My Second Career Part 2

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

28 February 1992 - 31 December 1998

Administration of the Boards affairs in accordance with the Public Finance Act, Business Development Boards Act, and the Business Development Board Code. This required the preparation of:

• Operational plans and budgets
• Purchase Agreements with the Minister
• Annual Statement of Objectives
• Monthly Reports to the Board
• Quarterly Reports to the Minister
• Annual Reports to Parliament

Promotion of the Board and its services to key organisations, clients and the public by distribution of material, client visits, editorials and addresses.

Provision of information by assessing the needs of clients and enquirers, sourcing and disseminating relevant business information and opportunities, and making referrals.

Improvement of business capability by assessing or arranging assessments on business capability; discussing proposals and providing general business advice; providing leads to problem solving, innovative projects, development of business skills, techniques and procedures, and developing new offshore markets.

Administration of the Business Capability Improvement Fund (BCIE) as per the Ministers guidelines for supporting training, education, etc., and Purchase Agreement. Also involved the provision of initiative and support to new business training projects.

Administration of the Business Development Grant Scheme to assist innovation, R&D, management strategies and their implementation in new markets offshore. Also assist clients with applications to the Board.

Administration and promotion of quality programmes and awards.

Liaison and coordination with other key organisations in the Region to exchange information and develop regional initiatives.
Provision of special programmes to women and Maori to improve their awareness of the Business Development Programme and examine ways to assist their business initiatives while informing Board members and staff about their special needs and aspirations. Also to provide practical assistance, programmes, workshops, hui etc..

Assistance to the Board to advise the Minister on matters relating to business development in the region including significant business development issues, and Boards progress and client successes.

Development and maintenance of Good Employer and Employment Opportunities Programme including fair management of staff and their duties, identification of learning, training and job related development needs, training, performance assessments, remuneration reviews, observance of the Employment Contract Act, observance of the Equal Employment Opportunities Act.

Assistance to national projects of the Business Development Board network.

Ongoing development support to the Business Development Programme including, reviews, the Business Information Network, Data systems, and other projects determined and approved by Board.

Maintenance of the Boards assets for cost-effective and safe use
Continually improve operations, procedures, systems, documentation, measurement and reporting.

• High profile and respectability gained for Board at low cost through editorials, features, function attendance and addresses etc.
• Approval of $3.6 million funding for over 700 new business initiatives to a high level of client satisfaction. Grant support valued at over $40 million in terms of increased turn over, foreign exchange and new employment with the tax potential matched Governments contribution.
• Advice and guidance provided to over 4300 enquirers who also indicated their high level of satisfaction.
• Development of numerous discussions sessions, seminars, workshopscovering topics such as: exporting, compliance issues, process and quality improvement, business networking, quality certification, quality awards, the millennium bug, Marae development etc.
• Research into business capability improvement.
• Member of 'Local Employment Committee assisting in the development of an economic and employment profile for the region, and strategies for lifting employment.
• Advisor to various organisations including two Aoraki Polytechnic Committees, Peel Forest OPC - Eco-Village, etc.
• Fully developed liaisons and networks.
• Information technologies developed for BDB network.