Hr Partner Jobs

Job title: Senior Programme Coordinator

Term: Full time, two-year fixed contract with the option to extend

Salary: £36,920 + generous benefits

Location: Office located in Victoria, London. We encourage flexible working and have a hybrid working policy in place with expectations of one to three days in the office per week.

Closing date: 12 noon, 25 November 2024

Interviews: 3 and 4 December

Working as part of our development and engagement directorate, this is an exciting opportunity for someone who is looking to further develop their project and event management skills within a busy and high performing team.

Our Digital Boards programme provides leadership development support to NHS Boards through bespoke board development sessions, peer learning events and written outputs. This role will involve working with the programme team and project partners to deliver a high volume of outputs every year.

To apply, please send a CV and cover letter setting out why you are interested in the role and how you meet the person specification to NHS Providers HR team.

Please also complete the online interactive equal opportunities monitoring form as part of your application.

Please note: You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy. NHS Providers is not able to offer visa sponsorship

NHS Providers is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported and welcomes applications regardless of sex, gender identity, race, age, sexuality, beliefs, or disability. To be successful in this role you will need to be personally committed to being anti-racist and support our broader diversity work across all protected characteristics.

Disability Business Partner – (Account Manager)

Business Disability Forum is the leading business membership organisation in disability inclusion. We are trusted partners, working with business, Government and disabled people to improve the life experiences of disabled employees and consumers, by removing barriers to inclusion.

• We work with over 600 members employing around 20% of the UK workforce and an estimated 8 million people worldwide.
• We advise, support and encourage businesses (many of them global) to become more disability-smart.
• We influence policymakers by representing the voice of employers, disabled employees and consumers.
• We provide evidence-based thought leadership on how business affects the lives of disabled people.
• We help effect changes in business practices, products, services and policies that positively impact the life experiences of disabled people, and also benefit business.

The role

To engage with and develop productive working relationships with the BDF membership helping to further their disability agenda over time using our knowledge, member services and paid for products where appropriate. Disability Business Partners have direct responsibility for their assigned Members and are expected to ensure each of their Members uses the members services available most appropriate to them and takes opportunities to introduce our paid for services where it is beneficial to the Member.

As an organisation BDF are a hybrid working organisation, though fully remote working would be an option.

The requirement

• Track record of successfully providing paid for solutions meeting agreed financial targets.
• Experience of providing support and advice to experienced professionals.
• Experience of working in or with business (private sector).
• Able to maintain accurate data collection records and recognise the importance of such.
• Able to priorities a full contact list and workload.
• Knowledge of sales processes including active listening.

For the full job description and person specification of this role and instructions on how to apply please visit our website below via the button below:

How to apply

Applications should be by CV and a supporting statement, of up to 400 words, detailing why you think you would be suitable for the role. If you require any adjustments to the application process, please contact Barnaby Powell as set out below. Applications should be addressed to Barnaby Powell, HR & Office Manager, Business Disability Forum, Dowgate Hill House, 14-16 Dowgate Hill, London EC4R 2SU. If you are submitting your application by email please do so to barnabyp @ businessdisabilityforum .org .uk

• Closing date for applications: Sunday, 1 December 2024.
• First interviews are planned for the weeks commencing 2 & 9 November 2024.
• Second interviews are planned for the week commencing 9 November 2024.

Business Disability Forum is committed to ensuring that all its information, products and services are as accessible as possible to everyone.

If you wish to discuss anything in regards to accessibility or if you require alternative formats please contact Barnaby Powell by email at address above or by telephone on 020-7403-3020.

For further information on Business Disability Forum please refer to our website via the button below.

Equal opportunities

We are committed to becoming disability-smart and an employer of choice irrespective of race (which includes colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, or pregnancy and maternity. The ethical and business case of ensuring that our workforce is representative of wider society is at the heart of what we do. When we are recruiting, disabled candidates who meet all of the essential criteria will be offered an interview

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Head of Employee Relations to lead our Employee Relations team within the Trust on a 12 month fixed term contract. The ideal candidate will hold an MCIPD qualification or equivalent experience, with a deep understanding of employee relations and employment law best practices. You will navigate complex legal matters, ensuring compliance with employment legislation while fostering a fair and inclusive work environment. Your strategic business acumen will be essential as you make high-level decisions that impact the entire organization and confidently advise senior stakeholders.

