The new Tairäwhiti campus
manager, Doug Wilcox.
It was EIT Tairāwhiti that attracted Doug Wilcox and his wife to the district, but it’s taken eight years for him to become part of the staff.
Not that he was initially looking. The new campus manager moved from the Bay of Islands with his wife Lyn Hura when she took on the human resources position at EIT Tairāwhiti. Doug became the Sport Gisborne Operations Manager, a job he thoroughly enjoyed for four years before taking up the chief executive role at the Poverty Bay Rugby Union where he remained for three seasons.
This is a man who is passionate about his sport, who has been involved in the industry since 1998 and spent many a chilly winter’s day on the side line of a rugby field, training, supporting or volunteering. But the chance to be challenged in a new role and be part of a bigger organisation has seen him shift his horizons. Lyn has since moved on to a new position at the Gisborne District Council.
“This is completely different but still all about performance,” says Doug. One of his biggest strengths is external relationships, and he’s looking forward to putting that to good use as he supports campus director Jan Mogford.
His role is far reaching, and includes overseeing the grounds and facilities across the two Tairāwhiti campuses and the six Regional Learning Centres – covering more than 15,000 square metres – managing contracts and negotiations at Tairāwhiti, overseeing health and safety issues, liaising with industry and the wider community to ensure their needs are being met by EIT Tairāwhiti, overseeing marketing and making sure EIT supports the economic development of the region.
And he’s excited at the opportunities that the new role offers, including further professional development with a management focus.
“EIT Tairāwhiti has transitioned through some tricky times in recent years, and really seems to be in a good solid position now,” he
says. “It’s clearly down to a very efficient and dedicated team.”
And that’s a team he is more than happy to be a part of.