Area Manager - Devon and Cornwall

Role outline and purpose

Ensuring the delivery of The Trussell Trust’s vision to end the need for food banks in the UK by developing an in-depth understanding of Trussell Trust food banks in their area and using coaching and assist to build and hold productive relationships to:

·       Develop and execute a strategic plan for reducing the need for food banks’  services locally.

·       Work alongside local partners to increase public will for long-term solutions to end the need for food banks.

·       Develop and manage strategic relationships with key stakeholders to assist evidenced-based policy change at a local level and feed into activity to drive policy and practice at UK wide and national levels.

Responsibilities

·       Assisting trustees, staff and volunteers within food banks to develop their plans to end the need for their services locally through the strategic key areas of operations, volunteering, data, participation, church engagement, governance and stability, financial inclusion, stakeholder engagement, local influencing, referral pathways and signposting. 

·       Assist food banks to operate in a safe, legal and dignified manner (through calls, visits, training, meeting facilitation and our risk management and self-assessment processes) and assist the facilitation of good practice within the network and wider organisation (through cluster meetings, regional forums, road shows, webinars, peer support and internal meetings).  

·       Contribute to the development and promotion of support available to food banks through the Trussell Trust (including use of the digital hub, toolkits, partnerships and expert advice) and assist food banks with grant application processes, as required.  

·       Develop and manage positive relationships with relevant external stakeholders, including local councils and anti-poverty networks, to ensure the Trussell Trust vision is understood and able to influence local decisions, whilst supporting and empowering food banks to foster these relationships locally. 

·       Work with food banks to ensure that local churches (including church leaders) are connected to and have an understanding of the importance of ending the need for food banks in local communities. 

·       Support the development, and lead on aspects of delivery, of projects with food banks and external partners that contribute to ending the need for food banks. 

·       Ensure the voice of our network is heard throughout the organisation through reporting, information sharing and participation in additional working groups and projects. 

Technical skills and minimum knowledge:

·       Competent and efficient use of IT, particularly the main Microsoft Office programmes. Previous experience of Salesforce or similar CRM system is desirable. 

·       Experience of working innovatively and creatively.  

·       Experience of complex problem solving and responding to crisis situations.  

·       Strong organisational skills and experience of managing competing priorities within challenging timescales.

·       An appreciation and understanding of the significance of Christian faith within our food bank network, and the ability to build effective relationships in contexts where Christian faith plays a major part, and in which people of all faiths and none collaborate to make a difference together. Food banks in our network are typically governed by or run in partnership with local churches from across a wide range of denominations and traditions.