In this role, you will leverage strong analytical skills to monitor and improve employee relations activities, proactively addressing trends to enhance policies and practices. You will also play a key role in driving employee engagement and culture change, aligning people strategies with the Trust’s values. Excellent interpersonal skills are vital as you build trusting relationships across all levels, ensuring that both managers and employees feel supported in a culture of partnership and effective resolution of concerns.

Your proven leadership experience in employee relations, along with expertise in handling complex cases and policy development, will empower your team and contribute to the Trust’s mission of maintaining a fair and equitable environment. If you are passionate about employee relations and ready to make a significant impact, we invite you to apply!

MLC are exclusively partnering with a charitable organisation based in South-West London, to recruit their Learning & Development and Employee Wellbeing Manager on a 6-month fixed term contract.

This is a newly created role within the organisation, and a fantastic opportunity for a motivated and proactive candidate to play a pivotal role in establishing a long-lasting learning framework to build organisational capabilities, employee engagement through the use of Litmos training and development, health & wellbeing and staff governance standards across the organisation. 

Key responsibilities:

• Establish and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across the organisation to understand training gaps and learning requirements within the organisation, building infrastructure to foster a culture of continuous learning and employee wellbeing
• Pioneer a staff engagement platform, and work closely with the communication team to roll out key L&D projects (e.g. lunch and learns)
• Roll out a revised organisational induction programme, and additionally a new local induction process to managers
• Establish best use of their employee benefits platform - including Health Cash Plan and salary sacrifice options
• Coach key line managers on the importance of continuous development, and learning opportunities for their departments
• Contribute to L&D processes and policy reviews and ensure processes and policies are widely communicated and are having the required impact

Successful candidate criteria:

• CIPD Learning & Development level 5 or above (or equivalent)
• Strong background in designing, delivering, and evaluating learning and development programs
• Experience of analysing, presenting data and project management
• Strong communicator with an ability to build relationships
• Experience of working with a learning management system
• Experience within the Charity sector is strong desirable

This role is hybrid working, 3 days in office in South-West Greater London. It is an immediate starting full time, 6 month fixed term contract. If you possess the above skillset and experience, don’t hesitate to apply immediately as applicants are under constant review. Alternately, please reach out to Annabelle at MLC Partners for further details.

Are you looking for a role where you can develop your HR experience while working for a leading charity?

We have an exciting opportunity for someone to join us in the role of People Advisor to play a key role in delivering outstanding HR services across the organisation. The St Mungo’s People, Culture and Inclusion team are looking to achieve a number of ambitious and compelling goals which will have a real impact on colleagues across the organisation. 

You will be joining an enthusiastic team of People Advisors and Business Partners, working with managers across the organisation to provide advice on a broad range of employee relations issues, and generalist HR queries. Key responsibilities in this varied role will include:

• Overseeing a caseload of high, and low risk ER cases within designated regions of the organisation, providing advice and coaching to managers throughout the case management process.
• Providing ongoing advice and guidance to managers, to support them in managing their people well and delivering an effective service. 
• Ensuring a high quality, responsive, reliable and proactive service is provided to internal customers.
• Developing your own knowledge and experience in ER and HR advice services. We pride ourselves on supporting personal development and career progression across the team.
• Undertaking HR projects to improve the quality of the service in line with organisational objectives.

In this role you will be required to work flexibly for at least 2 days per week from our Central Office in Tower Hill, London. This allows for training, in person collaboration, team building, line management and other relationship building opportunities. We support a flexible approach to work with opportunities for agile working for the rest of your week; from home, or other St Mungo’s London or regional locations. 

About you

If you are an experienced HR Advisor looking for a new challenge, then this People Advisor role is a great opportunity for you to get involved with a fantastic organisation that works tirelessly to ensure that everyone has a place to call home and can fulfil their hopes and ambitions. If you can demonstrate the below, we encourage you to apply.

