May 2015

Dear applicant

APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Thank you for your interest in Bexley SNAP and for applying for our vacancy; we have pleasure in enclosing the following:

  1. Guidance Notes for Job Applicants
  2. Equal Opportunities Policy Statement
  3. Job Description and Person Specification
  4. Application Form, including Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (separate attachment)

The closing date for all completed applications to be received is 5.00pm on Monday 15th June 2015. Interviews will take place on Thursday 25th June 2015.

If you do not hear from us by 4pm on Friday 19th June, please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful.

Thank you for the interest you have shown in our vacancy.

Yours sincerely

Bexley SNAP

GUIDANCE NOTES FOR JOB APPLICANTS

The following notes are intended to provide general information about the recruitment process used by Bexley SNAP, as part of our equal opportunities framework.

  • The form should be completed in black ink or black ballpoint pen or typed. This will make it easier for photocopying purposes.
  • Do not send in your CV. It will not be considered if you do.
  • The application form is the first opportunity to demonstrate suitability for the post, and, as we operate within an equal opportunities framework, we base any shortlisting decisions solely on the information provided to us.
  • The enclosed person specification lists the minimum requirements for this post. When shortlisting for interview the selection panel will only consider the information contained in your application form and will assess this against the person specification. When completing this section of application form, ensure you address each item on the person specification.
  • The selection panel cannot make assumptions about the nature of the work you have done or your experience from a list of job titles. It is therefore important that you use the space provided to demonstrate how you meet the requirements in the person specification, using examples of what you have done and achieved and learned. Paid and voluntary work are not the only experiences worth quoting. Other life experiences and skills may be just as valid.
  • If you are shortlisted for interview, the selection panel will ask you questions based on the person specification which will cover the areas in more detail.
  • The Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form is for our internal use to monitor the effectiveness of our recruitment processes. This form is immediately separated from the application form and is not considered during the recruitment process. Applicants do not have to complete the form, but we are grateful to those who do as the information gathered can help to inform future recruitment processes.
  • Completed application forms must be returned to the address given by the deadline. No applications can be accepted after this deadline.
  • After the closing date, a shortlisting panel will meet to agree who will be invited to the next stage of our selection process. This will be decided solely on the basis of information provided on the application form. The next stage of the process will be an interview, which will be preceded by a test or tests, which may include a presentation.
  • At interview, all candidates will have the same format; the successful candidate must meet all the essential requirements.
  • One of your referees should be your present or most recent employer. If you have not been employed or have been out of employment for a long time, please give the name of someone who knows you sufficiently well to confirm the information you have given and to comment on your ability to do the job. This should not be a relative or purely personal friend.
  • Everyone who is interviewed will be advised of the result.
  • Applicants wishing us to confirm receipt of a completed application form should enclose a stamped addressed envelope with their form.
  • Because the successful applicant will be in contact with children, Bexley SNAP will undertake an Enhanced Check with the Disclosure and Barring Service. All offers of employment are conditional upon a satisfactory outcome of this Enhanced Check. We have a detailed policy and procedure on Criminal Record Checks, which will be made available to all candidates shortlisted for interview.

BEXLEY SNAP

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES STATEMENT

Introduction

We wish to foster an environment where all staff members, parents and children feel valued, supported and encouraged. Parents are actively encouraged to give their opinions and ideas to develop our service. Creating fair opportunities by embracing the diversity present in all sections of our community will underpin all areas of our work and will lead to a more equal environment for children, parents and staff, providing the best opportunities for support and learning.

Bexley SNAP recognises its responsibilities associated with equal opportunities. As a provider of services to disabled children and their families, it is committed to equal opportunities for service users, staff and volunteers who work for any of its projects.

Responsibility for Equal Opportunities

Bexley SNAP’s Trustee Board has an overall responsibility for ensuring that Bexley SNAP meets its legislative obligations on equal opportunities and will ensure that any allegations of unfair discrimination or harassment are dealt with. The committee will ensure that staff have equal access to training and development opportunities relating to their individual needs and the specific needs of Bexley SNAP and all its individual projects. Each staff member and volunteer must have appropriate training, line management and supervision.

All staff and volunteers have a professional responsibility to demonstrate their commitment to equal opportunities in how they work with people, particularly their colleagues, children and carers. No-one will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, marital status, financial status, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin, religious beliefs, caring responsibility, or disability.

Bexley SNAP expects all service users to respect our equal opportunities policy and to behave appropriately.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer (fixed term to 31.3.16 – possibility of extension)

Salary: £37,539 rising to £40,177 over 4 years if post is extended

Responsible to:Board of Trustees

Hours:35 per week (full time position)

Please note that this post will be subject to enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks.

