As Chief Executive, you will lead the staff team, be responsible for providing overall strategic direction, coordination and management of all CAP programmes. Partnership building is a key role to maximise our impact.
Church Action on Poverty is a medium sized social justice charity, with a vision for the UK to become a country where everyone can flourish free from poverty. We are an ecumenical organisation with a Christian ethos and roots in the churches who remain key partners for us. We support programmes across the UK improving the lives of people in poverty and create opportunities for those with lived experience to voice their concerns with the aim of educating the public to raise awareness and understanding in line with our charitable objectives.
Currently, our programmes are structured on the principles of dignity, agency and power. They comprise: supporting a network of 130 food pantries with a membership of over 50,000; enabling people with lived experience of poverty to speak truth to power and supporting churches to explore what it means to be a ‘church on the margins’ as well as playing a leading role in high profile national campaigns.
It is anticipated that the role will be varied and flexible, but will include:
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Assisting the CAP Council of Management in the development and implementation of the organisation's programmes, campaigns, partnership building and public affairs work.
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Managing CAP's staff and resources in line with the organisation's agreed policies and priorities, and core values of collaboration, participation and empowerment.
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Fundraising and organisational strategy to achieve our aims.
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Ensuring that people with lived experience of poverty are actively involved in all aspects of CAP's work.
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Leading and line managing the Senior Leadership and Management Team.
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Working with the whole staff team to develop and implement strategies that build dignity, agency and power to end poverty.
Key responsibilities
1. Supporting CAP's Council of Management in its governance function
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Maintaining regular contact with the CAP Chairperson and Officer Group.
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Providing regular written reports to CAP's Council of Management and attending all meetings of the CAP Council of Management and Officers Group.
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Agreeing and implementing an annual planning cycle with the Council of Management, in line with CAP’s strategic values and vision.
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Working with the chair and officers to ensure good governance of the organisation.
2. Ensuring the effective management of CAP's staff team by:
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Providing day-to-day management and support for the Senior Management and Leadership Team.
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Holding oversight of the policies and procedures of the organisation and ensuring that they are up to date and fit for purpose
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Setting the culture of the organisation, with a focus on promoting collaborative working, learning and staff wellbeing.
3. Finance and fundraising
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Setting a clear, viable organisational and financial strategy and implement through
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Fundraising and relationship building to secure the resources needed for the programme work and campaigning.
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Formulating appropriate applications for programme funding.
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Providing resources for donors and churches to organise fundraising.
4. Programme Development
Leading the process of programme development within CAP in order to:
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Promote new approaches to combating poverty, which build the dignity, agency and power of people and communities struggling against poverty.
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Ensure that programmes have clearly identified aims, objectives and methods and that projects are monitored and evaluated.
5. Partnership Building
Building partnerships and contribute to the shared leadership and development of a movement based on dignity, agency and power with people and struggling communities against poverty, by
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Working with a wide range of partners and people with lived experience, to connect and build networks of people and groups who are committed to challenging poverty.
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Ensuring that CAP works collaboratively, leading CAP's involvement in strategic coalitions, alliances and other movement building opportunities.
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Ensuring CAP’s work is informed by the insights of people with lived experience of poverty, as well as wider public policy, debate and research.
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Ensuring that CAP’s views are shared with government, politicians, churches and others, where possible, led by people with lived experience of poverty.
6. Membership and supporters
Working with CAP’s Communications and Supporter Relations manager to ensure the recruitment and retention of members, donors and supporters by ensuring that:
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CAP members are provided with regular mailings and appropriate support for local/national activity.
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Ensuring that requests from CAP members and others for information and support are dealt with appropriately.
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Overseeing resources for Challenge Poverty Week and Poverty Sunday
7. Public Profile
In collaboration with CAP's Council of Management and staff, ensuring that CAP maintains a high profile within both the church and secular media, including:
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Ensuring CAP contributes effectively to public and media debate, including mainstream secular and church media, TV, radio and new/social media etc.
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Prioritising opportunities for people with lived experience to act as spokespeople and the public face for CAP.
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Attending and speaking at appropriate conferences and events making sure that CAP is represented at key events.
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Representing CAP views to national, regional and local government.
