Customer Service Jobs in Oxford, Oxfordshire

Peer Support Development Officer – Greater London

 About Kinship:

Kinship is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We offer kinship carers financial, legal, practical and emotional support and understanding from the moment they need it, for as long as they need it. Our expert advice, information and guidance helps with complicated and stressful decisions that so many kinship families have to make. We are always there to support them through challenging times and celebrate the good. 

Kinship carers are strong and determined. Together, they are powerful. We help them build communities of support and action by connecting families locally and across England and Wales. 

We are at the heart of kinship networks, partnering with and influencing service providers, local and national government and other organisations. We give everything we have to fight for each family and their rights, changing society until every kinship family is recognised, valued and supported. 

Kinship care often begins in crisis. A child has parents who are unable to care for them, for whatever reason. It can be frightening, confusing and heart-breaking.

Instinctively, a loved one steps in – a grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle or family friend. They are now a kinship carer, bringing up the children they love. There is often no chance to prepare. Plans may be pushed aside. Relationships, jobs and savings are frequently sacrificed.

It is life changing and challenging raising children who have been hurt or neglected, but kinship carers do it anyway because they put the children first.

We know how hard life can be for kinship carers, but we have seen the amazing things they are capable of, with someone by their side. With the right support, children raised in kinship families can flourish. 

That is why we support, connect and campaign – to keep kinship families stronger by keeping them together.

About the Team

The Peer Support and Community team at Kinship is dedicated to enhancing the lives of kinship carers across England and Wales by delivering the first national peer support service. With a focus on building and sustaining networks of peer support groups, the team aims to empower kinship carers through access to resources, training, and development opportunities.

By fostering connections within local, regional, and national ecosystems, the team plays a vital role in ensuring that every kinship carer has access to a supportive community.

As part of our commitment to growth and impact, the team develops innovative approaches to peer support, creating an inclusive environment where kinship carers can share experiences and access essential services. We prioritize collaboration across various departments, ensuring that support group leaders receive high-quality advice and training, facilitating their sustainability and effectiveness. This integrated approach also includes alignment with national and local campaigning efforts to further engage and support the kinship carer community.

In line with our strategic focus on cultivating a vibrant Kinship Community of over 10,000 carers, the team leads initiatives aimed at enhancing community connection and empowering kinship families. By developing a robust model of community engagement that encompasses both in-person and digital services, the team aims to amplify the voices of kinship carers, enabling them to effect meaningful change in their lives and communities.

 About the role

This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form Peer Support Groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub.

You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers. You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment.

Funded by the Department of Education, the National Peer Support Service is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking an individual located in Greater London, who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:

• Develop new Peer Support Groups across a diverse range of communities
• Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to achieve key targets and objectives
• Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the development of safe and effective support services for the kinship community.
• Maintain current Peer Support Group levels, taking the lead from the national Hub.
• Maintain accurate records that are used to populate reports, identify learning and share key insights across Kinship that allow the organisation to continuously improve our services and products.

You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey towards sustainability.

As a practical thinker, you will work creatively to identify stakeholders and assets in areas of high need. You will build local connections and bring together kinship carers across the region, empowering them to build resilient and robust peer support communities.

You will be confident in building relationships that generate referrals from external stakeholders and in contacting kinship carers directly to secure engagement with local coffee mornings, community, and training events that will help kick-start a thriving peer support group.

As you establish new groups, you will provide support and training to help them lead their groups effectively, and develop their group culture, resilience, and skills to function independently while offering reassurance and support to empower them.

We are ideally looking for candidates based in or around Greater London and willing to work initially across London Boroughs. This role may involve work to establish groups on the periphery of this area that currently have no dedicated Development staff.

An essential requirement of the role is to be a driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes.

 Key responsibilities: 

Service delivery:

• In-person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local communities including setting up and attending local engagement events.
• Set up and develop sustainable in person peer support groups, initially attending and leading sessions in person before transition to self-sufficiency. 
• Working with existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support that need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreement, in addition to new groups. Targets are subject to change and are not fixed. 
• Recruit and retain support group leaders to develop their peer support groups.
• Assist with the delivery of training to support group leaders and groups to become self-sufficient.
• Develop strong boundaried and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment and community.
• Support established groups (including independent) in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community. 
• Follow (and where appropriate support further development off) the service blueprint to develop sustainable peer support groups.
• Collaborate with the Peer Support Hub team to provide a joined-up and positive user experience for kinship carers.
• Manage special interest groups and regional online groups as required, transitioning to ‘Hub’ team for sustainability and work with partners. 

Service quality, development and data management:

• Accurately record all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements.
• Ensure accurate data entry in Salesforce to support service performance, evaluation and learning.
• Provide regular reports to ensure targets and SLA are met for the service.
• Support continuous development and improvement of the service (new systems and processes) as required.
  

Team culture:

• Act in the best interest of Kinship and the families we support.
• Maintain and contribute up to date understanding of kinship care.
• Deliver effective administration with attention to detail and keeping to deadlines.
• Identify and contribute to appropriate case studies to demonstrate the impact of Kinship services and contribute to policy and campaigns work.
• Actively contribute to delivering and evidencing a high performing service.
• Take responsibility for your ongoing continued professional development.
• Work in line with the Kinship values.

 Knowledge, abilities, skills and experience (person spec):

 Essential:

· Proven experience in reaching and establishing strong relationships with hidden or underserved communities in person.

· Significant experience developing peer support communities.

· Proven experience of recruiting, managing, training and supporting volunteers in community settings with an emphasis on understanding and working with vulnerable volunteers.