• Experience of providing advice on employee relations matters within a generalist HR environment, including managing cases to resolution.
• Good time management and prioritisation skills with the ability to manage a busy caseload.
• Strong understanding of employment law, good management practice and stakeholder management.
• Be a qualified member of CIPD (Level 5 or 7) or have equivalent experience of working on HR issues.

St Mungo's are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We strongly encourage applications from all under-represented groups.

How to apply

To view the job description and guidance on completing your application form, please click on the ‘document’ tab on the advert page on our website.

To find out more and apply please go to the St Mungo’s careers page on our website. 

Closing date: 10am on 4 November 2024

Interview and assessments on: week commencing 11 November 2024

What we offer

• Excellent Development and Growth Opportunities
• A Diverse and Inclusive Workplace
• Great Pay and Other Benefits

This is a pivotal new role in our organisation which will focus on supporting our HR function, premises
management and internal governance administration.

We are looking for a friendly, pro-active individual with a practical approach, excellent organisational skills and the ability to work across teams. High literacy skills and a willingness to develop and improve systems are essential. It would particularly suit someone interested in growing their skills and experience of HR processes. This role will be based at our main office in Bristol and will require the post holder to be present at our office (rather than working from home)

We are seeking a skilled and detail-oriented Senior Finance and Operations Manager to join our small but dynamic team at a critical stage of our work. With a refreshed strategy, expanded team and extended life we are looking for someone to manage the day-to-day delivery of an effective and efficient finance and operations function and provide vital support to the Director of Finance and Operations and Business Support Officer.

The successful candidate will become an integral part of the Access team, working in a collaborative and supportive environment with opportunities for growth and development. 

Key Responsibilities:

· Day to day management of the finance and operations functions

· Financial reporting

· Treasury management

· Line management and development of the Business Support Officer

· HR and IT support to colleagues

· Governance support to trustees

If this opportunity aligns with your career goals, please review our job pack, which includes the job description and person specification. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with the requirements before applying. If you feel this is this the right role for you, do not hesitate to apply, we would love to hear from you.

We are committed to being an inclusive organisation and actively promote equality of opportunity for all. We believe in the value of a diverse workforce and encourage applications from individuals with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. Selection for roles is based solely on individual merit, talent, skills, and potential.

As a charity, we are dedicated to reflecting the communities and individuals we aim to support. We particularly welcome applications from candidates who share lived experiences or come from backgrounds that align with those we serve. Diversity strengthens our ability to make a meaningful impact, and we encourage all who feel passionate about our mission to apply.

First round of interviews (via Zoom) will be held on Thursday, 7th November 2024.

Second round of interviews (in person) will be held on Tuesday, 12th November 2024.

We are recruiting for a permanent People Partner. You will be joining a busy and friendly team at this growing charity based in Surrey. This role will require an experienced HR Generalist or Business Partner, that is used to working on high profile cases but ideally also been part of a working group involved with strategies.

Ideally you will drive as we have one other site that is also within the Surrey area, that you will visit a few times a month though hybrid working at our main base is available.

Prospectus is delighted to be working with Cochrane who use research to enhance healthcare knowledge and influence better medical decisions. Whether you are a clinician, patient or carer, researcher, or policymaker, for the last 30 years, their evidence has provided a powerful tool to enhance your healthcare knowledge and decision-making. They are now currently looking to recruit for a new People & Culture Officer.

Please note, this is on a 6-month contract and available on a full-time (37.5 hours) or part-time basis.  This role is fully remote. The salary for this role is £30,000 FTE, which would be pro-rata for the 6 months.

In this position, you will support the Head of People & Culture and People & Culture Partner’s in providing HR support, to deliver a responsive, pro-active HR function. You will provide first line HR support and advice on various human resources related topics, processes and policies. You will support with recruitment processes and respond to staff queries. You will contribute to the development of HR processes and procedures across the organisation and support with generating paperwork, scheduling appointments and managing mailbox queries.
 
To be considered for this role you will have demonstrable experience working in a HR role. You will be CIPD Qualified Level 3 or working towards the qualification. You will have knowledge and understanding of basic employment law and good practise. You have experience/knowledge of the employee lifecycle and knowledge of good recruitment practise.
 
