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Every 6 minutes someone learns that they are losing their sight. Every five hours, a baby is born with sight problems. In these moments, two profound questions emerge:
• Can this be stopped?
• How do I (or my child) live this life?
The merger of Fight for Sight and Vision Foundation on 1st April 2023 will enable us to address both questions. By combining our strengths and expertise we’ll be the only significant national funder with the efficiency, capability, and capacity to increase investment in medical research and social improvement. Together we can mitigate both the prevalence and impact of sight loss.
We have a clear ambition, led by our CEO, Keith Valentine, who has valuable lived experience of sight loss. This ambition includes retail growth plans and an income generation strategy to open more shops over the next 5 years. We currently operate 11 shops selling donated goods, including an online eBay shop.
We are now looking for experienced, committed, and creative individuals to join our dynamic team as we devise and launch a new five-year strategy. You’ll be part of something impactful, we’d love to hear from you.
The Muswell Hill Shop Manager will play a crucial role in the future growth of our newly merged charity and the impact that we can achieve through partnership for people with sight loss.
JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Responsible to
Area Manager
Direct reports
Immediately responsible for recruiting and developing a team of dedicated volunteers. In due course the role and responsibilities may grow in line with organisational growth and priorities.
Working hours and contract
Permanent, full-time
Salary
£23,933 plus OTE Bonus
Location
Muswell Hill
Role Responsibilities:
Purpose of Job
· To coach, lead and manage a team of volunteers
· Drive sales performance to exceed targets, maximising cost efficiency
· Maximise shop profits through delivery of the retail strategy, including income, gift aid donor sign up and conversion, donations and other income generators.
· To achieve compliance with relevant regulation e.g., health and safety and safeguarding, whilst adhering to all policies and procedures
· To promote strong relations within the local community to enhance the profile and good name of the charity
Main Responsibilities
· To deliver shop income plan
· To achieve gift aid income objectives, donor sign up and conversion. Improving processes to deliver maximum value, coaching colleagues to success
· To support and manage volunteer pricing to ensure items are processed in line with policies and procedures, recognising and thanking the team for their contribution
· To develop a culture of ownership and follow up within own team and volunteers
· To adhere to safe, legal & secure requirements and standards for the shop, both front and back of house
· To induct, train and coach new colleagues, as evidenced through induction paperwork and development plans
· To role model and promote effective team communication, celebrating success and sharing best practice
· To liaise closely with the Warehouse Manager, Area Support and Volunteer Manager and Area Manager
· To role model exceptional customer service to supporters and donors, providing feedback in a timely manner
· To ensure the highest standards of customer care and service are demonstrated by self, line reports and volunteers
· Promote, monitor and act on internal and external customer feedback
· To evidence effective local networking to generate donations and volunteer engagement, including local business and other stakeholders
· To monitor and check security of stock and debrief variances with the Area Manager
· To proactively assess own development needs and seek out development opportunities to enhance contribution to Retail objectives and operations
· To take ownership of good housekeeping for all areas of responsibility
· To accept responsibility and carry out any other task commensurate to the role
Person specification:
Skills, knowledge & experience
Sales and Profit
· Monitor and be accountable for sales and category performance, as well as ensure that the team are aware of and engaged in the shop’s financial performance
· Foster a creative and entrepreneurial shop environment where team members seek to maximise income in new and innovative ways both within the shop and through a variety of channels, such as community events
· Manage the team to maximise income from Gift Aid on donated products
· Ensure that all of Vision Foundation financial procedures are adhered to and executed in a timely fashion by the shop team
Shop Floor
· Ensure sourcing sufficient levels of donated stock locally in collaboration with the shop team
· Establish efficient and commercially successful stock processing systems (such as pricing, quality standards, consumer safety, stock density and culling stock), including backroom systems and ensure these are adhered to by the volunteer team. Ensure that all legal and Vision Foundation internal regulations regarding donated stock are adhered to
· Inspire the team to provide a great customer and donor experience, which enables The Vision Foundation to attract new supporters every day. Ensure that feedback, including complaints are escalated to the Area Manager within the agreed timeframes
· Empower the team to create original, appropriate and commercially successful visual merchandising displays, including shop windows
· Make sure that all procedures for the sale of new products are followed by the volunteer team (if applicable)
· Work with the Area Manager to ensure our shops are in good condition, maximise their potential and are fit for purpose
· Provide a safe and healthy working environment and ensure that all team members are aware of and operate within Vision Foundation’s health and safety policies and procedures, including waste management and customer safety
Leadership - Volunteers
· Recruit, induct, and retain an inclusive and diverse volunteer team, which is large enough in numbers and capable to maximise the shop’s income and profitability and guarantee the smooth running of the shop.
· Maintain an empowered, well trained, motivated and engaged volunteer team with excellent levels of communication at team and individual level.
· Connect the volunteer team with Vision Foundation’s work and help them to understand the value of their contribution
Leadership - Paid Staff
· Recruit, induct, and retain an inclusive and diverse volunteer team, which is large enough in numbers and capable to maximise the shop’s income and profitability and guarantee the smooth running of the shop.
· Maintain an empowered, well trained, motivated and engaged volunteer team with excellent levels of communication at team and individual level.
