Chief Executive
Grain Producers Australia, the pre-eminent organisation representing Australia’s grain producers nationally and internationally, is seeking to appoint an experienced Chief Executive to lead the Company’s secretariat in the advocacy of policies and practices and in the management of the operations of the Company.
Position Description
Position Summary
The Chief Executive is the Chief Executive of Grain Producers Australia – a formally constituted Company limited by guarantee. The Chief Executive is appointed by the Board of Directors on the recommendations of the GPA Nomination’s Committee and is directly accountable and reports to the Board of Directors.
The Chief Executive is responsible for:
the development, coordination (including with State grain representative bodies) and implementation of GPA policies pursuant to the determinations of the Policy Council and Board of Directors in accordance with specific directions and priorities as determined by the Board of Directors;
the management and administration of the Company’s operations, including policy advocacy, public representation, financial, corporate, legal, and personnel;
the external representation of the Company, the Australian grains industry, and the policies and practices advocated by the GPA.
Primary Responsibilities
Policy advocacy and industry representation
The Chief Executive will:
annually, identify, evaluate, and prioritise key issues and policy considerations for the rolling development of the GPA’s three-year strategic agenda and subsequent coordination and preparation of the annual business plan and project plans;
manage the implementation of project plans and report progress to the Board of Directors on a quarterly basis;
be alert to risk/issues management in identifying and responding to ad hoc disruptive factors, both positive and negative, to the industry and its people, and the Company;
maintain an acute analysis of industry and market developments that are or prospectively will impact the industry and/or the Company, and maintain close liaison with the Chairman initially and subsequently the Board as and when appropriate;
represent the Company, its members, its policies and leading operational practices in public forums, including the media, conferences, meetings and with governments and their agencies, and other institutions, both in Australia and internationally as required.
Governance
The Chief Executive is responsible for the corporate governance of the GPA in accordance with the Company’s status as a company limited by guarantee, pursuant to the Corporations Law and the directives of the Board of Directors, including:
the preparation, management and subsequent quarterly reporting of the annual budget and financial position, and prospective financial considerations including risk management;
the administration of the Secretariat, the scheduling and preparation of agendas and briefing papers for quarterly Board meetings, Policy Council meetings and sub-committees of the Board and the Policy Council, and the Annual General Meeting;
the preparation and lodgement with ASIC of the Annual Report, including the Director's Report and Financial Statements;
the development of an operating culture centred on mutual respect, the pursuit of excellence, individual accountability within a collective responsibility, and the fulfilment of all responsibilities with integrity and credibility.
The Chief Executive is accountable to the Board of Directors, will work closely with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman in the day-to-day performance of the Chief Executive’s responsibilities.
Stakeholder engagement
The Chief Executive will:
determine effective working relationships with member State grain producer representative bodies with the principal objective of coordinating the development and implementation of policy advocacy and industry representation initiatives;
develop effective relationships with shareholders, other industry stakeholders, industry organisations including the Grains Research and Development Corporation and Grain Trade Australia, and other relevant institutions, governments and their respective agencies.
Key Functional Attributes
The Chief Executive will have:
demonstrable leadership experience as a CEO/Managing Director or other senior executive positions;
experience in public policy advocacy specific to the economic, environmental, social, and industrial climate of the Australian grains industry and in its pursuit of innovation, competitiveness and sustainability;
knowledge of the Australian grains industry in production, downstream processing, marketing and the key determinants of international competitiveness and sustainability;
an appreciation of the government and bureaucratic processes involved in determining and implementing public policy;
intellectual leadership and policy acumen, sound judgement and a keen sense of politics in corporate, industry and government;
demonstrable people skills in dealing effectively with people at all intellectual and professional levels in harnessing various and varied competencies in the collaborative development and advocacy of policy and industry practice (a combination of the capacity to “herd cats”, and a capacity for diplomacy and tenacity, and judgement in their application);
a keen sense of a proper and effective working relationship with and accountabilities to the Board of Directors.
Expressions of Interest are open until COB Friday 26th February.
Please provide
Please contact Neil White, Grain Producers Australia Company Secretary:
M: 0418 695 262