Development Officer Jobs
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Baird and Co Recruitment, a specialist Social Housing recruitment firm, have been retained by The Yardley Great Trust Group and Sir Josiah Mason Trust in their acquisition of a Finance Director.
The role will work across both businesses following their partnership agreement in January 2023. Both businesses are steeped in the history of Birmingham, with the origins of The Yardley Great Trust Group going back to the 14th Century and SJMT’s beginnings in 1868. Their work in the Alms House arena is also highly individual, an area of support found in the heritage of SJMT.
The Finance Director role would ideally start swiftly and will take on a largely strategic direction whilst still requiring operational input.
Based in Olton, candidates with experience in a senior leadership role in finance whilst holding an understanding of how charities, housing providers or public sector organisations work will be highly advantageous.
The Finance Director post will cover many facets including, but not limited to:
Executive Leadership
- Working with the executive team to develop and manage the delivery of robust corporate, strategic and financial business plans
- Demonstrating positive leadership behaviours and bringing values to life within the organisational culture
- Effectively planning and providing for the resources required to action strategic and operational plans
- Undertaking quarterly reviews of the Charity's Risk Registers, reporting on major risks and mitigations at each Board meeting.
Financial Strategy and Control
- Leading on the delivery of strategic and annual financial business plans, ensuring viability is regularly tested through scenario modelling, appraisals, and stress tests
- Taking responsibility for annual budget and management accounts processes and preparation of statutory accounts
- Maintaining up-to-date reserves policies that meet the requirements of both the Charity SORP and RSL SORP
- Managing relationships with investment managers, ensuring regular review of performance and satisfaction
- Developing and maintaining effective systems of financial control that ensure that business plans are continually reviewed and reported on
- Maintaining overall responsibility for the computerised accounting system, including sales ledger, purchase ledger, cash book and nominal ledger
Treasury
- Being responsible for each Trust’s Treasury Management strategy and policy to ensure the availability of and flexibility of funding to support the achievement of strategic objectives and reduce exposure
Risk Management
- Leading on the development of risk management strategies and registers, audit frameworks, procedures and appraisal systems for capital projects and all other significant areas of risk.
Growth and Innovation
- To support the Chief Executive in the development of the Strategic Business Plans in a way that supports innovation and growth in services
ICT / HR
- Leading on the development and delivery of an effective ICT and Telecoms Strategy which supports mobile and agile working and customer relationship management that underpins our drive for excellent business
- Supporting with the development, implementation and review of an effective People Strategy which supports the vision and values of each Trust
- Reviewing the administration of all statutory returns and sector-relevant returns/surveys
- Leading on the annual remuneration review to approve or decline and make recommendations for salary increases
- Taking responsibility for the outsourced payroll and workplace pension scheme
- Overseeing the relationship with the outsourced IT support provider, ensuring optimal support to staff and monitoring performance against contract
- Working with and developing the use of financial accounting software to meet the operational and strategic development needs of the business
To secure the Finance Director post, the Trusts are seeking the below:
- Proven experience at a senior leadership level in a finance environment
- Experience preparing financial business plans, modelling scenarios and sensitivity analysis
- A track record of delivering on a range of other corporate support services such as IT or HR and Governance
- A relevant Professional Qualification i.e. CCAB or equivalent and membership of a recognised UK body desirable
- Up-to-date knowledge of all regulatory requirements including Finance, People, IT & Governance
- Experience developing services to achieve and support strategic organisational objectives.
The Trusts are also seeking a Finance Director who can demonstrate the values of SJMT and YGT:
- Personalised
- Dignity
- Innovation
- Excellence
- Honesty
- Fun
If interested or want to discuss other Social Housing Executive roles please get in touch with Matt Baird.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
The Margins Project, Union Chapel’s Frontline charity, work with people who are homeless or who are at risk of homelessness and helps address pertinent social justice issues these communities face.
The charity runs three integrated programmes:
• a community drop-in programme providing access to nutritious hot meals, and limited access to showers & laundry services.
• advice and engagement programme providing one-to-one as well as group advice service on benefits and housing, and onward referrals to pertinent services.
• support employment programme offers a paid catering training to 10 people who have had experience of homelessness, substance misuse, mental ill-health, and or imprisonment.
Our range of services are designed to help guests (service users) at varying stages, from having no roof over their head to getting back into employment.
This role offers an opportunity for an experienced adviser to help shape and evolve Margins services. Experiences on the ground at the drop-in programme inform the charity’s strategic direction. The role will involve expanding our partner network to link into pertinent statutory and other charitable organisations that provide services that will help our guests with their housing, substance misuse, recidivism, and mental health challenges.
