120 Housing first worker jobs

Bridge for Young People provides a home and support to care leavers and homeless aged 16-25 in West Berkshire as they transition to independence.  The charity is now seeking an inspirational, values-led leader to take the charity into its next stage of growth.

Job Purpose

1. To lead the charity to achieve its vision and long-term strategic plan
2. To ensure outstanding provision of BfYP services to young people within the Ofsted Supported Housing Inspection Framework
3. To build and maintain BfYP’s reputation with stakeholders, partners, funders and local media
4. Together with the Chair, enable the Board of Trustees to fulfil its Governance duties and responsibilities

Job Activities

1.  Leading the charity to achieve its vision and long-term strategic plan

Leadership

• To lead, inspire and motivate BfYP’s staff and volunteers
• To assist the Board and its Sub Committees in agreeing BfYP's  values, ethos, vision and strategy
• To develop the work of the charity to deliver the agreed strategy in accordance with its values and ethos
• To develop an organisation that is constantly seeking ways to learn and to improve its services, its knowledge and its approach
• To develop and maintain an environment that attracts and retains the best staff, maximising their capability and performance
• To develop strategic business plans and secure the Board’s support for such plans.

Management

• To ensure the charity has an appropriate and effective management structure and efficient systems to carry out its business and fulfil its strategic priorities
• To identify appropriate methods for monitoring the performance of the charity against its strategy, and the annual budget as approved by the Board
• To ensure that the charity is aware of best practice in all aspects of its work and that it constantly works to achieve this within the constraints of the resources available
• To ensure that BfYP fulfils all its legal, statutory and regulatory responsibilities
• To ensure the highest standards of safeguarding for all young people, staff and volunteers by enforcing policies and procedures, and monitoring the progress of direct reports in achieving safeguarding objectives
• To line manage, support and develop direct reports and any outsourced professional contracts
• To ensure all properties are of a good standard and that the security of properties is maintained at all times.

Finance and risk

• To take a leading role in the evolution and development of a business model that can ensure robust financial and operational health for the organisation
• To be responsible overall for BfYP's financial health; to work closely with the Treasurer (Trustee) and the Finance Officer
• To ensure that financial resources are secured to meet the current and future needs of the charity and its long-term sustainability
• To ensure that the major risks to which BfYP is exposed are reviewed regularly by the Board and senior staff, actions are taken to mitigate these risks, and a risk analysis is carried out when taking on new work or proposing new work to the Board
• To work closely with the Fundraising Manager, to ensure that the organisation diversifies its sources of income.

2.   To ensure outstanding provision of BfYP services to young people within the Ofsted Supported Housing Inspection Framework

• Working with the Support Services Manager, to ensure that BfYP provides an excellent service to all the young people it supports
• To foster good communications with beneficiaries including ensuring there are mechanisms for listening to the views of current and future beneficiaries on their needs, how well BfYP is performing and areas for future development
• To oversee BfYP's property, its maintenance and development, negotiating with property owners and their agents as appropriate 
• Take all necessary steps to meet the regulatory requirements of Ofsted and other relevant regulators
• To ensure the highest standards of safeguarding of young people, staff and volunteers and security of property at all times
• To ensure professional expertise is developed within the BfYP's team.

3.To build and maintain BfYP’s reputation with stakeholders, partners and local media

• To develop BfYP's public profile, enhancing the charity’s reputation as the go-to trusted and valued partner for local authorities and other agencies, and raising the visibility of challenges and barriers for young people
• To seek suitable opportunities to extend services and promote the role of the organisation, ensuring BfYP is presented in an appropriate, relevant and professional manner to all its stakeholders
• To scan the external environment for changes that may affect BfYP, to advise the trustees proactively and to take necessary action.

4.Together with the Chair, enable the Board of Trustees to fulfil its governance duties and responsibilities and to ensure the board receives timely advice and appropriate information on all relevant matters

• In partnership with the Chair, ensure a positive and constructive working relationship between the Board and the executive to ensure the board can fulfil its role in setting the values, vision, and strategic priorities for the charity to achieve its mission
• To draw the Board’s attention to matters that it should consider and decide upon
• To ensure that the Board receives all necessary advice, guidance and information on matters relating to current performance, the short and long-term future of the charity, regulatory and legal compliance, and other appropriate issues; making sure that such advice, guidance and information are timely, honest, balanced and relevant and that papers to the board are high quality
• To assist in the induction of all new Board members
• To carry out any other responsibilities as may be reasonably required by the Board and which are commensurate with the role.

Person Specification for Chief Executive

Essential

Experience

• At least 2 years’ experience at senior management level working in the charity or not for profit sectors or operating an organisation in the care sector
• A track record of building and leading high-performing, diverse teams through an inclusive and empowering leadership style
• Experience of working with active and experienced Board members on charity, not for profit and other Boards, and an understanding of the role of the Chief Executive in effective governance
• Strong and demonstrable experience of strategic thinking and acumen which delivers results
• Experience of working in a regulatory environment, preparing for and taking part in a regulatory inspection
• Strong financial skills, including the ability to analyse budgets and accounts and manage an annual budget of £500,000+
• Proven track record of building effective relationships at senior level with a wide range of individuals and partner organisations including grant making bodies
• Ideally experience of working within a commissioned service.

Skills & Abilities

• Well-developed skills in communicating, presenting, influencing, persuasion, advocacy, networking and negotiation
• Strong intellect and emotional intelligence, with analytical abilities, political awareness and a creative mindset
• Ability to make good decisions and execute them effectively.

Personal attributes & qualities

• Driven by core personal values which accord with BfYP 's and with a passion to transform the life opportunities of young people
• High levels of empathy, humility, honesty, integrity and the ability to generate trust in others
• Have the drive and initiative to take ownership of the performance of the organisation and resilience to manage the challenges that arise
• Personal presence and confidence to be a credible, dynamic and impactful ambassador for BfYP and comfortable as a visible leader
• A track record of commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, valuing differences to make better decisions and deliver better outcomes.

The postholder will need:

• A current driving licence
• Clean Enhanced DBS
• To be on an on-call rota in the event of ‘out of hours’ emergencies when needed.