· Proven experience of ensuring outcomes and impacts of services are evidenced through high-quality data collection.

· Evidence of developing and delivering training/support to volunteers, based on the needs of service users (in this case kinship carers).

· Strong facilitation skills and essential experience of peer support or user-led groups with charity beneficiaries.

· Proven experience of using a customer relationship management system effectively (we use Salesforce).

· In-depth understanding of safeguarding particularly around vulnerable families.

· Excellent communication and engagement skills, with good attention to detail.

Desirable:

· Lived experience of kinship care.

· Understanding of children’s social care.

· Digital community building (Facebook / WhatsApp etc).

· Full, clean driving licence/own car.

General characteristics and attributes:

· Flexible and willing to travel for work across England.

· Commitment to the values, aims and objectives of Kinship.

· A real commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within your role and a respectful approach to working with people from a range of backgrounds.

· Excellent written and spoken English.

· Permission to work in the UK.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion 

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

Candidate Application Information

Please refer to the Job Description for this role to check that you meet the criteria necessary for the job. Closing and Interview details are:

Closing date: 1 November 2024 12:00 pm

Interviews: Week Commencing 4 November

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the stated deadline.

We will guarantee interviews to any candidates with experience of kinship care (either of being in kinship care or of being a kinship carer) who demonstrate they meet the essential skills and experience outlined.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application. If you have a disability, which you would like us to consider, please tell us about this when you apply.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion 

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

Candidate Application Information

Please refer to the Job Description for this role to check that you meet the criteria necessary for the job. Closing and Interview details are:

Closing date: 1 November 2024 12:00 pm

Interviews: Week Commencing 4 November

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the stated deadline.

We will guarantee interviews to any candidates with experience of kinship care (either of being in kinship care or of being a kinship carer) who demonstrate they meet the essential skills and experience outlined.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application. If you have a disability, which you would like us to consider, please tell us about this when you apply.  Please let us know if we can help and remember that you can request information in large print or in a different format. 

Peer Support Development Officer – Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire

 About Kinship:

Kinship is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We offer kinship carers financial, legal, practical and emotional support and understanding from the moment they need it, for as long as they need it. Our expert advice, information and guidance helps with complicated and stressful decisions that so many kinship families have to make. We are always there to support them through challenging times and celebrate the good. 

Kinship carers are strong and determined. Together, they are powerful. We help them build communities of support and action by connecting families locally and across England and Wales. 

We are at the heart of kinship networks, partnering with and influencing service providers, local and national government and other organisations. We give everything we have to fight for each family and their rights, changing society until every kinship family is recognised, valued and supported. 

Kinship care often begins in crisis. A child has parents who are unable to care for them, for whatever reason. It can be frightening, confusing and heart-breaking.

Instinctively, a loved one steps in – a grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle or family friend. They are now a kinship carer, bringing up the children they love. There is often no chance to prepare. Plans may be pushed aside. Relationships, jobs and savings are frequently sacrificed.

It is life changing and challenging raising children who have been hurt or neglected, but kinship carers do it anyway because they put the children first.

We know how hard life can be for kinship carers, but we have seen the amazing things they are capable of, with someone by their side. With the right support, children raised in kinship families can flourish. 

That is why we support, connect and campaign – to keep kinship families stronger by keeping them together.

About the Team

The Peer Support and Community team at Kinship is dedicated to enhancing the lives of kinship carers across England and Wales by delivering the first national peer support service. With a focus on building and sustaining networks of peer support groups, the team aims to empower kinship carers through access to resources, training, and development opportunities.

By fostering connections within local, regional, and national ecosystems, the team plays a vital role in ensuring that every kinship carer has access to a supportive community.

As part of our commitment to growth and impact, the team develops innovative approaches to peer support, creating an inclusive environment where kinship carers can share experiences and access essential services. We prioritize collaboration across various departments, ensuring that support group leaders receive high-quality advice and training, facilitating their sustainability and effectiveness. This integrated approach also includes alignment with national and local campaigning efforts to further engage and support the kinship carer community.

In line with our strategic focus on cultivating a vibrant Kinship Community of over 10,000 carers, the team leads initiatives aimed at enhancing community connection and empowering kinship families. By developing a robust model of community engagement that encompasses both in-person and digital services, the team aims to amplify the voices of kinship carers, enabling them to effect meaningful change in their lives and communities.

 About the role

This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form Peer Support Groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub.

You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers. You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment.

Funded by the Department of Education, the National Peer Support Service is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking an individual located in easy reach of Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire, who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:

· Develop new Peer Support Groups across a diverse range of communities

· Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to achieve key targets and objectives

· Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the development of safe and effective support services for the kinship community.

· Maintain current Peer Support Group levels, taking the lead from the national Hub.

· Maintain accurate records that are used to populate reports, identify learning and share key insights across Kinship that allow the organisation to continuously improve our services and products.

You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey towards sustainability.

As a practical thinker, you will work creatively to identify stakeholders and assets in areas of high need. You will build local connections and bring together kinship carers across the region, empowering them to build resilient and robust peer support communities.

You will be confident in building relationships that generate referrals from external stakeholders and in contacting kinship carers directly to secure engagement with local coffee mornings, community, and training events that will help kick-start a thriving peer support group.

As you establish new groups, you will provide support and training to help them lead their groups effectively, and develop their group culture, resilience, and skills to function independently while offering reassurance and support to empower them.

We are ideally looking for candidates based in easy reach of Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire. Key development areas for this post will initially include; Oldham, Bury, Tameside, Doncaster, York and the East Riding of Yorkshire. You may be required to support the development of groups in North Lincolnshire. This role may also involve work to establish groups on the periphery of this area that currently have no dedicated Development staff.

