The search is underway to find an exceptional team leader as the Southern Institute of Technology’s (SIT) next Chief Executive (CE). The former long-standing CE, Penny Simmonds, recently vacated the SIT role when elected as Member for Parliament for the Invercargill electorate.
The new CE will find SIT in great shape with an experienced leadership team, dedicated staff, strong student enrolment numbers and a healthy financial position. As the home of the Zero Fees Scheme, the institute is known for its innovative work and commitment to the Southland region.
The SIT Board has appointed Caldwell, an executive search firm, specialising in the appointment of Chief Executives and senior leaders, to partner with them in finding the most suitable person for the role. They will be looking for candidates with a passion for vocational education and with strong people, cultural, and stakeholder engagement skills.
SIT Board Chair, Alison Broad, says that the board is looking forward to the year ahead: “2021 will be a year of change and opportunity in Southland and at SIT, and we are excited to be underway with the search for our next Chief Executive. We look forward to working with the new CE and his/her team to harness the many strengths of SIT and its southern community to enhance our work in and for our community. Alongside this, we look forward to the collaborative opportunities of Te Pukenga in working with our colleagues elsewhere to make SIT’s best contribution nationally as well as in our region.”
The visionary CE will have excellent strategic leadership capability to ensure the institute’s ongoing success at regional, national and international levels. Their leadership will also enable SIT to respond positively to changes and opportunities in the Southland region and to the rapidly changing context of the tertiary education environment.
Over the course of the next month or so, Caldwell will undertake extensive research and approach key sources to identify suitably qualified and experienced executives with a passion for vocational education and strong people, cultural and stakeholder engagement skills.
In conjunction with Caldwell’s search activities, the CE’s position will be advertised through various media outlets.