Head Office

In the early years Balkanu operated on project specific funding with no allocated funds available for core operations.

As the portfolio of projects grew the need to provide human resource, financial, and operations management also increased.

In 2003 the Chief Operating Officer position was created and since then Westpac and Boston Consulting Group have provided experienced secondees to assist with the corporate development of the corporation.

Balkanu received its first core operations funding in 2005/06.

Responsibilities

Balkanu’s Head Office provides financial and administrative support to the CEO, the directors and the business units. This is achieved by:

• ensuring compliance with legislation
• administering Director’s meetings
• managing financial and human resources
• assisting with evaluation of business practices, and
• coordinating procurement and allocation of resources.

2006 achievements

Funding

• An unqualified audit report was achieved from KPMG (Balkanu’s ninth successive unqualified audit).
  CYDN and CYBD were assisted in securing operational funding.
• $1m in core operations funding was secured for the 2006/07 financial year.
• FaCSIA agreed to contribute funding to Balkanu’s core operations for a further three years, until 2010 (subject to achieving milestones).
• The ILC agreed to support the purchase of new office premises.

System improvements

A number of system improvements were progressed in 2006 including:

• a project management tool to provide efficient access to project status
• a purchasing system to provide greater monitoring of project funds and expenditure
• a cash flow system to provide detailed financial information, and
• a new server to provide remote access and more efficient back-ups.

Database development

A Westpac database developer supported the development of two management databases. The grant management database will provide:

• an easily accessible electronic repository for contracts
• summaries of reporting requirements, and
• a link to a central calendar and milestone reminders.
• The client tracking database will provide:
• the ability to record interactions with clients
• a storage repository for important client related documents
• the ability to streamline reporting, and
• a format to record client history.

2007 priorities

• Finalise the Strategic Plan 2007 – 2010 with an updated mission statement and the articulation of Balkanu’s role in the Welfare Reform Project.
• Develop and implement a Marketing and Communication Strategy, a Business Improvement Strategy and a Partnership Strategy.
• Merge the Grafton St and Florence St office spaces into the new Sheridan St premises.