An essential requirement of the role is to be a driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Key responsibilities: 

Service delivery:

• In-person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local communities including setting up and attending local engagement events.
• Set up and develop sustainable in person peer support groups, initially attending and leading sessions in person before transition to self-sufficiency. 
• Working with existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support that need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreement, in addition to new groups. Targets are subject to change and are not fixed. 
• Recruit and retain support group leaders to develop their peer support groups.
• Assist with the delivery of training to support group leaders and groups to become self-sufficient.
• Develop strong boundaried and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment and community.
• Support established groups (including independent) in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community. 
• Follow (and where appropriate support further development off) the service blueprint to develop sustainable peer support groups.
• Collaborate with the Peer Support Hub team to provide a joined-up and positive user experience for kinship carers.
• Manage special interest groups and regional online groups as required, transitioning to ‘Hub’ team for sustainability and work with partners. 

Service quality, development and data management:

• Accurately record all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements.
• Ensure accurate data entry in Salesforce to support service performance, evaluation and learning.
• Provide regular reports to ensure targets and SLA are met for the service.
• Support continuous development and improvement of the service (new systems and processes) as required.
   

Team culture:

• Act in the best interest of Kinship and the families we support.
• Maintain and contribute up to date understanding of kinship care.
• Deliver effective administration with attention to detail and keeping to deadlines.
• Identify and contribute to appropriate case studies to demonstrate the impact of Kinship services and contribute to policy and campaigns work.
• Actively contribute to delivering and evidencing a high performing service.
• Take responsibility for your ongoing continued professional development.
• Work in line with the Kinship values.

 Knowledge, abilities, skills and experience (person spec):

 Essential:

· Proven experience in reaching and establishing strong relationships with hidden or underserved communities in person.

· Significant experience developing peer support communities.

· Proven experience of recruiting, managing, training and supporting volunteers in community settings with an emphasis on understanding and working with vulnerable volunteers.

· Proven experience of ensuring outcomes and impacts of services are evidenced through high-quality data collection.

· Evidence of developing and delivering training/support to volunteers, based on the needs of service users (in this case kinship carers).

· Strong facilitation skills and essential experience of peer support or user-led groups with charity beneficiaries.

· Proven experience of using a customer relationship management system effectively (we use Salesforce).

· In-depth understanding of safeguarding particularly around vulnerable families.

· Excellent communication and engagement skills, with good attention to detail.

Desirable:

· Lived experience of kinship care.

· Understanding of children’s social care.

· Digital community building (Facebook / WhatsApp etc).

· Full, clean driving licence/own car.

General characteristics and attributes:

· Flexible and willing to travel for work across England.

· Commitment to the values, aims and objectives of Kinship.

· A real commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within your role and a respectful approach to working with people from a range of backgrounds.

· Excellent written and spoken English.

· Permission to work in the UK.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion 

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

Candidate Application Information

Please refer to the Job Description for this role to check that you meet the criteria necessary for the job. Closing date and interview details:

Closing date: 1 November 2024 12:00 pm

Interviews: Week Commencing 4 November 2024

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the stated deadline.

We will guarantee interviews to any candidates with experience of kinship care (either of being in kinship care or of being a kinship carer) who demonstrate they meet the essential skills and experience outlined.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application. If you have a disability, which you would like us to consider, please tell us about this when you apply.  Please let us know if we can help and remember that you can request information in large print or in a different format. 

Peer Support Development Officer – South East and M4 Corridor

Thank you for your interest in the above role.  This pack tells you more about Kinship, how we work, and details of the role and the people you will be working with. It also gives information on how to apply.

About Kinship:

Kinship is the leading kinship care charity in England and Wales. We offer kinship carers financial, legal, practical and emotional support and understanding from the moment they need it, for as long as they need it. Our expert advice, information and guidance helps with complicated and stressful decisions that so many kinship families have to make. We are always there to support them through challenging times and celebrate the good. 

Kinship carers are strong and determined. Together, they are powerful. We help them build communities of support and action by connecting families locally and across England and Wales. 

We are at the heart of kinship networks, partnering with and influencing service providers, local and national government and other organisations. We give everything we have to fight for each family and their rights, changing society until every kinship family is recognised, valued and supported. 

Kinship care often begins in crisis. A child has parents who are unable to care for them, for whatever reason. It can be frightening, confusing and heart-breaking.

Instinctively, a loved one steps in – a grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle or family friend. They are now a kinship carer, bringing up the children they love. There is often no chance to prepare. Plans may be pushed aside. Relationships, jobs and savings are frequently sacrificed.

It is life changing and challenging raising children who have been hurt or neglected, but kinship carers do it anyway because they put the children first.

We know how hard life can be for kinship carers, but we have seen the amazing things they are capable of, with someone by their side. With the right support, children raised in kinship families can flourish. 

That is why we support, connect and campaign – to keep kinship families stronger by keeping them together

About the Team

The Peer Support and Community team at Kinship is dedicated to enhancing the lives of kinship carers across England and Wales by delivering the first national peer support service. With a focus on building and sustaining networks of peer support groups, the team aims to empower kinship carers through access to resources, training, and development opportunities.

By fostering connections within local, regional, and national ecosystems, the team plays a vital role in ensuring that every kinship carer has access to a supportive community.

