Ascension : Director (Air Access ), St. Helena Government
Submitted by The Islander (Islander Editors) 17.11.2011 (Article Archived on 01.12.2011)

A self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom, St Helena is an island of 47 square miles and around 4,000 people in the South Atlantic.

A unique opportunity to shape St Helena’s future

Director (Air Access ), St. Helena Government

£50,000 pa + Benefits in the region of £25,000

Four Year Fixed Term Contract (6 month probation period)

St. Helena, South Atlantic

A self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom, St Helena is an island of 47 square miles and around 4,000 people in the South Atlantic. With Cape Town in South Africa some 1,700 miles distant, the Islanders enjoy a unique lifestyle in truly unspoilt, friendly and peaceful surroundings.

St Helena is poised for the biggest transformation in the island’s history, with the imminent construction of an airport. It will grow from a centralised economy with 1,000 visitors per year to a market economy with up to 30,000 visitors per year.  The Director (Air Access ) will lead the SHG team that works with others to deliver the airport and act as the key link between the airport project and the St Helena Government.  Instrumental to the successful delivery of the project will be to ensure effective working relationships between the various stakeholders in St Helena and project communications. 

The Role:

·         You will be responsible for ensuring St Helena Government inputs to the project are appropriately co-ordinated and delivered, and that constraints and risks to the project are identified early and addressed. 

·         Responsible for working with DFID and representing the St Helena Government in the procurement of a suitable Air Service Provider and Fuel Management Contractor, working closely with the appropriate Directorates of St Helena Government, and other stakeholders.

• Draw up and deliver a strategy for the provision of commercial freight services both in the near term during the build of the airport and longer term once the airport is operating.
• Deliver a communications strategy so that the Directorates of St Helena Government, statutory and non-statutory bodies are fully informed of project progress and aware of their role and responsibilities under the project and expected key outputs and outcomes, and that the St Helenian public are kept fully up-to-date with airport progress.

The Person:

·         You will possess significant experience of delivery of large complex projects;

·         With a strong track record in delivering projects with a wide range of stakeholders in a politically challenging environment, you will exercise a well developed ability to deal with various conflicting stakeholder issues;

·         You will be a well rounded senior manager with experience in managing resources.

·         You will have the drive to ensure success of this project and a wider interest in the sustainable development of St Helena

Benefits for this post include:

• Paid flights and sea passages to and from post and for annual overseas leave
• 30 days annual leave, not including travel to/from home country
• Relocation allowance
• Pension contribution of 7.5%
• Rental allowance
• Utilities allowance

Further information and an application form can be found at http://www.sthelenacareers.com If you would like more information about the post please contact Kedell Worboys on 0207 031 0314, email shgukrep@sthelenagov.com or write to St. Helena Government UK Representative, 16 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP.

Completed application forms to be sent electronically to Kedell Worboys shgukrep@sthelenagov.com by 2 December 2011. It is anticipated that interviews will be held in London on 14 December 2011.