Family Support Worker Jobs
Summary
Job title Finance Officer, Young Lives
Division Social Sciences
Department Oxford Department of International Development
Location Queen Elizabeth House, 3 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TB
Grade and salary Grade 6: £32,332-£38,205
Hours Part time (0.6 FTE, flexible depending on appointee’s availability)
Contract type Fixed term until 31st December 2025, extension subject to funding
Reporting to Programme Manager
PLEASE APPLY FOR THE JOB ON THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD WEBSITE AND WE WILL NOT CONSIDER ANY AGENCIES.
Responsibilities
Donor financial budgeting, reporting and monitoring
· Gather, manipulate and present data on Young Lives budgets and forecasting including those for ongoing projects, new funding proposals, re-budgeting exercises and partner organisation budgets, working closely with the Young Lives Programme Manager, Programme Officer/s and Collaborating Partners.
· Liaise with the Programme Manager to review the financial position on Young Lives projects and advise on solutions to problems relating to expenditure on projects whilst maintaining the auditable standards on the project. Check research budget set-ups for accuracy on Oracle, deal with issues arising, analyse grant spend on a monthly basis, highlight variances and take follow-up action, and facilitate updated X5 to re-cost salaries on awards and identify any over or under spends on salary budgets.
· Coordinate the quarterly financial reporting processes used by Young Lives partners. Check reports against budgets. Coordinate the preparation of Young Lives financial reports and invoices to FCDO and other Young Lives funders in line with contractual requirements. Prepare budget and quarterly forecasts for the Department.
· Process partner payments required under partner collaborative agreements and consultancy agreements, as agreed by the Young Lives Programme Manager.
· Monitor Young Lives project expenditure against approved budgets and donors’ terms and conditions. Gather, manipulate and present data to produce regular financial reports showing income, expenditure and forecasting against budgets.
· Assist with audits of Young Lives, as required.
· Represent and present on finances externally to funders, as required, and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of Young Lives’ funding bodies’ terms and conditions
General Financial Management
· Ensure full recovery of expenses on the e-expenses system (SAP Concur), reviewing on-line ready for departmental approval, ensuring that expenditure remains within set budgets and complies with the grantor’s terms and conditions and University financial guidelines, giving guidance to claimants where necessary.
· Arrange for and monitor travel advances, and pre-paid MasterCards, issued to YL staff and clear the advances on their return. Check and process project credit card statements and receipts and deal with any queries that arise;
· Raise pre-requisition orders ensuring that procurement policies are followed;
· Undertake transactional processing as necessary in the Oracle Financial system, including invoices for payment, accruals and prepayment and dealing with anomalies. Check figures for errors and omissions. Ensure all Young Lives financial transactions are carried out in accordance with the University and external financial regulations.
· Monitor the Young Lives general ledger account (non-project funded) and ensure effective reconciliation and reporting of all transactions.
· Maintain good working relationships with Young Lives staff, partners and suppliers and with Departmental finance and administrative staff and the University's central finance office and be proactive in resolving issues.
· Proactively undertake continuous improvement of finance processes and systems and of reporting provision to support changing requirements and improve management information. Communicate and support the implementation of these improvements effectively.
· Develop and refine financial systems and procedures for Young Lives to ensure strong financial management and control. Respond to enquiries, and provide advice on financial procedures and policies.
Selection criteria
Essential
- Have achieved or be working towards an accounting qualification
- Educated to degree level or equivalent and at least two years’ experience in a similar role.
- Good accounting skills; experience of preparing financial reports, budgets and forecasts
- Knowledge of the purpose, use and application of financial controls
- Excellent numeracy skills, thoroughness and attention to detail, resulting in the ability to produce accurate, detailed work
- Strong diplomacy and team skills and the ability to communicate effectively with a broad range of colleagues and funders
- Flexibility and the ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload effectively
- Evidence of tact and discretion in dealing with matters of a confidential or sensitive nature
- High level of computer literacy with experience of using Microsoft Office, particularly Excel
- The ability to present financial information in a variety of formats and for non-accountants
- Good written and verbal communication skills with a friendly, proactive and helpful approach –ideally with experience of working with colleagues at a distance.
Desirable
- Knowledge and use of ORACLE Financials
- Understanding of FCDO and/or other large donor financial compliancy
Please apply for the job on the University of Oxford website.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Job Title: Partnership Events Lead
Reports to: Partnerships Manager
Location: Quantum House, 22 – 24 Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, London, EC4A 3EB The role is open to hybrid working but the candidate would be expected to be in the office one day per week
Purpose: This is a fantastic opportunity to lead on the delivery of interactive activities with volunteers from the world of work aimed at schools and young people for key funded partners. Alongside event facilitation, the role manages and coordinates delivery of activities to meet agreed KPIs, leading on planning, scheduling and delivering various showcase virtual and face-to-face events and activities.
