Programme Director appointed to Southland Regional Development Strategy

Posted on: 7 December 2015

The Governance Group for the Southland Regional Development Strategy (SoRDS) has today announced appointments to the directorate for the two year programme.
The directorate function will be provided by two part time positions adding together to the equivalent of one full time position.

Sarah Hannan, currently the Chief Executive of the Southland Chamber of Commerce, is to take up the position of Programme Director, and Sarah Brown, a local solicitor, Chair of Southern Institute of Technology and a Powernet Director, is to take up the position of Project Manager. Sarah Hannan and Sarah Brown will work on an approximate 70/30 split.

Almost 30 inquiries and over a dozen applications were received for what was a highly sought-after position and this was reflected in the high quality of the applicants. “It was important that we got the right skill-set for this position. It is going to be a full-on job, especially in the first year,” says Tom Campbell, chair of the Governance Group of SoRDS.

“Sarah Hannan and Sarah Brown have extensive local business, governance and senior management experience and together bring a strong and complementary skill-set to the job,” he says.

Commenting on the appointment Sarah Hannan says: “Sarah and I were attracted to this role as we view it as fantastic opportunity to play a facilitating role in a programme that has such potential for the Southland community. The programme must be pragmatic in nature, quickly make clear and decisive steps forward that work towards the single-minded goal of more people living in Southland.”

“The focus of the programme directorate role in the first six months will be assisting the Project Teams to develop their Team Action Plans. In particular they will source information and research to help the Teams develop cohesive priorities and action plans,” says Tom Campbell.

“The Strategy reaches right across the Southland community and also into Wellington. Together they will assist the Programme and the Governance Group build relationships with the community and stakeholders, which includes Central Government.

“We are expecting them to work closely with the various local government agencies, sector groups, individual businesses, local trusts and not-for-profits,” he says.

The office of SoRDS will be located at Environment Southland, although the Southland Chamber of Commerce and Otago Southland Employers’ Association offices will also be used. “We are grateful to these organisations for their support,” says Mr Campbell.

“We are expecting to review progress with the Strategy toward the end of the two year programme to ensure milestones are being achieved and to consider how it should be led beyond that point.”

For further information:
Tom Campbell, Chairman SoRDS, 027 267 9760