Activities and events coordinator jobs

An exciting opportunity to be involved in the development of a growing adult literacy charity as it expands across Central England

One in 20 adults in the UK has never learnt to read at all. This can have a serious impact on their confidence and wellbeing, limiting access to training, employment, and everyday opportunities that many take for granted. Being unable to read as an adult can be isolating and dangerous, reinforces social inequality, restricts economic growth, and worsens intergenerational disadvantage - but it is never too late to learn.

Read Easy helps adults transform their lives by learning to read. It does this by supporting its growing network of locally run, volunteer-led affiliated groups that offer free, confidential, one-to-one reading coaching—both in person and online to adults - aged from 18-88. 

With its free, flexible, confidential approach, Read Easy encourages people who are too embarrassed to join a class to come forward for one-to-one support. Each new reader is provided with their own personal Reading Coach, so that they can learn in private and at their own pace. Learning to read transforms their lives in many other ways as well, including enabling them to support their children’s and grandchildren’s reading, and so transfers the benefits to the next generation.

There are currently 80 affiliated Read Easy groups across England, together involving more than a thousand volunteers. Read Easy UK is the registered charity and umbrella organisation which supports this network of affiliated volunteer groups and provides the structure, training and support to enable volunteers to establish groups in new areas.

As our Central Regional Adviser, your role would be to provide strategic leadership, guidance, and oversight to ensure that all volunteer groups consistently deliver high-quality services aligned with Read Easy UK’s strategy.

You will support local volunteer leaders to strengthen group performance, and foster collaboration across affiliated groups, so that that they deliver coaching to Readers with consistent quality, and a positive and worthwhile experience is had by all.

You will also find volunteers to ‘pioneer’ three new groups in the counties where there is no Read Easy presence in the East and West Midlands and East of England and provide them and our 29 existing groups and pioneers in the region, with high-quality support. Your quality support will ensure that they provide the same for their volunteers and new Readers. From meeting (mostly online) with Team Leaders to provide one to one support, and hosting online and annual in-person volunteer forums, to delivering presentations and occaisonal training for small groups of volunteers, this is a dynamic and rewarding role.

This is a home-based post requiring flexibility, some early evening working and occaisional travel to visit groups. The role is available on either a full or part time basis (min 32 hours p/w, 85% of 37.5 hours p/w FTE).

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Live within one of the following areas: West Midlands (Defined as the 7 metropolitan boroughs of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, and Wolverhampton), Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire or Rutland;
• have been employed to work with volunteers for at least two years;
• have strong people management and interpersonal skills; excellent communication skills; and the confidence to run meetings and deliver presentations.

Salary & Benefits 

• Annual Salary £25,075 (85% FTE) -£29,500 (100% FTE)
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays and Christmas closing and 2 days volunteering leave – pro-rata for part time roles
• Company sick pay to financially support you when you are unwell (above statutory upon completion of probationary period) 
• Support when extending your family – company parental and adoption pay (above statutory after 12 months service) 
• Access to RewardHub – which gives retail discounts and has a ‘Wellbeing Centre’ with tools, tips, recipes, workout videos and guides which will help you to reach your own wellbeing goals 
• Training and Development opportunities and resources – we are developing personal plans in this area to enhance employee experience and opportunity 
• A collaborative, creative and inspiring working environment full of committed and passionate employees and inspirational volunteers 

We strive to ensure our recruitment practices are fair, open, easy to access and as inclusive as possible. We aim to recruit a team which broadly reflect the local communities which we serve; to work with and learn from each other to continually improve the service we deliver to our Readers. Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group is actively promoting and advancing diversity and inclusion, ensuring a culture where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We welcome you to apply and be your authentic self.

When applying for a job with us, if an applicant has a disability covered by the definition outlined within the Equality Act 2010 and can show that they meet the ‘essential criteria’ described in the person specification for the role being applied for, they are guaranteed an interview for the job for which they are applying through our Disability Confident scheme.

If you need any support with your application, please contact us,

The closing date for this post is 10:00 Tuesday 15th July 2025. Should you be shortlisted, the first round of interviews will take place online on Wednesday 23rd July, with in-person interviews, being held in Gloucestershire or West Midlands, on Tuesday 29th July 2025. 