We work closely with people on an individual case work basis to get guests off the streets, into hostels or temporary accommodation where possible, and work with private and social landlords on a range of issues. We support and represent the people we work with on the phone and in person, including at the council, the doctors, the job centre, and benefits tribunals.
Our drop-ins run on Mondays and Wednesdays 11:00am to 1:00pm where attendance is currently from 65 to 75 guests. The advice and engagement worker works more intensively with smaller numbers of up to 20. The demand for more follow up work and advocacy support has been increasing over the last two years and this in-house advice worker is critical for this demand.
Working collaboratively with the Drop-in Community worker (currently vacant), the head chef, and a small group of dedicated volunteers, you will be responsible for the support of a caseload of guests, some with complex needs, and will undertake key work responsibilities including registering the guests, identifying their housing, benefit and personal needs and conducting all necessary follow ups including occasional advocacy support, where deemed necessary.
Job Title: ADVICE AND ENGAGEMENT WORKER
Responsible to: Head of Margins
Location: Margins Offices at Union Chapel, Islington, London
Salary: £32,500 - £35,000
Terms: Full time 37.5 hours per week with 1 hour unpaid for lunch.
Three-month probation, two months’ notice.
23 days annual leave + bank holidays. Workplace pension scheme (NEST)
Start date: May 2024
Purpose of Job:
• To advise and assist guests (service users) with benefit claims and related issues, e.g., Housing Benefit, DLA, PIP, Income Support, ESA, Universal Credit, and other benefits. In particular, assisting them to claim Housing Benefit and UC to reduce risk of rent arrears.
• To develop significant contact and liaison with comparable housing and benefits advice organisations.
• To encourage guests engage with Margins activities, and where practicable, with the wider Union Chapel activities.
• To develop, facilitate and deliver group advice workshops/training programmes and open discussions forums to engage guests who historically do not engage with Union Chapel.
• To Refer Margins guests to relevant internal and external services.
• In liaison with the head of Margins and the chef to refer potential candidates to Margins’ Supported Employment Programme.
The Advice and Engagement Worker will have an active role in identifying and engaging guests as well as referring potential candidates to the Supported Employment Programme, a programme anticipated to expand beyond its current services in Margins catering.
Responsible For:
• Working with caseload of guests
• With the support of drop-in services community worker (currently vacant) to ensure the smooth running of the drop-in services
• Identifying opportunities to improve services both at a project and organisational level.
• Assist the Head of Margins in ensuring that the Margins Project remains GDPR compliant.
• Represent the organisation effectively internally and externally.
• Working in partnership with statutory and other charities to deliver co-ordinated support to guests.
• Identify relevant training opportunities in capacity building.
• Initial liaison with and acting as the first referral contact for the Supported Employment Programme
Key Duties:
• To encourage and assist guests achieve the maximum income from benefits to which they are entitled to, and to refer to relevant support services such as mental health, social services, community support.
• To advise guests on basic budgeting and where applicable to refer to Tenancy Support Officers or outside agencies for more complex help.
• To liaise closely with local authorities, social, and private landlords to try to achieve the best outcome for our guests.
• To identify if the guest is accessioning the right benefit that will support their long-term wellbeing.
• To support newly arrived refugees with their housing and benefit advice needs.
• To actively assist guests with formal appeals against Local Authority, DWP and HMRC decisions regarding benefit entitlement. Representing at Appeal Tribunals.
• To signpost guests to resources that can assist them in finding work.
• When needed, signposting guests to specialist providers in mental health or drug and alcohol support services.
• To Support guests on paying their rent, including providing advice on benefits and debt management.
• To Address breaches of occupancy agreements and develop strategies that would prevent and avoid eviction.
• To assist guests with backdated claims for Benefit by supporting their applications through to completion.
• To ensure all guests’ files are up-to-date and that data is captured on our management system.
• To provide written reports and statistics as and when requested.
• To attend supervision, training, and meetings as and when required.
• To provide advocacy support to guests as and when required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential:
• Good knowledge of the benefits system, including Universal Credit.
• Experience of working with homeless and marginalised people and understanding of the issues that face them.
• Experience of working or collaborating with people with mental health issues.
• Experience of working with refugees and their needs.
• Ability to manage challenging behaviours.
• Embrace a strength-based approach.
• A clear understanding of professional boundaries.
• A knowledge of the best practice in Safeguarding Adult procedures.
• Excellent written and oral communication skill.
• Ability to work proactively as part of a team.
• Ability to plan, manage and action follow-ups on time and manage and contain workload.
• Proficient in IT skills and competence in Microsoft Office applications.
• Committed to personal and professional development through ongoing training.
