A restructuring of the British Woodworking Federation secretariat has re-shaped the organisation to help it meet the challenges which will arise from reduced income forecasts over the next two years.
Three jobs have been made redundant, one of which is a part time administrative post, and a vacant post will not now be filled. Chief Executive Richard Lambert has re-distributed the secretariat’s work across a core team, retaining the technical expertise and membership service levels which are essential for the organisation’s future development. Expert freelance consultants will be used, as required, for marketing and additional technical support for the BWF and its individual schemes (Wood Window Alliance and BWF-CERTIFIRE Fire Door and Doorset Scheme
The redundant posts are those of Marketing Director, Marketing Manager (Windows the currently vacant Marketing Manager (Fire Doors and a part-time administrative post. The organisation’s new structure covers Technical, headed up by John Hedgecock, Membership Services under membership director Michael Lee and Operations, managed by Tracey Hemming. Richard Lambert will have overall responsibility for strategic direction and the development of associated marketing strategies, working with BWF’s outside agency.
He said: “We have a responsibility to our members to plan ahead, to prepare for what are clearly going to be two tough years and to get this organisation into the best shape that we can to survive the downturn. My major priority has been to ensure that we continue to provide a high level of membership services and technical advice – these are the things on which our good reputation has been built. There is no doubt that the decisions we have made have been difficult but I do believe this re-structuring with careful redistribution of workloads is the right thing to do at this time.”