The successful candidate will be invited to meet the team on 31st July in Birmingham, should they be able to do so.

Job description

Job Purpose

To manage and develop the home from hospital settle service in the hospitals that you are responsible for, to support timely and successful patient discharges from hospital and prevent re-admissions.  You will work in collaboration with hospital teams and community teams to lead and manage your team to support the smooth transition from hospital to home for service users.  The service works with people for time limited support (usually up to 6 weeks) to adjust and settle back in their homes, and to prevent readmission into hospital. 

Key Tasks

• Work in partnership with the hospitals and other health and social care professionals to coordinate safe and timely discharges for referred clients.  This involves attending meetings with hospital personnel including Discharge Co-ordinators and Ward Managers to discuss discharges and plan who and how individuals will be supported as appropriate. 
• Manage a team working across two hospitals and ensuring the service is available between the contracted hours.
• Work collaboratively with other agencies providing support services.
• Conduct initial assessments of people referred to the services as necessary.
• Plan and develop person centred interventions to provide short term support for people after hospital discharge.
• Work with GPs as appropriate in identifying and supporting patients to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions.
• Work with people with a range of needs, dealing with issues ranging from social isolation and keeping people engaged in their community, to preventing unnecessary admission to hospital.
• Support the hospitals with delayed transfer of care (DTOC).
• Coordinate and monitor the caseload of referrals allocated to team members to ensure a fair and manageable distribution of work.
• Rota planning to ensure staff flexibility and availability, enabling planned rosters that best suit both hospital and patient needs.
• Develop your team which includes; supervision, appraisal, planning of continued professional development opportunities and training needs.
• Conduct regular management audits to ensure a consistent way of working and identify development and training needs in the team or individual.
• Develop and deliver a flexible service that can respond to peaks and troughs in demand.
• Ensure the service is meeting key performance indicators, and identify any concerns e.g. demand for the service exceeding the levels in the contract and taking proactive action to address this.
• Monitor performance of the services against KPIs and produce reports to demonstrate performance.
• Deliver front-line services when needed, e.g. sickness or staff shortages.  This is by exception rather than you regularly doing support work.
• Manage the budget, sign-off expenses, and ensure the project is delivered to budget, liaising with the Finance Department as necessary.
• Support the directorate with generating funding e.g. being actively involved in consultation of possible projects, providing activity data, opportunity spotting, and/or supporting the production of tenders.
• Occasionally provide weekend on call cover for the services you manage, and other hospital settle services provided by AUKEL.

Administration

• Lead on contract reporting, this includes quarterly annual and ad hoc reports
• Carry out annual customer service surveys.
• Maintain electronic records of referrals and interventions to assess service impact, support local improvements, and report on KPIs
• Meet and produce reports as required by the Head of Service.
• Ensure patient records are regularly updated through AUKEL database, and support staff to complete their administration via training etc.
• Work with the Communications team and the Head of Service, market and promote the service.
• Build and circulate a resource pack for the wider AUKEL team to generate referrals between services delivered by the charity.

 Quality

• Be familiar with and implement AUKEL policies and procedures.
• Ensure the service is delivered in accordance with Care Quality Commission principles.
• Ensure a cycle of continuous improvement by taking a “lessons learnt” review approach.
• Ensure that the requirements of the contract specification for the services are met.
• Ensure integration with other AUKEL projects, and service users are referred/sign-posted to appropriate support services available to them.
• Respond to safeguarding or other concerns and take appropriate reporting and management action.
• Lead on recruitment of staff for your team, and support others at AUKEL.

 Liaison

• Represent AUKEL and participate in appropriate external meetings and events and remain aware of local, regional and national issues affecting AUKEL clients.
• Develop external relationships with stakeholders, and build positive connections with health and social care partners
• Attend contract management meetings with commissioners alongside the Head of Hospital and Home Services.

General

• Meet regularly with line manager for support, supervision and appraisal.
• Attend team and staff meetings, (and other meetings) as required.
• Complete any training required to fulfil the post.
• Carry out the duties of the post in accordance with AUKEL’s policies and procedures including Equal Opportunities, Health & Safety, Confidentiality, Complaints, GDPR, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults, Safeguarding, and Care Quality Commission (CQC) guidelines.
• Other duties which are consistent and commensurate with the responsibilities of the post and the needs and development of the Hospital Home and Settle Service.