8. Theological Development
Facilitating the development of theological and other resources which reflect
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the lived experience of people and communities struggling against poverty, biblical sources, personal faith and other theological writing.
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wider analysis of social, political and economic issues.
Accountability and relationships
The Chief Executive is accountable to the elected Council of Management. Regular contact is maintained with the Officers Group, and in particular the Chair.
The Chief Executive provides line management to the other members of the Senior Leadership and Management Team, and works closely with other members of the CAP staff team, and external partners.
Other details about employment
Duration: Permanent contract with six month probationary period.
Hours: 35 hours per week including occasional 'unsocial' hours, weekend working and overnight travelling for which Time Off in Lieu is provided.
Salary: Church Action on Poverty Salary Band L, starting at scale point 43 on the NJC scales (currently £52,805 pay award pending). Rising by increments after 3 years and every 2 years thereafter to point 46 (currently £56,073), paid monthly on the 14th day of each month.
Pension: Church Action on Poverty operates the Nest auto-enrolment pension scheme, and contributes a 10% employer contribution provided the staff member commits to making a 5% employee contribution.
Benefits: Simply Health Cash Plan, Working from Home allowance, Employee Assistance Programme, Cycle to Work Scheme, Staff Expenses Debits Cards, National Gym and Partner Discounts.
Holidays: 25 days’ annual leave pro rata (30 after five years’ service) plus statutory holidays. Office closure over New Year period on top of annual leave.
Location: Hybrid working on a flexible basis from home with some time each week in the Manchester office.
No CVs or other attachments please, only applications using our standard application form (available to download above) will be considered.
Registered Charity 
11 - 20
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Prison Facilitator - HMP The Mount
Shannon Trust facilitator - HMP The Mount
Do you want to join an organisation committed to addressing low literacy levels amongst people in prison?
Shannon Trust are delighted to be working with His Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) to provide peer-led learning programmes at HMP The Mount. Working closely with the prison and their staff, people in prison, Shannon Trust volunteers and mentors, this post will lead the delivery and development of our prison-based reading and numeracy programme, maximising opportunities for people in prison to learn to read.
Ideally you will have some experience of prison settings underpinned by the ability to build relationships and personal qualities that include resilience, determination and a problem-solving approach.
This role will be prison based. Employee benefits include a company contribution to pension scheme of up to 5%, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays, life insurance, paid volunteering days, discounts via Reward Gateway and an Employee Assistance Programme. The biggest benefit though is our culture – our people really want to work for the organisation.
We welcome job applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system and do not routinely ask for details of any criminal convictions. These roles do require prison security clearance, so we will need to ask for details of any relevant criminal convictions before an offer of employment is finalised.
Please note this role is subject to contract award.
Interviews are planned for: 25th April 2025
REF-221 300
Thank you!
To further develop, deliver and strengthen CSE’s Human Resources function, ensuring that the organisation complies with all relevant legislation and guidance while recruiting and retaining good quality staff. Instilling a collaborative culture of high performance where staff are encouraged and supported to perform at their best and we collectively achieve outstanding results.
Pay and conditions
• The role is full-time, permanent role (37.5 hours per week).
• The salary for the role will be £47,508 - £55,954 (starting salary is expected to be at the lower end of the range)
• You will be entitled to 25 days paid holiday (plus statutory holidays).
CSE offer a range of benefits including, subsidised bike purchase and Tech Scheme, Life Assurance, Health Cash plan, retail discounts and discounted breakdown cover and many more.
We will pay fees and expenses on relevant training courses.
Specific responsibilities
An applicant appointed to the role will be expected to:
• To deliver all aspects of CSE’s Human Resources function, from recruitment, staff welfare, wellbeing and associated support, staff records, training and professional development, oversight and advice on any conflicts or disciplinary matters; and to include the development and maintenance of all appropriate staff policies and processes, including performance management and staff appraisals, remuneration, role progression and all staff benefits.
• To ensure the Staff Handbook remains regularly updated, and to lead on all amendments / updates to this key document for staff. Additionally, working alongside the Director of Finance & Operations, the Chief Executive and other directors to ensure all HR-related policies and procedures across CSE are reviewed regularly and remain updated accordingly, supporting staff needs as effectively as possible while also reflecting the needs and strategic objectives of the whole organisation, its charitable status and mission.
