Director of Services

PLEASE NOTE AN APPLICATION FORM AND SHORT COVER LETTER WILL BE REQUIRED, AND THE CANDIDATE MUST HAVE A RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

We are delighted to be recruiting for our next Director of Services, who'll manage our adult, family and youth services, supporting ADHD and Autistic people in NW London, their families, and the professionals who work with them. As a trusted member of our senior leadership team you will be driving impact for the more than 4,000 people we work with each year by:

• developing and implementing service strategies and plans
• acting as the designated safeguarding lead
• driving equity, diversity, and inclusion internally, and in the way we deliver our work
• collaborating on service evaluation, measurement and reporting
• liaising with funders and supporting fundraising efforts
• representing CAAS externally

The role will be based in our office in Eastcote for 3 days per week, with the possibility for home working for the remainder of the time.

Salary £50k FTE.  Note the salary listed is a full time equivalent salary based on 35hrs per week, so actual salary will vary depending on hours agreed.

Hours: Part time 28hours per week. Potential for full time if additional facilitation or training work is taken on.

Terms: Permanent role

Additional project work may be available on an ad-hoc basis. Flexible hours, evening and weekend work may be required, and the work pattern may vary each week.

 

Job Summary

CAAS provide an ADHD and Autism Support Service for the 8 boroughs of NW London, from our base in Eastcote, with a team of Support Workers. Our work includes offering information, advice, and support to ADHD / autistic people, their families, and professionals in NW London, with the aim of improving quality of life and developing neurodiverse-aware communities. Some of the support is offered through one2one meetings, some of the support is provided through groups and courses which aim to increase understanding and awareness, and provide opportunities for peer support, and some of the support is offered through training and workshops to educate professionals and drive for accommodations to be made to services to allow greater access for our client group.

As Director of Services, you will work closely with the CEO, leading on the management of the Adult Services, Youth Services and Family Services workstreams within the charity, ensuring the high quality service provision for which we are known. The role sits within the senior leadership team at CAAS, alongside the Finance Director, and manages the Youth Services Manager, the Family Services Manager and the Adult Services Manager, who in turn manage around 20 staff between them.

The Director of Services provides a crucial role in ensuring the infrastructure and operational workings of the charity are effective for the more than 30 staff we employ, and the more than 11,000 instances of support we provide each year. Therefore, we are looking for a capable, calm, self-motivated, organised and hard-working Services professional who has worked in a management role directly responsible for service delivery in another charity.

The role requires strong organisation skills, excellent communication and relationship building skills, significant experience of operational service delivery, team leadership experience, the ability to articulate and drive our impact, and a good understanding of fundraising and monitoring requirements in a medium sized charity. Ultimately you will have the drive to ensure that everyone who works for us, and everyone who seeks support from us, has the best possible experience.

There is no requirement for any experience of delivering services that support ADHD / autistic individuals, as we will provide training, but it would be helpful to have a good understanding of the conditions, and the strengths and challenges they may bring. A genuine acceptance of diversity and a keenness to make an impact are essential.

 

Key Responsibilities – Strategic and Organisational

· To lead in the development and implementation of CAAS strategy in our work with service users, ensuring that all our services have a thoughtful strategic underpinning, and a measurable and significant positive impact for our clients. Represent the needs of our clients in strategic and planning decisions.

· To work with the CEO to understand the organisational risks facing the charity within the service provision it provides, and to develop and implement the necessary mitigations

· To be the designated safeguarding lead in the charity and ensure our safeguarding procedures, practices and policies are fit for purpose.

· Develop, review, and communicate safeguarding and client risk management policies, procedures and controls, and ensure mitigations and improvement plans are in place for any control weaknesses identified.

· Own our organisational equity, diversity and inclusion policy and practice, and ensure it is truly embedded within our organisation so that we can extend our reach to include those under-served clients who may not always have been able to access our services. To ensure in our communications, in our practice and in our culture that we are truly inclusive, and make accommodations so that all how need us can access us.

· Prepare and present service department reports and reviews for the Board of Trustees, and build up effective relationships with the Board so that our services and the client whom we serve have a ‘voice’ in Board meetings.

 

Key Responsibilities – Impact

· To work collaboratively with the CEO to develop and deliver clear methods of measuring the impact of services, and an appropriate Theory of Change model for our work, and use this information to continuously improve and articulate our service development.

· To develop and monitor a framework of key performance indicator targets and standards, to ensure all service managers are able to effectively appraise and improve where appropriate the service standards within their division.

· Evaluate the operational dashboards and reporting mechanisms to ensure trends are quickly identified and necessary changes put in place.

· To work with the communications team to maximize opportunities to ensure our services reach as many people as possible, as efficiently as possible and in a way that is appropriate within our branding guidelines.

· To provide impact data such that we can demonstrate to a wide audience the quality of the work that we perform, and the lasting impact that we have on those we reach

· Lead the Services Department in ensuring all projects are clearly documented, managed, reviewed and evaluated, and ensure a rolling programme of self-assessment and improvement is in place.

 

Key Responsibilities – Operational Management

· Manage the provision of high-quality services, in accordance with funder requirements and service specifications by leading and managing the Service Managers and by providing the necessary support and development in their roles. To be responsible for the support, management and development of all service staff, volunteers and freelancers.

· To support the Service Managers and the Head of Client Programmes with the planning and mobilisation of projects and contracts, ensuring services are delivered in line with funder requirements and timings. Have a willingness to ‘get into the detail’ as well as to provide more strategic leadership and direction within the delivery teams.