You will be IT literate with experience of using HRIS and Microsoft Office. You will have excellent communication skills and the ability to build rapport with a variety of stakeholders. You will enjoy working as a part of a team and able to work on your own initiative. You will also have the ability to remain discrete and confidential at all times. You will have strong organisational and time management skills.
 
As a specialist Recruitment Practice, we are committed to building inclusive and diverse organisations, and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you in your application.

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Langley Trust. For over 65 years Langley Trust has been supporting people with convictions to transform their lives. They are a charity that envisions a society where no one is unfairly disadvantaged or excluded due to their past. They believe in second chances, offering everyone a safe place to call home, the opportunity to thrive, and the possibility of transforming lives. 

As a Christian charity, guided by their values, they work in a Christ-like manner with all those they serve, warmly welcoming and helping individuals of all faiths, as well as those without.

Langley Trust are seeking a values-driven, organised, and results-oriented Head of People Operations. As Head of People Operations, you’ll lead their HR team, ensuring excellent customer service while helping Langley achieve its mission and strategy. You’ll be a practicing Christian leader with experience in leading prayers and devotions, who can nurture an uplifting environment where people feel appreciated, empowered, and fully supported to do their best work. 

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate:

• Is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (MCIPD)
• Experience in managing an HR Team of a similar sized organisation (£20m)
• Developing, interpreting, and implementing HR Policies and Procedures
• Expert knowledge and understanding of employment law and how to implement into policies and procedures
• A practicing Christian with experience of leading Christian devotions and prayer

This is an excellent opportunity to join a charity that proudly achieved Investors in People Gold for the third time in a row in 2022 and has been a finalist in multiple ‘Charity of the Year (£10m+)’ categories with the Charity Times Awards, most recently for our work in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. In addition to a competitive salary, the role comes with a range of benefits (see page 8 of the candidate pack for full details).

For more information, please contact Nick Thomas, Recruitment Consultant, Charisma Charity Recruitment. Your application should be submitted through the Charisma website and include your CV and supporting statement.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, religion*, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law.

*Due to the nature of the work, there is an Occupational Requirement that the post holder is a practicing Christian under the Equality Act 2010, Part 1, Schedule 9.

​Location: Hybrid/Coventry – Work on-site min 2 days per week

Closing date for applications: 11th November 2024

Please note applications are being reviewed and vetting interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis. When a suitable candidate is found the role will close so please apply without delay to avoid disappointment.

A note from Charisma

Don’t feel like you meet all of the requirements?  We’d still love to chat, we’re a people first recruitment partner.  We specialise in charity recruitment with over 22 years’ experience working as a consultancy who support inspiring professionals find the perfect roles in transformational organisation

Royal College of Art Students’ Union 

Director 

Salary: £54,057  

Location: Kensington, London 

Contract: Full time 

Join the Royal College of Art Students’ Union (RCASU) as our next Director! Lead a passionate team in a world-leading, postgraduate-only institution, enhancing the student experience. We are seeking an experienced, empowering manager to drive our 2022-27 strategic vision, collaborating with student leaders and stakeholders to shape RCASU’s future. 

About the Students’ Union  

At RCASU we represent 2,600 students, all of whom are postgraduate and around 60% of which are international students.

We're a democratic, membership organisation and all students at the Royal College of Art (RCA) are automatically members of the Union. Overall legal responsibility for the Students' Union rests with our Board of Trustees which is made up of two full-time Sabbatical Officers, two student trustees and three external trustees. The Sabbatical officers are elected each year by, and from, the student membership of the College; this is a full time paid role they take up after they have completed their studies.

We are seeking a dynamic and inspiring Director to champion the postgraduate student experience and drive our purpose forward. As a registered charity and independent voice for RCA’s diverse student community, RCASU is dedicated to influencing policy, advocating on behalf of students, and championing their needs at this world-renowned institution.

Our vision is to engage our members in creating an exceptional student experience at RCA and help students to achieve their potential; we can’t wait for you to help us achieve this vision! 

