Support and Grants Manager

The Support Services Manager is at the heart of Cavell’s support for nursing and midwifery professionals experiencing financial hardship and other challenges. Leading our busy frontline Support Team, you will ensure people receive compassionate, timely and high-quality support when they need it most.

You will lead the delivery and quality of our grant-giving service, ensuring applications are assessed fairly, consistently and confidently against Cavell’s criteria. But our support goes beyond a grant. You will help ensure we understand each person’s wider needs and connect them with the information, advice, practical support and specialist services that can make a lasting difference.

This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who enjoys both leading people and delivering services. You will work alongside the team to assess applications, coach and develop colleagues, manage demand and performance, and maintain high standards of decision-making. Using data, insight and frontline experience, you will also identify emerging needs and continually improve how Cavell supports the nursing and midwifery community.

You will play a key role in shaping a service that is compassionate, efficient, evidence-led and continually evolving around the needs of the people we support.

Overview of Responsibilities:

1. Operational Service Delivery

• Lead the day-to-day operation and quality of Cavell's grant-giving and support service, approving grant recommendations within delegated authority and ensuring applications are assessed fairly, accurately and consistently against Cavell's eligibility criteria, policies and available funds. Escalate exceptional, complex or higher-risk decisions appropriately.
• Ensure applicants' wider needs are identified and, where appropriate, provide or facilitate information, advice, income maximisation, signposting and referral to Cavell services and external specialist support.
• Monitor team caseloads, demand and capacity, processing times and performance against Service Level Agreements, identifying emerging demand or capacity pressures and planning service coverage accordingly.
• Manage your own active caseload and assess applications alongside the team, particularly during periods of high demand.
• Lead the development and maintenance of the online Support Hub and other beneficiary-facing resources, ensuring information is accurate, current and useful, and using casework, data and recurring enquiries to identify gaps in information and self-guided support.

2. Safeguarding, Risk and Compliance

• Ensure safeguarding concerns, vulnerability and risk identified through applications and casework are recognised, recorded, managed and escalated appropriately.
• Regularly quality-assure grant assessments, casework and decisions to ensure eligibility criteria, policies and procedures are applied consistently, with learning or corrective action where required.
• Ensure assessments and decisions are appropriately evidenced and recorded, with clear rationale and audit trails, particularly for complex or exceptional cases.
• Work with Finance and the Head of Services & Impact to ensure awards comply with restricted fund criteria and delegated authority, monitor grant expenditure and available balances, and identify financial pressures early.

3. Data, Insight, Evaluation and Reporting.

• Collect, analyse, and present performance and outcome data in reports, dashboards, and evaluations to demonstrate the difference Cavell’s support makes to the nursing professionals we support.
• Lead continuous improvement of operational processes, workflows and systems, using data, applicant feedback and frontline learning to make support simpler, faster, more consistent and more compassionate. You will work with relevant colleagues and suppliers where required.
• Identify and report emerging needs, trends, operational pressures and risks from service data and frontline experience, providing insight to support service development, organisational planning, research and advocacy.
• Support the development of case studies, impact stories and measurable outcomes that demonstrate impact and support funder reporting and priorities.
• Act as the operational lead for Salesforce within the Support Team, ensuring accurate and consistent case records and data, identifying and implementing improvements to support efficient case management, quality assurance, reporting and effective service delivery.  

4. Team Leadership and Collaboration

• Lead, line manage and develop the Support Team, managing workloads, annual leave, absence and service coverage to maintain effective delivery and support staff wellbeing, particularly for colleagues managing complex or sensitive cases.
• Build strong, supportive working relationship within the Support Team, promoting a culture of learning, accountability, and kindness and foster collaboration across teams to ensure service delivery is fully integrated. 
• Build effective relationships with external organisations, referral partners and sector peers, representing Cavell and deputising for the Head of Services & Impact where appropriate.

Application process:

1. Please click on the 'Apply' button to download the full job pack
2. Submit your CV and Supporting Info by 12pm on Tuesday 29th September.

Your Cover Letter should include:

1. Your notice period
2.  What motivated you to apply and why you’re interested in working for Cavell
3. How you meet the person specification