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Interim Head of Finance & Operations
Career Ready is a social mobility charity that believes that every young person deserves the opportunity to enjoy a rewarding future.
We were founded in 2002 by leading business figures with a mission: to boost social mobility by empowering young people and giving their talents a platform from which to flourish. Since then, we’ve grown in England and Scotland to support young people in areas of need.
We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, qualified Finance professional to lead our Finance & Operations function.
About the Role
Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer the Interim Head of Finance & Operations leads on and assumes day to day responsibility for providing high quality, strategic financial management for Career Ready.
You will lead on business operations to ensure the ongoing effective functioning of the charity and drive sustainable growth.
The Interim Head of Finance and Operations plays a key role in leading greater organisational efficiency and simplifying processes and will continue the delivery of a project plan reflecting the 2025-30 strategy.
You will play a critical role in driving the increased quality of Career Ready’s offer to our stakeholders in line with our strategy, vision and values.
Member of our SMT, comprising of the CEO, Director for Scotland, Director of Programme and Partnerships and Heads of functions.
This is an interim role to cover a period of maternity leave.
Main responsibilities and accountabilities
· Lead, direct and manage the finance and operations functions, overseeing two direct reports, ensuring they deliver a high-quality service to all internal and external stakeholders and are seen as adding value, in enabling Career Ready to achieve its vision and strategic objectives through its people.
· Continue the delivery of a project plan reflecting the 2025-30 strategy, ensuring that activities happen at pace, are deadline-driven and achieve a high level of impact.
· Assume overall responsibility for the financial management of Career Ready, working with the SMT to ensure high quality and effective use of charitable funds.
· Input into and review the financial elements of funding applications and ensure that fund accounting processes align with funders’ requirements for project reporting.
· Produce financial reports for various stakeholders, as well as leading on financial modelling.
· Have oversight of all financial and accountancy matters including month end reports, management accounts, cash flow management, compliance, tax liability, presentation of management information and KPIs. Ensure that the CEO and Trustees are provided with accurate, timely information and analysis.
· Oversee and coordinate the fully managed payroll services with the external bureau for all Career Ready employees and for some internship students (Jun to Aug during the Summer)
· Administration of the Staff Opt-In Pension Scheme, including onboarding new staff (Royal London)
· Act as a role model in our ‘one team’ culture. Lead in the development of efficient working practices across the charity, creating momentum and supporting motivation within the charity.
· Lead risk management strategies and internal control procedures to minimise the risk of loss, or damage to, Career Ready’s assets.
· Prepare and submit annual operational budgets and annual accounts to the CEO for review and approval.
· Draft and deliver papers for Trustees and Finance and Fundraising Committee (F&FC) meetings.
· Attend Board and F&FC meetings to present papers and answer questions related to areas of expertise.
· Provide day to day line management of the Senior Finance Officers and support their ongoing growth and development.
· Management of organisational governance and compliance activities, including policy management.
· Oversee and manage the organisation’s risk management register and process, with input from SMT.
· Oversee reviews and renewals of all insurance policies that affect the organisation.
· Lead on the compliance of statutory and charity regulatory reporting, giving guidance to colleagues where required.
· Ensure any changes to processes and procedures across the function are clearly documented.
Person Specification
Essential skills and experience
- Belief and commitment to Career Ready’s mission and values
- Qualified (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/AAT) accountant with at least 5 years’ experience in financial management including budgeting, preferably in the charity sector.
- Significant experience in producing management and financial accounts
- Skilled in financial reporting and producing VAT returns
- Preparing for and ensuring a successful year-end audit, and demonstrable knowledge of UK Charities SORP and other reporting standards
- Experience in budgeting to support strategic decision making.
- Financial dexterity and strong analytical skills.