· Ensure overall service management across the different teams is complimentary and effective, that clients are triaged appropriately throughout the different service offer, that there are appropriate routes for clients to move through the different services, and that best practice is shared, and learnings incorporated right across our work.

· To ensure services are accessible to our clients, that projects are begun, maintained or stopped in a planned and thoughtful manner, and that the services we provide offer the very best support that is possible for our clients, taking into consideration latest research and understanding about the conditions, and about the people we wish to reach.

· To have specific responsibility for the risk management within services, for both clients and for projects. To review risk assessments, and ensure appropriate mitigations are developed and actioned.

· Participate in the recruitment and induction of all new services staff, and ensure that all service staff receive appropriate professional development plans and performance targets

· Ensure services staff and volunteers are focused on achieving CAAS’ mission, values and aims, and have the appropriate skills and management in order to deliver effective, efficient services.

· Work with the SLT to develop sustainable business models for the delivery of our services, and drive process improvements and efficiencies. Work with the Head of Client Programmes to develop our commercial trading services, ensuring a growth strategy that is profitable.

· Provide the management group with service quality and evaluation information to support them in planning their resource allocations, project delivery approach and funding requirements etc to ensure continuous development of improved practice.

 

Key Responsibilities - Financial

• To work collaboratively with the Finance Director, to support the development and use of effective management information systems, ensuring that all our services capture and report relevant monitoring data consistently and accurately.

• To have overall accountability for the service department budgets, to ensure CAAS works within agreed financial constraints, making best use of the funds available to us, including compliance with the financial reporting requirements to funders

• To support with financial planning, to ensure the continuation of our core programmes, and revise plans when financial targets require.

• To work collaboratively with fundraising colleagues, to identify new funding opportunities, and to develop new fundraising proposals and funding bids, which support and advance the work of the charity over the longer term.

• To write funding reports and outcome analyses, and prepare for and attend funding review and monitoring meetings.

• To understand the funding requirements of all projects, and ensure projects happen on time and within budget.

Key Responsibilities - Relationship Building

• To represent CAAS on key bodies and groups externally, ensuring that CAAS position and views are clearly and professionally provided in the best interests of our service users

• To establish and maintain effective working relationships both inside and outside the charity, particularly with health and social care agencies, to enhance the presence of the charity within the local delivery offer.

• To systematically evaluate and improve all elements of service delivery and quality by consulting with services users, staff and external stakeholders and by planning and implementing the necessary changes with genuine involvement of those we serve. To lead our client voice projects across the different service lines, to share best practice, and develop a sense of shared goals and messages to ensure CAAS is able to strategically develop in a way which is truly user-led.

Other Responsibilities

To carry out other tasks appropriate to the post and as agreed with the CEO

To actively participate and undertake training and development of self and others.

To comply with the H&S, EDI, data protection and code of conduct standards expected within the organisation

Please note job descriptions only reflect 80% of a role and are not an exhaustive list of duties. You are expected to carry out other activities within the scope of the role.

 

Person Specification - Essential

· Services Management Experience: Experience of delivering services directly to clients and of managing service delivery projects and teams to a high standard with a broad reach.

· Excellent Organisational and Leadership Skills: Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously with high attention to detail, crucial for handling a demanding workload and managing a busy team

· Stakeholder Engagement: Proven ability to engage and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders, including funders, partners, and community organizations.

· Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of representing the organisation effectively both internally and externally, at all levels including developing a close relationship with the Safeguarding Trustee and other Board members, preparing reports for funders, communicating complex information to staff and offering insights to the management group.

· Tech Proficiency: Skilled in using computer software such as CRM systems, Finance systems, Microsoft Office Suite and Phone Management Systems as well as be able to manage IT onboarding and admin requirements around computer hardware

· Adaptability and Probity: Capable of adjusting to changing priorities and managing a variety of tasks efficiently. High level of personal integrity and commitment to ‘doing the right thing’.

· Interpersonal Skills: Warm and welcoming demeanour, capable of active listening and using neuro-affirmative language to support inclusive communication.

 

Person Specification - Desirable

· Senior Leader: previous experience of working within a senior leadership team, with responsibility for a department and for strategic input as well as operational management

· Experience or Knowledge of ADHD or Autism: Prior experience or knowledge of working with ADHD/autistic individuals or understanding of the challenges faced by ADHD/autistic people.

· Safeguarding Experience: Previous experience of being the DSL, or of managing safeguarding in an organistion, and of writing and implementing safeguarding policy, processes and practice.

· Co-Production Experience: Previous experience of bringing authentic voices into service delivery, and demonstrative commitment to listening to feedback in a cycle of continuous improvement.

· Impact Evaluation and Reporting: Experience in program evaluation, measuring impact, and reporting results to stakeholders.

· Flexibility: Willingness to work flexible hours if required to meet organisational needs.

· Commitment to Continuous Learning: Demonstrated interest in personal and professional development, particularly in areas relevant to the role.

 

Equal Opportunities

CAAS recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equity and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds, including applications from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority communities, people who identify as having a disability, and LGB+, Trans and non-binary candidates.

We also recognise the value of flexible working, so will consider different types of flexibility (such as term time, annualised or compressed hours, and a minimum requirement of 60% working in the office for all staff), as well as the possibility of offering the role on a job share basis.

CAAS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.  The successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS disclosure.

 

To Apply

PLEASE NOTE WE WILL NOT ACCEPT CVS INSTEAD OF APPLICATION FORMS. TO APPLY FOR THIS ROLE, YOU MUST FILL IN THE APPLICATION FORM ON THE VACANCIES PAGE OF OUR WEBSITE BY 10AM MONDAY 12TH AUGUST