Chief Executive Jobs
Our work reaches into the heart of the communities of Oxfordshire, and we’re pleased to be expanding our Community Engagement work into the areas of Cherwell and West Oxfordshire. The key towns in these areas are Banbury, Bicester, Kidlington, Witney, Carterton and Chipping Norton, including surrounding villages. Your role will be to set up peer-to-peer support groups, information days, befriending partnerships, and to be a point of contact for our work in the north and west of the county. Our mission is to support visually impaired people to live independent and active lives and you’ll be playing a key part in this.
Job Title: Community Engagement Worker (North and West)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: £23,000 – £28,000 per year dependent on experience
Annual Leave: 25 days per year plus bank holidays (to increase after 3-years)
Contract Type: Permanent (6-month probationary period)
Reporting to: Community Engagement Lead
Start date: Summer 2024
Base: Office/home-based with frequent travel across Cherwell and West Oxfordshire.
Closing Date: Midday 29th April 2024
Interview Date: Wednesday 8th May 2024 (in person at Bradbury Lodge, Oxford)
Job Purpose:
To support visually impaired people to live independent and active lives by providing a range of activities and groups across the north and west of Oxfordshire.
Duties:
- Setting up and supporting peer-to-peer support groups
- Holding information days within local libraries, community centres and other key locations
- Setting up walking groups as part of our Green Walks Project
- Demonstrating and setting up daily living equipment and assistive technology with support from the tech team
- Assisting in the setup of befriending partnerships alongside the Volunteer Coordinator
- Connect, share, and learn with partners and other organisations
- Being a point of contact for MyVision within the North and West of Oxfordshire
Other duties:
- Provide talks and training as needed
- Support the Fundraising team with local events and initiatives
- Keep accurate records of interactions and activites
- Attend relevant meetings, training, workshops, and webinars
- Support the team with furthering the objectives and goals of the organisation
- Other reasonable duties set out by your line manager and Chief Executive
- There may, on occasion, be a need to work outside normal hours e.g., weekends and evenings
Breakdown of duties
This is a rough guide to your duties; flexibility will be required.
Tasks% of your timePeer Support Groups and Activities40%Info Days and Equipment Demos20%Befriending Support25%Other duties15%
Person Specification
NOTE: We expect candidates to evidence how they meet the criteria in their covering letter. This can be through work, volunteering, and your personal life.
Essential skills, experience, and knowledge:
- Experience of setting up community-based initiatives (for example: groups, clubs, activities etc)
- The ability to research, create and manage working relationships with local groups/organisations across Oxfordshire.
- Good IT skills
- Good communication skills in person, over the telephone and online
- The ability to travel around the county, whether with your own car, public transport or Access to Work support, please see below regarding Access to Work.
- Ideally located within or nearby Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, or Oxford city.
Desirable:
- Lived or learned experience of visual impairment
- Experience of working with visually impaired people
- Experience of providing community-based services for a disability charity
Personal Qualities
- The ability to work under own initiative
- Good communicator
- Creative thinker and problem solving
- A supportive team player
This role may suit someone with lived experience of sight loss, MyVision is a strong advocate of Lived Experience with over half of our employees having a visual impairment. The role would also suit someone who has strong communication skills and the ability to support, encourage and engage people. We also recognise many skills are transferrable and welcome applications from people with varying experiences and backgrounds.
Please evidence how you meet the person specifications in your covering letter.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
This is an exciting opportunity to join us as we strengthen our impact as a small-sized charity. You will have an opportunity to use and develop your range of project management, design, social media, website, and communication skills in a dynamic supportive team that is committed to maximising our positive impact on Deaf and hard of hearing people in Bristol.
Summary of duties:
Our Communications and Engagement Officer will lead on the work of our new Community Hub project and promote all the great things that CfD does e.g. the events and activities as part of our Deaf People Together project. The post holder will be based at The Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2QQ.
This is an exciting opportunity to help CfD improve our communications, and to support the Deaf Community and hard of hearing people throughout Bristol with managing and sharing their information. You will work with Deaf and hard of hearing people by providing the training, tools, and resources to enable them to create their own information materials that can be shared with the community.
You will be responsible for developing and uploading website content, creating marketing material, use of social media and other communications platforms to help deliver the aims of our Community Hub project and to increase our community engagement and profile. You will also lead on commissioning a redesign of our website.
You will also have a role in supporting our Community Development Officer to arrange and publicise events.
