Dairy Food Safety Victoria
Board Member Selection
Introduction
Dairy Food Safety Victoria is the Victorian statutory authority responsible for ensuring national food safety standards are met by licensing all dairy premises operating in Victoria’s dairy industry and approving and ensuring compliance with food safety programs.
Mission and Objectives
Dairy Food Safety Victoria’s vision is to ensure product safety and integrity locally and globally for Victoria's dairy industry. As the independent authority to regulate dairy food safety, its core strategic outcomes are:
· Maximise value from a single system approach, and
· Prepare for the future.
The values of Dairy Food Safety Victoria are:
1. Respect – We value diverse opinions, strengths and ideas, and consider the feelings of others;
2. Integrity – We are honest, open and transparent in our dealings with all stakeholders and will match our behaviours to our words;
3. ‘Can do’ – We are always willing to help stakeholders and each other and strive to continually improve the way we work whilst remaining adaptable and open to change; and
4. Fairness – We are fair, objective and courteous in all dealings with industry, stakeholders and our employees.
Board Size and Composition
The Dairy Food Safety Victoria Board consists of seven (7) members including the Chair. With the exception of the Chair, the term of office of the other current Board members expires on 11 October 2015. The Chair's term has already been confirmed until 16 April 2016.
Under the legislation, the Dairy Food Safety Victoria Selection Committee recommends five (5) Board members. These Board members are required to have expertise in one or more of the following areas:
§ On-farm milk production
§ Dairy food manufacturing
§ Public health
§ Food technology, science and safety
§ Business management
§ Consumer issues
§ Governance
§ Demonstrated Board capability, and/or
§ Technical and Regulatory Knowledge.
The Selection Committee is seeking to identify appropriately qualified candidates with expertise in one or more of the above areas and who have the capability to effectively contribute to the delivery of Dairy Food Safety Victoria’s mission and objectives.
Board Member Skills and Attributes
In order to contribute to an effective, productive Board, the selected individuals will need to work effectively and quickly with people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise.
To be effective in their role, Board members will need to address issues outside their immediate area of expertise or industry background and have sufficient levels of commercial acumen and judgment to balance relevant policy, economic, environmental and public safety requirements.
It is therefore desirable that Board members have relevant Skills and Personal Attributes such as:
Skills
§ High competence or knowledge in the specific and relevant skill or industry background
§ Strong analytical and problem solving skills
§ Ability to think strategically
§ Well respected with high quality relationships
§ Able to influence, persuade and express ideas clearly
§ Ready to listen to others points of view without prejudice
§ Capacity to consider the operational consequences of decisions
§ Ideally experienced on Boards with team-based decision-making style
Attributes
§ Highly successful track record
§ Ability to accept accountability
§ Demonstrable independence, be more than a single issue representative
§ Diligent in use of time and effort
§ Have courage to challenge status quo
§ Understand personal limitations
§ Hold a firm belief in the role of Dairy Food Safety Victoria
§ Attuned to and a contributor to community values
Board Member Remuneration
A Board member of Dairy Food Safety Victoria is primarily valued for his or her exemplary service on Dairy Food Safety Victoria as the independent regulator of Victoria’s dairy industry. The societal contribution of board members is respected.
In addition, remuneration for Board members of statutory authorities is established under Government guidelines. The current rate for members of Dairy Food Safety Victoria is a sitting fee of $10,490 per annum (subject to current revision and confirmation).
There are approximately twelve (12) meetings held per year for Dairy Food Safety Victoria, which include Board meetings and specific Audit and Risk or Human Resources Committees. Board members are expected to attend a minimum of 75 per cent of meetings held.
Present industry members of Dairy Food Safety Victoria undertake their Board role with a high degree of altruism and their enthusiasm for assisting industry has carried over to the other specialist members of the Board.
Travel and personal expenses are also fixed in accordance with the Appointment and Remuneration Guidelines for Victorian Government Boards, Statutory Bodies and Advisory Committees.
Board Member Selection Committee and Processes
The Selection Committee established to make nominations for Board member appointment to Dairy Food Safety Victoria consists of three members. Each Committee member is nominated by organisations representing dairy farmers and dairy food manufacturers. To assist the Committee, the advisory firm Horton International, which has expertise in Board Search and Selection, has been retained.
Applicants are advised that prior to appointment, selected candidates will be required to complete a declaration of private interests form and provide a summary Curriculum Vitae. In addition, selected candidates must consent to a National Police Records check by the Victoria Police. Other probity checks include the Australian Securities & Investment Commission register of persons prohibited/disqualified under the Corporations Act (Cwlth) and the Australian Financial Security Authority ‘National Personal Insolvency Index’ (Cwlth). These checks are arranged by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources at no cost to applicants.
Candidates wishing to be considered for selection need to complete and sign:
§ The Expression of Interest Form and
§ The Consent Form (Interested Persons)
and forward both forms with curriculum vitae (ideally electronically) to by 9am Monday 29 June 2015 addressed to:
Kathryn Harper
Advisory consultant assisting the Dairy Food Safety Victoria Selection Committee,
Horton International,
Level 9, 52 Collins Street
Melbourne, Vic, 3000
Phone: (03) 9650 2555
Email:
quoting "Dairy Food Safety Victoria Application" in the subject line.