As part of our commitment to growth and impact, the team develops innovative approaches to peer support, creating an inclusive environment where kinship carers can share experiences and access essential services. We prioritize collaboration across various departments, ensuring that support group leaders receive high-quality advice and training, facilitating their sustainability and effectiveness. This integrated approach also includes alignment with national and local campaigning efforts to further engage and support the kinship carer community.

In line with our strategic focus on cultivating a vibrant Kinship Community of over 10,000 carers, the team leads initiatives aimed at enhancing community connection and empowering kinship families. By developing a robust model of community engagement that encompasses both in-person and digital services, the team aims to amplify the voices of kinship carers, enabling them to effect meaningful change in their lives and communities.

 About the role

This role is community-based and focuses on engaging kinship carers, bringing them together to form Peer Support Groups, and supporting them to achieve independence at which point they will receive ongoing support from our national Hub.

You will do this by working with local authorities, schools, other charities and community groups. Arranging information events such as coffee mornings to engage kinship carers. You’ll create a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive community for kinship carers, building belonging, resilience, and empowerment.

Funded by the Department of Education, the National Peer Support Service is a game-changing service that creates a sustainable and life-changing legacy. It builds on Kinship’s 10 years of experience in developing peer support groups and two years of delivering a national service that has set up 145 new groups.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking an individual located in South East of England, who possesses the drive, passion, and skills to:

• Develop new Peer Support Groups across a diverse range of communities
• Demonstrate the energy and enthusiasm required to achieve key targets and objectives
• Work collaboratively within the Peer Support and Community Team, as well as throughout the broader organisation, to ensure the development of safe and effective support services for the kinship community.
• Maintain current Peer Support Group levels, taking the lead from the national Hub.
• Maintain accurate records that are used to populate reports, identify learning and share key insights across Kinship that allow the organisation to continuously improve our services and products.

You should have experience in developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with various community-based stakeholders such as local authorities, health services, schools, charities, and kinship carers. You will need to understand the key success factors involved in establishing and developing new in-person groups in areas of high need, as well as how to support existing groups in their journey towards sustainability.

As a practical thinker, you will work creatively to identify stakeholders and assets in areas of high need. You will build local connections and bring together kinship carers across the region, empowering them to build resilient and robust peer support communities.

You will be confident in building relationships that generate referrals from external stakeholders and in contacting kinship carers directly to secure engagement with local coffee mornings, community, and training events that will help kick-start a thriving peer support group.

As you establish new groups, you will provide support and training to help them lead their groups effectively, and develop their group culture, resilience, and skills to function independently while offering reassurance and support to empower them.

We are ideally looking for candidates based close or within easy reach of our priority development areas in the South East of England which include; Reading, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire, Slough and Hampshire but also able to travel to locations along the M4 corridor.

An essential requirement of the role is to be a driver with access to a vehicle for work purposes.

 Key responsibilities: 

Service delivery:

• In-person (face-to-face) strategic outreach into local communities including setting up and attending local engagement events.
• Set up and develop sustainable in person peer support groups, initially attending and leading sessions in person before transition to self-sufficiency. 
• Working with existing groups that are at risk, closed or need support that need replacing or rejuvenating to maintain DfE service level agreement, in addition to new groups. Targets are subject to change and are not fixed. 
• Recruit and retain support group leaders to develop their peer support groups.
• Assist with the delivery of training to support group leaders and groups to become self-sufficient.
• Develop strong boundaries and positive relationships with support group leaders – building resilience, empowerment and community.
• Support established groups (including independent) in your area to access support group leader networks and training (this includes visiting groups in person) to build a peer community. 
• Follow (and where appropriate support further development off) the service blueprint to develop sustainable peer support groups.
• Collaborate with the Peer Support Hub team to provide a joined-up and positive user experience for kinship carers.
• Manage special interest groups and regional online groups as required, transitioning to ‘Hub’ team for sustainability and work with partners. 

Service quality, development and data management:

• Accurately record all recruitment, contact information and volunteer case management in Salesforce in line with service framework and data protection requirements.
• Ensure accurate data entry in Salesforce to support service performance, evaluation and learning.
• Provide regular reports to ensure targets and SLA are met for the service.
• Support continuous development and improvement of the service (new systems and processes) as required.
  

Team culture:

• Act in the best interest of Kinship and the families we support.
• Maintain and contribute up to date understanding of kinship care.
• Deliver effective administration with attention to detail and keeping to deadlines.
• Identify and contribute to appropriate case studies to demonstrate the impact of Kinship services and contribute to policy and campaigns work.
• Actively contribute to delivering and evidencing a high performing service.
• Take responsibility for your ongoing continued professional development.
• Work in line with the Kinship values.

 Knowledge, abilities, skills and experience (person spec):

 Essential:

· Proven experience in reaching and establishing strong relationships with hidden or underserved communities in person.

· Significant experience developing peer support communities.

· Proven experience of recruiting, managing, training and supporting volunteers in community settings with an emphasis on understanding and working with vulnerable volunteers.

· Proven experience of ensuring outcomes and impacts of services are evidenced through high-quality data collection.

· Evidence of developing and delivering training/support to volunteers, based on the needs of service users (in this case kinship carers).

· Strong facilitation skills and essential experience of peer support or user-led groups with charity beneficiaries.

· Proven experience of using a customer relationship management system effectively (we use Salesforce).

· In-depth understanding of safeguarding particularly around vulnerable families.

· Excellent communication and engagement skills, with good attention to detail.

Desirable:

· Lived experience of kinship care.

· Understanding of children’s social care.

· Digital community building (Facebook / WhatsApp etc.).

· Full, clean driving license/own car.

General characteristics and attributes:

· Flexible and willing to travel for work across England.