Remuneration: £27 - £30k per annum depending on experience
Additional Terms: 30 days paid holiday, exclusive of Statutory Holiday plus competitive pension scheme and a volunteering allowance of up to 5 days . Additional family friendly benefits including enhancements to Statutory Payments.
Appointment Terms: Permanent and full time.
Job purpose
Working closely with the Partnership Manager, the successful candidate will be responsible for leading on the delivery of interactive activities aimed at schools and young people under key funded projects for the charity’s Inspiring the Future and Primary Futures programmes. These programmes leverage technology to raise the aspirations and broaden the horizons of children and young people by connecting them to a huge range of volunteers from the world of work via career related learning activities.
The Partnerships team are responsible for relationship management of the key corporate and charity partners for the charity’s Inspiring the Future and Primary Futures programmes. Partners cover a range of sectors and employment areas and our employer partnerships provide partners employees with the opportunity to engage with schools, and reach many children and young people across the UK, both virtually and in-person.
The Partnership Events Lead will be able to manage and coordinate delivery of activities to meet agreed KPIs, leading on planning, scheduling and delivering various showcase virtual and face-to-face events and activities ensuring engagement from schools, employers and volunteers.
Overseeing event delivery – both physical and virtual, this role will have end to end accountability for event management, from coordinating with the schools and volunteers, event briefings, to planning and delivering the event – speaker selection and liaison, school registrations, co-ordinating event logistics and venue management, on-site and virtual delivery, post event feedback and communications etc.
This role will work on partnerships including but are not limited to the Department for Transport’s Inspiring Aviation Campaign, Maritime UK Ambassadors, NHS Ambassadors and events associated with employer partnerships such as Bank of America, Tritax Big Box, Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust and others.
Exact brief to be finalised with the successful candidate but the role will be expected to:
- Work closely with the Partnership Manager role to lead on planning and delivery of any funded projects and activities
- Work to engage employers and volunteers through special activities on funded projects
- Track and report back to Partnership Manager on delivery against agreed targets
- Host and support delivery of CPD sessions, webinars and occasional face to face meetings with stakeholders and schools directly to help them with engaging with these projects and delivering presentations at group meetings and conferences.
- Support development of resources, guidance and tools for employers, volunteers and schools in effectively engaging with projects and programmes
- Responsible for on-site and virtual logistical arrangements as well as audio/visual requirements
- Responsible for general communication with volunteers and schools about the events
- Collect feedback and data after each event to measure its impact, and use this information to complete an event summary report for partners to gain insights for future events.
- Attend and host occasional events to support the running of special events and to undertake brand ambassadorial activities events
- Use Salesforce CRM to manage relationships with volunteers, teachers, and school leaders, ensuring records are up-to-date, recording event data, and supporting data cleansing as needed.
- Develop relationships with partners and stakeholders, new schools, promoting the full range of the charity’s programmes and services and assisting them with registering for the charity’s Inspiring the Future programme
- Keep on top of key trends and topics in employer engagement and careers related learning for schools
- Support the Schools Team with engagement, event coordination, and project delivery, while collaborating to share best practices and promote active platform use in schools.
- Other ad hoc administrative tasks to support the team as needed
We are looking for an agile worker, capable of absorbing key information quickly, as well as handle a voluminous work load. The successful candidate will be passionate about supporting young people to realise their potential and understand the power of volunteering. Education and Employers is a small charity working at a rapid pace to bring about change and the ideal candidate will be a self-starter with strong communication skills, able to absorb key information quickly and work well with a small team in a dynamic working environment.
Person specification
Skills/ Knowledge/ Expertise
Essential
- Proven experience in relationship management, with the ability to engage confidently and sensitively with schools, colleges, and partner organisations at all levels, including headteachers and senior management.
- Strong organisational, project management and administrative skills including close attention to detail and effective time management
- An articulate and confident communicator with a proven ability to facilitate and host events in diverse environments, including schools, colleges, and corporate settings. Skilled in presenting concepts both face-to-face and virtually to different age ranges, demonstrating influence and effectiveness in all interactions.
- Good level of education, demonstrating capability in producing written content to a high standard. Comfort and confidence in working with data.
- Demonstrable experience of managing a diverse workload; being able to prioritise work and working under pressure.
