Victim Support are looking for an Area Manager covering the regions of Essex and Bedfordshire.

Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity for people affected by crime in England and Wales. We work towards a world where people affected by crime or traumatic events get the support they need and respect they deserve.

Working closely with local authorities, the Police and Crime Commissioner and other funders in the area, the purpose of this role is to ensure the provision of vital support services for victims of crime in accordance with service contracts.

As Area Manager you will develop and maintain effective relationships and formal partnerships across organisations and with key stakeholders, and promote and develop the services of VS.

You will be part of the senior regional management team and responsible for leading the designated area strategically and ensuring it complies with national service delivery standards and best practice guidelines. You will also represent the charity in an appropriate and professional manner to commissioners, stakeholders, external bodies and the media, whilst acting as a voice for victims to the wider community.

Key responsibilities of the role are to ensure the success of a high quality, efficient and responsive services to victims, the identification of growth and partnership opportunities and building relationships with relevant commissioning bodies and other stakeholders. A focus on team development, and the monitoring of performance and quality are key within the role.

You must have experience of operating at a similar senior management level including responsibility for service development, bidding and/or negotiating for contracts and budgetary and financial control. You will have delivered services in a complex, customer focused organisation and have instigated, managed and successfully implemented change programmes or projects. A proven knowledge of the legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements relevant to a national charity is essential and you must enjoy, and have experience of, planning and working strategically.

Please note that travel across Essex and Bedfordshire is an essential part of this role and you may be asked to work unsociable hours on occasion.

Victim Support offers competitive rewards and benefits including pension and life assurance, 25 days annual leave (pro-rata), voluntary benefits such as season ticket loans and the opportunity to play a key role in a national charity providing world-class services to victims and witnesses and being a vital force for change.

Applications should be explicit enough to provide good evidence against the shortlisting criteria, which are outlined in the person specification under essential and tested area. In order to apply, please create a profile in our website (jobs section), complete and submit an online application form.

If the vacancy has not specified the essential criteria for shortlisting, please use this section to express how your experience and skills are relevant for the role.

If you have the drive to make a difference within an organisation which makes a difference we look forward to hearing from you.

Victim Support are committed to recruiting with care and to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Background checks and Disclosed Barring Service checks may be required.

Victim Support is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe having a diverse workforce at all levels allows us to represent the communities we serve and connect better with people affected by crime. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We therefore welcome applicants from all communities and monitor the diversity of applicants to analyse if we are representative of the communities we serve in terms of sex, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, age and socio-economic status. As part of our commitment to the Race at Work Charter we would particularly welcome applicants from BAME communities.

An exciting opportunity for an ambitious individual with exceptional leadership skills to join Citizens Advice Watford as our new Chief Officer.

About the role

As Chief Officer, you will play a key role in enabling the organisation to grow to provide high quality services to clients whilst maintaining and developing relationships with funders to provide the resources to operate on a sustainable basis. You will be at the forefront of our service delivery, identifying opportunities for organisational and technological developments and developing common practices to ensure systems and processes are used effectively.

With a track record of good financial management, you will maintain and monitor service budgets and finance administration systems ensuring these are in line with financial regulations. You will also oversee the timely delivery of financial reports and statements for funding, grant aid, contracts and other initiatives.

Reporting to the Trustee Board, you will present business plan and strategy reports and consult on financial, staffing and service delivery issues as well as on compliance with legislation and requirements of the Citizens Advice membership scheme.

About you

We are seeking an individual with experience of leading and managing an organisation, with a track record of successful income generation through fundraising and marketing and the ability to influence external change with funding bodies and donors. You will have a good understanding of advice service delivery and charity governance.

With demonstrable experience of strategic development implementation and change management, you will be capable of leading staff at all levels, building working relationships with colleagues and have a strong commitment to organisational and staff development.

About us

Citizens Advice Watford is an independent local registered charity and a member of the national Citizens Advice network, one of the most recognised advice brands in UK. Our clients are often the most vulnerable in our local communities, all of whom rely on the high-quality advice and information we provide.

Located in the heart of the Watford community, our team of around 60 dedicated volunteers and 14 staff provides advice and support face to face, over the phone, and by email and webchat.

Citizens Advice Watford is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity, promote equality and challenge discrimination. We encourage and welcome applications from suitably skilled candidates from all backgrounds.

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Salary:  £55,000 - £60,000

Hours of work: Full-time/Permanent

Location:  St Albans, Hertfordshire

We are working in partnership with Emmaus Hertfordshire, one of 29 Emmaus communities across the UK supporting more than 800 formerly homeless people, known within Emmaus as companions. Each community provides a home for as long as needed and meaningful work in a social enterprise. 

Emmaus Hertfordshire are seeking a new Chief Executive Officer.  This is an exciting and important opportunity for the right individual as Emmaus Hertfordshire is embarking on a significant expansion project at its St Albans site as part of a new partnership with the St Albans Foodbank and other agencies. A key element of the CEO role will be to provide leadership to this project alongside overall management responsibility for our existing community and social enterprise businesses.