· Commitment to the values, aims and objectives of Kinship.

· A real commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion within your role and a respectful approach to working with people from a range of backgrounds.

· Excellent written and spoken English.

· Permission to work in the UK.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion 

Kinship is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion.  We believe our work is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our teams.  We aim to create inclusive teams, celebrate differences and encourage everyone to join us and be their true self at work. We therefore encourage applications from anyone who fits our values, whatever their religion or belief, sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality or disability and are actively seeking candidates that can bring real innovation and commitment to us. 

Candidate Application Information

Please refer to the Job Description for this role to check that you meet the criteria necessary for the job. Closing date and interview details:

Closing date: 1 November 2024 12:00 pm

Interviews:  Week Commencing 2024

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the stated deadline.

We will guarantee interviews to any candidates with experience of kinship care (either of being in kinship care or of being a kinship carer) who demonstrate they meet the essential skills and experience outlined.

Please tell us if there are any reasonable adjustments, we can make to assist you in your application. If you have a disability, which you would like us to consider, please tell us about this when you apply.  Please let us know if we can help and remember that you can request information in large print or in a different format. 

The role of Development & Alumni Engagement Lead would suit a passionate and creative individual, who is an efficient administrator and strong communicator, with an appreciation of the transformational impact of an independent school education. The post-holder will be responsible for the implementation of the alumni relations, development and fundraising activities of the School. They will be the key point of contact for alumni, ensuring that Hillians continue to feel part of the School community after they finish their education with us.

LOCATION - Remote with travel required across the UK

Are you looking for an exciting and rewarding new role in 2024? Apply for the Learning and Development Manager role at homelessness charity Emmaus UK.

About Emmaus

Emmaus is a secular organisation supporting homeless and socially excluded people by providing a home for as it is needed, meaningful work in a social enterprise and a sense of belonging and community. There are currently 30 Emmaus communities in the UK stretching from Glasgow to Dover and Norfolk to South Wales, collectively supporting more than 850 people. There are also 3 Emmaus groups working towards the development of services in their areas. We understand that a home is more than just a roof over your head; it’s somewhere to belong, where you feel part of a community, and that’s what Emmaus offers.

About the role

We are seeking a Learning and Development Manager to work with the Director of Partnerships and Federation Development to develop an ambitious learning and development strategy for Emmaus UK.

As a hands-on Learning & Development Manager, you will play a critical role in developing the skills, knowledge, and capabilities of employees, companions, volunteers and trustees across the Emmaus Federation and within Emmaus UK.

Your primary focus will be on developing and delivering effective learning interventions, programs and initiatives that align with the goals of Emmaus and support the growth and development of its people.

You will have the opportunity to make a significant impact on the growth and development of employees, companions, volunteers and trustees, contributing to a positive learning culture, and supporting the overall success of the federation. Your role will involve supporting the development and delivery of strategic plans, programme design and implementation, stakeholder management, and continuous evaluation and improvement of learning initiatives.

This role is home-based, with some travel required across the UK.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for a high-performing Learning and Development Manager, with experience working in a learning and development role, including experience of delivering training in-person and online to a range of stakeholders.

The successful applicant will be able to deliver effective and engaging learning and development programmes and will have experience of identifying and analysing learning and development needs, developing relevant approaches and evaluating effectiveness, developing a strong culture of continuous improvement across Emmaus UK and the wider federation.

This is an exciting and rewarding role for someone who thrives working with different people and pursuing new opportunities.

What we offer

· £37,878 pro rata (based on a standard working week of 37.5 hours)

· Working hours: 5 days per week, Monday – Friday

· Contract: Permanent

· Pension: Stakeholder pension with employer contribution

· Annual leave: 25 days + Bank Holidays + 3 concessionary days leave

· Training & development: Individually tailored induction. Ongoing training and development

· Volunteering: 2 days allowance each year

· Employee assistance: 24/7 employee assistance scheme is available

· Flexible working: Options available, subject to the requirements of the role

· Life assurance: Death in service lump sum of 3 x salary

To apply

To apply for the role, please complete our application form and equal opportunities monitoring form and email us by 12pm on Friday 1st November 2024.

Please ensure you download the job pack and refer to the job description and person specification when completing your application form.

Those shortlisted will be invited to an interview conducted via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 13th November.

If you would like to arrange an informal discussion about the role, please email us.

Equal Opportunities

Emmaus UK provides equal opportunity for all job applicants and employees and is committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination. We are dedicated to an inclusive culture, and we strive to create a workplace where teams of people with diverse backgrounds, characteristic, perspectives, ideas and experiences work together. We welcome applications from all individuals irrespective of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, marital status or parental responsibilities.

To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for our roles, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed so that shortlisting is based solely upon the suitability of the candidate’s experience.

The Policy and Campaigns Manager is responsible for leading on CLAPA’s campaigning and policy work across the UK.  This is a new direction for CLAPA and a key part of the role will be to develop a clear strategy and action plan to ensure a focused and targeted approach to this area of work.   

The post-holder is responsible for ensuring that work is delivered to the highest standard and that the wider staff team and board of trustees are kept informed on progress and development.

Role: Community Business Team Manager
Salary Band: £40,000 - £48,000
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time (40 hpw)
Location: Woodstock, Oxfordshire

Plunkett UK is a national charity supporting people in rural areas to set up and run successful businesses in community ownership. We do this to achieve our UK-wide vision for resilient, thriving and inclusive rural communities.

Community-owned businesses are owned and controlled by community members, who each have an equal and democratic say in how the business is run. They can be any type of business ranging from village shops, pubs and cafes, through to woodlands, fisheries and farms.

