Location: Hillingdon
Closing date: 19/05/2024
Interview date: 29/05/2024
Whatever your experience of street homelessness and its impact on people’s lives – personal or professional – when you join the Thames Reach team as a Lead Worker, we’ll make the best use of all your understanding, compassion and commitment.
About us…
Thames Reach runs projects and services that help to end homelessness in London. We work directly with homeless people on the streets and in hostels. We work to prevent vulnerable people from becoming homeless. We help formerly homeless people get their lives back on track. We help people find work and access training and volunteering opportunities.
Is our mission easy? No, but we never give up on people. Last year we helped more then 11,000 people.
Is our work rewarding? Yes, in every sense. We’re listed as one of the top 100 Best Workplaces in the UK. There’s no better place to develop or transfer your skills and build a fulfilling career.
About this role…
Thames Reach’s Outreach teams operate across London and helps those who are rough sleeping to find routes away from the street. The teams respond to referrals and work flexibly to reach London’s most vulnerable. Individuals are assessed to identify their support needs and support plans are created, including work to obtain identification, access health services and refer to other specialist agencies, including those with immigration issues.
We are looking for a Lead Worker to join the Hillingdon Streat Outreach Team.
You will:
- Lead outreach shifts, providing a rapid response to referrals for people who are rough sleeping in the borough
- Take a lead role within the team, working closely with support workers and assistant support workers to identify the quickest and most appropriate route off the street for people found rough sleeping, and devise plans to achieve this
- Provide direct support to people who are found rough sleeping to enable them to move away from the streets and into accommodation
- Work alongside partner agencies to ensure that clients are accessing appropriate support to access and sustain accommodation.
- Represent the team at multi-agency meetings
- Accurately record all work completed within given timeframes
To succeed as the Lead Worker, you will have:
- A strong commitment to providing a high standard of service
- Experience working with people who have rough slept or vulnerable adults and supporting them to access services
- Excellent organisation and time management skills in order to remain strongly outcome focused, with the ability to coordinate a high number of cases and complete tasks promptly and efficiently.
- Good communication skills and confidence in public speaking when representing Thames Reach externally
- Experience in forming strong working relationships with partner agencies, being able to challenge them when required
- Strong IT skills with the ability to use Outlook, online recording systems, Excel, and Word, using a tablet and a smart phone
- A clean driving license (desirable)
We are listed in the top 100 UK Best Workplaces 2023 in the UK. As part of a commitment to our employees we offer:
- Generous holiday allowance – 29 days per year plus 8 public holidays (pro rata).
- Pension – we contribute 6.5% to your pension when you contribute 1.5%.
- Excellent development opportunities – career progression, regular supervision and appraisals, and learning programmes to support your career with Thames Reach.
- Wellbeing support – our 24/7 employee assistance programme and opportunities for TOIL.
- Life assurance – four times your annual salary and critical illness cover.
- Other benefits including interest free season ticket and cycle to work loans.
Thames Reach is committed to achieving a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We value, respect, and celebrate diversity. We welcome and encourage applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their history of homelessness, sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religious belief.
To apply visit our website and complete our application form.
Thames Reach is committed to safeguarding. Applicants must be willing to undergo pre-employment screening appropriate to the post, including, but not limited to checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service. Having a criminal record will not exclude you from applying but you will be asked to provide further details as most posts are considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
Citizens UK and the NRPF Partnership
Citizens UK
We are Citizens UK. We’re working together to make change on the issues that matter, from campaigning for zebra crossings on dangerous roads, to reforming the immigration system, to the Living Wage campaign.
We bring together everyday people and local organisations to build a better, fairer society. Too often communities are left out of decisions that affect their lives, but we know everyday people have the ability to shape the world around them. We develop local leaders who find solutions to problems big and small and hold power-holders to account.
We work with hundreds of civil society organisations, who we call our members - schools, universities, faith groups, charities, unions and more - to help them win change. Over the last 30 years, we’ve worked in alliance with 500+ members, trained 4,000+ community leaders, accredited 13,000 Living Wage employers, and won hundreds of campaigns.
NRPF Partnership
The NRPF partnership was set up in 2023 and is being developed by Citizens UK, Migration Exchange, and Praxis. We are working to build the necessary infrastructure for collaboration across a range of organisations, amplify their work, and build power to win change against the No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition. You can learn more about the overall initiative via our FAQs page.
Each partner contributes staff capacity and will work closely with the appointed person to ensure a positive, professional and supportive culture. The Partnership centres around:
1) Placing decision-making power and strategic vision in the hands of people doing the work
(frontline staff and people with lived experience), via a steering group and working groups.
2) Establishing a strategic pooled fund so that the steering group has sufficient budget to guide the collaboration, act, identify and seize political opportunities, and facilitate active participation of everyone involved.
3) Expanding the movement and building power, using incremental wins to build towards broader change towards the goal of ending NRPF.