About the role  

Under the direction of the Board of Trustees, the Director is accountable for the performance, management, development and sustainability of RCASU and responsible for developing and leading the Union's services, strategy and objectives to meet students’ needs.   

As Director, you’ll work closely with RCA and our key partners, leading campaigns, shaping policies, and supporting student life. You'll also oversee our unique “Art Bar,” a popular space overlooking the Royal Albert Hall, which hosts events throughout the year. RCA’s influence in art and design has a legacy dating back to 1837; today, RCASU continues this legacy by supporting students who push creative boundaries. 

This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with passionate student leaders, a skilled staff team, and a supportive Board of Trustees. You'll safeguard a strong partnership with the College, ensuring the Students' Union is a vital and valued partner in enhancing the student experience. With your strategic direction, operational acumen, and championing of student voices, you'll lead RCASU into an exciting new era. 

The successful candidate won’t necessarily need to come from the Higher Education sector, but you must be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the trends and issues that affect our students. You’ll have a good understanding of charity governance, financial & commercial management, and organisational development. 

How to Apply   

Please click 'Apply’ to be redirected to our website, where you can download the Candidate Information Pack and Job Description and find details of how to apply.   

For an informal conversation about the role and application process, please contact Anh Ly at Atkinson HR Consulting.

Key Dates

Closing Date: Wednesday 27th November 2024, 9.00am  

First Stage Interviews (Remote): Tuesday 10th December 2024

Final Interviews (In-person in Kensington): Tuesday 17th December 2024

As our Partnership Recovery and Development Manager you will need to work collaboratively and effectively in partnership with all agencies to ensure productive partnership working. You will support the development and implementation of a range of voluntary community sector roles throughout community mental health services in the Recovery Bristol Partnership. You will manage our Assistant Recovery Navigators, Recovery Navigators, Crisis Workers, Peer Recovery Workers and Facilitated Discharge Worker working in different hubs across the city.

Key duties and responsibilities of our Partnership Recovery and Development Manager:

• Work in partnership with AWP and Second Step to ensure the development and performance of VCS staff
• Facilitate partnership working between VCS partners and AWP, by acting as a key advocate for VCS roles at all Partnership meetings
• Proactively and professionally address and resolve challenges, working in a collaborative way, to ensure VCS staff are working within the remit of their roles
• Maintain and promote good understanding of Community Mental Health Services and the wider Bristol Mental Health Services
• Analyse problems and situations and find long-term solutions that benefit and improve the partnership
• Support the RBP to embed VCS Management policies and procedures to support effective Human Resources management and ensure the health and wellbeing of VCS staff
• Promote a supportive and recovery focused culture within the Partnership
• Support recruitment across the partnership
• Carry out HR processes for staff working in the partnership, for example, inductions, probationary reviews, appraisals, performance and absence management and disciplinaries
• In partnership with AWP managers conduct quality assurance reviews and ensure any issues are resolved
• Uphold the values, ethos and culture of Missing Link ensuring staff feel valued, supported and connected to the organisation
• Work occasional evenings and weekends as required, and as part of the Missing Link on call system
• Carry out role adopting and promoting the values of the organisation and within the staff code of conduct

What we are looking for in our ideal Partnership Recovery and Development Manager

• IT skills including ability to produce various documents in Word, and use of email and internet
• Experience working with multi agency partners
• Significant experience working with people with mental health needs or a similar setting
• Implementing new ways of working / new practices within a recovery orientated service
• Experience of managing a team and working in disciplinary role
• Management experience, including staff support, supervision and performance management
• Excellent communication skills – written and verbal
• Proven knowledge of HR processes and procedures
• Demonstrable experience of being proactive rather than reactive: focuses on preventing problems in the future rather than just resolving immediate issues
• Hold a full driving licence and have access to appropriate motorised vehicle

Please apply now to join us as our Partnership Recovery and Development Manager and contribute to the valuable work Missing Link and its Partners do.

BookTrust is the UK’s largest children’s reading charity. We know that children who read are happier, healthier, more empathetic, and more creative. They also do better at school.

