Director of Business Operations – St Patrick’s College Townsville

Where Ambition Meets Compassion

St Patrick’s College Townsville is a Catholic independent secondary school for girls in the Mercy tradition. Established in 1878 by the Sisters of Mercy, the College is inspired by the values of their founder, Catherine McAuley.

The College offers day and boarding for girls for Years 7 to 12. It is the only Catholic all girls boarding school in Townsville and approx. 20% of students are boarders. The current student population is 585 and expected to be 610 in 2022; which continues the growth trend of recent years.

In 2011 the Sisters of Mercy established Mercy Partners as the successor to the Mercy Congregations in Queensland for the governance of the previous Sisters of Mercy ministries. As a part of this change in governance, a new company was then established – St Patrick’s College Townsville Limited. A Board of Directors was appointed by Mercy Partners to take responsibility for the governance of the College.

Living in Townsville

Providing a laid back tropical lifestyle that is complemented by capital city comforts, no other Australian city boasts the lifestyle and economic potential that the Townsville North Queensland Region enjoys.

Known as the Second Capital of Queensland and with a population of approximately 195,000 people, Townsville offers a dynamic lifestyle coupled with strong economic prosperity. Townsville is a thriving precinct with access to a variety of world class education facilities, leading edge health care, affordable housing, unique retailing, spectacular events and entertainment, dining precincts and a wide range of outdoor recreation options. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, Townsville’s lifestyle is second to none.

Further Information

A range of information, including Vision, Mission and Values, as well as the Towards 2025 Strategic Plan and 2019 Annual Report, can be viewed by visiting the College website located at https://www.stpatscollege.qld.edu.au/our-college/

Position Overview

Position Title: Director of Business Operations

Reports to: Principal

Position Purpose

This role has responsibility for the strategic and the day-to-day business administration of the College. It performs the functions of a Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary to the College Board.

With executive responsibility across key areas including finance and accounting; budget planning and reporting; compliance; risk and insurance; human resources management; company secretarial; and facilities management, the Director of Business Operations will ensure that the operations of the school are in accordance with the College’s mission, vision, values and strategic plan.

A full position description will be provided at a later stage in this process.

Initial Priorities

• The College is about to launch into building a new $2m sports complex. This is stage 2 of a 3-stage Master Plan. The Board has a Property & Facilities sub-committee of which the Director Business Operations is an ex-officio member.
• The current Director has led a significant upgrading of policies, systems and processes during the past 5 years. The incoming Director will come with ‘fresh eyes’ to continue this development, always with the view to better support the mission of excellence in learning for all young women of the College.

Key Relationships

The Director of Business Operations is a member of the College Leadership Team and reports to the Principal. As Company Secretary, the role may also report on occasion to the Chair of the College Board on board governance matters.

The College Leadership team comprises the following positions:

• Principal
• Deputy Principal
• Deputy Principal – Academic
• Director of Business Operations
• Director of Students
• Director of Mission
• Director of Boarding
• Director of Marketing, Events and Community Engagement

The Director of Business Operations leads a team of 10 and has the following direct reports:

• College Accountant
• Facilities Manager (to be appointed)
• IT Manager

An organisation chart will be provided at a later stage of this process.

Commencement

The commencement date is negotiable however it is anticipated to be during June 2021.

Location

The College is located on Townsville’s Strand beachfront. Their state-of-the art facilities overlook the ocean and is set amongst tropical gardens. The College offers a wonderful mix of heritage and contemporary buildings that blend to create a beautiful environment.

Other relevant information

• The financial year is 1^st January to 31^st December. Annual income is approx. $15m.
• External auditor is Jessups.
• The accounting software is TASS.
• Staff FTE approx. 100 and payroll is run in-house using TASS.

Conditions of Employment

• Remuneration will be negotiated with the successful applicant.
• Salary packaging arrangements are available.
• Given the seniority of this role, the expectation is that the Director will work the hours required of the position, which includes out-of-hours meetings and events.
• Four weeks of annual leave.
• Appointment: 5-year initial contract period with a probation period of 6 months.
• Mobile phone/laptop provided.
• Parking provided.
• Reasonable relocation assistance (if required) will be available for the successful applicant.
• The Working with Children (Risk Management & Screening) Act 2000 requires the preferred applicant to be subject to “Working with Children Check”. Further details regarding this check may be obtained at https://www.bluecard.qld.gov.au

Selection Criteria

We invite expressions of interest from people who align with the following:

• Able to actively support the Catholic and Mercy values of the school, with a preparedness to participate in College worship and liturgy;
• A career in finance and accounting with experience in a senior level financial leadership role;
• Willingness and capacity to learn, embrace and grow into the broader aspects of this multi-faceted role, such as building works/facilities management and company secretarial;
• Experience in leading a team, with a readiness to support others, including people from non-financial backgrounds;
• An ability to work at strategic thinking and planning tasks as well as hands-on with the day-to-day routine, operational duties;
• Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills combined with the desire to become immersed in the life of the College;
• Personal attributes include having initiative, attention to detail and taking accountability;
• CA or CPA and ongoing professional formation and training.

While people from all sectors will be considered, experience within the n-f-p, education or a values-based setting will be highly regarded.

Are You Interested in This Opportunity?

If you are interested in this role, simply complete the ‘Express Your Interest’ panel on this page; or email jobs@traksearch.com quoting ref number TS1451. Whichever you choose, please provide a brief resume and contact telephone number (mobile preferred).

If you are NOT interested in this role but would like to be advised of future leadership positions, click here to register for our job alerts.

Questions can be directed to either (a) Director John Chesher (0417 068 220) or (b) email to jobs@traksearch.com.

The timeline and details for this project are outlined below. All emails and applications are acknowledged within 48 hours.

The Selection Process

Key dates as follows:

Trak Search has been instructed to provide a process that is welcoming for people interested in this role. Significant aspects include:

• Throughout the process, Trak Search is available for your confidential enquiries. They will also provide a range of additional information to allow you to explore how this opportunity aligns with your expectations and interests.
• Closing is 5.00pm on the date shown above. However, a late application could be accepted, providing it does not adversely impact other applications or the employers schedule.
• We expect to contact two work-related referees prior to shortlisting, with additional references completed later in the process.
• All information provided to Trak Search will be made available prior to shortlisting, in confidence, to the Principal or her nominee unless you instruct Trak Search otherwise.
• If you would like a more comprehensive understanding of the Trak Search process, click here to access the ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

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