Job Description: Advice and Support Team Manager
1
Background
Providence Row tackles the root causes of homelessness to help people get off, and stay off, the
streets.
We provide a safe, warm and stimulating place for rough sleepers to stabilise their situation and
get the support and motivation they need to recover. Central to our work with clients are our
core values of Compassion, Respect, Inclusiveness, Empowerment and Justice. These inform the
content and style of all of our services.
As a key member of the charity’s Management Team, the Advice and Support Services Manager
is responsible for implementing plans for the service and overseeing all resulting day to day
operations. The service covers the following areas:
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Homelessness Prevention: providing individual advice and short-term support for
people who don’t generally access homeless services but are at high risk of imminent
homelessness
Routes to Roots: Supporting clients due for discharge from the Royal London Hospital &
other health settings, who don’t have access to accommodation and are not from the
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Rough Sleepers: providing individual support for clients who are sleeping rough and/or
in very insecure accommodation.
Women with complex needs: providing advice and support to women engaged in street
based prostitution and who have complex needs, working in partnership with specialist
women’s services
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Key Objectives and Responsibilities
2.1
Ensure the effective day to day delivery of the Advice and Support Services.
Key Outcome: Continuously improve the structure and delivery of our services
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2.2
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Ensure the service is delivered to a high standard, reflecting best practice in the field
and remains compliant with Advice Quality Standard accreditation requirements
Oversee all reporting to funders to ensure delivery against grant and Service Level
Agreement conditions.
Contribute to the day to day management of the premises to ensure that facilities run
smoothly for staff.
Oversee the development of the Advice and Support Services
Key Outcome: As above
Develop the Health & Wellbeing programme as it pertains to the Routes to Roots
service, building a business case for sustainable long term funding
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2.3
Develop, update and implement the service business plan.
Participate in best practice networks and offer written information, presentations,
project briefs and study visits to relevant organisations.
Review, monitoring and evaluation
Key Outcome: Excellent monitoring and evaluation systems are put in place which
inform the development of practice in the service for internal and external use.
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2.4
Maintain, review and develop systems to gather qualitative and quantitative
information to assess need, monitor work and demonstrate impact.
Conduct regular reviews with clients about service effectiveness and maximise client
involvement in service design and development.
Staff and Volunteer Management
Key Outcome: The service significantly increases the impact it makes for clients as a
result of bringing in the best staff, volunteers, pro bono support and sessional
specialists we can afford.
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2.5
Recruit, induct and regularly supervise a team of Senior Personal Advisers, in line with
Providence Row HR policies and procedures.
Conduct probationary and annual appraisals in line with Providence Row HR policies
and procedures.
Oversee the recruitment, induction, supervision and review of all volunteers engaged in
the service in line with Providence Row volunteering policies and procedures.
Engage with corporate volunteers and companies or individuals offering pro bono
assistance in order to support the delivery of the services.
Manage capacity building, training and development of all frontline staff in the Advice
and Support Team.
Manage budgets and resources
Key Outcome: The service operates within budget, making best possible use of
resources.
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2.6
Set, manage and monitor the Advice and Support Team budget.
Work with the Head of Fundraising and Head of Services to ensure sustainable funding
for the service.
Assist with other fundraising associated with service development as agreed with the
Head of Services
Manage relationships and relevant networks
Key Outcome: The charity has a reputation as a place of innovation and best practice
in the field, with resulting longer term public sector funding opportunities.
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Co-ordinate Providence Row’s contribution to service related networks ensuring:
attendance at relevant operational and strategic meetings and feed back and sharing of
information
Manage our relationships and statutory partners, in particular LBTH and The City.
Liaise with voluntary sector providers to establish joint working and partnership and
avoid duplication.
Represent the charity at events, seminars and other meetings which will inform service
development and promote best practice in service delivery.
2.7
Marketing and Communications
Key Outcome: The service has effective promotion and marketing systems, both
internally and externally, to ensure that the right clients are accessing the right
services.
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2.8
Identify the specific clients we would like this service to help, and conduct research
with these clients to demonstrate that this service is what they want and need
Conduct a Competitor Analysis of similar services in the locality, identifying the services
they provide, their strengths, weaknesses and estimated costs.
Work with the Marketing Manager to develop and implement effective promotional
activities appropriate to the relevant audiences.
Contribute to development of organisational strategy
Key Outcome: The charity has a clear strategy to support operational service delivery
and is achieving demonstrable progress against the long term aims and objectives.
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3
Act as a member of the Charity’s Management Team, focusing on the development and
delivery of services for clients, ensuring service delivery is aligned with other services
internally.
Ensure the Advice and Support Services are delivered efficiently and effectively through
the production of an annually reviewed service plan, linked to the organisation’s
strategy and the relevant Business Plans.
Other Duties
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Take on occasional pieces of work as agreed between the Advice and Support Team
Manager and the Head of Services as required. (Duties will fall within the scope of the
post at the appropriate grade.)
Attend occasional evening and weekend meetings and functions as required.
Work in accordance with the Charity's values, guiding principles, policies & procedures.
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Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Experience of managing a multi-faceted AQS accredited advice service delivering
social welfare advice to vulnerable adults
A thorough understanding of relevant legislation as it applies to the client group
Extensive experience of high quality management, coaching and development of
staff and volunteers.
Ability to maintain the confidence of funders through an understanding of effective
contract management and funding sensitivities.
Experience of networking and managing relationships effectively with a range of
partners from the voluntary, public and private sector.
The ability to maintain, review and continuously improve monitoring and
evaluation systems which demonstrate impact.
The experience and ability to work with vulnerable adults with complex needs,
including risk assessment, support planning and managing challenging behaviour.
Experience in Business Planning, Marketing and Fundraising
Attributes
Ability to quickly and accurately assimilate and understand complex situations, data
and changes in the sector, and to disseminate this information as appropriate.
Excellent IT, verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to
communicate to a wide range of audiences in a range of formats
Competencies
Lives our values of Respect, Compassion, Inclusiveness, Justice and Empowerment
Is accountable for the performance of the organisation, their team and their own
performance (trustworthy, dependable & inspires confidence)
Is proactive and takes the initiative to gain the information needed for the role, with
a flexible and “can do” attitude
Is emotionally resilient, self aware and reflective.
Demonstrates emotional intelligence, understands the needs of others and
recognises the impact of their behaviour on others
4
Main Terms and Conditions
Responsible to:
Salary:
Pension:
Place of Work:
Hours:
Disclosure:
Head of Services
£35,350 per annum
Pension following at 6 months after probationary period
(up to 5% employer contribution)
82 Wentworth Street, E1 7SA
35 hours per week
Full disclosure required
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