• To maintain the organisation’s personnel records in accordance with appropriate data protection standards and recognised good practice (utilizing the Cezanne HR system). To provide overall ownership of this system – in terms of data contents, security and ongoing operations for the system. The postholder will also act as primary contact for the Cezanne software supplier, liaising with the Director of Finance & Operations and other interested parties where necessary.
• To maintain oversight of staff welfare and working with line managers and other relevant staff, provide and promote access to support and advice to sustain good staff mental and physical health and wellbeing.
• To play an integral role supporting both the Employee Voice (EV) group and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) group and take a lead on related operational functions including administrating the 6-monthly Staff Survey and highlighting issues and trends in staff feedback.
• Provide oversight and guidance in respect of staff recruitment, onboarding, induction development and training, supporting and advising other relevant staff across all associated processes.
• To issue accurate and timely employment contracts, offer letters, job descriptions, pay review letters for all internal changes. Manage and oversee internal paperwork flows from relevant managers, relating to any changes to individual employee terms of employment. Support the SLT in reviewing and amending standard terms of employment contracts to ensure CSE’s practices reflect current best practice.
• To ensure that all payroll documents such as starter forms and payroll amendment forms are completed and saved in the correct location and sent to the payroll bureau where appropriate, and support the Finance team with the administration of our payroll and payroll records and pension scheme contributions and other employee benefits. To accurately track all staff absence and ensure that self-certification and return to work meetings are completed in a timely manner. Update the Bradford factor grid to monitor score against policy and, support line managers and employees in understanding how CSE uses this as a tool at all stages of process.
• To maintain an up-to-date knowledge of applicable employment, equity and diversity, and Health and Safety laws (with support from professional advisors where appropriate), standards, guidance, and good practice, advising the SLT how these can best be reflected in the organisation’s policies and practices as they apply both to individual members of staff and to the organisation as a whole.
• To prepare accurate and accessible reports for the Senior Leadership Team and Trustees on relevant organisational, team, and individual staff HR matters to enable informed and timely monitoring and decision-making, principally on a set cycle to feed into a routine schedule of meetings and occasionally to meet an ad hoc need.
• To work with the Senior Leadership Team and other staff as appropriate to support change management processes. This may include reviewing remuneration policies, job evaluation and salary benchmarking, skills audits, EDI Practices and line management practices.
• To identify opportunities to improve CSE’s Human Resources processes and practices, informed by a sound understanding of our mission and strategic objectives and our operating context and by keeping up to date with advances in personnel management and human resources practices. To see a more detailed list of responsibilities please see the supporting documents attached. These documents are also available to download from our website.
Essential attributes for this role include:
• CIPD qualification (Level 5) or equivalent Human Resources qualification.
• At least 5 years’ post-qualification work experience, including at least 2 years’ proven experience in an advisory role.
• Experience of developing and implementing effective HR policies and practices across an organisation, including managing any associated change processes.
• Experience in supporting both the organisation as well as individual employees through challenging employee relation conflicts and issues.
• Applied knowledge of employment legislation and good HR practices.
• Experience in overseeing the maintenance of a live HR system.
• Experienced in developing and supporting line managers in managing challenging situations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with well-honed listening skills and an empathetic manner.
• Ability to explain often complex HR matters in a clear and concise manner, to audiences at all levels of seniority and experience across the organisation.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and act with discretion, tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to maintain and organise effective electronic and manual filing systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Good organisational and time management skills, with experience of working to tight deadlines and budgets.
Please note, the above is an overview of the skills required for this role. To see the full list of essential and desirable skills please see the attached job description.
How to apply
To apply, please download and complete the application form available from our website.
Your application should demonstrate your suitability for the role against the criteria outlined in the person specification.
To apply, please download and complete the application form available from our website and send it to our Jobs email address.
Your application should demonstrate your suitability for the role against the criteria outlined in the person specification and job description. To be considered for this role an application form must be sent directly to our Jobs email address.
The closing date for applications is 5pm on Wednesday 21 May 2025.
Interviews are expected to take place Tuesday 3 June and Tuesday 10 June 2025 though this is subject to change. If invited to interview, we will ask you to provide evidence of eligibility to work in the UK
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.