Published 1 February 2023
Basseterre
Buckie Got It Media Source
Caribbean Tourism Organization
Vacancy Notice
JOB SUMMARY
The Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) is responsible for the creation and implementation of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (“CTO” or “the organization”) strategy, purpose, mission, and vision, as well as developing the culture of the organization. The incumbent is accountable for the strategic plan, direction, leadership, and overall success, including oversight of the effective delivery of outputs and results of the CTO, with strong passion, inspiration, and commitment to the role, mandate, and objectives as the public face and chief spokesperson for the organization. The incumbent is also responsible for leading a strong and competent Senior Management team and acting as a change agent to inspire an agile culture, and ensuring that the CTO is managed in accordance with the applicable Agreements, Constitution, and By-Laws governing the CTO.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Management:
- Responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and maintenance of all internal business policies, strategies, and objectives and presenting these to the Board of Directors (the “Board”) for approval.
- Takes a proactive role in formulating future strategic short and long-term objectives, setting challenging and ambitious targets, and bringing these to the Board for input, discussion, and decision as to ratification.
- Works with the Executive Committee and Board to ensure that it formulates the CTO’s purpose, mission, and vision as well as its business plan, regularly reviews the strategic goals and objectives and ensures they are well communicated, understood, and committed to by all employees.
- Leads and motivates the Senior Management team in the identification of strategic growth and business development opportunities aligned to the strategic plan, the analysis of their viability, and implementation when approved by the Board.
- Responds to the tourism development priorities of the CTOs member countries, ensuring the effective implementation of the organization’s business plan related to its main activities of research, marketing and product/policy development, education and training, information, and improvement of tourism in all its aspects.
Relationship with the Board:
- Serves as an ex-officio member of the Board and executes administrative directions received from the Board, interfacing between the Board and Senior Management.
- Oversight of calls or notices for meetings of the Board, Executive Committee, and the Council of Ministers and Commissioners, as well as ensuring that accurate records are kept of all meetings of the organization.
- Responsible for the communication of accurate and timely information to the Board through regular monthly reports and on matters of importance as they arise, including current major operational issues.
- Keeps abreast of all regulatory, business, economic, and political trends as well as needs and utilisation of resources which may affect the operations of the CTO and presents to the Board, as required.
Financial and Operational:
- Overall responsibility for the financial performance, sustainability, profitability, and continuous improvement of the CTO as well as maximizing returns from commercial activities.
- Exercises oversight of the financial controls and budgetary management of the CTO’s and its programmes within financial targets approved by the Board.
- Oversees the implementation of general policies of the CTO as established by the Council of Tourism Ministers, ensuring that the correct processes and procedures are followed with respect to all CTO matters.
- Has oversight for all crisis management planning and business continuity procedures, working closely with Senior Management.
- Oversight of initiatives that improve and maximize efficiency and make best use of resources.
- Responsible for the creation and effective implementation of new projects, programmes and activities aligned to the CTOsstrategic objectives, including identification and securing funding with existing and potential donors/ funders within member countries, private sector members, other international organizations, funding agencies, governments, and businesses.
Stakeholder Relations and Communication:
- Establishes, maintains, and grows effective strategic, collaborative, and cooperative relationships with regional and international partnerships by consulting with the private and public sectors, regional institutions, foundation donors, tourism ministries and national tourism organizations, the CTO’s wider membership network, and other key stakeholders.
- Responsible for increasing government and tourism sector membership.
- Responsible for business development with key performance results focused on strategic partnerships and alliances as well as effectively advocating, educating, training, marketing, developing, and promoting the Caribbean brand, maximizing its impact, working through the CTO.
- Represent the CTO, by personal attendance or delegate, on Boards or Committees of the Caribbean Community and other key regional and international institutions and events.
- Represents the CTO as an official spokesperson as authorised by the Board in public forums such as speaking at conferences, attending forums, producing written material for publication/promotional material as well as any other appropriate external media channels.
- Ensures appropriate communication and public relations programmes are in place to facilitate communication with key stakeholders, especially the CTO employees and regulators.
- Develops, maintains, and enhances the CTOs high reputation and public image locally, regionally, and internationally, with all stakeholders, employees, industry organisations and governments.
- Acts as the ambassador for the organization in meetings with leading figures in government, private sector and development agencies.
- Oversees the dissemination of information appropriate to the furtherance of the CTOs goals and objectives.
- Takes a flexible and adaptive leadership approach to inspire confidence in all internal and external stakeholders by demonstrating tenacity, humility, autonomy, and collaboration skills needed to advance the CTOs purpose.