- Good working knowledge and practical application of Microsoft office tools
Desirable
- A passion for supporting young people in realising their potential through harnessing skilled volunteers to engage in education;
- A successful track record in delivering tangible outcomes through engagement with employers and professional networks;
- Experience of client relationships management databases in particular Salesforce
- Experience of working to deliver significant national Key Performance Metrics using resources (human and financial) efficiently and effectively;
- Experience of working in a small team
- Experience of working with schools and volunteers
- Understanding of risk management and data protection.
Personal Attributes
- Good level of education, demonstrating strong client facing aptitude and communication skills both written and verbal. Comfort and confidence in working with a variety of external stakeholders, having an entrepreneurial and enterprising approach to their work.
- Good working knowledge and practical application of Microsoft office tools and customer relationships software
- A “doer”- ability to anticipate requirements and act to provide workable solutions
- Creative and solutions orientated, perceiving processes as the means rather than the end and as an aid to effective delivery
- Influencer - demonstrates personal ‘presence’ and gains the confidence of others through temperament, capability and calibre
- Demonstrates sensitivity and possesses the ability to manage effectively the organisational tensions that sometimes develop between all stakeholders involved in the organisation and delivery of the event.
- Team Player: working collaboratively and flexibly to achieve outcomes and is keen to add value to the organisation’s culture and ethos
- Able to undertake some occasional work in the evenings and at weekends
- Able to travel in the UK if required
Application process
The Education and Employers charity values having a diverse workforce. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals from all backgrounds. We offer a range of inclusive employment and family friendly policies as well as flexible working arrangements in order to support staff from different backgrounds.
The closing date for applications is 5pm Wednesday 4th September. Interviews will take place in the week commencing 9th September.
Please note we will only consider applications with both a CV and covering letter and applications will only be accepted from those with the right to work in the UK with a valid passport/visa.
The Charity is fully committed to safeguarding those in our care. We plan our recruitment processes to ensure effective timelines for any required vetting processes such as enhanced DBS, qualification, reference and identity checks. The Charity also ensures that each staff member is appropriately trained for their duties with a comprehensive induction process on commencement.
About the Education and Employers charity
Education and Employers is an independent UK based charity launched in 2009 with the vision of “providing children and young people with the inspiration, motivation, knowledge, skills and opportunities they need to help them achieve their potential”. It aims to achieve this by working with schools, employers, the national bodies that represent them and a wide range of other partners including the government and third sector organisations. The charity also works with partners internationally – more details visit our website.
The charity runs Inspiring the Future, a free service which uses innovative match-making technology to connect volunteers with state schools and colleges, quickly, simply and at scale. Schools can very easily search a massive database of willing volunteers, filter against a wide range of criteria – e.g. subject, sector, career route and send them a message. It enables young people, wherever they live, whichever school they attend, the opportunity to meet people from a wide range of backgrounds doing jobs from across the whole world of work.
Over 90,000 people have already volunteered in the UK - people from all levels: apprentices to CEOs and all sectors: apps designers to zoologists and over 85% of English secondary schools have registered. People can volunteer from an hour a year in a local primary or secondary school to chat informally about their job and career route, take part in career speed networking session, give careers insights, provide mock interviews or feedback on CVs through to serving as a governor or trustee. There is also the opportunity to link up with schools for workplace visits, job shadowing and mentoring.
Inspiring the Future operates on a technology platform kindly developed in partnership with Deloitte, Salesforce and Ordnance Survey. It allows the charity to run national campaigns others focused on specific geographic areas or economic sectors such as engineering, science, health and arts and culture. The campaigns have secured high profile support across government, business and teacher associations and ongoing corporate partnerships including our lead corporate partner Bank of America.
In partnership with the National Association of Head Teachers the charity has developed a version for primary schools called Primary Futures and over 6,500 primaries have already signed up. To see a short clip on how it works please visit our website. All campaigns run through Inspiring the Future share a common objective: to broaden young people’s horizons, raise their aspirations and show them the range of opportunities and careers routes e.g. apprenticeships and university open to them. Over 3.5 million interactions between young people and volunteers from the world of work have already taken place.
The charity runs Inspiring Governance the free governor recruitment and support service. This Department for Education funded service aims to get highly skilled volunteers to serve as governors in some of the most disadvantaged schools in England and in so doing help raise educational achievement.
Since the Charity’s launch it has sought to understand what difference employer engagement in education makes to young people and the economy. It works with academics and researchers from around the world and its own research is regularly cited by government and international organisations like the OECD. The research, which has informed and influenced a range of government policies, shows that employer engagement helps improve social mobility, reduces the likelihood of young people becoming NEET (not in education, employment of training), increases the amount they earn in adult life, helps them make better informed career choices and leads to improvements in educational attainment.