You will use your time in this way:
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Half of your time on the Community Hub Project;
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About a day a week supporting our Community Development Officer;
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The rest of your time on promoting other projects and developing the CfD website.
This is a role for a creative individual who is well organised and is proactive, who has the ambition to develop and deliver fun, engaging, and effective accessible communication.
The main responsibilities are to:
Community Hub
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Provide training for and support deaf volunteers to improve CfD’s capacity to produce and share relevant community information from across Bristol. You will organise workshops for deaf people to develop their skills in video and media technology to produce accessible content.
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Develop a virtual information hub, where information on CfD events and other activities in Bristol will be fully accessible to all deaf people, using CfD’s website, social media, apps, and newsletters.
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Support deaf people with producing their own newsletters using BSL and subtitles. Our aim is to have a regular newsletter that is produced and managed by deaf people.
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Develop a CfD “newsround” – a regular video round-up of events, news, and information of interest to deaf people.
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Work with 4 Community Hubs in Bristol to increase their accessibility for and engagement with deaf people in their neighbourhoods, and to increase their understanding of how to include deaf people in activities. This work will include collaborating to deliver deaf-focused events.
Communications
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Support other projects at CfD with information dissemination, and media and communications, such as creating posters, video production, posting on social media, and basic updates on our website.
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Improve the quality and reach of information that CfD sends out e.g. using other social media platforms.
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Support the CFD Community Development Officer by arranging and promoting events.
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Ensure compliance across all media with CfD’s brand guidelines.
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Lead on reviewing the CfD website and commissioning a new design.
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Coordinate any media enquiries.
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Collect data to analyse and evaluate the impact of the role.
General
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Attend conferences, training, and other staff development opportunities.
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Develop an agreed personal training plan and carry this out using internal and external training as required.
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Adhere to and promote CfD’s policies and standards, especially the Equal Opportunities, Data Protection, Safeguarding, Health and Safety and Communication policies.
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Act as an ambassador for CfD promoting a positive and professional image and attitude at all times.
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Support the CEO and other CfD staff in achieving the aims of CfD and carry out such other relevant duties as may be agreed.
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Support CfD to find funding for new projects involving Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
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Coordinate and manage own Access to Work support (if needed).
Terms and conditions:
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This is a full-time position of 37.5 hours a week. CfD’s core hours are 10am – 4pm. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required.
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Contract until January 31st 2026 with possibility of an extension subject to further funding.
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Salary £24,000 - £27,000a year.
Note:
The final interpretation of this job description rests with the CEO in consultation with the Board of Trustees and the jobholder. The job description will be reviewed in the course of supervision meetings and any amendments will be negotiated with the jobholder. The jobholder is also expected to share in other CfD activities as time permits and by agreement with the CEO.
Person specification
The successful candidate will have had at least two years in a relevant communications role.
You will have a pro-active approach and be committed to achieving results
Essential skills, abilities and knowledge
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A passion to communicate CfD’s values and to support the interests of the deaf and hard of hearing people that we work with.
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Excellent interpersonal skills and confidence in communicating with Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users and hard of hearing people. This may be direct communication or through a BSL interpreter or speech-to-text operator.
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Ability to create high-quality communications material and to engage with a variety of audiences.
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Experience of social media management and familiarity with evolving and new digital media platforms.
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Ability to create graphics and images for communication materials.
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Ability to produce video material, including filming and editing and adding including subtitles.
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Ability to think creatively.
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Ability to write clear content for social media and website pages
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Experience of training and supporting groups of people, either as part of paid work or as a volunteer.
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Ability to form positive working relationships with other professionals and to collaborate on projects.
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Good influencing and negotiating skills so that you can persuade people to make their activities more inclusive of deaf people.
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Good attention to detail.
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Educated to A-Level standard, including Maths and English GCSEs.
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Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office and associated software, including Excel, Word, and Outlook.
Desirable skills, abilities and knowledge:
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Relevant professional qualification.
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Experience of working with Deaf and/or hard of hearing people.
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Ability to communicate in British Sign Language (training can be provided).
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Experience working, paid or unpaid, in or with communities, the disability sector or in the third sector.
Things we expect all staff to support us with:
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Actively seek out opportunities for development and income generation.
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Read, understand and follow CfD’s policies and procedures.
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Stay up to date with key developments in your specialist area.
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Be willing to occasionally work evenings and weekends.
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Participate in team-meetings and development days.
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Be willing to travel across Bristol and occasionally further afield.
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Represent CfD at local, regional and national meetings and events.