 Functional Links

• The Home and Settle Manager is line managed by the Head of Hospital and Home Services
• The Home and Settle Manager line manages:
  • Project Officers
  • Discharge and Settle Workers
  • Volunteers
• Close working is required with Age UK East London Finance Team
• Close working with Information, Advice, Advocacy & Befriending Services
• Handyperson services
• Close working with Age UK East London Community Services
• Close working with other take home and settle services across east London

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years’ experience of people management including line management and team leadership.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience of delivering services within a health or care setting at a level reflecting the responsibilities of the post.
• Of project recording and reporting to funders.
• Of leading service development and improvement and managing the change process.

Desirable

• Experience of working with older people
• Experience of working within a hospital discharge setting.
• NVQ Level 2 Health & Social Care or Care Certificate

Knowledge & Understanding

Essential

• Understanding of the impact of discrimination and disadvantage on the lives of people and ability to work in a trauma-informed manner. 
• Understanding of NHS hospital discharge procedures.
• Understanding and commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and their carers. 
• Understand of and commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and dignity

Desirable

• Knowledge and understanding of NHS England legislation regarding Avoiding Unplanned Admission Care Plans.
• Knowledge of project financial budgeting
• Knowledge of CQC fundamental standards
• Understanding of impact on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 & Liberty Protection Safeguards 2020 within the hospital setting

Skills/Attributes

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Good planning and organisational skills
• Ability to work calmly under pressure.
• Intermediate IT skills
• Data analysis skills

Desirable

• Ability to speak one or more community languages

Additional Requirements

• This post is subject to the relevant check through the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS)
• Flexibility in working hours to meet organisational needs
• The post holder will work with standard Office365 server-based computer system
• Occasional weekend and evening working may be required

The Learning & Development Lead collaborates with the Head of L&OD, the L&OD team and HR colleagues to implement our People Strategy and ensure operational excellence in managing the delivery of our L&D portfolio, policies and processes.
As a valued professional that understands Battersea the organisation and the challenges faced by our teams, they advance the reputation and impact of L&OD at Battersea as a centre of expertise that supports the ongoing development and enhancement of the skills, knowledge, behaviours and effectiveness of our workforce.
Working collaboratively with stakeholders, including senior leaders, to deliver, maintain and continuously improve development programmes and interventions that align with our organisational values and strategy, they ensure employees are equipped to deliver on our mission to deliver greater impact for dogs and cats everywhere.
As an inspirational leader and a specialist in organisational and workforce learning, they lead and manage the team to scope, develop, implement and evaluate high quality interventions that reflect best practice, incorporating current thinking and approaches.

What we can offer you:
In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, Battersea offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 28 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays) per year.
• Discounted gym memberships and cycle to work schemes.
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to Wellbeing Resources.
• Generous pension contributions - up to 10% employer contribution.
• Free healthcare cash plan, where you can claim for a range of treatment including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropody and acupuncture every year.
• Annual interest-free season ticket loans.

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital and in-person training programmes, leadership and management training, mentoring and much more.

Our hybrid working model:
We operate a 50% onsite hybrid working model, with our office-based staff splitting their time between site based and home working. This enables our office-based staff to balance the benefits of home working with onsite collaboration and maintaining a connection to our cause.

Diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive experience for all staff, volunteers and trustees and those hoping to join us. We operate an anonymised shortlisting process and actively seek to ensure our process is fair and equitable for all.

We understand the value of diverse voices, perspectives, and experiences to help us deliver even more for our dogs and cats, and we welcome applicants from all sections of the community.

As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we will ask about any adjustments you may need at application and/or interview stage, and if you are offered a role with us, we’ll talk to you about any workplace adjustments you may need to help you perform at your best.

More about us:
At Battersea, we aim to never turn away a dog or cat in need of help. We give each one lots of love, expert care and get to know their characters and quirks so we can find them a new home that’s just right for them. Join us and help us be here for every dog and cat, wherever they are, for as long as they need us.

Closing date: 17th July 2025
Interview date(s): W/c 28th July 2025

All applications must be submitted before the closing date advertised. We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received.