Ensure that every young person in our country has the opportunity to meet a diverse range of volunteers to hear about jobs and the world of work.
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The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Contract: Permanent, full time, 35 hours over 5 days
Salary: £43,962 - £47,502
Location: Hybrid – 2 days in the office (Burford, OX18 4PF), 3 days remote
Closing date: Sunday 1 September 2024
Interview date: w/c 19 September 2024
Join Blue Cross as a Project Manager and help us create a brighter future for pets and the people who love them. As part of the central Strategic Planning team, we need your project management expertise to help deliver a portfolio or projects and programme and ensure we make a positive impact for pets and people!
More about the role
Blue Cross has recently launched its new three-year strategy, called Our Focus. As a Project Manager you’ll play a vital role in shaping our future through its delivery. Alongside the rest of the Strategic Planning team, you’ll be responsible for managing a varied portfolio of projects and programmes that support our strategic goals and improve the lives of pets. We’re looking for someone who will use our methodology to bring structure and organisation to their work, while also fostering collaboration and innovation.
At Blue Cross, we offer a rewarding career where you can make a tangible difference to the lives of pets. You'll join a passionate and dedicated expert team committed to our purpose to help pets and people thrive together.
As a multi-faceted organisation, we offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and expertise across various areas, from animal welfare to fundraising and marketing. This breadth of experience will enhance your project management capabilities and provide opportunities for career growth. It also offers fantastic variety – no two projects are ever the same!
We provide a supportive and collaborative work environment, opportunities for professional development, and a competitive benefits package, including flexible working arrangements.
What you’ll do:
- Plan and deliver your projects using our tried-and-tested project management approach (based on Prince2) to achieve successful outcomes.
- Keep a close eye on project progress, budget, quality and performance to ensure we meet our goals.
- Build strong relationships with colleagues and external partners linked to your projects.
- Work collaboratively to create realistic plans and allocate resources effectively.
- Clearly communicate project updates, challenges, and successes to stakeholders and senior leadership.
- Manage changes and issues, finding creative solutions.
- Identify and manage project risks.
- Maintain accurate and up-to-date project records.
Want to know more? We've attached a detailed job description that outlines the role and responsibilities in greater depth.
To understand our vision and strategic direction, please take a look at our '2024-2026 Our Focus'. It outlines our key priorities and strategic goals that guide our projects and initiatives.
About You
We’re seeking a highly motivated and experienced Project Manager with a passion for project management and pet welfare. You’ll be a natural leader with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
You’ll have a proven track record of delivering successful projects on time and within budget to meet their goals.
What You’ll Bring
- Experience leading successful projects from start to finish
- Strong project management skills and in-depth technical knowledge (Prince2 or equivalent)
- Excellent organisational and planning abilities
- A keen eye for detail and accuracy
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills with experience of engaging, influencing and working with diverse teams
- A passion for pet welfare
- Ideally, experience managing multiple projects simultaneously
- Experience working in a busy role and to deadlines
- Advanced MS Excel skills
- Previous animal welfare/charity experience (desirable)
Ready to join us?
Click the ‘Apply Now’ button to complete a short application form and upload your CV ahead of the closing date at 23:59 on Sunday 1 September 2024.
We may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Blue Cross benefits
Our people are the most important part of delivering our purpose. If it weren’t for their amazing efforts and commitment, we wouldn’t be able to make the difference that we do today. In return, we want to provide you with the best working environment we can.
With a wide range of perks aimed at enhancing your life both inside and outside of work, you'll
thrive in a supportive and rewarding environment.
Our generous benefits package includes:
- Enhanced annual leave entitlement: 30 days plus bank holidays
- Pension scheme with enhanced employer contribution
- Life assurance
- Unlimited access to an employee assistance programme
- Programmes for physical and mental wellbeing support
- Free access to GP via MetLife
- Recognition scheme
- Annual volunteer days
- Claim for professional fees
- Charity worker discounts across a variety of retailers.
To read more about the benefits Blue Cross has to offer, please visit the 'why work for us' page on our website.
About Blue Cross
Blue Cross is a national charity that has been helping sick, injured and homeless pets since 1897.
Every month we help thousands of pets and their people by providing veterinary care, expert behaviour advice and find homeless pets loving families. We also offer education for future generations plus pet bereavement support for those who have lost their beloved pet companion.
