THE PENSION BOARDS — UNITED
THE PENSION BOARDS — UNITED
Position Specification
THE SITUATION
The
Pension Boards –
The
Chief Operating Officer (COO) of PBUCC will be responsible for managing the day-to-day
operations of the organization and serve as the chief executive when the president/CEO is
not in the office. The COO will supervise IT operations and health plan operations. In all
its operations, PBUCC has about 20 million data transactions per month.
ATTRACTIONS
The
Pension Boards as a whole is a strong and vital branch of the UCC and has resources to
engage in its ministry and looks forward to implementing new programs. The COO will be
managing a healthy and stable organization, which is focused on fulfilling its mission,
not on its own survival. There were no reductions in force in the recent economic
downturn.
The
PBUCC is a diverse and small (70 employees) organization. It is more personal than a
corporate benefits group, and the challenges are more interesting. One can see the results
of his or her own work quickly and you always know that you are making a difference in the
lives of ordained and lay UCC employees. The Pension Boards is always looking for ways to
offer more services and products.
The
COO will work in close partnership with Mike Downs, the president/CEO, who has overseen
the expansion and effectiveness of the organization since he assumed his position in 2001.
Mike and other members of The Pension Boards’ executive team are active and take
leadership roles in the national Church Benefits Association, which includes some fifty
other denominational groups.
The
COO position is varied and multi-dimensional. The issues that the Pension Boards engages,
such as health insurance and pension fund management are current, are current, national
concerns.
CRITICAL ISSUES
The
COO position is based in
The
position itself is undergoing some transition and it will be a different job after the
current officer retires in the spring of 2010. To some extent, the new COO will have to
chart a new path.
Reports to:
President/CEO in parallel with Chief Investment Officer; Treasurer/CFO; General Counsel
& Corporate Secretary; Director, Member Services; Director, Human Relations/
Administration; Director Ministerial Assistance, and Director, Public
Relations/Communications
Purpose
·
The Chief Operating
Officer (COO) is responsible for managing all day-to-day operations of the organization.
Through a respectful, constructive, and energetic style, guided by the objectives of
PBUCC, the COO provides the leadership, management, and vision necessary to ensure that
PBUCC has the proper operational controls, administrative and reporting procedures, and
people systems in place to grow PBUCC effectively and to ensure its financial strength and
operating efficiency. The COO is responsible for a $3,000,000
budget.
Has direct oversight of
the Information Technology Department and Health Plans Operations. The office processes over 20 million transactions a month.
·
Assists the
President/CEO in the successful growth of PBUCC with new products and services.
·
Serves as a member of the
executive management team in promoting Board policies and shaping overall direction of
strategy.
Key Accountabilities
·
A solid working relationship with the
President, Trustees, and Senior Staff.
·
Directs the evaluation and design for all
benefit plans of the Pension Boards, including pension, health, dental, life insurance and
disability income.
·
Participates in negotiating contracts with
outside vendors.
·
Facilitates communications regarding benefit
activities, policies, and changes.
·
Provides day-to-day leadership and
management that mirror the mission and core values of the organization.
·
Provides programmatic
leadership and input for all strategic planning processes with the Board, CEO, and staff.
·
Collaborates with the management team to
develop and implement plans for the operational infrastructure of systems, processes, and
personnel designed to accommodate growth objectives.
·
Responsible for the measurement and
effectiveness of all internal and external processes. Provides timely, accurate and
complete reports on the operating condition of the organization.
·
As requested, act as the Pension Boards’
representative at meetings, seminars and conferences within the UCC and at external
professional meetings.
Key Challenges
·
Strategic Vision and
Agility – ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends,
and incorporate them into the organizational plan.
·
Thorough knowledge of the Pension Boards,
its mission, programs, staff, and operation.
·
Maintaining a current
working knowledge of design strategies, legislative environment and regulatory
requirements affecting the type of benefit plans administered by the Pension Boards.
·
Analyzing the current
technology infrastructure and scope of the next level of information technology and
financial systems that support the growth and overall operations.
·
Understands and
appreciates UCC denomination.
Background/Experience/Qualifications
Required
·
A thorough understanding
of Pension, Health and Welfare Benefit systems. A broad experience with the full range of
business functions and systems including strategic development and planning, finance and
information systems.
·
Strong relationship
builder and communicator with experience leading diverse work teams, developing an
organization-wide strategy for program excellence.
·
Knowledge of leading edge
technology in IT developments and trends as they apply to a data-driven organization with
20 million transactions monthly.
·
An undergraduate degree
from an accredited college or university.
·
Strives for excellence in
her/his work, and has experience leading others to new levels of effectiveness and
programmatic impact.
·
Passionate about the
organization’s mission and able to promote and communicate the philosophy, mission
and values of the organization to external and internal stakeholders.
·
Supervisory experience.
·
Collegial personal style.
·
Membership in UCC
preferred.
Decision Making
Authority
·
Makes decisions in the
absence of the President/CEO who travels about half the time.
Key Relationships
·
Internal: Board of
Trustees, President/CEO, and Senior Staff.
·
External: Benefit Plan
Consultants and Legal Counsel.
The Pension
Boards-United
Candidates and sources, please communicate with Bob Sellery or Katie
Wilson, Robert Sellery Associates, Ltd.,
R
OBERT SELLERY ASSOCIATES, LTD.
