GENERAL MANAGER
As a general manager, you are responsible for the operational functioning of LOKO: you manage the finances, address legal issues, ensure that everything proceeds as budgeted/planned, and are responsible for the materials and logistics, as well as the IT of LOKO. For this, you must actively and closely collaborate with the rest of the Executive Board and a large part of the staff.
However, the main task of the general manager remains the finances of LOKO (and the associated organizations, such as Veto). You supervise the staff member(s) responsible for accounting, ensure transparent financial overviews of the various organizations and activities, create multi-year budgets where relevant, and establish all other necessary actions that can improve the financial operation of LOKO. You also coordinate the mandate for business relations in seeking interesting commercial partners and the IT mandate. The manager works on behalf of the Board of Directors, is part of the Executive Board, and reports to the Financial Control Committee (PCC) and the General Assembly (AV).
In addition to the financial responsibilities at LOKO, you may also be the caretaker of the building on ’s Meiersstraat.
Finally, as a general manager, you are the point of contact regarding legal situations of the association and support other departments, circles, and free associations where and when needed.
WHAT KIND OF PROFILE ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
As a general manager, you preferably have a passion for numbers! You closely monitor the practical aspects of the organization, especially regarding budgets and actuals. You are honest and have a strong sense of responsibility. You work in a structured manner and actively think about how to optimize the functioning of LOKO (financially, operationally...).
TIME SPENT
In terms of finances, the program of the general manager throughout the academic year consists of different phases:
- June – September: preparing the budget.
- September – October: proposing the budget.
- January – February: preparing and proposing the first actuals and re-budgeting.
- May: preparing and proposing the almost final actuals.
In addition, you dedicate the entire academic year to LOKO by overseeing everything in the back office of LOKO. This includes, among other things: preparing the partial budgets and actuals, building management, creating and counting cash registers, directing the staff member(s) of General Management, following up on business relations and IT....
MEETINGS
As a staff member at LOKO, you are also expected to attend a number of meetings. The number of meetings may seem quite extensive. In practice, they are usually sufficiently spread out and it all works out well. If you can't make it one time, it's not a disaster. We are all volunteers among ourselves.
- DAILY MANAGEMENT (DaBu)
As a member of the DaBu, you participate in the meetings. These take place on average once a week. In these meetings, you address the previously practical and day-to-day operations of LOKO: from changes in sub-budgets to discussing small and large problems and challenges for the team.
- BOARD OF DIRECTORS (RvB)
From time to time, a Board of Directors meeting also takes place. Together with some more experienced (former) LOKO board members, you discuss the long-term files and the larger budget changes.
- GENERAL OFFICE (AB)
You also sit in the General Office. Here, all volunteers of LOKO - DaBu and representatives, possibly also project staff - come together and discuss the progress made in the past period. Additionally, you prepare files and notes for the AB that will then be presented to the AV. The AB takes place biweekly during the school weeks and is usually followed by a small team-building activity: the après-AB.
- GENERAL MEETING (AV) & WORK MEETING (WV) STUDENT POLICY
Alternating with the AB, the General Meeting & Work Meeting Student Policy – AV & WV Student Policy - takes place biweekly on Friday evenings. You support, together with the other DaBu members, the chairperson where needed. In the AV, board matters concerning the internal organization of LOKO are discussed, while in the WV Student Policy we address representation matters. All student representatives from the student circles come together to take positions and make decisions on issues that concern their students. As a general administrator, you are needed to propose a specific agenda item or to mentally support your LOKO colleagues. After the AV/WV, we head to a fakbar to get to know each other better!
- MANDATE MEETINGS
Depending on your role, you are also part of those meetings for which you are specifically elected. As a general administrator, you are the chair of the PCC. You also sit on the grant committee (subcom) and support the vice-chair. Additionally, you consult during weekly management meetings with the finance staff member(s). You attend meetings with business relations when necessary and are present at ad hoc meetings regarding management topics as they arise.
WHAT IS EXPECTED OF YOU?
You are highly engaged, both within the mandate and towards the entire operation of LOKO. You commit yourself for a whole academic year with loyalty to LOKO. You have a strong sense of responsibility, are transparent and honest. You provide sufficient documentation and show commitment to follow-up.
WHAT DO YOU GET IN RETURN?
A young and grateful environment and moreover the chance to meet many interesting people. The opportunity to learn to hold meetings and collaborate. The opportunity to manage the financial policy of a medium-sized organization and thus gain a lot of experience.
PLACES: 1
TEAMMATES
You work closely with your teammates in the DaBu and the other coordinators, as well as with the staff member(s) and the student workers and/or interns.
ARE YOU INTERESTED?
You’ll be put in touch with the current general manager, who’ll explain exactly what the role entails and bring you up to speed on recent issues. Convinced? Great! Then you can submit your application by email to loko@loko.be, including your CV and a cover letter. As general manager, you’ll also draft a vision statement, usually in consultation with the rest of the incoming DaBu. You will then receive the questions you need to prepare for your election. After that, you’ll go through the election procedure at the General Assembly. Don’t worry! It may all sound a bit daunting, but you’re never on your own: the current and incoming LOKO team are happy to guide you and are always ready to help.