We love the ways that pets can make such an amazing difference to the people they live with and we offer lifelong support and advice to help that unique relationship thrive. With your support we can give back to more pets and their families who need our help.
Pets change lives. We change theirs.
Our commitment to diversity and inclusion
We believe that every pet should enjoy a healthy life in a happy home, and we always seek to recruit the best people who share our values and commitment so we can continue to help and support pet owners across the UK to achieve this.
At Blue Cross, we want you to feel that you belong, without the need to hide any part of who you are.
Diversity and inclusion at Blue Cross means creating a workplace where all people, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, nation or country of origin, disability, age, and socioeconomic backgrounds are welcome, respected, supported, and have access to equal opportunities.
We are working hard to reflect the world we live in and the communities we serve at every level of our organisation. As much as we have made positive advances, we consider diversity and inclusion to be a work in progress – a continual commitment that remains a priority for all of us.
If you would like to talk to us about any reasonable adjustments or changes to our recruitment process to support you to be your best, then please get in touch.
Our values
Our values define the way we do things. We use them every day to guide us, and to make sure we put people and pets at the heart of everything we do.
Compassionate: We listen, we are non-judgmental, we are kind and caring to the pets and people we encounter, and we offer support in difficult times
Courageous: We make brave decisions, embrace change, and encourage innovation, ensuring we always act with integrity – doing the right thing even when no one is looking
Inclusive: We value all our relationships and work in an open and positive culture where we celebrate our diverse talents and empower you to be you
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle climate crises, protect nature, improve workers’ rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society’s best interests at its core.
Position
As part of our Health team, the Initiative Lead – Clean Air Initiative is responsible for driving our air quality campaign strategy, collaborating with institutional investors and pushing major corporates to improve their air quality management. This role is key to advancing corporate accountability, deepening stakeholder engagement, and integrating health into responsible investment practices. The Initiative Lead plays a vital role in our projects and campaigns by refining our strategy, prioritising target companies, and leading the execution of our air quality initiatives.
A typical week would see you strategising with investors, developing compelling arguments for change, leading discussions with major corporations, and drafting impactful communications to stakeholders. You’ll regularly engage with institutional investors and corporate leaders, forming strong relationships and using your expertise to influence air quality management and drive progress in our Clean Air Initiative.
Finally, in this role, you will help ShareAction harness the power of investment to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. By scaling up the Clean Air Initiative, securing long-term funding, and embedding air quality as a critical aspect of responsible investment, you’ll contribute to shaping a healthier, more sustainable future.
If this role sounds like something that would build on your current skill set and engage you, we’d love to hear from you!
Requirements
We’re looking for someone who’s passionate about holding global organisations accountable for their impact on people and the planet. If you’ve managed campaigns in public health, sustainability, or environmental issues, excel at stakeholder engagement, or have a knack for diving deep into complex challenges, we want to hear from you. This role is perfect for someone with experience in research, campaigning, or responsible investment who thrives on working with diverse stakeholders and driving meaningful change. Even if you don’t check every box, we encourage you to apply – skills are transferable, and we’re open to fresh perspectives on achieving our mission.
We are currently formalising our hybrid working policy; however, most of the Health team meets in the office on a weekly basis (and we require the team to come in at least once a month).
What we will do for you
We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day, they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive, and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.
Currently, we are pleased to offer:
- A commitment to flexible working: over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place.
- Hybrid working: we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role.
- Internal promotion and development opportunities: we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we also offer direct progression.
- The opportunity to help make a difference: we tackle some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
- Unionised work environment: our staff have the opportunity to join the union and are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
- Regular in-person meetings, including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
- 8% non-contributory pension: invested with NEST and their green funds.
- Healthcare cash plan with Westfield that gives you money back on your healthcare costs.
- Employee assistance programme: advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling.
- 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year, ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
- Enhanced family leave pay: up to 18 weeks paid at 90% for either parent.
- Enhanced sick pay: starting at 5 weeks’ full pay from day one.
- Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.
ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities, and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won’t apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!
For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.
Closing date: 9.00 am on Monday 16th September 2024
First-round interviews: Friday 20th September 2024 (online)
Second-round interviews: w/c 23rd September 2024 (in person)
Our hiring process is anonymised; we won’t ask for a cover letter, and we don’t look at CVs until the interview stage. We do this so that we reduce the opportunity for unconscious biases to affect our decision-making, and so we prioritise skills and expertise over how well you can write a CV.
To be considered for this post you must be legally eligible to work in the UK; unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.
Please be aware that when shortlisting, we are really keen to get a sense of your unique voice and individual experience, especially if you are using generative AI tools as part of your drafting process.