- Strong IT skills, including advanced MS Excel skills and extensive of using an accounting software, preferably Xero
- Excellent organisational and prioritising skills and ability to work independently and with autonomy
- Strong starter finisher with ability to lead and drive projects
- Knowledge of charity governance and compliance requirements
- Ability to build excellent relationships and have effective engagement with stakeholders
- Good communication skills and ability to communicate financial concepts to non-finance staff
- Attention to detail
- Ability to present financial information to various audiences
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity of financial information
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to cope with competing demands to deadlines
- Honest and dependable
Desirable skills and experience
- Experience of leading a team, strong team building skills
- Line management experience
- Experience of using MS Planner or other project management tools
- Genuine interest in the work done by the Charity
- Experience of using a CRM (Salesforce)
- Degree in financial management or accounting
Full details are provided in the candidate pack
Salary and Benefits
Salary: £52,000 to £54,000 FTE (salary will be pro-rata for part time hours)
28-35 hours per week. Career Ready is committed to supporting condensed/flexible working patterns.
Permanent and remote. Travel to London required on an occasional basis
You will be rewarded with the following benefits:
· 6% contribution to personal pension plan, subject to 3% employee contribution.
· Annual leave: 27 days per annum plus bank/public holidays (pro rata for part time). The charity is also closed between Christmas and New Year. Career Ready also allows flexible use of some Bank & Public Holidays
· Cycle to Work Scheme
· Access to both our Reward Gateway Portal and an Employee Assistance Programme.
· Flexible working
· Work from home allowance and paid travel expenses.
We regret that Career Ready is unable to offer visa sponsorship and candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. In accordance with our commitment to safeguarding, offers of employment are subject to completion of a DBS check.
Timetable
Applications close at 9am on Monday 21 July 2025
Please note that the closing date may be brought forward if we receive strong applications.
This is an interim role to cover a period of maternity leave, with a provisional start date of late September for a handover period.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Warm Welcome Partnerships Manager
Location: Fully remote with flexible working arrangements
Salary: £38,584 per year FTE, dependent on experience
Contract: We are open to this role being part time (0.8FTE) or full time. We offer fully flexible working.
Closing date for applications: Sunday 6th July, 11:59pm
Due to high numbers of applications, prior to interview we plan to carry out initial screening calls with prospective candidates before selection for interview. We will be asking about your reasons for applying and how you think your skills and experiences align to the role.
First interviews: w/c 21st July 2025
Start Date: ASAP – this is a new post.
About the Warm Welcome Campaign
Founded in 2022, the Warm Welcome Campaign wants everyone in the UK to find a place of belonging and reconnection at a Warm Welcome Space near their home. We have a bold ambition to enable a more deeply connected society where we all have free access to welcoming community spaces.
We resource, connect and champion a network of over 5300 Warm Welcome Spaces and bring together a growing coalition of local, regional, and national partners representing the worlds of charity, faith, business, government, and philanthropy. By working together, we can unlock the power of community spaces made by and for everyone, creating a thriving network of hope and reconnection fueled by human warmth.
We’re working hard to reach everyone with the message that a Warm Welcome is waiting for them just around the corner, all through the year.
Throughout all our work and within our team we live out our values of being inclusive, collaborative and courageous and our personality that is friendly, adventurous and uplifting.
It’s an important moment for us – in the last year we have launched a new five year strategy which shows a clear picture of the path we have set ourselves ahead to continue to deliver and deepen our impact. In October 2024 we launched our 100% Pledge Campaign. and in January delivered a hugely successful first ever Warm Welcome Week in collaboration with a wide variety of partners.
The Opportunity
This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and proactive individual to work within a small (but growing), friendly and dynamic team in a varied role. If you are brilliant at engaging and mobilising a wide variety of organisations and individuals, and passionate for your input to shape work that makes a genuine difference to people’s lives, this could be the role for you.
To support the range and depth of partnerships we have and the potential we see, we are looking for a Partnerships Manager to work primarily on building partnerships with Local Authorities and public sector organisations, charities and social enterprises, faith-based and inclusion-focused organisations and other groups who might help us strategically grow and resource the Warm Welcome network across the UK (NB Corporate Partnerships are managed by our newly appointed Fundraising Lead for Corporates). The Partnerships Manager will also help develop our support for Warm Welcome Spaces, including overseeing our Champions Programme which offers more intense support and a Community of Practice to a smaller cohort of local groups.
