Community Connector - Tararua - Sport Manawatū

The Tararua Community Connector will work within the Recreation Team at Sport Manawatū and the Strategy & Community Well-being Team at Tararua District Council level to enhance sport and active recreation in the Tararua District. You will develop, implement and monitor initiatives to boost participation and develop a strong foundation for community wellbeing in quality experiences in play, active recreation and sport. The Community Connector will liaise consistently with local schools, iwi providers, clubs, health, social service providers, workplaces and sport providers, acting as the visible face of Sport Tararua in the region. Your environmental knowledge will shape Sport Manawatū’s work in the Tararua District, and your relationships with local stakeholders will enable us to meet critical success factors for the organisation.

The key purpose of the Tararua Community Connector is to:
• Assist with planning, coordinating, and delivering community based projects in the Tararua District.
• Develop and grow relationships with identified groups from the district including but not limited to school representatives, council staff, club administrators, iwi, health, social service providers, facility providers,
and other priority populations of the community.
• Manage specialist projects and report on key findings to relevant stakeholders and staff.
• Support the Senior Leadership Team & the Council Strategy and Community Wellbeing Team with the identification of areas or communities in need, and the planning, and provision of solutions and support to achieve organisational objectives.
• Collect and collate relevant data in support of insights.
• Implement Sport Manawatū initiatives that make it easier for whānau to participate in sport and active recreation.
• Develop accurate and timely reports by the required deadlines.
• Implement Sport Manawatū initiatives that make it easier for children and youth to choose to be physically active.
• Help grow support with Sport Manawatū SMEs to address the Tararua community needs.
• Encourage utilisation of Tararua parks, places and open spaces to enhance wellbeing and increase activity levels.

Key Performance Indicators:
The key performance indicators for the Tararua Community Connector include:
• Continued positive stakeholder engagement.
• Develop an awareness of sport and recreation opportunities in the community and opportunities to enhance wellbeing.
• Increased number of people physically active in the community.
• More people being active in the Tararua district.
• An increase in the number of volunteers for targeted sport providers.
• More primary and secondary school children playing organised sport.
• More children, adults, iwi, hapū and whānau participating in physical activity through clubs, events and community activities.
• An increase in the number of quality volunteers, especially coaches in the district.

The key position responsibilities for the Tararua Community Connector include:
• Leverage relationships to grow local sport and active recreation participation in the Tararua district.
• Develop pathways for participants to have them involved in sport and active recreation, encouraging long term sustainability.
• Support the development of local sporting talents linking / facilitating opportunities for enhancing growth / success in sport.
• Develop and maintain relationships with facility staff, iwi, health and social service providers, sport providers, clubs, organisations, and community groups to actively promote their services.
• Develop or evolve Sport Manawatū initiatives that make it easier for people to participate in organised sport.
• Provide practical help to sports clubs and recreational groups.
• Develop and lead district based sport and physical activity initiatives.
• Administration of the Rural Travel Fund.
• Help the community in applying for Tu Manawa funding.

This position would suit an individual with the following experience and skills:
• A minimum of two years practical training experience working in the sport and recreation sector.
• A working knowledge and understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its application.
• Demonstrated ability to manage relationships, supervise, and collaborate with multi-functional teams both internal and external.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and handle multiple assignments concurrently through effective prioritisation and resource allocation.
• Proficient with computer based programmes including Microsoft Access, Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and handle multiple tasks with efficiency.
• A proven ability to engage with stakeholders including councillors, sports partners and community recreation groups.
• An exceptional ability to collate and produce accurate and concise reports with deadlines.

It would be desirable for the individual to have:
• An understanding of the NZ Health System as well as the regional Sport Sector.
• An excellent understanding of Sport Manawatū’s role and responsibilities as a Charitable Trust.
• A relevant tertiary qualification.

Come and join the great team at Sport Manawatū, we offer an awesome staff wellness package. This role can be full time or part time for the right candidate. Applications close Sunday 9th July 2023. For more information or a copy of the job description, please contact michelle.copeman@sportmanawatu.org.nz