CHAPTER 8: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

This chapter will cover: • • • • •

formation of a project steering committee project management tips acquittal employment of project staff tips for using the media

Once you have developed your project plan and have received the funding you need to run the project, you have to think about how you go about this. This chapter will give you some hints and will also talk about what you need to know if running the project involves employing staff.

1.

STEERING COMMITTEE

When you are going to run (“implement”) a project, it is a good idea to form a steering committee which is a special form of subcommittee responsible for ensuring that the project is run efficiently and according to plan. The composition of steering committees varies according to the type of project, but when you are setting one up you should think about including:
at least one person from your management committee as a link between the management committee and those implementing the project. This is important because it is the management committee that has the legal responsibility for everything the organisation does. This person should ideally chair the steering committee;
someone with particular expertise in the area your project aims to cover;
a representative of the funding body;
someone from the group the project hopes to assist (the “target group”) It is up to the steering committee to decide on where, when and how often they meet. When they do meet, minutes of these meetings should be taken (see Chapter 3). In addition to being circulated to the steering committee, they should also go to the management committee.

66

2.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT TIPS

When implementing a project, the steering committee should meet regularly (e.g. once a month) to:
check that the project plan is being followed and that things are running according to the timeline;
prepare a report (verbal or in writing) that will go to the management committee to keep them informed about progress;
think about the things that could possibly go wrong and take steps to prevent these from occurring before they happen (e.g. if you are planning an outdoor event, think about an indoor venue you could use if it was raining on the day);
keep an eye on expenditure and check that it is within budget;
make sure that money is only spent on things that are included in the budget and have been approved;
make sure that all spending is properly recorded (see Chapter 6);
call a special meeting of stakeholders (including the funding body) if there are problems with the project so that changes to the workplan and/or budget can be negotiated.

3.

ACQUITTAL

If the project has been funded by a grant or other external source, it will be necessary to give a report to the funding body. This is called acquittal. It is very important to look carefully at the requirements of the funding body in relation to acquittal and make sure you gather the information they require and send in your report on time. Some funding agencies have special formats for acquittal; others allow you to choose how you do this. In either case, you will need to include:  a description of what happened in the project (a “narrative report”);  an evaluation of the project (see Chapter 7);  a full financial report, showing all sources of funding and details of all expenses. Depending on the requirements of the funding body, you might also need to get a report from an auditor to prove that the money has been spent according to the budget.

67

4.

EMPLOYMENT OF PROJECT STAFF

If the implementation of your project involves employing staff, there are a number of other things for the management committee to think about. 4.1.

Recruitment

It is important to get the right person for the job. In order to do this, certain rules should be followed: •

draw up a job description: this should set out: • • • • • • • • • • • •

the things the worker will be required to do, the qualifications expected of this worker, any special skills (e.g. language skills) or experience relevant to the position, any other requirements (e.g. a driver’s license), where the person will be working, how many hours the person is expected to work each week, the salary, to whom the worker will be responsible, any other specifications information about how interested people can apply (e.g. they should send their resume and a covering letter explaining why they wanted to apply for the position); deadline for applications; details of how interested people can get more information;

•

seek endorsement of the job description at a management committee meeting before advertising;

•

advertise the position: how you do this will depend on the type of position but it is good practice to advertise as widely as possible. You can place an advertisement in the newspaper (though this can be expensive), list the position on community job-search websites, advertise on community radio or in community newsletters or post a notice in places where as many people as possible might see it (e.g. at your church);

•

form a selection panel: this a small group of people (no more than 4) who will be responsible for looking through the applications, choosing who should be interviewed and conducting the interviews. The selection panel should include at least one member of the management committee. It is also common to include at least one person with relevant skills who is not a member of the organisation (an “independent person”). It is important that if anyone on the selection panel knows any of the applicants, he/she tells the other people on the panel;

•

prepare for interviews: the selection panel should draw up a set of questions which they will ask each applicant. These should test the applicant’s knowledge of the target group and their skills to undertake the tasks;

•

conduct interviews: each of the short-listed applicants should be interviewed in as similar a way as possible so that the process is seen to be fair;

•

make a selection: on the basis of the interviews, the selection panel should decide which applicant is best qualified to undertake the tasks set out in the job description. To show that the decision was fair, the panel must be able to justify why they think this person is best for the job, especially in cases where the chosen applicant is known to one or more panel members.