In return, you will receive:
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Competitive pay and holiday allowance
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25 days a year plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata if part-time)
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Employee pension contributions
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A flexible working policy
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Our core hours are 10:00 until 16:00 Monday to Friday
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The opportunity to be part of a committed, skilled and supportive team
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Support to develop your skills further
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Every 6 minutes someone learns that they are losing their sight. Every five hours, a baby is born with sight problems. In these moments, two profound questions emerge:
• Can this be stopped?
• How do I (or my child) live this life?
The merger of Fight for Sight and Vision Foundation on 1st April 2023 will enable us to address both questions. By combining our strengths and expertise we’ll be the only significant national funder with the efficiency, capability, and capacity to increase investment in medical research and social improvement. Together we can mitigate both the prevalence and impact of sight loss.
We have a clear ambition, led by our CEO, Keith Valentine, who has valuable lived experience of sight loss. This ambition includes retail growth plans and an income generation strategy to open more shops over the next 5 years. We currently operate 11 shops selling donated goods, including an online eBay shop.
We are now looking for experienced, committed, and creative individuals to join our dynamic team as we devise and launch a new five-year strategy. You’ll be part of something impactful, we’d love to hear from you.
The East Sheen Shop Manager will play a crucial role in the future growth of our newly merged charity and the impact that we can achieve through partnership for people with sight loss.
JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Responsible to
Area Manager
Direct reports
Immediately responsible for recruiting and developing a team of dedicated volunteers. In due course the role and responsibilities may grow in line with organisational growth and priorities.
Working hours and contract
Permanent, full-time
Salary
£26,750, plus OTE Bonus
Location
East Sheen
Role Responsibilities:
Purpose of Job
· To coach, lead and manage a team of volunteers
· Drive sales performance to exceed targets, maximising cost efficiency
· Maximise shop profits through delivery of the retail strategy, including income, gift aid donor sign up and conversion, donations and other income generators.
· To achieve compliance with relevant regulation e.g., health and safety and safeguarding, whilst adhering to all policies and procedures
· To promote strong relations within the local community to enhance the profile and good name of the charity
Main Responsibilities
· To deliver shop income plan
· To achieve gift aid income objectives, donor sign up and conversion. Improving processes to deliver maximum value, coaching colleagues to success
· To support and manage volunteer pricing to ensure items are processed in line with policies and procedures, recognising and thanking the team for their contribution
· To develop a culture of ownership and follow up within own team and volunteers
· To adhere to safe, legal & secure requirements and standards for the shop, both front and back of house
· To induct, train and coach new colleagues, as evidenced through induction paperwork and development plans
· To role model and promote effective team communication, celebrating success and sharing best practice
· To liaise closely with the Warehouse Manager, Area Support and Volunteer Manager and Area Manager
· To role model exceptional customer service to supporters and donors, providing feedback in a timely manner
· To ensure the highest standards of customer care and service are demonstrated by self, line reports and volunteers
· Promote, monitor and act on internal and external customer feedback
· To evidence effective local networking to generate donations and volunteer engagement, including local business and other stakeholders
· To monitor and check security of stock and debrief variances with the Area Manager
· To proactively assess own development needs and seek out development opportunities to enhance contribution to Retail objectives and operations
· To take ownership of good housekeeping for all areas of responsibility
· To accept responsibility and carry out any other task commensurate to the role
Person specification:
Skills, knowledge & experience
Sales and Profit
· Monitor and be accountable for sales and category performance, as well as ensure that the team are aware of and engaged in the shop’s financial performance
· Foster a creative and entrepreneurial shop environment where team members seek to maximise income in new and innovative ways both within the shop and through a variety of channels, such as community events
· Manage the team to maximise income from Gift Aid on donated products
· Ensure that all of Vision Foundation financial procedures are adhered to and executed in a timely fashion by the shop team
Shop Floor
· Ensure sourcing sufficient levels of donated stock locally in collaboration with the shop team
· Establish efficient and commercially successful stock processing systems (such as pricing, quality standards, consumer safety, stock density and culling stock), including backroom systems and ensure these are adhered to by the volunteer team. Ensure that all legal and Vision Foundation internal regulations regarding donated stock are adhered to
· Inspire the team to provide a great customer and donor experience, which enables The Vision Foundation to attract new supporters every day. Ensure that feedback, including complaints are escalated to the Area Manager within the agreed timeframes
· Empower the team to create original, appropriate and commercially successful visual merchandising displays, including shop windows
· Make sure that all procedures for the sale of new products are followed by the volunteer team (if applicable)
· Work with the Area Manager to ensure our shops are in good condition, maximise their potential and are fit for purpose
· Provide a safe and healthy working environment and ensure that all team members are aware of and operate within Vision Foundation’s health and safety policies and procedures, including waste management and customer safety
Leadership - Volunteers
· Recruit, induct, and retain an inclusive and diverse volunteer team, which is large enough in numbers and capable to maximise the shop’s income and profitability and guarantee the smooth running of the shop.