Living Wage Foundation
The Living Wage Foundation was launched in 2011 by Citizens UK to tackle in-work poverty and ensure that workers earn enough to live on and participate in family and community life. Citizens UK is the home of community organising with diverse civil society alliances set up to develop leaders to work on the issues that matter to them, such as the Living Wage. Other projects include PACT (Parents and the Community Together) and Sponsor Refugees to add depth to the impact of Citizens UK’s work.
The Living Wage is a movement of businesses, organisations and people who believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The real Living Wage is an independently-calculated hourly rate based on the cost of living and announced each November during Living Wage Week, our annual celebration of a growing network of over 15,000 Living Wage Employers.
The Living Wage Foundation celebrates employers that voluntarily choose to pay the real Living Wage through an accreditation scheme that recognises a long-term commitment to fair pay and has secured pay rises for over 480,000 low paid workers.
The Living Wage Foundation is part of Citizens UK – a community organising charity which works with a broad base of institutions across the political spectrum. At the Living Wage Foundation, we take a deliberately broad-based approach and accredit all organisations who pay the real Living Wage to their directly and indirectly employed staff and are committed to tackling in work poverty. As a team we work across a range of industries and sectors to achieve this mission. We seek pragmatic coalitions in order to progress specific campaigns, and partnership around a particular issue such as Living Wage, does not imply an endorsement of broader purpose and policies.
Citizens UK
Citizens UK is the biggest, most diverse and most effective people-powered alliance of local communities working together for the common good. Our mission is to develop leaders, strengthen civic organisations and make change. Our 550 member communities are deeply rooted in their local areas and connect every day to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Through the method of community organising we enable people experiencing powerlessness to develop their leadership and come together with the power and strategy to make change.
This leads to hundreds of neighbourhood improvements - from zebra crossings outside primary schools to renovated public toilets in cemeteries. And it leads to some of the biggest campaign impacts in the UK, such as winning over £3 billion of wages through the UK Living Wage campaign, securing a legal cap on the cost of credit to control exploitative lending, and ending the detention of children for immigration purposes. We enable local campaigns to grow into large-scale social change projects such as the Living Wage Foundation, Parents and Communities Together (PACT), Sponsor Refugees, and Refugees for Justice, that form an integral part of our theory of change. The most prominent of these is the rapidly growing Living Wage Foundation with a network of almost 15,000 accredited Living Wage Employers across the UK.
Purpose
The Living Wage Foundation has an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic team as a Communications Officer. We are looking for an exceptionally motivated and organised individual who enjoys working in a fast-paced, high-profile communications environment.
The role will support the objectives of the Living Wage Foundation by communicating our work to a wide range of audiences, including senior business leaders and politicians, through a mix of communications methods: social media, newsletters, media outlets, website and internal communications channels.
The post holder will be responsible for day-to-day monitoring and management of our social media channels, supporting with written and visual content creation for the Living Wage Foundation, and will support the development of press campaigns to build awareness of the Living Wage Foundation’s work. The role will work closely to support the Communications team’s work and help communicate the work of the wider-team and our employer network.
This post will be joining a Communications team that spans media, digital communications, research and events, with colleagues based across the UK with monthly in-person team meetings.
The role is also responsible for key communications with our network of over 15,000 accredited Living Wage Employers, including our monthly newsletters, blogs, videos and case studies to celebrate our network of accredited employers
The position would suit an applicant with strong written and communication skills, with some experience of working within a communications team and a passion for social media and content creation.
This is an entry level role and we don’t expect you to have experience of all areas of this job, training will be provided to help you develop into this role.
Main Responsibilities
Social Media and Website
· Oversee our digital communications channels to raise awareness of the Living Wage and our wider accreditation schemes, champion responsible employers and grow our movement.
· Help the team keep up to date with social media trends and opportunities.
· Create, manage and schedule posts for our Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram accounts, tailoring the content to different channels and audiences.
· Monitor our social media channels, replying to enquiries from the public and our networks of supporters and employers and flagging any potential issues to the wider team
· Source and create original content for both the Living Wage Foundation and external websites, including creating blog posts, news, guidance, and general pages.
· Audit and review existing website content to ensure it is effective and up-to-date. Support on improvements and developments where necessary.
Internal Communications
· Administrate and facilitate communications team meetings.
· Communications support for key events and campaign moments including the annual Champion Awards and Living Wage Week.
Situational Awareness and Research
· Help the team keep up to date with social media trends and opportunities.
· Monitor and evaluate media campaigns and reports.
