Andy Bedford

Responsibilities Include:

• As a volunteer Rural Support trust facilitator we work on the front lines of mental health and well being across the agricultural sector for farmers and growers. I was fortunate enough to be introduced to the organisation in 2023 at a fundraising event. Through my background in the New Zealand Army i knew i had alot to offer the sector and have since come on board as a facilitator across the Waikato and Coromandel areas.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead and oversee all aspects of national operations, including strategic planning, budget management, and resource allocation
• Develop and implement operational strategies to optimise efficiency and drive business growth
• Directly manage a team of 7 employees and 165 indirect employees across multiple locations, providing guidance, mentorship, and performance feedback
• Manage and grow our key government contracts
• Overseeing all incoming and outgoing project documentation, including budget processes
• Regular reporting on project progress for senior leaders
• Key Achievements: Implemented a comprehensive overhaul to our decentralized quality assurance practices resulting in significant improvements in service quality for our Government Warmer Kiwi Homes Programme management that resulted in 100% incentive achievement
• Proactively addressed issues and resolved conflicts to maintain positive relationships and promote a culture of trust and transparency with both external and internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities included:

• National Franchise Manager - 19 Franchisees
• General people leadership and team management including coaching and professional development of team members; leading and promoting health, safety, and security; project management; relationship management; and financial and budget management
• Tender writing and submission on large government led contracts
• Resource Allocation: Efficiently allocating resources, including personnel, equipment, and budget, to support operational activities
• Performance Management: Monitoring and evaluating operational performance against key performance indicators (KPIs) and targets, and implementing corrective actions as needed
• Process Improvement: Identifying inefficiencies in operational processes and implementing improvements to enhance productivity and efficiency
• Risk Management: Identifying potential risks to operations and developing strategies to mitigate them, ensuring continuity of operations and minimizing disruptions
• Compliance: Ensuring compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards in all operational activities
• Communication and Collaboration: Facilitating communication and collaboration between different departments, teams, and locations to ensure alignment and coordination of efforts
• Customer Service: Ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction by delivering products or services on time and meeting quality standards
• Reporting: Preparing regular reports and presentations on operational performance, highlighting Key achievements: Grew our franchise group from 5 to 19 in 3 years
• Grew our Government Warmer Kiwi Homes Contract by $20 million Achieving 94% incentive payment

During my time in the New Zealand Defence Force I held the following positions:

• S3 TRADOC, Operations Officer for all NZ Army Training, Waiouru Jan 2019 - April 2019.
• Operations Planning Officer, Training Team Leader Baghdad (Iraq), April 2015 - Nov 2015.
• Senior Instructor, Combat School New Zealand Army, Palmerston North, Waiouru Dec 2015 - Dec 2018.
• Training Officer, 45 Commando, Arbroath, Scotland April 2013 - Nov 2013.
• Platoon Commander, New Zealand Army, Waiouru and Palmerston North, Dec 2010 - Dec 2015.
• Officer Cadet, New Zealand Army, Waiouru Jan 2010 - Dec 2010.

Responsibilities included:

• Leading, coaching, and developing diverse teams of up to 120 people in security, risk management, readiness, and response settings
• Developing and implementing training policy and doctrine to shape our next generation of leaders
• Planning and managing operations and projects in New Zealand, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East
• Delivering high quality programmes of work that directly impact and build capability for the organisation
• Setting work priorities to meet organisational objectives and satisfy customer requirements
• Overseeing the implementation of the organisations policies, systems and procedures and managing change related to new initiatives
• Establishing and maintaining effective and influential relationships with internal, inter-agency, and international stakeholders
• Monitoring and managing operational budgets.