· Maintain an empowered, well trained, motivated and engaged volunteer team with excellent levels of communication at team and individual level.
· Connect the volunteer team with Vision Foundation’s work and help them to understand the value of their contribution
Leadership - Paid Staff
· Recruit, induct, and retain an inclusive and diverse volunteer team, which is large enough in numbers and capable to maximise the shop’s income and profitability and guarantee the smooth running of the shop.
· Maintain an empowered, well trained, motivated and engaged volunteer team with excellent levels of communication at team and individual level.
· Connect the volunteer team with Vision Foundation’s work and help them to understand the value of their contribution.
Management - being part of Vision Foundation
· Play active part in the charity, including attending and contributing to all-staff meetings
· Play a key role in enabling the shop to represent Vision Foundation and increase the knowledge of the local community about our mission and work
· Be accountable for the integration of the shop into the local community in collaboration with the shop team
· Empower the team to respond to all appeals and fundraising opportunities.
· Adhere to and enforce Vision Foundation’s safeguarding policies.
Other
· Required to adhere to Vision Foundation’s vision, mission and values
· Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equality, diversity, and staff health and wellbeing principles
Personal qualities
· The ability to work under pressure whilst remaining calm and organised
· To be receptive to change and to act as a change agent
· The ability to maintain excellent rapport with staff, volunteers, supporters, and donors
· To demonstrate a calm and logical approach to problem solving
· To consistently demonstrate a dedicated approach to the quality of customer service and team working.
· Comfortable working in a small team both strategically and operationally
· Commitment to teamwork, business partnering and a collegiate approach – with a ‘can do’ attitude and a sense of humour.
· Able to provide positive, dynamic, tenacious and flexible leadership at all times.
· Results-driven, able to measure and quantify own outcomes.
· Adaptable to changing landscape and evolving organisation.
· Willing and able to operate at pace in an organisation going through rapid change, using your initiative and delivering to tight deadlines
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills
· Highly organised with ability to plan effectively and allocate resources appropriately.
· An understanding of and commitment to London’s blind and partially sighted people.
Flexibility
· The role description is a general outline of duties and responsibilities and may be amended as the newly merged charity develops and the role grows. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time.
When writing job applications, we want to see if candidates are the right fit for our charity, so they should be written using your own words. Use of Artificial Intelligence, such as Chat GPT, is considered plagiarism, and applications drafted with the assistance of AI will be automatically rejected.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Imagine being told that you, or someone you love, is losing their sight.
In that moment, two profound questions demand urgent answers:
- Can this be stopped?
- How will I live my life?
At Fight for Sight / Vision Foundation, we pursue positive answers to both questions. We do this by funding the brilliant minds and bright ideas that put change in sight.
Our researchers are at the forefront of eye research, making breakthroughs and discoveries that will prevent and treat eye disease. The partnerships we build and initiatives we support are changing life for blind and vision impaired people: from tackling loneliness to supporting people who have survived domestic abuse.
We have a clear ambition, led by our CEO, Keith Valentine, who has valuable lived experience of vision loss. We’ve secured well-respected and highly engaged ambassadors and patrons, from Sir John Major to Marsha De Cordova MP.
This is an exciting time to join us, as we activate our new brand and five-year strategy.
If you share our mission and have the skills, experience and drive to contribute to our dynamic team, we’d love to hear from you.
Role Description
This new role of Programme Officer (Social Change) will play an integral part in ensuring our grant making has the best possible impact. Working with the Programme Manager (Social Change) and the wider Impact Team, you will be the first point of contact for potential grant applicants and deliver effective processes that ensure that anyone who applies to us for funding has a positive experience, whether they are successful or not. You will lead on all aspects of administering our Social Change grant calls and provide the rest of the team with the information needed to support robust and transparent decision-making. You will also be involved in events for our applicants and will work with colleagues to continually refine and improve our grant making processes.