We’re looking for someone who thrives on the variety of connecting with a huge range of people and who is organised and systematic while at the same time has room for creativity and innovation.
Joining during an exciting period of growth, you will be inheriting a hugely diverse and highly engaged coalition of Warm Welcome Partners who have supported the campaign and local Spaces over the last 2 and a half years. At the same time, there remains a huge untapped potential in terms of possible partners and relationships to be developed and you will be working together with the Campaign Director and team to strategically identify and develop these new connections.
At Warm Welcome, we value diversity and we recognise the enormous benefits and the social imperative of bringing together diverse groups of people. We therefore warmly welcome applications from a broad range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives.
Responsibilities
Building Partnerships
● Developing our Partnership Strategy to identify and engage the best potential partners to help us grow the network and reach our ambition of 100% of the population living within a 30-minute walk of a registered Warm Welcome Space. This will involve identifying and engaging partners in geographical ‘cold spots’ for the network (utilising our mapping tool developed with UCL), as well as forming partnerships to unlock new or under-represented types of Warm Welcome Spaces (e.g. Housing Association Community Spaces, cinemas, community spaces created by new housing developments etc).
● Leading the development of our Local Co-ordinators Cluster which brings together Local Authorities and others who are leading place-based networks of community spaces.
● Overseeing and developing the Champions Programme, providing more intensive support and connections to a smaller cohort of Warm Welcome Spaces.
Engagement and Inclusion
● Developing our Inclusion Strategy to identify and engage the best potential partners to diversify our Coalition and support local Spaces to become more accessible and inclusive.
● Working with the team to develop regular engagement activities for Warm Welcome Partners.
● Producing compelling communications (written and verbal) to promote the work of the Warm Welcome Campaign and grow the depth and breadth of partnerships - to include but not limited to partnership proposals, pitches and reports.
Good Practices, Standards and Systems
● Supporting, maintaining and developing existing partnerships and manage the systems (including CRM use) needed for excellent partnerships delivery, stewardship and development.
● Leading Warm Welcome Space good practice and driving up quality standards across the network, including through developing a Warm Welcome Awards programme.
● Promoting good practice in volunteering and supporting Spaces to maximise and grow volunteering opportunities.
● Working with the team and, using our new CRM, track, measure and analyse our partnerships delivery.
● Supporting the delivery of other Warm Welcome efforts, as appropriate
Reporting to the Campaign Operations Director, you will work closely with them and other Senior Directors to grow the range and impact of Warm Welcome partnerships. The role will also work closely with the Communications team and with our two Warm Welcome Co-ordinators who deliver our Champions programme and provide a direct link between the campaign and Warm Welcome Spaces.
Person specification
Building Partnerships
● Successful experience of securing, maintaining and developing highly impactful partnerships for charitable benefit with a wide range of different types of organisations.
● Experience of writing, creating inspiring and successful pitches, proposals and assets and verbal presentations.
● Experience of developing and delivering partnership-related strategies.
● Clear understanding of organisational motivations and dynamics related to partnerships and collaboration.
● Ability to network, finding and grabbing opportunities to make new connections and deepen existing ones.
Engagement and Inclusion
● Experience of developing impactful partnerships focused on inclusion.
● Ability to communicate across a range of mediums, to a range of audiences.
Good Practices, Standards and Systems
● A strong team player who is flexible, positive and responds with strong influencing and negotiation skills and a commitment to the organisation and team working.
● Understanding the value of accurate record keeping and the ability to create high functioning, accessible systems for the whole team’s use.
● Highly organised with ability to prioritise work to ensure deadlines are met and opportunities are maximised.
● Competent with Google Suite and Microsoft Office.
● Able to use a CRM for pipelines, relationship development, reporting and evaluation.
Working Arrangements
● Current members of the team are based across the UK, with some in London, Reading, Bristol, Manchester and Northern Ireland. Applicants must be able to travel to Bristol once a month for a Tuesday full team meeting. Given the nature of this role we would also expect the applicant to carry out a reasonable amount of travel to both Warm Welcome Spaces and partners across the UK.
● This role is fully remote, with flexible working arrangements.