Strategy Development· Contribute to media strategies and plans that help to win public and political support for the Living Wage Foundation and its work.Reputational Risk and Management
· Monitor our social media channels, replying to enquiries from the public and our networks of supporters and employers, and flagging any potential issues to the wider team.
· Participate in the out-of-hours duty press (being on hand to very occasionally answer emails and phone calls in the evenings or weekends).
Content Creation and Dissemination
· Working with the communication team, design and implement engaging digital engagement campaigns for Living Wage Employers and supporters, and to support Living Wage Foundation campaigns.
· Design communications collateral to increase engagement on social media, including the creation and editing of short-form videos for our online channels and creation of social media graphics.
· Improve our digital offering for our network of accredited Living Wage, Living Hours, and Living Pension Employers by creating resources and improving our communications support.
· Liaise with the Living Wage and Citizens UK team to keep up-to-date with news to share with key stakeholders.
· Collate and summarize content to schedule newsletters and updates for our varied audiences.
· Support in the adoption of updated brand across our communications content and materials, supporting others to use brand and tone of voice guidelines.
· Write compelling press releases, blogs, and opinion editorials to promote the Living Wage Foundation’s work.
· Work with colleagues to develop case studies and ensure stories of low pay and the Living Wage are told effectively across all our internal and external communications channels.
· Build effective relationships with the media, colleagues, and other stakeholders to find new ways to raise our profile.
Key skills
Essential
· An interest and enthusiasm for communications and marketing, and the mission of the Living Wage Foundation
· Interest in media and the news landscape
· Excellent knowledge of a wide range of social media channels
· Strong written and verbal communication skills including the ability to write for different audiences
· Excellent attention to detail
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Ability to create high-quality and engaging content for social media (whether for a personal or business account) and a good understanding of what makes compelling content
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Strong analytical skills and ability to evaluate the success of a campaign
· Ability to build strong relationships with colleagues and external stakeholders
· Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders
· Ability to juggle and prioritise competing demands
· Highly self-motivated with ability to work well independently as well as part of a team
· Good IT skills, including experience using Microsoft Office
· Creative thinker and problem solver
· Excellent planning, organisation, and prioritisation skills.
· Creative with an eye for design and ability to come up with new ideas for content
Desirable
· Experience using graphic design software (e.g., Canva, Adobe Creative Suite).
· Experience filming and editing video content
· Experience with website and content management platforms.
Interviews will take place Thursday 5th September (subject to change).
About the Application Process
We work within diverse communities bringing people together. In line with our Inclusion value, we would love to see applications from LGBTQIA+ people, people from racialised communities, people living with disabilities and people of faith, all to better represent the communities we work in. We want our employees to have the working conditions that allows them to fully participate, be able to be their best authentic selves and thrive doing so, and we have employee networks to support staff. Even if you don’t quite meet all the required criteria still consider applying, as we invest in our employees and support them to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver their role.
Got any more questions?
If you would like further information on the role, the organisation, or our commitment to addressing under-representation and the development and progression of all colleagues, we would be happy to answer any questions.
We will be holding a webinar on 28th August at 12pm (register here) where anyone can attend to find out more about the role, all enquiries welcome. In the past, candidates have found this a helpful space for understanding whether the role is right for them.
Living Wage Foundation
The Living Wage is an independent movement of businesses, organisations and people who believe that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. The Living Wage campaign was launched by London Citizens in 2001 and aims to ensure low paid workers have enough money to get by and enough time for community and family life.
The Living Wage is an hourly rate calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK that employers choose to pay on a voluntary basis. The Living Wage Foundation recognises and celebrates employers that pay the real Living Wage through an accreditation programme which awards the Living Wage Employer Mark.
The independently-calculated rates are announced during Living Wage Week each November when we celebrate our growing network of Living Wage employers. There are now more than 15,000 accredited Living Wage employers across the UK which has secured pay rises for over 475,000 employees.
The Living Wage Foundation is part of Citizens UK – a community organising charity which works with a broad base of institutions across the political spectrum. At the Living Wage Foundation, we take a deliberately broad-based approach and accredit all organisations who pay the real Living Wage to their directly and indirectly employed staff and are committed to tackling in work poverty. As a team we work across a range of industries and sectors to achieve this mission. We seek pragmatic coalitions in order to progress specific campaigns, and partnership around a particular issue such as Living Wage, does not imply an endorsement of broader purpose and policies.
Purpose
The Living Wage Foundation has an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic team as an Operations and Data Manager. We are looking for a highly motivated and organised individual to maintain, develop and continuously improve our systems. The role will be an integral part of the Living Wage Operations Team, providing strategic technical support and ensure the integrity of our systems, often overseeing development projects with external partners.
