The Telecare Services Association’s (TSA) Board of Directors is seeking an ‘inspirational managing director’ to direct and deliver the Association’s 3 year business plan and to support the chief executive. Key challenges will be to build and maintain influential relationships with members and key external stakeholders, continue to raise the profile of the Association and to develop the business to take on the significant challenges ahead. The person appointed is expected to have skills in management and implementing change, be able to engage and influence with government departments and external stakeholders at a senior level, and be an effective public speaker. Salary £55,000 plus benefits. Closing date 11 January. Application details here.
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Does this strike anyone else as a rather bizarre development for such a small organisation? I thought that these roles belonged to the chief executive.
Not bizarre but bonkers!
Maybe the TSA feels that it looks lightweight or even amateurish when compared with other trade associations (such as ABHI and Intellect) in the 3ML group.
Or perhaps the chief executive has already head-hunted someone (maybe a woman) who is well-known in the industry and who can help the TSA in leading the 3ML’s one-track telehealth campaign?
[i]I lifted this straight from the TSA site[/i]: The day to day management of the Association is in the hands of the Chief Executive, who serves as an ex-officio member of the Board. The Chief Executive is responsible for the delivery of the Association’s business plan and work programme, within the resources provided and against targets set by the Board. The Chief Executive is a full time employee of the Association and is responsible for the management and development of the Association’s staff team.
If you look at the JD for this post it seems to cover at least three positions that are held by current TSA staff – Business Development, Ops Management and Chief Exec. Is there a cull on the way or has the Board identified a skills gap with the current staff?
The 3ML Programme has no funding attached to it and it seems that the increase in membership fees announced by the TSA recently would go some way to paying for this new post.
I do not believe that members should have to pay for a post to increase the profile of the TSA when it is fairly difficult to justify the current membership costs pre increase. More than likely, we will withdraw our membership as we can not justify the spend v the return.
I’m sure any additional revenue from the increased fees will be negated by the resultant fall in membership numbers. Looks like they will need a lot more delegates at Conference this year to make up the shortfall, and pay for the shiny new MD!
I can’t disagree with what Alasdair and Mark are suggesting. If UNATTN is correct then either the CEO is planning to become a part-time official or this little organisation seriously thinks that it can develop the clout to influence the telehealthcare service agenda not only in the UK but across the world too!
Is this arrogance or ignorance?
It’s definitely a high risk strategy and, if I was a gambling woman, my money is on it failing. I could envisage the supply companies joining ABHI, BTHA or Intellect and the service providers joining London Telecare or the Northern Consortium.
Or, if they recognise that the new TSA Code of Practice is hardly fit for purpose in 2013, they might jump ship and join an European movement that must surely emerge from the Telescope project.
And so it goes on; grumble, grumble, grumble, the unmistakeable sound of restless natives, or in this case TSA members. Heard from conferences to forums and onto workshops and marketplaces all over the country, “They’ve forgotten the little guy who pays their wages” and “What do I actually get for my membership” or similar.
As services are merged or subject to takeovers the pressure on membership numbers will be downwards. This will of course mean that alternative funding sources will be needed to keep all of these TSA managers and executives in the manner to which they have become accustomed. Now with the likes of LT, NC, SSAIB and Telescope attracting interest there are the signs of alternatives out there, which will not make their job any easier.
Through all the grumbles it is clear people want an organisation or organisations that offer real benefits they can use to justify membership. If any of those mentioned individually or as a group were to seize the moment there is a real possibility that genuine choice could be created, giving those at the coalface an organisation to work for them again.
TSA appear too busy gazing upwards towards the stars, whilst ignoring the ground beneath them. With all the rain lately they should be careful they don’t get washed away! :-)
I run a small membership organisation … it has two members and a CEO.
In return for their membership fee, the CEO takes the members for walks, feeds them, trains them, plays games, takes them on exciting adventures … and disciplines them if they forget the rules.
Sometimes there are guest members too and they get treated the same by the CEO. Everyone has a place and knows it.
The membership fee? wags, licks and muddy footprints right across the CEO’s heart. My dogs are fairly content with their lot in life (and so they should be) and so there are few challenges to the pack-alpha CEO, but they are always welcome to take their membership fee elsewhere – they will be back before the day is out since I have it on good authority the grass is not a different shade of green next door!
Pity that more people don’t adopt a dog’s approach to life – live in the moment. The dog’s motto is: if you cannot eat it or play with it, pee on it and walk away.