With more communities than ever contacting Plunkett to access our advice and support services, we are excited to promote the opportunity to join Plunkett as our Community Business Team Manager. This full-time position offers the right candidate an opportunity to manage our Community Business Team and ensure the delivery of high quality business support. Reporting to the CEO you will be a team player who is confident and collaborative.  

If you are interested in joining Plunkett UK, and growing the network of community-owned businesses UK-wide then we look forward to hearing from you.

Closing date for applications: 9am Monday 18 November 2024
Interview date: Interviews will be held at our offices in Woodstock during week commencing 25 November 2024

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are committed to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and our approach goes beyond ‘protected characteristics’ to thinking more broadly about inclusion. Every individual will think and feel differently and we believe that these differences should be embraced, and individual needs taken into account. Additionally, the makeup of the rural communities we work with leads to their own particular diversity and exclusion challenges and opportunities compared to urban areas. Our commitment to EDI, both internally and externally, has been tailored to Plunkett and the communities we serve.

Registered Charity: 313743

No agencies please.

Marie Curie is the UK's leading end-of-life charity. We are the largest non-NHS provider of end-of-life care in the UK, the only provider across all 4 nations, delivering community nursing and hospice care across the country, while providing information and support on all aspects of dying, death, and bereavement. Our leading research pushes the boundaries of what we know about good end-of-life, and our campaigns fight for a world where everyone gets to have the best possible quality of life while living with an illness they're likely to die from.

We want a different society than the one we live in now. Our mission for the next five years is to close the gap in the number of people missing out on what they need at the end-of-life, through 3 ways:

• Growing and transforming our direct care and support
• Delivering more practical information and support
• Leading in shaping the end-of-life experience

This is a senior role within our People & Organisational Development directorate. Reporting to the Associate Director, People Operations you will play a key role in supporting Marie Curie's 5-year strategy by enabling employees to focus their time on patients and services by implementing efficient, prompt, automated and human-focused processes across data, systems, administration, payroll and audit.
 

Your Role:

• Overall Direction and Development: Leading the payroll team, you will ensure efficient and accurate payroll processing.
• Strategic Planning: You will have the opportunity to develop and execute payroll strategies to align with organisational goals.
• Compliance: You will ensure adherence to all payroll-related financial, legal and corporate compliance requirements.
• Leading and driving improvement. You will understand organisational impacts and create and encourage a culture of continuous improvement.

Additional Criteria for Success:

• Proven track record in payroll management, preferably in a large and complex organisation (e.g. commercial, audited environments private or public sector). This should include operational management of service delivery to a diverse customer base.
• Strong payroll legislation knowledge.Including payroll laws and regulations, tax compliance, pensions, statutory payments and employment law. Associated audit and risk experience is a must.
• Payroll systems expertise. Highly proficient with payroll software (Oracle and/or Zellis is highly desirable). Advanced Excel is additionally required.
• Demonstrable experience managing and developing a team, with strong performance management and coaching/development skills.
• Project management experience. Proven achievements in leading payroll-related projects, such as systems implementations or process improvements.
• Strong ability to identify, assess and solve payroll-related issues with a proactive and strategic approach.
• Results oriented with a positive outlook, high level of motivation, enthusiasm and dedication to the mission and goals of Marie Curie.

Contract: Permanent
Salary: £65,000 - £70,000 pa dependent on skills, knowledge and experience.
Location: Home-based within the UK, with ad-hoc travel to London and Birmingham required.

Application & Interview Process
As part of your online application please submit your CV plus a cover letter outlining your interest in/suitability for the role.
Close Date: Sun 20th October

Benefits you'll LOVE:
* Flexible working. We're happy to discuss flexible working at the interview stage.
* 25 days annual leave (exclusive of Bank Holidays)
* Marie Curie Group Personal Pension Scheme (we will match your contribution up to 7.5%)
* Loan schemes for bikes; computers and season tickets
* Continuous professional development opportunities. We can consider financial support for HR/payroll-related qualifications for this role.
* Industry-leading training programmes
* Wellbeing and Employee Assistance Programmes
* Enhanced bereavement, family friendly and sickness benefits
* Access to Blue Light Card membership
* Subsidised Eye Care

Marie Curie is committed to its values, which underpin our work. We take stringent steps to ensure that the people who join our organisation through employment or volunteering, are suitable for their roles and are committed to safeguarding all our people from harm. This includes our staff, volunteers and all those who use or come into contact with our services. We are dedicated to creating not just a safe place to work but also a supportive and rewarding one.

We are committed to a world where everyone can thrive and fulfil their potential. We are devoted to the social justice imperatives and organisational benefits of full diversity, inclusion and equity in the workplace, and are a Stonewall champion. We actively encourage and welcome applications from candidates of diverse cultures, perspectives and lived experiences.

We're happy to accommodate any requests for reasonable adjustments. Please find our contact details on our website.
 

We are seeking a dynamic director of member support and development, to lead a team that supports, inspires and champions hundreds of community groups across Britain, engaging people with their local railways and delivering empowering community projects. You’ll be helping communities to come together, take action and have a voice on sustainable and inclusive transport and development.

About this role

This role couldn’t be more crucial to who we are and what we do: putting our members and their local communities at the forefront, empowering them to achieve their goals, and ensuring we and our partners are listening to and learning from their insights.

As a member of our senior leadership team, reporting to our chief executive, you will manage, lead and develop our support and development team, with nine passionate and knowledgeable staff.