The Person and the Role
100,000s people in our communities have put down roots in the UK but are denied access to the welfare safety net (No Recourse to Public Funds).
Citizens UK has worked with Migration Exchange and Praxis to raise over £2m to develop a 5 year partnership to enable the movement to end NRPF.
This Senior Project role will be a core part of the support to the steering group of the partnership to make sure it runs effectively and achieves its potential.
If you're angry about injustice in the immigration system, have good communication and relationship building skills and self organised - apply below. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates who have been through the immigration system themselves.
We are looking for a values-driven and experienced person with exceptional skills and knowledge in project management, relationship-building, and community organising. This role will lead and coordinate all project management and tactical activities necessary to support the day-to-day functioning of the NRPF Partnership. The right person will be highly motivated by joining the distinctive ethos of Citizens UK and the shared values of the NRPF Partnership, where local leaders and people experiencing injustice are in the lead, and where grassroots community organising is combined with strategies for social change.
This role is a really exciting opportunity to forge real change and to shift the power dynamics in social change work. The successful candidate will be at the heart of making change happen on one of the most important social justice issues of our time. Top Priorities
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Building and maintaining relationships and communication – maintaining excellent working relationships and effective communications with the Coordination Backbone Group (CBG), Steering Group, working groups, wider community partners involved in the NRPF partnership, and the Citizens UK Migration Team
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Managing and coordinating capacity-building and leadership development in support of the shared strategy set by the steering group– developing and maintaining the effectiveness of a capacity-building and leadership development inputs that enables everyone in the Partnership, especially those with expertise by lived experience, to fully participate across all levels of the Partnership
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Project managing all partnership implementation logistics and follow-up – managing meeting logistics from planning to scheduling to outreach to follow-up to ensure seamless participation of Steering Group and Working Group members and ensure that planned activities take place effectively in support of the goals and values of the Partnership
The role will be reporting to Assistant Director, Migrant and Refugee Organising.
Main Responsibilities
Reporting directly to X with oversight from the NRPF Partnership CBG, the post holder will be expected to manage their own independent workload, as well as support the broader CBG. The main responsibilities are outlined below:
Working with the NRPF Partnership’s key stakeholders
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Developing and maintaining relationships with Partnership stakeholders
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Working with the CBG to update outreach strategy as new needs emerge
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Building and maintaining trust and relationships across the whole Partnership and more widely (within and across sectors from migration to anti-poverty to children’s rights, etc.)
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Supporting with the facilitation of Working Group meetings
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Develop and implement ideas for action that are consistent with the goals of the project
Strategic coherence
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Supporting the coordination of activities with partners to align strategies and actions and minimise duplication
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Working with the CBG to coordinate with other related projects and coalitions to maintain a full understanding of the current landscape of local and regional activities
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Maintaining understanding of current implementation challenges and developing comprehensive solutions to address them in dialogue with partners
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Developing, maintaining, and monitoring political opportunities to support Working Groups to develop and execute on their action plans
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In partnership with the CBG and steering group, providing support to partner organisations to coordinate and collaborate on joint initiatives
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Coordinating advocacy activities across stakeholders that support the wider aims of the Partnership
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Supporting the independent learning partner to deliver evaluation and learning activities
Communications
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Organising appropriate outreach and communications efforts across the Partnership (e.g. publishing a regular newsletter, email updates, insights from learning and evaluation etc.)
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Ensuring effective internal communication with CUK organisers, leaders, and partners involved with the NRPF Partnership and with funders
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Facilitating on-going communication across the NRPF Partnership to ensure alignment of activity
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Supporting the development of any communications materials such as summary documents, brochures, FAQs, social media content, etc.
Build leadership development offer for the Partnership
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Working alongside CBG and the CUK Migration team, refine community organising and leadership development support for all members of the NRPF partnership especially those with lived experience of NRPF
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Ensuring that everyone in the group can contribute to the best of their ability by managing a training and external facilitation budget to build skills, confidence and trust
Fundraising and reporting
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Working with the CBG to develop and support fundraising bids and support reporting requirements and funder relationships
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Contributing to the budgeting process and the effective management of financial resources in the project working closely with Global Dialogue who will hold pooled funds on behalf of the partnership
Managing meeting/event logistics
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Planning and managing the logistics of all Partnership meetings and gatherings of the Steering Group, working groups and CBG (e.g., dial-in, attendance, cancellations, etc.)
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Consolidating Working Group updates for Steering Group, including summarising meeting notes and highlighting key outputs and decisions so they can be easily shared with others across the Partnership
Any other reasonable tasks as required by the line manager.