Background and Aims of the charity:

Bexley SNAP’s vision is that disabled children have choices and a right to a fulfilling life. We work towards achieving this vision by increasing the choice of services and activities available to disabled children and young people, while reducing the isolation and frustration experienced by families of disabled children. SNAP offers holiday playschemes, youth clubs, Saturday clubs, hydrotherapy swimming and pre-school programmes for disabled children and young people. In addition we offer a range of support services to families of disabled children including newsletters, telephone support, workshops, training courses and resource library.

Main Purpose of the Job:

To lead and manage the strategic development of Bexley SNAP during a period of significant change. To develop governance arrangements, provide strategic direction and ensure sound business and project planning. To achieve key service and strategic business plan objectives. To be responsible for creating a solid foundation on which to generate income for Bexley SNAP in the future.

Key Roles

  • To work with the Chair to ensure that the Trustee Board has a clear vision of the mission and purposes of SNAP and a strategic plan for the development of its work
  • Enable SNAP to articulate its vision, mission and values; ensure that these are consistently applied across the organisation
  • Identify new potential methods and sources of sustainable funding, develop compelling bids and produce fully worked up plans to deliver projects to strengthen service provision
  • To deliver effective change management within SNAP, engaging staff and volunteers to ensure SNAP maintain their position as a key provider of services for disabled children, young people and their families
  • Maintain sound financial management of the organisation, identify risks and appropriate mitigating actions, prepare reports for the Trustee Board and implement performance improvements
  • To build strong and constructive relationships with local authority, funders, agencies, and other groups and individuals to promote SNAP, and to identify and create suitable partnerships to improve services to our clients at best value
  • To ensure that SNAP and its work is presented in an appropriate and professional manner to all its stakeholders, and that parents are consulted and supported to be actively involved in the development of services for children and young people with special needs and disabilities, and their families
  • To recruit a dedicated Development/Fundraising officer

Working with the Board of Trustees

  • To establish and maintain a constructive working relationship with the Chair and Board of Trustees
  • To report regularly and provide adequate systems to enable the Board of Trustees to monitor the charity’s progress in meeting its objectives and evaluate the quality of its work, striving to establish standards of excellence that ensure the highest quality service possible. This will include working with the Board to achieve the Code of Good Governance quality mark
  • To ensure an annual calendar of board meetings and board sub-committee meetings is in place
  • Prepare the annual trustees’ report and accounts for board approval, commission the auditor and submit the annual return to Charities Commission
  • Support the Chair in ensuring the continued engagement and involvement of all members of the board, recruiting new trustees and improving governance in line with the established codes of practice
  • Develop proposals for board discussion and decision
  • With all trustees, ensure the organisation discharges its constitutional and legal obligations
  • To encourage and promote the involvement of parents as trustees

Leading and Managing the organisation

  • To ensure that the organisation has the resources it needs (human, material and financial) to operate effectively and meet its objectives
  • To lead on a review of Bexley SNAP’s strategic direction working with our stakeholders. This may also involve working with an external consultant
  • To ensure the organisation has a framework of policies and procedures that adhere to good practice and ensure compliance with all relevant legislation, including employment, charity and company law, data protection and health and safety regulations. This will include upholding the ‘Safer Bexley Mark’
  • To organise and produce an annual impact report for all stakeholders
  • To be the Designated Safeguarding Officer for the organisation

Managing staff and volunteers

  • To provide leadership, supervision and support directly to the operations manager in implementing the charity’s strategy and business plan
  • Work with the operations manager to establish a human resource management system which maximises the potential of all staff, promoting a commitment to professional development, team working and the mission and values of the organisation
  • To directly line manage, coach and support the Operations Manager, ‘Little Stars’ Manager and Fundraising Officer, in the delivery of services and funding opportunities, ensuring effective performance appraisal is carried out and training provided where required

Managing the Finances/Fundraising of the Association.

  • To take the lead on developing a fundraising strategy, including the recruitment of a fundraising officer, and oversee its implementation, maximising income through a mixed funding portfolio to ensure independence and stability
  • To work with the fundraising officer on applications to major grant makers and trusts to secure revenue funding and oversee general fundraising
  • To work with the fundraising officer in seeking, developing and nurturing corporate partnerships to maximise funding and profile awareness
  • Be responsible for existing funding relationships
  • Seek new opportunities to secure funding wherever possible and appropriate
  • To support senior staff in developing beneficial partnership arrangements, liaising with all funding bodies and be responsible for ensuring reports and feedback information for funders is prepared
  • To be responsible for the overall financial health of the organisation working with the Accountants and Operations Manager to ensure expenditure is controlled in line with budgets as approved by the board, that accurate and consistent financial records are kept and that cash-flow is healthy
  • To work with the Operations Manager to monitor the cash flow, income and expenditure of the charity each month to ensure the charity operates within the budget set for each year