● All employees, volunteers, partners, suppliers and consultants working with GFP are expected to adhere to our Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies. GFP’s commitment to safeguarding means we seek to ensure that no harm comes to people as a result of contact with the organisation’s programmes, operations or people.
● You will need to have the right to work in the UK.
Supporting your Application
● We’d be very happy to answer any specific questions relating to this role - please email us with ‘Query for Partnerships Manager role’ in the email subject line and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
● We are happy to discuss and make any reasonable adjustments you might need at any stage of the recruitment process.
● To apply, send a cover letter (max 1 side of A4) which specifically addresses the requirements listed in the person specification, along with a CV, as we will use this to shortlist applications. Email these with ‘Application for Warm Welcome Partnerships Manager role’. Applications must be received by Sunday 6th July, 11:59pm.
● For more information, see our webite or find us on twitter at @goodfaith
The Good Faith Partnership – The Warm Welcome Campaign’s host Organisation
The Warm Welcome Campaign was incubated by and is hosted by the Good Faith Partnership. Founded in 2016, we create solutions to society’s most difficult problems by bringing together leaders and organisations from different sectors. Our clients are diverse and complex, from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to faith-based organisations, businesses, charities and funders. We connect businesses, governments, charities, philanthropists, foundations and communities to make lasting change - from incubating projects like the Warm Welcome Campaign, helping support the Home Office’s Homes for Ukraine Scheme or co-ordinating public affairs for the Patriarch of Jerusalem in the UK, US and EU.
We are relational, ambitious, curious and solution-focused. At our core, we believe in the power of strong, unlikely relationships, to drive positive social change.
Competencies and Behaviours in our Team
The core competence of everyone in our team is the ability to build trusted relationships among people with diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
We are looking for people who are:
● Exceptional with people and committed to the power of relationships to facilitate social change
● Collaborative, ambitious and inclusive, aligning with our core values
● Self-starters with high levels of commitment, energy and motivation to build a vision from scratch
● Curious and show initiative, with problem-solving skills and an ability to learn quickly and adapt to a rapidly changing context
● Skilled at working in a complex environment with cross cultural, interfaith and political partners
● Willing to pitch in to help other team members if needed
● Organised with effective time management skills.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
The Association for Cultural Enterprises (AfCE) supports over 500 member organisations across the UK and internationally, helping the cultural sector generate earned income through commercial activity. As an Arts Council England-funded organisation, AfCE delivers sector-leading training, benchmarking, data-led insights, events, and advocacy to drive financial resilience in arts, heritage, and culture.
AfCE runs a year-round programme of live training events around the UK and Europe, as well as its signature annual Cultural Enterprises Conference and Trade Show. We have ambitions to grow attendance at these events, as well as growing our membership.
The Association is a charitable organisation, which also has a trading company, Cultural Enterprises (Trading) Limited (CET).
We are looking for a new Finance Manager to join a small, friendly, and ambitious team, to review the day-to-day processes and policies and identify opportunities to improve reporting and make operational efficiencies. The Association is growing, so now is an exciting time to join our team and work with our members across the cultural sector.