68

•

•

recommend appointment: once the preferred applicant has been identified, the selection panel should recommend to the management committee that this person be appointed. Remember, it is management committee that is responsible and therefore the management committee who has the final decision; notify the applicants: once the management committee has endorsed the panel’s recommendations, both successful and unsuccessful applicants should be told the outcome.

Remember: confidentiality is vitally important throughout the recruitment process. Panel members should not discuss any application with anyone other than other members of the panel. If your project has a very small budget and/or the person is only being employed for a short period, you might like to use a simpler version of the above, but you must still be able to justify that:
the person selected is the best available person for the position;
he/she did not get the job simply because they are someone’s relative or friend. If you do not do this, you leave your organisation open to criticism from within your community and from other agencies that need to be sure that you know how to run things properly. 4.2.

Preparation

While the selection process is underway, there are other things the management committee needs to think about. These include: •

preparing the workspace: the worker will need somewhere to work and the equipment to do the job. This space must comply with occupational health and safety standards (Chapter 5);

•

get insurance: Chapter 5 also sets out the mandatory insurance required for organisations that employ staff;

•

determine the salary l and conditions of employment: most agencies use the Queensland Social & Community Services (SACS) Award (see later) to set salary levels and conditions.

•

draft a contract: anyone who is employed should be given a contract, copies of which should be signed by both the employee and a representative of the management committee. This contract should set out the terms and conditions of their employment, including: • • • • • • • • •

the job title, the date they are to start work, the hours of work, the salary, the job description, employment conditions (annual leave, sick leave, superannuation etc), the person to whom they are responsible, termination conditions, and grievance procedures.

FIND OUT MORE In addition to the things covered above, there are many other things an organisation needs to know when it is employing staff. Management Committees should review the Social and Community Services Award for Queensland which is the award relevant to work in this sector: http://www.asu.asn.au/sacs/awards_agreements.html

69

4.3.

Employment

When the staff member starts work, there are more things to think about: •

induction: it is important that someone takes time to give the new staff member more details about the organisation and the background to the project. The staff member should also be introduced to the members of the management committee and other people relevant to the project;

•

staff support: when a small organisation gets their first staff member, it is tempting to ask that person to do everything. You must make sure that you do not place too heavy demands on the staff member and remember, they are employed to do a particular job and not all the things that the committee might want them to do;

•

consider mentoring: if the person you have employed has not had a lot of experience working in Australia or in the type of position to which he/she has been appointed, you might like to think about setting up an arrangement in which this person is supported by a more experienced worker from within your organisation or from another organisation. This is called mentoring;

•

conduct performance reviews: it is usual practice that after the first three months, a new staff member will sit down with some of the members of the management committee to talk about how things are going. The purpose of this is to tell the staff member which things he/she is doing well and give some constructive advice about the areas where improvements could be made. After this, reviews of performance should be undertaken at least once a year;

•

conduct exit interviews: if a staff member resigns, a small group of management committee members should sit down with him/her to discuss their reason for leaving and establish whether there are lessons the organisation needs to learn.

5.

USING THE MEDIA

Using the media can be a double-edged sword – it can be good to promote your project or activities but it can also backfire and bring bad publicity. You should therefore think very carefully before you approach or speak to the media. Here are some hints for using the media:  local media is usually ‘friendlier’ than mainstream media and you are more likely to get them to be interested in a story;  if you are approached by the media, make sure you ask them exactly what the story is about and who else they are interviewing. If you are not comfortable about speaking on the topic, it is quite alright for you to say ‘no’. You should also say ‘no’ if you think they are not sympathetic. You can also tell them you will only speak on certain issues and not on others;  if you want the media to come to an event, you should issue a press release. The following tells you the things your press release should include:

70

Name of Your Organisation Date

MEDIA RELEASE Invitation to Attend …….. Details of the event: • time and date • exact location • purpose • who will be speaking/singing/performing How to get more information (include mobile phone number).

 if you are concerned about a particular issue, you can prepare a different type of press release that is set out like this:

Name of Your Organisation Date

MEDIA RELEASE TITLE Introduction explaining what the issue is. Views of your organisation about this – including quotes from your President or other designated representee. What you want done. Contact details of spokesperson (including mobile or after hours number)

Hint: in relation to dealing with the media: if in doubt, don’t.

IN SUMMARY When you get funding, there are certain things your organisation should do including:
form a steering committee,
learn about the principles of project management,
understand the importance of acquittal, and
learn about the extra requirements that come with employing staff. And if you want to use the media to promote your project or express an opinion, you need to think carefully about how you do this and be careful to make sure that any publicity will benefit your organisation and your community.

71