Responsible to
Programme Manager (Social Change)
Direct reports
None
Working hours and contract
This is a permanent full-time role, 35 hours a week.
Salary
£26k
Location
Aldgate E1 and hybrid working. Minimum two days in the office and external meetings and events as required.
Start date
As soon as possible
Role Responsibilities:
Administering grant processes:
· Working with the Programme Manager (Social Change) to update application and guidance forms for each funding round
· Work closely with colleagues to set up the grant call in our online grant management system.
· Provide guidance to potential applicants and respond to their queries, e.g. about eligibility.
· Work with colleagues who run the research funding programme to ensure that opportunities for efficiencies and shared processes are maximised
· Process grant applications, ensuring that we adhere to the highest standards of grant making
· Assist with the preparation of papers to support our decision-making processes, including supporting our Social Change Grants Assessment Panel (SGAP) by ensuring they have all relevant information and that the meetings run smoothly.
· Following final decision, ensure that terms and conditions and award letters are sent to successful applicants and ensure a smooth transition of projects to the Programme Manager (Social Change) who will manage the active projects.
Event support and attendance
· Assist with the organisation and delivery of in person and online meetings and events, e.g. a feedback session for unsuccessful applicants.
· Assist with the organisation of visits relating to the social change funding programme, e.g. helping put together briefing documents, supporting with arrangements and highlighting opportunities for stories and impact with communications colleagues.
Team support:
· Provide support to the wider Impact team where required, e.g. working with the finance team on the processing of invoices.
· Assisting the team in keeping accurate and up to date records, including on the online grants management system and ensure that all relevant records are readily and easily available
Person specification:
Skills, knowledge & experience
Essential
· Health or social sciences degree or with experience of working in grant making or similar
· Experience of working in an office/ administrative environment, ideally as part of a hybrid team
· Proficient in the use of standard IT packages including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Desirable
· Experience of working in a research or grant making organisation.
· Experience of working with committees, ideally with a health, research or charitable giving remit.
· Experience using online grant management systems.
Personal characteristics and behaviours:
· Understanding of and commitment to the change needed to improve life for blind and vision impaired people in the UK
· good attention to detail and focus on quality.
· Ability to understand and analyse information presented in funding applications and reports, summarise this and identify the most pertinent points.
· Ability to work flexibly and effectively as part of a small team and actively collaborate with colleagues in other teams.
· clear communicator, both orally and in writing, with an ability to respond to a wide range of enquiries, e.g. from community organisations
· Ability to effectively prioritise and time manage a varied workload.
· Proficient in the use of standard IT packages including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Flexibility
· The role description is a general outline of duties and responsibilities and may be amended as the newly merged charity develops. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time.
Accessibility
Please let us know if you have any accessibility requirements. If you are unfamiliar with MS Teams and would like to do a tech run-through before the interview, we can also coordinate that.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
About us:
Action for M.E. is the only charity in the UK providing direct support including healthcare to children and adults with M.E.. We provide vital support services, campaign for change and invest in ground-breaking research to help put an end to the ignorance, injustice and neglect experienced by people with M.E.
Opportunity:
Having been paused to new referrals, Action for M.E.’s free, independent, Adults Advocacy service will soon be re-opening. It’s one of our range of free Support Services that work with adults, young people, and/or families living with M.E. We support colleagues across the team to take part in and share reflective practice, self-care, peer-support and training.
Our Adults Advocacy service offers non-statutory, single-issue, instructed advocacy for adults with a confirmed diagnosis of M.E. We encourage self-advocacy where possible, though many of our clients are too severely affected by M.E. to be able to take undertake this.
As an Adults Advocate, you will manage a caseload of clients, as well as inputting and contributing to the triage process along with your Advocacy colleagues. You will meet with clients by phone, email, Zoom and/or SMS; we can also facilitate communication by post if this is required. We are not able to offer home visits or face to face meetings.
What we can offer you:
We offer fully remote and flexible working with generous annual leave (30 days plus bank holidays, pro rata). The wellbeing of our staff is important to us, we offer a range of benefits to employees including (but not limited to) access to free counselling and voluntary wellbeing weekday sessions, examples of recent sessions include guided group meditations and a book club.
To view the full job description, download the job pack, and apply for this role, please visit our Recruitee site (please note that we only accept applications via Recruitee; any application sent directly to an Action for M.E. mailbox will not be considered).
Should you have any questions about the role, or require any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to contact our recruitment team, details of how to do this are contained in the application pack, "how to apply" section.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.