The Operations and Data Manager will need to be highly numerate and have great analytical skills to support our monitoring and evaluation functions, working with the Head of Operations and Insight on financial and budgeting management, reconciliation and forecasting for the Living Wage Foundation. The suitable candidate will be detail-oriented, be able to demonstrate their ability to seek out improvements and problem solve creatively and have experience working with Salesforce or equivalent CRM systems.
Main Responsibilities
Project Management
Deliver work targets on time and to standard to support the Foundation’s progress incl. tracking performance and expenditure:
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Lead the day-to-day operations and management of all systems within the Living Wage Foundation designed to support the functioning of Living Wage accreditation schemes.
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Proactively seek out systems improvements to make our processes more efficient so the Living Wage Foundation continues to provide an excellent service to the Living Wage network.
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Provide operational support for all aspects of the accreditation and recognition systems, including identifying and fixing errors
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Oversee the management of systems integrations to ensure they are providing efficient and effective solutions to our data requirements, including maintenance of Zapier, Form Assembly, Act-On and QuickBooks, and the integration between Salesforce and our Drupal website.
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Carry out maintenance of integrated systems, including syncing data to Act-On and the website.
Learning and expertise
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Keep up-to-date with functional good practice and technical updates to all our systems, including within the third sector.
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Train the team to carry out data selections and export in an appropriate format to support the press and communications team’s work and the Foundation’s research projects.
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Keep internal training manuals up to date to ensure the Foundation’s team can access clear information about our processes and ensuring the team’s training requirements are met.
Communications
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Create and write dashboards and reports to support the analysis of our performance.
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Champion systems throughout the organisation to ensure a positive user experience.
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Offer ad hoc guidance to the team and communicate any changes to systems.
Develop and manage external relationships
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Oversee the work of our external developers
Develop and manage internal relationships
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Work with the Living Wage Foundation team to identify business requirement and translate them into technical solutions
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Line management of Operations Officer.
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Work effectively with colleagues across Citizens UK, actively participate in the team and organisational wide events
Income and resources
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Maintain and improve the financial integrations between our database and accounting software to allow accurate invoicing and financial reporting systems.
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Ensure the integrity and safety of our data, including training the team on good data-keeping practices and GDPR considerations.
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Track expenditure for systems providers and the associated budget
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Contribute to plans and proposals to grow sources of income or resources
Contribute towards Citizens UK’s strategic objectives
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Responsibility for delivering agreed areas of the Foundation’s work plan
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To work collaboratively with the LWF team and across Citizens UK to ensure that we are meeting the expectations of our network and stakeholders
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Display self-awareness of DEI issues and good practice, considering impact on direct reports and stakeholders.
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Understand how your role contributes to the purpose of the Foundation and the core mission of Citizens UK
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Implement Citizens UK’s and the Foundation policies, procedures, and values in own work and that of the team
Person Specification
(REQUIREMENTS ESSENTIAL = E, DESIRABLE = D)
EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS
A minimum of 2 years proven, comprehensive experience in an operations role (E)
Experience of analysing business requirements and turning them into technical solutions(E)
Experience of providing technical support to a team(E)
Experience of managing database integrations such as Zapier, QuickBooks, Form Assembly and email marketing platforms(D)
Degree or equivalent professional qualification or experience (D)
KEY SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Extremely analytical with the ability to interpret large quantities of data to evaluate and improve performance (E)
Comprehensive understanding of database and systems management and integration(E)
Ability to take in and interpret information and communicate in a succinct manner(E)
Demonstrable ability to find creative solutions to complex problems and implement new systems(E)
High levels of numeracy with strong attention to detail (E)
Excellent time management skills with the ability to juggle a wide range of competing demands. (E)
Strong IT skills to include MS Office and database software(E)
Sound knowledge of data protection regulations and GDPR (E)
Understanding of the policy and campaign landscape in the UK (D)
PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
A proactive approach to all areas of work with a ‘can do’ attitude and a flexible approach to work demands(E)
A strong commitment to the Living Wage campaign and principles of Citizens UK (E)
Interviews will take place on 18-19th September 2024 (subject to change).
Want to find out more about us and the role? Join us for a 45-minute lunchtime webinar to learn more about working at the Living Wage Foundation/Citizens UK. There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions to the team during the session but you can also submit a question in advance when you sign up to the webinar. Please note that attendees will remain anonymous. The webinar will take place on 28th August 2024 at 12pm on Zoom. Sign up here.