Job Summary
The purpose of this role is to provide sound financial management for the Association and CET through:
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Statutory financial reporting in line with Charity SORP/UK GAAP, including annual returns to Companies House and the Charity Commission
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Management accounting, reporting and analysis to funders, management, staff, and Trustees/Directors
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Preparation and maintenance of budgets, forecasts and plans, including cashflows and project budgets
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Supervision and control of day-to-day accounting transactions, including oversight of the finance aspects of the Apprentice role
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Oversight and implementation of robust financial systems, policies, and procedures
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Responsible for financial queries, working with the Apprentice as first point of contact for external contacts
Main Duties
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Supervise day-to-day accounting operations and ensure accurate financial record keeping, including coding, allocations, reconciliations, and tax accounting
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Oversee invoice generation and debt recovery processes
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Process payments and staff expenses for authorisation
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Produce regular management accounts on an accruals basis, providing interpretation and advice to the Executive Team, Finance & Risk Committee, Trustees/Directors, and funders
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Lead on budget preparation and forecasting, including project-specific budgets; monitor and reforecast as needed
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Prepare statutory accounts in compliance with charity SORP and liaise with external auditors and the Treasurer
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Manage contracts with financial services providers, including bookkeepers, auditors, banks, and investment managers
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Attend AfCE and CET Board meetings
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Fulfil company secretarial duties, including:
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Filing confirmation statements and annual accounts for ACE and CET with Companies House and Charity Commission
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Filing changes in Trustees/Directors
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Complete Arts Council England (ACE) returns, including provision of financial information for quarterly payment processes when required
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Negotiate and implement insurance policies including:
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General insurance
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Cyber security
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Life assurance
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Staff sickness policy
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Trustees’ liability
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Conference insurance
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Oversee monthly payroll, including statutory payments to HMRC and pension providers, and liaise with bookkeepers for payroll updates or changes
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Review VAT returns for accuracy before submission to HMRC
Note on External Bookkeepers
External bookkeepers currently provide support limited to payroll and VAT processing.
Person Specification
Personal Qualities
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Self-disciplined, organised, proactive and self-motivating
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Logical and methodical approach to finance and administration
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Trustworthy, honest, reliable and conscientious
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Confident, professional, and personable, able to communicate easily within a small team and with external stakeholders
Professional Competencies
Essential
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Professional accounting qualification such as ACA, ACCA, or CIMA
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Strong knowledge of charity SORP and charity finance regulations, including VAT and Gift Aid
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Experience with Xero or equivalent cloud-based accounting systems
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Strong reporting skills
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Team player with excellent interpersonal skills
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High level of accuracy and attention to detail
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Experience producing management accounts and supporting senior leadership and boards
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Ability to interpret financial data for non-financial colleagues
Desirable
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Experience working in a small charity or business
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Understanding of the cultural or charitable sector
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Experience of remote working
Benefits
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Unlimited holiday policy
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5% employer pension contribution
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Life insurance
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Flexible working arrangements by agreement with the CEO
We are an inclusive, equal opportunity employer and value diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of experience, merit and organisational need.
Please note that interviews for this role will take place online on Thursday 31st July.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
PURPOSE OF THE ROLE
To support the Area Manager / Operations Director in ensuring the Charity’s development and growth in ways that are relevant and in line with operational services and charitable objectives.
To ensure the Charity achieves its aims and objectives and fulfils its operational plan effectively by providing high quality intervention, providing person centred support for at-risk young people.
To have key responsibilities in reducing risk and delivery of our Shaping Futures Intervention this is our Short-Term Intervention Programme (STIP) in Buckinghamshire.
This project is funded for the next 18 months, we will be working closely with partners to extend this funding agreement.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinate onboarding of young people, including the initial assessment, and developing 12 individualised sessions bespoke to each young person.
- Ensure a 12-week programme is written and sent to the young person with agreed outcomes after initial meeting.
- Responsible for a case load of young people up to 20 young people at any one time.
- Lead sessions and activities with appropriate resources to empower young people to make more positive choices to reduce violent behaviours, reduce risk of exploitation and other offending behaviours.
- Support the multi-agency network for the young people you are working with. Report any safeguarding concerns to the DSL, with support from your line manager.
- Work in partnership with the Operations team to develop opportunities in line with the intervention if needed.
- Attend stakeholder meetings where needed.
- Uphold Caudwell Youth’s values
- Effectively report to your line manager complaints and compliments relating to the programme
- Build knowledge of local strategies, linking in with network forums.
- Develop relationships and partnerships with local employers, benefit agencies, training establishments to enable opportunities for young people.
- Monitor targets and ensure programme objectives are met.
- Collect outcomes data with tools provided by Caudwell Youth.
- Embed engagement strategy with the young people in your area.
- Coordinate a safe exit of young people effectively, signposting to Caudwell Youth’s mentoring service (if appropriate) or externally.
- Ensure we achieve agreed development objectives, with support from your line manager.
- Be an ambassador for Caudwell Youth in the geographical area you are leading.