Working with every local authority and across every region in the country, and supported by Arts Council funding, we reach over 1.3 million children and families a year via partners in schools, children’s centres, health visitors and libraries. This incredible network helps us to get children reading across the country.

An exciting new role within the Marketing team at BookTrust, the Brand Marketing Executive will implement marketing strategies for BookTrust's established traded programmes, provide functions such as fundraising with marketing support and help the marketing team keep on track of all design projects.

This is an ideal role for an established Marketing Executive who is ready to work on national marketing and fundraising campaigns, manage marketing creative for a number of different audiences and support internal terms with marketing solutions.

The ideal candidate will have excellent project management skills, a keen eye for proof reading and attention to detail, able to build relationships across cross-department project teams, be an innovative problem solver and be passionate about brand.

To apply please complete the application along with a copy of your CV and covering letter showing how you meet the person specification and your motivations for applying for the role. Your covering letter should not be longer than two sides.

PLEASE NOTE: Applying as soon as possible is advised, as the vacancy may close early, due to the high volume of applicants.

Want to join us? Find out more about who we are by visiting our website. 

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusivity

We aim to provide an inclusive recruitment process and actively welcome applications from diverse talent pools: minority ethnic candidates, candidates with disabilities and long-term conditions and candidates from underrepresented communities.

We are committed to equality of opportunity and want to ensure we have an accessible application process for all candidates. If you need any reasonable adjustments or would like us to do anything differently during the application process, please contact our HR team (contact details can be found on our website) to discuss your requirements further.

BookTrust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The recruitment and selection process reflect our commitment to safeguarding therefore, the suitability of all prospective employees will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment, and pre-employment checks.

We seek a passionate and experienced General Manager to lead a dedicated team supporting refugees and asylum seekers. Working 3 days per week, you will play a vital role in ensuring the smooth operation of our organisation, overseeing staff well-being, and projects and promoting our charitable work.

Afrocats aims to promote social inclusion. We support children and young people from poorer backgrounds to have better access to supplementary education and related activities that will build their confidence, skill set and sense of belonging. We empower economically disadvantaged families and individuals to develop their skills and social networks, broadening their horizons through access to workshops and volunteering opportunities to gain vital employment skills. We engage with the wider public to challenge stereotypes around culture and immigration in a supportive and safe environment to help create a more positive narrative

Responsibilities

Team Management:

• Provide leadership and direction to our staff team

• Leading on evaluation and collating reports

• Manage regular team meetings online as well as Face-to-Face

• Problem-solving within the team and on projects

• Conduct one-on-ones and appraisals, pastoral care management and development opportunities for team members.

• Foster a positive and supportive work environment, promoting staff well-being initiatives.

• Ensure staff has appropriate training and understanding of all policies and procedures

Risk Management:

• Oversee the organisation's risk register, identifying and mitigating potential risks. Identify and implement appropriate software

• Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure a safe and secure environment for staff and service users.

Human Resources:

• Manage all aspects of the HR function, including recruitment, onboarding, and employee relations.

• Ensure compliance with relevant employment legislation.

• Address staff concerns and ensure a fair and supportive work environment.

Financial Management:

• Oversee the petty cash and ensure proper record-keeping and financial controls

• Manage Annual Leave and Toil.

• Work collaboratively with the board or finance team on budgeting and resource allocation.

Promoting the Charity:

• Develop and implement strategies to raise awareness of our work with refugees and asylum seekers.

• Build relationships as required with key stakeholders, including donors, funders, and partner organisations.

• Advocate for the needs of refugees and asylum seekers.

Wellbeing and Health Activities:

• Champion staff and service user well-being by identifying and implementing initiatives that promote mental and physical health.

• Coordinate with relevant organisations to offer support services.

Reporting

• Oversee the assimilation of quarterly and year-end Annual reports and Financial report 

Qualifications:

• Minimum 3 years of experience in a leadership or management role within the charity sector or a related field.

• Experience of managing projects and what happens on a day to day basis

• Proven experience in team leadership, staff development, and HR management.

• Strong understanding of risk management principles and best practices.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

• Passion for social justice and a commitment to supporting refugees and asylum seekers.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Other

• Manage and oversee our new database system