Restructuring for the future

Methodist Missions Society (MMS) conducted an Organisational Restructure Exercise to address the issues related to the emerging trends in missiology and alignment of roles according to the arising needs in the mission fields.

The organisational restructuring was also driven by other needs. Firstly, at the MMS Leaders' Summit in August 2022, the need for a more streamlined leadership was raised, with operational matters put under the purview of the Field Director (FD), and strategic and management matters put under the purview of the Executive Director (ED). By removing overlapping responsibilities and areas of authority, it would create greater bandwidth in planning strategically and increasing stakeholder engagement.

Secondly, it was necessary to look into restructuring because of the need to address staff costs, which had exceeded the support cap from The Methodist Church in Singapore (MCS). This was brought up at the Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting in September 2022.

Because of the above, MMS was challenged to think holistically about the roles of each position to ensure their alignment with strategic objectives. This is part of a twopronged approach to address the support cap, as well as to review the cap itself in relation to the activities executed. The restructuring is therefore a forward-looking exercise, repositioning MMS for the future, and not just to put right past shortcomings in the organisational structure.

The MMS ExCo endorsed the Organisational Restructure on 31 January 2023. The key roles in the restructured organisation are:

Field Director (FD)

• Provide leadership for the field missions

• Oversee the Regional Directors to ensure all operational matters in the mission fields are in order so as to achieve the established goals

Regional Director (RD)

• Formulate goals, objectives, strategies and plans in the mission fields

• Oversee all operational matters in the field to achieve the coordinated and established goals

Director, Strategic Planning and Capacity Building (SPCB)

• Oversee SPCB to identify and analyse issues or in anticipation of challenges, or confronting, particular mission fields or within MMS

Develop relevant and effective strategies and solutions aligned with the overall MMS strategic directions

From Nepal to Timor-Leste, MMS continues to bring the gospel to the communities through planting indigenous churches and community development

Director, Centre for Missions Analysis, Reconstruction and Development (CeMiRe&D)

• Oversee CeMiRe&D, the think tank of MMS, and focus on missiological analysis from materials related to trends and ecclesiological needs in the region, conduct in-depth analysis that promotes missiological reflection of existing ministries, reconstruct or adjust of ministries as necessary, and support the entry into a new mission field Research on, and collaborate with, other mission agencies, and serve as mission resource to our Methodist churches

Stakeholder Engagement Manager (SEM)

• Ensure MMS field ministries are communicated to and supported by the wider Methodist community in Singapore

• Broaden funding sources and ensure sustainability of MMS ministries in our mission fields, via adoption and partnership with individual churches

Home Director (HD)

• Formulate and implement approved MMS administrative policies, plans, and established goals at the Home Office

The Executive Director, being ultimately responsible for delivering MMS performance, has the prerogative of assigning people deemed suitable to positions in the new organisation.

Methodist Missions Society

Distinct Field & Strategic Leadership Roles

Director, Strategic Planning and Capacity Building

Stakeholder Engagement Manager

Director, Centre for Missions Analysis, Reconstruction and Development

Depository, Internship Scholarship Administrator

Communications Executive, Volunteer Relations Database Management Executive

Strategic leadership, admin and engagement under Executive Director

Benny Bong has over 40 years of experience as a therapist, counsellor and trainer. He also conducts regular talks and webinars. Benny has helmed the You & Your Family column for more than 16 years and is a member of Kampong Kapor Methodist Church.