Your job is to ensure the team excels and thrives in its work supporting and developing our membership to increase its impact, in line with our strategic goals and members’ locally-determined plans and ambitions. This includes nurturing togetherness, positivity and innovation, ensuring strong collaboration with our other teams, external partners and funders, and bringing new opportunities into community rail, while sharing its insights and experiences.

It’s an exciting time to be joining community rail, with the movement expanding, increasingly influential in rail and transport development, a burgeoning evidence base, and growing recognition of its relevance in tackling the climate crisis and social inequalities.

Main responsibilities:

1. Manage, lead, support and develop our support and development (S&D) team, ensuring effective delivery and performance against our aims, objectives and plans, and ensuring the team’s work is well-planned, coordinated, evidenced and reported;
2. Lead on the development, delivery and regular review of a strategy and annual plans, targets and budgets for the S&D team, engaging the team and our funders effectively in this process, drawing on member, partner and Board input, and aligning with our overarching strategy;
3. Nurture a member-orientated, empowering, positive approach in the S&D team, in line with our values, ensuring high-quality provision of support, advice and signposting, balancing proactiveness and responsiveness, and being attentive to members’ needs and input, as well as wider contexts and opportunities;
4. Help our team to show positive leadership and provide intelligent, effective support, training and development services to our members around community engagement and empowerment, social inclusion and diversity, sustainable and healthy travel and socio-economic development – including by listening to members, continually developing the team’s knowledge, skills and networks, and enabling the team to signpost, refer to and collaborate with organisations with useful expertise/services;
5. Coordinating with our other teams, forge and maintain strong external partnerships, especially leading on those that help us support our members better and bring them opportunities, such as with train operators, corporate partners, third sector organisations, and at operational level with devolved/regional/combined authorities;
6. Continually monitor and develop the S&D team’s performance and impact, including using member, partner and colleague feedback, supporting staff to consider and maximise effectiveness, driving innovation and efficiencies, and developing ways to assess and evidence our impact, especially as our membership continues to grow;
7. Manage our activity supporting the creation and development of new or emerging community rail partnerships, station groups and community stations, and our support for those undergoing major change or challenges, ensuring this is carefully balanced with existing members’ needs;
8. Ensure our members’ voices, experiences and insights can be effectively used by our other teams and external partners, in their delivery, planning and strategic influencing work, especially ensuring that case studies, stories, examples and views are fed through to our communications, policy and events activity;
9. Play a key role in our liaison with and reporting to our own funders, and other major funders of our members, including ensuring effective monitoring and evaluation of our S&D work, collating good evidence of our own and our members’ impact, and maintaining a robust awareness of and ability to advocate on opportunities and risks in community rail;
10. As a member of our senior leadership team, work closely with senior colleagues and across the organisation, and liaise with our Board as relevant, to co-ordinate and manage the delivery of our overarching strategy, reinforce our values, ensure the whole team is engaged with our mission and purpose, and to show external leadership across our members, partners and beyond.

Skills and competencies:

1. Strong leadership and management skills, including a track record in managing, developing, drawing on and getting the best from a multi-faceted team, and working in and driving positive change in a complex, rapidly-evolving environment;
2. Significant experience and demonstrable experience in community engagement and community-led projects, ideally from both professional and voluntary positions, and ideally experience in supporting and advising community initiatives;
3. Experience in successfully planning, developing, delivering and evaluating programmes with positive social outcomes, including reporting to funders;
4. Experience working collaboratively and forming mutually-beneficial partnerships and professional networks, ideally with experience of developing corporate partnerships and/or funder relationships;
5. An understanding of how to evidence and increase social impact, particularly in relation to community development, empowerment and sustainability;
6. Awareness of and a strong commitment to community empowerment, social inclusion, social justice and sustainable development, with a good grasp of the importance of public transport and sustainable travel, and community-led action, to these agendas;
7. Excellent communication skills, articulate and assertive, with the ability to work constructively, diplomatically and persuasively with stakeholders at all levels and handle challenging situations;
8. Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines while dealing with competing priorities, and an evidenced ability to support a team to do so;
9. IT literate and competent using Office applications, the internet and CRM/database/recording systems;
10. Appropriate qualifications and professional development demonstrating knowledge and skills in line with the above, and a commitment to ongoing learning and development.

Other information

As you will be home-based and managing a dispersed team, we are flexible about your location. However, you will be expected to travel to our office in Huddersfield for in-person full-team meetings quarterly, and you will need to bring your team together at a central location with similar regularity in between. On top of this, attendance at occasional in-person events and partner meetings, and visits to members to learn more about community rail and assist the team, will be important. We therefore welcome applications from those with decent public transport links, not too far from a railway station to enable journeys to be made sustainably.

This is a full-time position, 37 hours per week. We use a flexi-time system, with the core hours 10am-3pm, and we are committed to being a flexible, supportive and understanding employer. This is a permanent position with a probationary period of six months.

Community Rail Network is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from disabled people and Black, Asian and other minoritised groups, who meet with the skills and competencies for this role. We will provide reasonable adjustments for interviews as required.

Church and Christian Engagement Specialist

We’re looking for TWO experienced Church & Christian Engagement Specialists to join World Vision, an important charity helping vulnerable children across the world.
 

Position: Church and Christian Engagement Specialist

Location: Homebased (positions available covering the north of the M62 corridor or Northern Ireland)

Hours: Full-time and Part-time 15 hours per week (including occasional Sundays)

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £12,688 per annum (£30,874 FTE) + good range of benefits

Closing date: 6th November 2024

**Please Note: Applications without a CV and cover letter will not be considered.**

About the role:

We have an exciting opportunity for an amazing fundraiser to join our Church and Christian Engagement team. The heart of our work centres around engaging and inspiring Churches and Christians to join us- through regular giving, one off donations, action and prayer. Whether in churches, at festivals or events you will be sharing World Vision’s work around the world helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life.  You will be a confident communicator, a sharer of stories, a focused fundraiser.