Human Resources:
- Provides clear, visible, and authentic leadership to create and foster a supportive and ethical working environment which promotes collaboration, accountability, innovation, creativity, learning and development to inspire and motivate employees.
- Oversees the organizational structure of the CTO, ensuring it functions effectively and strategically contributes to optimal efficiency of the organization, and recommends changes where necessary.
- Ensures that Senior Management are achieving their specific objectives through the use of a performance management system, and are part of a collegial, cohesive team.
- Ensures appropriate mechanisms are in place to meet prudent business continuity and succession planning requirements.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
- Educated to at least a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Tourism, Management, Marketing, International Relations or other relevant fields; a Master’s degree is preferrable.
- Minimum of ten (10) years’ experience working at a senior/ executive management level, leading a team of at least 15+ employees and significant revenues of $3-5 million annually in a multifaceted business.
- Fluency in English is required. Language skills in French is preferred, and Spanish or Dutch is an asset.
- Extensive experience in strategic planning, business development, and policy formation and implementation.
- Extensive experience in forging beneficial partnerships with regional and international donor communities, development agencies, and private sector while securing funds for programme and project development.
- Proven experience and positive track record in collaborating and building relationships with intergovernmental bodies, senior government representatives, and civil society.
- Substantial experience in developing and implementing innovative measures in relation to tourism competitiveness at the national, regional, or international level.
- Experience working in an environment of pressing deadlines, ambiguity and changing priorities, working well under pressure, and multi-tasking on a daily basis.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
- Extensive knowledge of the tourism industry, with expertise in industry specific concepts. • Commercial awareness of current economic and market trends, including regional and international development issues, with an awareness of the effects of external conditions on the fiscal performance of the CTO.
- Excellent understanding of risk management issues with the ability to identify relevant issues and address them.
- Proven strategic leadership skills to create and maintain an engaged, high performance and collaborative culture within a hybrid working model and teaming approach.
- Service and results driven mindset with advanced analytical capability, critical thinking, conceptual skills, problem solving, decisiveness, and independent judgement with an ability to review, analyze and resolve most complex technical issues with attention to detail.
- Demonstrate a high level of maturity, authority, professionalism, integrity, tact and diplomacy, commitment, consistency, dependability, fairness, and confidentiality. • Excellent planning, time management, delegation, and organizational skills with the ability to work on own initiative.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including both technical and business writing, report preparation, documentation, and presentations.
- Strong interpersonal skills, including active and empathetic listening.
- An executive presence and impact, enabling effective representation of the CTO at senior level and strong public speaking skills with the ability to articulate a clear vision of the future for the CTO, both as planned, and as a response to a changing environment.
- Excellent negotiation skills and ability to influence and build consensus at the most senior levels to lead, develop and participate in partnerships and strategic alliances.
- Ability to build strong relationships and consult with stakeholders, industry leaders, local and central government officers, and all others who have a relationship with the CTO.
- Agile and adaptable with the ability to deliver transformative change and thrive in an environment of pressing deadlines and constantly changing conditions.
- Strong multimedia and web skills to drive value and cost efficiencies by integrating innovative digital strategies and campaigns, including the latest digital tools and trends.
- Ability to provide guidance to crisis management and emergency response situations.
- Politically astute and aware, and culturally sensitive with the ability to lead a multi-cultural and diverse workforce both effectively and diplomatically aligned with inclusive working practices.
- Technically savvy and proficient in common office productivity software such as MS Office suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Direct supervisory responsibility includes the authority to hire, transfer, suspend, layoff, recall, promote, discharge, assign work, review performance, reward or discipline subordinate employees or effectively recommend such actions as per the relevant laws and CTO policy.
- The incumbent is directly responsible for the supervision of the Senior Management level position holders in accordance with the organizational chart. WORKING CONDITIONS.
- The incumbent will be expected to perform the essential functions and duties of the job under normal working conditions and standard business working hours within Barbados.
- Flexibility to work overtime beyond the normal work hours such as on evenings and/or weekends as necessary to complete required duties and functions and meet deadlines.
- In person and virtual meetings with clients and stakeholders.
- Extensive travel for business within and outside the region is required.
All interested candidates must supply the following:
- Letter of interest;
- Curriculum Vitae and
- Two (2) professional references.
Applications may be submitted by email to the CTO headquarters in Barbados to the attention of the Director of Resource Mobilization and Development: generalinfo@