· Connect the volunteer team with Vision Foundation’s work and help them to understand the value of their contribution.
Management - being part of Vision Foundation
· Play active part in the charity, including attending and contributing to all-staff meetings
· Play a key role in enabling the shop to represent Vision Foundation and increase the knowledge of the local community about our mission and work
· Be accountable for the integration of the shop into the local community in collaboration with the shop team
· Empower the team to respond to all appeals and fundraising opportunities.
· Adhere to and enforce Vision Foundation’s safeguarding policies.
Other
· Required to adhere to Vision Foundation’s vision, mission and values
· Understanding of and commitment to adhere to equality, diversity, and staff health and wellbeing principles
Personal qualities
· The ability to work under pressure whilst remaining calm and organised
· To be receptive to change and to act as a change agent
· The ability to maintain excellent rapport with staff, volunteers, supporters, and donors
· To demonstrate a calm and logical approach to problem solving
· To consistently demonstrate a dedicated approach to the quality of customer service and team working.
· Comfortable working in a small team both strategically and operationally
· Commitment to teamwork, business partnering and a collegiate approach – with a ‘can do’ attitude and a sense of humour.
· Able to provide positive, dynamic, tenacious and flexible leadership at all times.
· Results-driven, able to measure and quantify own outcomes.
· Adaptable to changing landscape and evolving organisation.
· Willing and able to operate at pace in an organisation going through rapid change, using your initiative and delivering to tight deadlines
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills
· Highly organised with ability to plan effectively and allocate resources appropriately.
· An understanding of and commitment to London’s blind and partially sighted people.
Flexibility
· The role description is a general outline of duties and responsibilities and may be amended as the newly merged charity develops and the role grows. The post holder may be required to undertake other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time.
When writing job applications, we want to see if candidates are the right fit for our charity, so they should be written using your own words. Use of Artificial Intelligence, such as Chat GPT, is considered plagiarism, and applications drafted with the assistance of AI will be automatically rejected.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Job Title: Local Lay Pastor
Location of job: Hybrid role - Andover Methodist Church with opportunities for some home working
Job Type: Full-time (38 hours per week)
Contract Type: Permanent with initial funding for 3 years and subject to a 3‑month probationary period
Salary: £23,712 per annum
About the Role
Andover Methodist Church is a welcoming church in the centre of Andover. Our vision is to change Andover by being a community of love, of hope and of justice - Love like Jesus, Justice living like Jesus, Hope because of Jesus.
We are looking for someone who has a passion and expertise for establishing positive and productive relationships with families and a commitment to their participation in the life of the church. The main focus of this role will be to work with us to develop our pastoral care and work programme for children and families within the church. We have a desire to further extend our outreach into the local schools and community.
This role is an important part of promoting our vision to Andover and as such has a genuine occupational requirement that the post‑holder is a practising Christian (as outlined by 2010 Equality Act, Section 9).
This role will require a satisfactory Enhanced DBS disclosure & the completion of the Advanced Safeguarding training course of the Methodist Church.
The nature of this role necessitates flexible working hours, including evenings and weekends.
About You
You should have a nationally recognised qualification in Children’s, Youth or Community work or equivalent experience evidenced for the role.
You should have the ability to demonstrate an understanding of the Church’s work with families, especially knowledge of Safeguarding and child protection procedures.
You should have proven experience of working with children and families in a paid or voluntary capacity in previous roles. This is an essential criteria.
You should have excellent people skills (both adult and youth), good organisational ability and be adept at creative thinking.
You should have a professional and positive approach, with a commitment to professional development and self‑improvement. Undertaking Core Skills Family Ministries Training will be an early opportunity to demonstrate this.
It is important that you are able to demonstrate awareness of, and sensitivity to, issues of equality, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to working with families from a diverse range of backgrounds and needs.
Our Culture, Values and Benefits
Thank you for considering joining our inclusive and welcoming church that strives to be a community of love, of hope and of justice. We value and support all who join our team through a positive work‑life balance augmented by generous annual leave and TOIL. We offer an occupational pension scheme to which you will be auto‑enrolled and to which we will also contribute.
We are an inclusive and affirming church. We welcome all people regardless of their sexuality, gender identity, ethnicity, background or disability. We are registered for same-sex marriage and celebrate our diversity in Christ.
N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive sufficient applications. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Closing date: 30th April 2024
Interview Date: 23rd May 2024
Please complete the application form and the equality and diversity monitoring form and return them to the email address detailed on page 2 of the application form
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Home-Start is committed to promoting the welfare of families with young children to ensure that they have the best start in life. We are recruiting a Volunteer Manager to develop a diverse team of volunteers, to support our work with families in Barnet, Brent and Harrow. As a volunteer-led organisation, the role of Volunteer Manager is central. The postholder will promote Home-Start in each of the boroughs where we work, seeking opportunities for recruitment within local communities. They will ensure that volunteers receive training, development and supervision to support the families referred us, and that high standards of practice are maintained. They will promote initiatives to increase the retention of existing volunteers and ensure that they are recognised and rewarded for their work.
The work requires a combination of field-based community engagement and training, and regular days in the office which is in Finchley, Barnet.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.