You will join a team working across various fundraising and engagement activities throughout the year. You will build and manage your own caseload of external relationships across the UK, combining face-to-face, online and telephone work, to connect with churches and individuals. Using our existing resources, you will offer people the opportunity to join us- whether through sponsoring a child, donating to our work in emergencies, using our discipleship resources or praying for our work around the world.

In this team, we love that each day is different - from online meetings with longstanding church supporters, to meeting new audiences at Christian festivals, or on the road supporting our work on tour with an event partner. As a key member of the team, you'll be confident managing your own workload within the context of our wider team plans, working together with colleagues in wider teams to bring our work alive. You will have an eye for detail and fantastic relationship-building skills. You'll be confident working to targets, and excited about sharing World Vision’s work with new and existing donors.

Key areas of responsibility include:  

• Confidently building connections with churches and their leaders towards engaging with World Vision’s work, creating opportunities for individual giving or gifts from the church community.
• Using existing resources, campaigns and engagement tools to engage churches and individual Christians to support our work.
• Build a caseload of engaged church contacts to meet or exceed annual fundraising & acquisition goals, managing your time & workload.
• Ensure churches are on the correct supporter journey for their level of engagement, using appropriate touchpoints (telephone, email, meetings, hand written notes etc) to intelligently engage with key contacts. Maintenance of records, use of CRM system, monthly reporting on income and financial management including making sure gifts are properly allocated.
• Sharing WV’s work through in an audience appropriate way, including (but not limited to) presentations to church leaders, speaking in church services, or other external opportunities. Making a clear and compelling ask.
• Attending events (online and in person) to connect with individuals and leaders as a member of the WV team.

About you:

To be successful in this role, you will need to have excellent attention to detail and be able to juggle multiple projects/pieces of information and form them into well-ordered activity plans and be able to prioritise.

Key skills required for this role:

• Superb communication skills, both in formal and informal settings
• Fundraising or sales experience
• Strong relational skills, potentially with experience in nurturing relationships towards financial engagement
• A good understanding of the UK church and Christian landscape

About the organisation:

World Vision UK is an international children’s charity working with children, their communities, and with supporters and partners, in almost 100 countries. Through long-term development projects, emergency responses and advocacy we’ve helped bring lasting change to millions of children, over more than 60 years. As a Christian organisation, everything we do is motivated by our faith as we strive to reflect God’s unconditional love.

As a child-focused organisation, we are committed to the safeguarding of children, therefore any offer of employment is conditional upon the successful completion of applicable background checks, including a criminal records check.

We are a registered organisation operating the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS) and we shall check with your previous employers about your behaviour and conduct. We will be requesting you to complete a form known as a Statement of Conduct. For more information see: The Misconduct Disclosure Scheme.

Please note we can only consider applicants who presently have the right to work in the UK and all candidates must be personally committed to the Christian faith and be able to respect, uphold and work within our client’s Christian mission, values, culture, and faith statements. This individual will represent and speak on behalf of a Christian charity and as such the Occupational Requirement for an active Christian faith is justified under the Equality Act 2010 Schedule 9, Part 1, clause 3.

As a Disability committed employer we encourage qualified individuals with a disability to apply and request a reasonable adjustment if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access as a result of your disability.

You may also have experience in areas such as: as Donor Development Coordinator, Donor Funding, Donor Fundraising, Supporter Development Coordinator, Corporate Partnerships Manager, Senior Corporate Fundraiser, Fundraising, Fundraiser, Head of Fundraising, Individual Giving Manager, Regional Fundraising Manager, Development Manager, Income Generation Manager, Senior Fundraiser, Major Giving Manager.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

We are looking for a dynamic and strategic Communications Manager to join our Development and Communications Team. This exciting role includes overseeing the production of our supporter magazine, annual report and digital content. You'll get the chance to develop new communication strategies and be at the heart of communicating our impact. We would love to hear from you if you are interested in this role! 

Who we are

At UCCF, we are passionate about students reaching students with the good news of Jesus. For over 100 years, UCCF has equipped and empowered students to discover Jesus and live for Him on campus.

We seek to resource Christian Unions (CUs), which are groups of students from a range of local churhces who join together to help everyone at uni engage with the life-changing message of Jesus. 

Each year, tens of thousands of students hear the message of Christ through CU ministry. Together, we are reaching students for Jesus.

The details of the role

• Contract: Permanent
• Salary: £30,900 - £35,000 pa, depending on experience
• Role type: full-time (36¼ hours/week), but we are open to discussing the possibility of the role being part-time
• Location: Blue Boar House, Oxford (UCCF’s office). We offer a hybrid arrangement where Tuesdays are our core day for in person working, and team members have flexibility to work from home for two days a week.
• Holiday allowance: 30 days per year, plus 8 public holidays
• Start date: as soon as possible

All other terms and conditions will be explained at interview.

Nature and scope: As the Communications Manager will be regularly involved in contacting supporters, churches and other outside organisations, it is an occupational requirement that the post holder is a believer in Jesus Christ as Saviour, Lord and God, and is in good standing with their local evangelical church, thus being in fellowship with the world-wide Christian family. They are required to sign assent to the Doctrinal Basis, to participate in UCCF collective worship and prayer and to model Christian discipleship in public and private life.