Promoting the Charity

  • Seek opportunities to promote the work and good reputation of the organisation wherever possible, to both internal and external stakeholders
  • Establish and maintain effective networks with all principal supporters, funders and stakeholders
  • Respond to press and publicity requests where appropriate, and seek to raise awareness of our work in national and local media where appropriate
  • Support staff with internal and online communications
  • To contribute where possible, to local, regional and national policy and service developments wherever time and resources allow
  • Be the public face, and where appropriate the spokesperson, of Bexley SNAP

General

  • To work within the framework of all Bexley SNAP policies and procedures.
  • To carry out other duties appropriate to the role of CEO, as required

Person Specification

Post: Chief Executive Officer

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS / To be tested[1]
1) / Educated to degree level or equivalent, or with wide and relevant experience / A & I
2) / Understand, empathise, and be committed to SNAP’s aims, principles and equal opportunities policies / A & I
3) / Knowledge and/or experience of disability and special needs issues eg SEND Reforms (Children & Families Act), short breaks, benefits, other relevant legislation / A & I
At least three years management experience and a track record that included responsibility for:
4) / Change management within an organisation / A & I
5) / Developing and implementing strategic plans / A & I
6) / Managing service development and monitoring effectiveness and quality of services / A & I
7) / Successfully building, leading, motivating and developing teams as a highly effective people manager / A & I
8) / Proven success in fundraising, managing organizational finance and budgetary control / A & I
9) / Negotiating contracts or service level agreements / A & I
10) / External representation and effective interaction with a diverse range of stakeholders e.g., Trustees, parents, local authority, health professionals and independent sector organisations / A & I
11) / Networking, delivering training and public speaking / A & I
12) / Project management
13) / Understanding the distinct role and position of the voluntary sector / A & I
14) / Excellent IT skills in Word, Excel, Outlook, Powerpoint and database packages, email, internet and website update to prepare reports, spreadsheets and presentations / A & I
15) / Skills to take responsibility for own learning and development / A & I
16) / Willingness to work outside normal hours as required / A & I
17) / Full clean driving license and use of a car / A & I
16) / Willingness to work at any site in the borough of Bexley, as required / A & I

In addition to the essential requirements listed above, we are seeking a CEO with the following skills, abilities and personal qualities:

  • A leader with proven ability to lead change and inspire loyalty of staff
  • Ability to win and retain the respect of a range of diverse stakeholders
  • Ability and resilience to deliver challenging messages when necessary
  • Self-confident with strong communication skills, political astuteness and an ability to persuade and influence at the highest levels
  • Passion and commitment to social inclusion and providing high quality services for users, together with a track record of user engagement and user involvement in service development and delivery
  • Ability to appraise and navigate the relevant national and local agenda for SNAP’s work (children, disability, carers, play, transition to adulthood and partnership)
  • Dynamic, strategic thinker with an innovative, creative approach to problem solving

Main conditions of service

Annual leave: 20 days plus bank holidays (+1 additional day each year of service up to a maximum of 5 years). In addition, we offer 2 days leave between Christmas and New Year.

Hours of work: Core hours of 35 may be flexible and negotiable to meet the needs of the charity and may be subject to reduced hours if funding is lost. Some evening and weekend work may be required for meetings or charitable events.

The post is based at the office of Bexley SNAP at Thames Innovation Centre, 2 Veridion Way, Erith, Kent DA18 4AL but the post will require some travel throughout the London Borough of Bexley and surrounding boroughs. It is necessary that you are a car driver for this post. Reasonable travel expenses will be paid.

Application Form

Post Applied for: Chief Executive Officer

Closing date:5.00pm on Monday 15th June 2015

PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR CV AS THESE WILL NOT BE LOOKED AT

Name:

Address:

Home telephone number:Mobile/Work number:

Email address:

Are you?FemaleMale

Do you consider yourself disabled?

If yes, please describe…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please describe your ethnic origin by ticking the appropriate place or using self-description

White/BritishBlack/BritishAsian/British

White/EuropeanBlack/AfricanAsian/Indian

White/IrishBlack/West IndianAsian/Pakistani

White/OtherBlack/OtherAsian/Bangladeshi

British CypriotBlack mixed parentageAsian/Sri Lankan

Greek CypriotAsian/West Indian

Turkish CypriotDo not wish to answerAsian/Vietnamese

Asian/Chinese

Other description……………………………………………………………………………………………..

Please state where you saw this post advertised…………………………………………………

EDUCATION

Secondary School attended / Dates / Certificates awarded
Further education
(University/college) / Dates / Certificates awarded

PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER TRAINING COURSES