have to work alone at tasks of their own initiation. However the overwhelming bulk of his or her work must be in accordance with this position description and the direction of the National Coordinating Group. In addition as much work as possible should be done in partnership with student members so that learning opportunities are made available.

b) The National Secretary does not have official power in SCM. However the National Secretary does have “Authority” in the strict sense that he or she will be the author of most of the written official paperwork coming out of the movement. This responsibility means that considerable attention to detail and tone is required in all written materials and dealings with other agencies.

c) The National Secretary is sometimes in a better position to think about forward planning for SCM than members. This is an important privilege for the employee, but it is also of considerable benefit to the movement. It is the responsibility of the National Secretary, although not alone, to gently promote forward planning, and thinking beyond the confines of the calendar year.

d) All aspects of the National Secretary’s work can be shared with members of the movement so clear and full records of current work are needed so that tasks can be reassigned with ease.

E. Functional Relationships

1) The National Secretary is employed by the National Co-ordinating Group (National Executive

2) The employee is responsible to the NCG.

3) The employee will report in brief to the monthly NCG meeting, in-depth ½ yearly to the NCG In-Person Meeting and provide a review of the year to the AGM.

F. Schedule to Position Description

1) Location

a) Near an active local SCM group in order to provide support and grounding:

· Christchurch

· Wellington

· Dunedin

2) Terms of employment

a) Permanent appointment, dependant on funding levels of SCMA

b) For not more than 20 hours per week.

c) Supervision will be provided by SCMA

NB: A guide to the acronyms found here is available at www.scm.org.nz/jargon.htm