Sarah Soteriou

Role Description

Manage a team of Strategic Delivery partners in achieving Red Cross’s strategic objectives via the execution of cross functional projects. Current areas of focus are impact measurement, stakeholder analysis, evaluating organizational change readiness & end to end transformative initiatives.

Key responsibilities/accountabilities

• Plan and implement strategic initiatives/projects such as :
• Development of a measurement framework unifying activities and programs which build social capital or social connection and highlight value identification (e.g. monetisation)
• Leading review of entire funding approvals process for organisation
• Designing and delivering a reimaged volunteer strategy
• Lead the organisation through implementing change management frameworks, templates and processes as well as proactively managing and mitigating dependencies, issues and risks
• Preparing change management input into governance documentation, presentations and business cases.
• Translate complex solutions to simple, transparent and measurable plans with milestones and clearly defined accountabilities and ensure these are communicated and understood across the organisation.
• Maximise the profile of Red Cross through the development of networks, strategic relationships and external engagements. Continuous relationship building to develop opportunities for core business.
• Provide thought leadership as well as relevant external trends and insights to the CEO & Executive Leadership team in relation to strategic opportunities or challenges for Red Cross.

The Constellation Project exists to identify and accelerate solutions to homelessness through cross sector collaboration by increasing the supply of safe, affordable homes for people in Australia on low to moderate incomes as well as developing accessible pathways that help people to exit homelessness or avoid it in the first place.

Role Description:

The Constellation Project exists to identify and accelerate solutions to homelessness through cross sector collaboration by increasing the supply of safe, affordable homes for people in Australia on low to moderate incomes as well as developing accessible pathways that help people to exit homelessness or avoid it in the first place.

In 2018 four organisations joined together to form the founders of the project. PwC, Mission Australia, Centre for Social Impact and Australian Red Cross.

Social lab methodology is used to develop evidence based practical solutions to homelessness reform and that can be implemented and scaled in Australia. The voices of First Nations people and insights of people with lived expertise were integral in our work.

Responsibilities /Achievements:

• I was the Executive representative for Australian Red Cross and Project Lead for key strategic initiative “Better Journeys” which focuses on system level change to help people avoid or exit homelessness targeting prevention and early intervention while addressing the underlying drivers.
• Designed and coordinated three engagement mechanisms including:
• convened advisory groups and design steering teams with subject matter experts to explore current problems in our specific area of focus (youth exiting out of home care and/or youth Justice)
• Oversaw academic research, Data capture & managed contract relationship with Centre for Social Innovation
• Managed all aspects of social labs over two years which included recruiting over 120 participants from corporate, government, academia, philanthropy and NGO’s.
• Co-designed and coached the First Nations lab team as part of the” More homes” pillar of work. We developed a proof of concept & data analytics tool to identify housing needs of first nations people focusing on the solution of an elder village to provide culturally appropriate aged care that allows First Nations people to maintain connection to country and community.
• Secured philanthropic funding ($660K over 3 years) to recruit Lived Experience Project Officer as well as fund the design and delivery of a multi-year tender with RMIT focusing on Lived experience impact evaluation and establishing a Learning and Practice Group to drive the work.
• Management of all contractual requirements as well as overseeing auspiced funds held by Australian Red Cross on behalf of Constellation Project.

Role Description:

Manage the SA Stakeholder engagement team, whose purpose is to oversee and coordinate all external relationships including volunteers/membership coordination, corporate and philanthropic as well as

fundraising & promotion initiatives.

Responsibilities/Achievements:

• Developed, led and managed the SA Stakeholder Engagement Strategy a model that brought several areas of the organisation into a central team to streamline practices and improve experience. It also placed a focus on Coordinating and implementing a range of engagement and development activities to support Red Cross’s Strategic Goal to build an inclusive, diverse and active humanitarian movement based on voluntary service. This model was then replicated in each state and territory.
• Created and co-designed both Volunteer Experience Lifecycle project & Project Base Camp with National Customer experience group. Its purpose was to identify and prioritise experience and efficiency gains across the country for voluntary service and membership focusing on Recruitment, Business processes and system use, Data and insights & experience. This framework allowed consistency across the country.
• Development of National dashboard to monitor Volunteer Recruitment Reports, Volunteer Active List, departmental reporting, Volunteer recruitment predictions/workforce planning and compliance across child protection code of conduct, working with children check & ethical framework completion
• Coordinate all events & key relationships for Australian Red Cross in SA. SA Red Cross including State & national volunteering awards, AGM, Divisional Advisory Board/ Patron & vice patron engagement, South Australian Youth Advisory Committee, members of parliament liaison and fundraising events.

TACSI’s purpose is to create better lives by shifting systems, demonstrating what is possible, and developing replicable approaches to social innovation.

TACSI’s purpose is to create better lives by shifting systems, demonstrating what is possible, and developing replicable approaches to social innovation.

Responsibilities/achievements:

• Managed all aspects of the key recruitment strategy for the agency including overseeing the coordination, evaluation and management of the human resource systems and processes.
• Researched and mapped complexities of social impact sectors, the importance of delivering social sector change initiatives such as service models or policy reforms as well as Co-design methods and applying these to internal policies and procedures.
• Reviewed, developed, implemented and rolled out new end to end HR functions including recruitment, contracts, onboarding & inductions for organisation.
• Oversee and update website content & social media platforms

Manage and coordinate all elements of the Governors Leadership Program including overseeing seminars, field trips, retreats, program content, coaching sessions, case study work, action learning project work, community services and ceremonies.

Responsibilities/achievements:

• Manage and coordinate all elements of the Governors Leadership Program including overseeing seminars, field trips, retreats, program content, coaching sessions, case study work, action learning project work, community services and ceremonies.

Hutt Street Centre is a frontline agency for homeless and vulnerable people.

Responsibilities/achievements:

• Management of all Client Services including Eastern Adelaide Homelessness Service, Aged City Living Program, Meal and Day Centre’s and volunteering programs incorporating all service delivery, client participation, client advocacy, education and training and all contractual funding requirements aligned to these programs.
• Stakeholder engagement inclusive of state and commonwealth funders, corporate donors, sector representatives, government departments & local businesses.
• Lead the planning and development of organisational strategic and operational work plans. Implementation and evaluation of a continuous cycle of quality improvement as well as implementing change management frameworks
• Represent the organisation at state and commonwealth sector forums and roundtables.

The Key is a youth charity that assists young people to build life skills and take responsibility of their own personal development.

Responsibilities/achievements:

• Manage and lead the creation, development and retention of key partnerships in London and the North East of England and oversee all aspects of the operational delivery team consisting of training, partner support and stakeholder management.
• Coordinate all aspects of account management for the organisations licensees, corporate sponsors, funders and partners.
• Support funders with strategic planning, business implementation and guidance regarding the development of their networks.
• Successfully replicate funding partnerships across the licensee portfolio and generate income through developing new business opportunities and promotion of the training and development Services.

Responsibilities/achievements:

• Manage the organisation's charitable trust where its aim was to engage employees in workplace giving and volunteering activities as well as building rapport within the local community sectors.
• Establish agreements and work in unison with six external charitable and not for profit organizations.
• Conduct intensive research into established trusts amongst the business community, select and propose a model suited to current business needs. Develop and implement communication plans, policy guidelines and financial business objectives for strategic direction.
• Progress the Foundation’s key objective to strengthen employee engagement by facilitating volunteering opportunities within the community by promotion.