Desirable:
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience of providing advice to vulnerable groups
• Experience of delivering provision for the benefit of vulnerable backgrounds
Equal Opportunities:
• Ensure consistent and effective implementation of Union Chapel Equal Opportunities & Diversity policy and procedures.
• Positively promote an environment which respects and values the diversity of staff, volunteers, and Guests.
This is a guide to the nature of the work required of the Advice and Engagement Worker. It is therefore not comprehensive or restrictive and may be reviewed with the postholder and the line manager from time to time. The post holder may undertake any other reasonable duties within the capabilities and scope of the post as specified by their line manager. In such circumstances appropriate training will be provided.
How to apply
Please apply with your CV and a support statement, both no more than two pages, outlining your skills and experiences to meet the criteria of the role, why you want to work for Union Chapel Project and your availability to start with “Advice and Engagement Worker” in the subject line. Please also complete our Equal Opportunities Form.
Closing date: Tuesday 30 April 2024, 8am
Interviews will take place w/c 13 May 2024
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Salary: £46,920 (London) / £42,373 (National) per annum
Hours: Full time (but open to proposals including part time, job shares etc)
Contract: Permanent
Benefits:
· 27 days annual leave + statutory holidays + 3 closures days over the Christmas period;
· Flexible working for all staff including working from home / hybrid working, and flexi-time/TOIL scheme;
· Attractive family friendly policies;
· Private healthcare cover;
· Season ticket loans;
· Employee awards, and training and development opportunities.
For more information about our benefits please visit our website.
Location: London/Bristol - employees are able to work from home on an arrangement agreed with their line manager and we have colleagues based around the UK.
An exciting opportunity has arisen at the National Housing Federation (NHF) for a Policy Leader (Finance Policy).
The NHF is the voice of housing associations in England. We are the trade body to almost 600 housing associations, who have grown from philanthropic roots to provide 2.6 million homes to around 6 million people.
This role is a crucial and exciting one within our policy team and the wider organisation. You will use your knowledge and understanding of housing associations and their finances to build strong relationships with Finance Directors across our membership, and use their and your specialist knowledge to shape the financial environment so that housing associations can best deliver on their social purpose.
Whether this is making a persuasive and evidence-based case to the government for additional grant funding to build new homes, or working with sector experts on the detail of accounting, pensions, tax or treasury policy, or meeting with banks, lenders, ratings agencies, UK Finance, HMRC, and the Treasury on behalf of our members, this role is central to our work influencing national social housing policy.
Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to download the full job profile and person specification for this role.
Key elements of the role:
· Shape and lead our policy work on key strategic issues for housing associations around housing finance – advocating for solutions and mitigating risks that affect the delivery of housing associations’ social purpose;
· Develop evidence and ideas on technical policy areas into salient policy solutions that will make a difference for the sector and influence government;
· Represent the NHF to senior colleagues in government, members and external stakeholders with credibility, expertise and political judgement;
· Communicate with and provide advice to members on critical changes to policy and the external environment.
The successful candidate:
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate:
· A strong and in-depth understanding of housing association finances and the operating model of housing associations (finance qualifications are not required, but a technical understanding of finance and accounting issues will be vital);
· An ability to lead the development of credible, robust, evidence based policy, including on complex and technical policy areas;
· An ability to communicate credibly, clearly and persuasively in writing and in person including to Chief Executives, senior government officials and finance professionals;
· An ability to draft, oversee, adapt and deliver complex plans for the delivery of multiple projects or programmes of work.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and we value the contribution each individual makes to our work.
We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and are working to increase the diversity profile of our workforce. We are currently under-represented by ethnic minorities, people with a disability or disabilities and LGBT+, and would particularly welcome applications from people in these groups.
Disability confident committed employer
We are a disability confident committed employer and if you are a disabled person who demonstrates you meet the skills and experience we consider essential for the role, we will offer you an interview.
We are happy to consider reasonable adjustments to our recruitment process if you have a disability or have a condition that you feel may affect your performance during the recruitment process. Please contact Stephanie Green, People Manager with your request or to arrange a time to discuss in more detail.
Our role profile and job advert can also be requested in large print or in accessible format via this email address.
Uploading your CV and cover letter
If you decide to apply for this role, when requested, please upload a version of your CV that does not include any personal details, such as name, gender, age etc. You should also ensure that you do not add your name at the end of the cover letter. This will help us to shortlist candidates for interview based solely on their knowledge, skills and experience.
Right to work in the UK / UK VISA Sponsorship
You must have the right to work in the UK and it is important to note that the NHF does not sponsor individuals to work in the UK.
Closing date for applications: 6 May 2024
Interview date: 16 May 2024
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.