Coordination and Development
- With support from your line manager, ensure the delivery, development of services, community-based activities, and development opportunities are in line with regulatory requirements, our own policies, including safeguarding, social media, health & safety and data protection.
- Develop services and activities and opportunities for inclusion, community engagement and personal development for young people as agreed with your line manager.
- Ensure appropriate planning, risk assessment and evaluation for all activities relating to your area of responsibility is completed, with support from your line manager where appropriate.
- In collaboration with the Operations team, support activities for the needs of the young people across the charity’s wider geographies.
Administration:
- Maintain an excellent standard of administration, record keeping and reporting of all work undertaken in line with data protection and Caudwell Youth’s policies and procedures.
- Monitor all activities for your area against targets and objectives.
- Undertake proactive activities in line with our policies and good practice.
Partnership and Liaison:
- Work closely with the team and the stakeholder steering group to promote good communication and shared focus.
- Ensure effective, relevant and appropriate communication at all times.
- Represent the Charity to other organisations, funders and supporters.
- Establish and develop good relationships with other charities and agencies to increase partnership and effective joint working where appropriate.
- Be a point of contact for referrers and external contacts as regards to activities and service provision.
- Maintain strong working partnership with Thames Valley Police and Buckinghamshire Council to deliver the Shaping Futures Programme.
Team Ethos:
- Work effectively as a team, supporting other team members and be willing to receive support whilst fulfilling your own responsibilities and tasks.
- Express and promote equal opportunities and encourage inclusion and involvement.
- Ensure good communications and relationships within the team at all times.
- Attend team meetings, personal work reviews and task group meetings proactively and as a contributor.
General:
- Demonstrate a high level of professionalism and maintain professional boundaries at all times
- Undertake and identify training as required and take a positive approach to personal development.
- Fulfil the duties and responsibilities of an employee as regards to Health and Safety at Work, including own safety and self-management.
- Undertake any other reasonable tasks deemed necessary.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
On appointment, you are expected to have:
- Previous professional experience and hold most of the necessary skills for the role.
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of young people services in the UK Strong people skills: demonstrates empathy, leads by example, and contributes to building a desirable team culture
- Understanding of young people at-risk Commitment to equality and diversity
- A positive attitude with a proactive and flexible approach to work
- A good understanding of safeguarding and confidentiality
- A full driving licence, with access to a vehicle and have business insurance cover on your policy
Experience:
- Experience of working with statutory services to support at risk young people
- Experience of working to agreed delivery targets, monitoring outcomes, programme evaluation and report writing
- Excellent presentation skills to external stakeholders
Skills:
- Experience of liaising and relationship building with local networks
- Awareness of other local charities
- Use of software such as Office 365 and Better Impact
- Desirable but not essential - hold a certificate in JNC or NYA Youth Work Qualification
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA
Please confirm the following essential criteria. All questions must be answered Yes to meet the essential criteria:
- Do you have a minimum of 1 year’s experience working with young people in a formal or informal setting?
- Do you have experience planning and delivering activities or support services for young people?
- Do you hold a full UK driving licence with no endorsements or convictions, and be eligible to obtain business insurance?
- Do you have basic experience using Microsoft Office (e.g., Word, Excel, Outlook)?
- Do you hold a Certificate in Youth Work and Community Practice? (this can be a qualification from an awarding body JNC, NYA or equivalent).
WHY WORK FOR US:
We are an experienced team that are dedicated to improving the lives of the young people we support.
Benefits:
- Flexible working
- Hybrid – working from home and in the community
- Westfield Health (including Employee Assistance Programme and extended counselling sessions)
- Group Personal Pension with a 5% employer contribution and Salary Sacrifice Scheme
- 25 days annual leave (FTE) plus bank holidays, plus charity closure between Christmas and New Year
- Extra paid day off on your birthday
- Paid day off for volunteering in your community
- Training opportunities to support your personal development
- Employee discounts on everyday goods and services
- Being part of a passionate and dedicated team
Caudwell Youth is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. As part of this commitment, we undertake disclosure checks in accordance with the Codes of Practice for all. Having a criminal record will not automatically exclude applicants.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.