Given the growth of the community in recent years, the ambitions of the Emmaus UK Strategic Plan 2020-2025, and the need to consider new directions and initiatives, the Board is looking for a dynamic leader with the right values and vision for this role. The successful appointee will report to the Board, manage and motivate the whole community, deliver our strategic objectives, and work with other stakeholders to address homelessness issues.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate the following:

• Relevant experience at a senior level in a similar organisation or related field
• an understanding of and commitment to the Emmaus values
• an ability to understand and empathise with people in vulnerable circumstances
• Proven experience of leading, inspiring, and motivating a workforce with diverse needs to meet organisation objectives
• Previous financial management and control responsibility
• Experience of designing, developing, and implementing business strategies to fulfil Board vision and goals
• Innovative skills in seeking new revenue streams and business models
• Experience of retail business strategy and implementation
• Proven skills in change management, organisational design and organisational development.

The new CEO will be an entrepreneurial individual with excellent communication, planning and organisational skills and the ability to influence and engage with a wide range of stakeholders. You will be a team player, with drive, integrity and enthusiasm and have a true belief in the ethos of the charity and the services they offer and be committed to the causes of social inclusion and empowerment.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. 

To apply for this role, please e-mail your CV, Supporting Statement and Equal Opportunities and Diversity Monitoring Form to Jenny Warner, Managing Director, Charisma Charity Recruitment, quoting our reference JO2817.

Closing date for applications: 21 March 2021

Interview dates: early April TBC

The position:

Support optimising the set-up of finance systems for effective planning and reporting. Responsible for the management and implementation of system improvement initiatives within the function, working with key stakeholders

The role will include data cleansing, data mapping, testing of the new finance system as well as providing bookkeeping support.  As such, candidates must have a blend of bookkeeping experience as well as strong systems experience.

• Support the system implementation from a finance perspective. Ensure full process documentation
• Data extraction and cleansing
• Checking codes on new finance system, testing and mapping to ensure fit for purpose on the new system
• Working with stakeholders to ensure seamless transition. Booking training sessions as required.
• Working with finance team members to streamline and re-align processes
• Reviewing processes from front end to back end, producing process maps and making recommendations and then managing the implementation of various efficiency programs through to User Acceptance Testing.
• Map and set up effective way of producing restricted fund accounts /other fund accounts.
• Ensure necessary reports required by the finance team are set up and works effectively.
• Ensuring proper bolt on of the bank reconciliation process
• Ensuring effective uploads of data and checking accuracy of data uploaded
• Driving the automation of data capture, analysis and reporting; ensuring data integrity and internal controls are integral to the new system.
• Entering transactions onto the new finance system and legacy system during the parallel running phase.
• Be willing to work with non-finance staff to explore how data from their systems can be interfaced onto the new finance systems.
• Provide support with the implementation of an expense system
• Undertake monthly review of control accounts to help ensure integrity of the general ledger.
• Support on generation of some monthly reporting for various funders.
• Processing of all purchase invoices and expenses, uploading copies, and supporting documents to the new financial system and updating the budget management system
• Ensuring the appropriate receipts are logged against all card and cash transactions
• Ensuring income/expenditure is correctly allocated to budget lines and funding codes
• To schedule accruals and prepayments each month.
• Administration/Invoicing related to income (grants, contracts, donations) as appropriate and recording receipts.
• Administration of sales/shops returns, reconcile returns with till system and bank receipts, monitor differences and follow up with retail manager.
• Reconciling income reporting between systems
• Prepare monthly bank reconciliations
• Support with payroll administration
• Assisting with funder specific reporting and project audits where required
• Maintain stock take reconciliation
• Prepare analysis and summaries to aid month end
• Accounting for VAT on income and expenditure and assist with VAT returns.
• Assist with submission/claims to HMRC (eg gift aid, vat, furlough )
• Review fixed asset register and ensure correct capitalisation of new assets purchased during the year, and that depreciation rate is in line with policy
• Provide adhoc support with year end and preparing for an external audit
• Undertake other duties specified by line manager as and where needed

Skills, Requirements, Qualifications

• Experience in financial systems implementations, integrations with other systems and bolt-ons

• Part qualified/qualified in accounting/tax (ATT, AAT etc)
• Experience with Quick books, SAP  and similar accounting software
• Must be adept in use of the MS Office Suite, particularly Excel to enable the manipulation of huge volumes of data and checking their accuracy.
• Understanding the journey of an implementation and expectations along the way
• Knowledge of VAT calculations for charities
• Excellent communication skills
• A flexible and willing attitude who will be able to 'muck in’
• Well organised and methodical individual with good admin experience, who can check and organise financial information as well as respond to enquiries by email.
• Be flexible and able to deliver to deadlines
• High level of organisational skills with exceptional attention to detail and a thorough and systematic approach to diagnosing and solving problems.
• Ability to use initiative and to suggest new ideas for service improvement
• Must be organised, flexible and be able to manage/prioritise own workload and work under pressure.
• Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with colleagues
• Be able to maintain confidentiality at all times