Person Specification
REQUIREMENTS
ESSENTIAL (E)
DESIRABLE (D)
QUALIFICATIONS
Degree or equivalent professional qualification (D)
EXPERIENCE
Significant proven, comprehensive experience in a project management role (E)
Experience of initiating new projects and developing them so that they become sustainable underpinned by strong values (E)
Experience of building consensus between diverse stakeholders and managing complexity in relationships (E)
Experience of organising and managing all aspects of community events, incl. logistics (E)
Proven experience of raising significant funds for charitable purposes (D)
A proven track record of delivering and reporting against targets and on budgets (D)
KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge of No Recourse to Public Funds and working with individuals who have an NRPF designation on their immigration status (E)
Outstanding communication skills (verbally and written) combined with the ability to liaise with stakeholders (E)
Ability to work well as part of a team, and maintain effective communication with colleagues (E)
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships, lead, influence and motivate others (E)
Ability to act on own initiative to introduce and develop new projects and systems (E)
Proven computer literacy to include MS Office (E)
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
Exceptional leadership skills, with an ability to enthuse and inspire staff and volunteers (E)
A proactive approach to all areas of work with a flexible approach to work demands (E)
An appreciation and respect for different communities; including faith groups and different cultures. (E)
A strong commitment to the CUK values and the values of the NRPF partnership, which include: (E)
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Being open to new ideas (specifically ensuring that all our 121 conversations, small group discussions with the sector and funders create an environment that fosters creative problem-solving and innovation)
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Fostering connection
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Championing co-design and co-production
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Being equity-focused and enabling any one interested to participate and feed into the design and development of this work
Please note there will be recruitment webinar on Tuesday, 7th May from 14:30-15:30. Please register via the following link if you are interested in attending: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpcO-rrzsoH9ecIXUaaFbqDjaVxVSvqJLq.
Interviews are planned to take place on Thursday, June 13th (subject to change.)
Job Title: Finance and Operations Manager
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 35 hours per week (however, we will consider part-time 28 hours per week)
Salary: £38,000 - £45,000 per annum
Location: The successful candidate will either be posted at our office in London or Colchester: Coram Campus, 41 Brunswick Square, London, WC1N 1AZ or Colchester Wellington House, 4th Floor, 90-92 Butt Road, Colchester, Essex, CO3 3DA
About Coram
Coram is the UK’s oldest children’s charity founded by Thomas Coram in London helping vulnerable children and young people since 1739. Today, the Coram group helps more than one million children, young people, families and professionals every year by providing access to the skills and opportunities they need to thrive.
One of the nine members of the Coram group, Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC) is the UK’s specialist centre for children’s rights in education, immigration, community care and family law, and provides significant international legal systems consultancy. The centre is located on the Coram Campus in central London with bases in Colchester and Leeds. We champion access to justice through information and advice, legal practice and representation, policy and strategic litigation. Our Legal Practice Unit provides advice and representation primarily under legal aid contract. Our Migrant Children’s Project promotes the rights of refugee and migrant children, young people and families through the delivery of advice, practice change through training and capacity building to professionals and systems change through research, policy and advocacy.
About the role
This role will provide financial and operational leadership and management for CCLC particularly focussed on the Legal Practice Unit and the Migrant Children’s Project but with support for the Child Law Advice Service and Coram International where required. Managing a small finance team, the role will hold primary responsibility for core financial functions within CCLC including legal aid billing and management and tracking of grant and other charitable funding. Through systematic and efficient financial management, the post holder will play a pivotal role in CCLC’s financial sustainability. The role will act as a key point of contact with Coram’s central finance team and a range of internal and external stakeholders on financial matters.
The role will also oversee the smooth running of the London and Colchester offices through line management of operations and administrative staff.
The role would suit a high organised and efficient business support professional with experience of financial management within the legal or charity sector. In particular, candidates with experience of legal billing and more specifically, civil legal aid billing, would be welcomed.
This is a largely office-based role in order to fully provide support to the finance and operations team. However, some remote / hybrid working may be possible depending the experience of the candidate after the initial settling in period (to be negotiated with the successful candidate).The finance team are split between the London and Colchester offices and the post holder should expect some travel to both locations. The large majority of the legal and policy team are based in London and as such regular (at least twice weekly) presence in our London office will be expected. However, on other days the candidate could be based in the London or Colchester office.
Whilst this is a full-time position, we will consider requests for part-time working (28 hours per week minimum) and we will endeavour to offer some flexibility with days and hours to be agreed.
To apply for this role, please click on the 'apply now' button below to complete the application.
Closing date: Monday 13th May 2024 at 23:59
Test and Interview date: Week commencing 20th May 2024
Coram is an equal opportunities employer and we believe a diverse workforce enables us to improve the services to the children and families we help. We are genuinely committed to encouraging candidates from all sections of the community we seek to support. This includes those from, Asian, African, Caribbean and other minority ethnic backgrounds, those that identify as LGBQT+, those with disabilities, those with lived experience of care, those with neuro-diversity, and those from other groups who are underrepresented at Coram.
If applicants feel comfortable, we would encourage them to draw on lived experience as well as professional experience in their personal statement as part of their application.
We are committed to the safeguarding of children and where appropriate will require the successful applicant to undertake a check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Registered Charity No. 312278.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.