OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

The Destitution Project (DP) is a dynamic and well-respected charity at the forefront of refugee and asylum seeker support in Bolton, Greater Manchester.  Proud recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Voluntary Service!  As DP’s Operations and Development Manager, you will provide overall leadership and management for the drop in and casework operations, staff and volunteers. This will include attending and being responsible for oversight at the Wednesday Drop-in and liaising with service providers and partner organisations.

Our Wednesday Drop-in offers a safe, welcoming space for people to meet and mix.  We provide a hot meal; food parcels for asylum seekers; clothing and household goods and much more.  Our Casework Service provides information and support face to face at the Drop-in and remotely through the week to first time applicants; refugees newly granted Leave to Remain and refused asylum seekers.  

Our service is delivered by a passionately committed team of three staff members (part-time) and a volunteer core of thirty including 6 trustees. A few of the Team have been with the Project since its foundation as an independent charity in 2015; others have joined along the way, some having initially come to DP as service users themselves.  People with lived experience are central to everything we do, not just as service users, but as staff, volunteers and trustees.

You will work closely with DP’s Trustees and the DP Coordinating Committee to ensure smooth service delivery; develop and implement DP’s long-term strategic plans and, via consultation and feedback, build resilient services and activities that meet service users’ needs and help enhance the local community.  This will include building relationships in the community and representing DP at events and via external networks.

You will have experience of:

•   Managing and supervising the work of teams and individuals.

•   Decision-making in a wide range of situations including where risk management and safeguarding are considerations.

•   Managing competing interests within the workplace.

•   Understanding the circumstances and needs of refugees, asylum-seekers and vulnerable migrants.

The skills and attributes you will bring to DP:

•   A creative, flexible, problem-solving approach

•   Good communication (with a sense of humour)

•   Able to reflect and learn from experience,

•   Respectful of staff and volunteer knowledge and experience

•   Commitment to working in a manner, which promotes diversity and equity ensuring that everyone is treated with respect and dignity.