KentishTown Community Centre

Connecting and inspiring KentishTown

Chief Executive

KentishTown Community Centre

Building on well-established foundations and a great track record of achievement, the Trustees of the Kentish Town Community Centre(KTCC) now seek an inspirational and strategically-minded Chief Executive to formulate and lead the implementation of revised strategies and fundraising initiatives in its expanded and improved premises.

The successful candidate will possess strong leadership, management and interpersonal skills, be a good planner with excellent fundraising skills, a compelling communicator and have a genuine passion for improving the happiness and achievement of the people who live and work in KentishTown.

Background information

The Kentish Town Community Centre is a thriving multi-purpose community resource that provides a wide range of services and activities and a meeting space for people of all ages.

Our vision is ‘Connecting and inspiring KentishTown’ and the mission of the community centre is to provide a hub for the whole community to create and take part in a range of positive activities.

The Centre was opened in 2004, following a local campaign to improve community facilities in KentishTown. Since then the range of activities and the number of local people coming to the Centre has grown each year and now the Centre is open seven days per week. In 2009/10 KTCC had 14,178 attendances at a structured activity, and 1,732 people attended a party or community meeting.

Unable to meet the demand for activities and services, KTCC has undertaken an ambitious project to expand and improve its building. It is hoped that with new opportunities for income generation, the development of the space will also enable KTCC to move towards sustainability in the future. The extended facilities, which we hope will open in October 2011, now include:

  • A dedicated youth space
  • An expanded IT suite
  • Additional office space
  • A new hall/studio space on the first floor
  • A dedicated play space for under 5s and crèches
  • A small garden and play space

This expansion sees KTCC entering an exciting phase in our development, needing to build on the success of the past few years and to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the extended building. Priorities will be to secure long-term financial sustainability, to generate new strains of income and to continue to involve and serve the local community in the evolution of the Centre.

KentishTown Community Centre

Connecting and inspiring KentishTown

Chief Executive - Job Description

Job Title: Chief Executive, KentishTown Community Centre

Reports to: Board of Trustees, KentishTown Community Centre

Managed by: Chair of Trustees

Responsible for: Assistant Manager (Community Services), Youth Project Co-ordinator, Under 5s Co-ordinator

Salary: £33,000-£38,000, subject to negotiation

Hours: 35 hours per week excluding lunch breaks

Holidays: 25 days per year plus statutory bank holidays

The Candidate

KTCC is looking for:

  • a highly motivated self-starter with excellent relationship-building, influencing and networking skills;
  • Someone who can balance operational efficiency with strategic big-picture thinking in order to achieve results;
  • A successful fundraiser with entrepreneurial flair.

The successful candidate will have strategic, financial and staff-management experience at a senior level in a medium-sized organisation, along with the development and management of funding initiatives and projects. Ideally you will have community centre and/or youth-project management experience.

Principal responsibilities

Business Development

  • Develop and update the organisation’s business plan;
  • Maximise the income KTCC can generate through its activities, premises and services;
  • Oversee all fundraising activities from trusts, the local authority, local businesses and the community;
  • Develop new initiatives and services to enable KTCC to meet the needs identified by the community and ensure enough income to steadily build reserves;
  • Form collaborative links and alliances with organisations and agencies from all sectors that can be developed into active partnerships for new business ventures.

Operational Management

  • Working effectively with trustees, staff and centre users to develop and deliver a programme that meets the needs of the local community;
  • Ensuring effective systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating project outputs, and directly reporting to funders where appropriate or required.
  • Overseeing all aspects of monitoring and evaluation of the projects, writing reports for funders when required and implementing effective procedures for an annual review.
  • Ensuring that agreed targets are being met by projects and informing funders in advance of any changes to those targets as may be necessary.
  • Ensuring that effective marketing processes are in place, including the production of information and publicity materials and development of promotions as necessary.
  • Responsible for ensuring that all proper records of the Charity/Company are kept and that the board is properly serviced.
  • Preparation of reports for the board and attendance at Board Meetings (currently held every six weeks on Saturday mornings).
  • Organising the Annual General Meeting in consultation with the board of trustees.
  • Leading on all HR processes ensuring recruitment, performance management and training issues are recorded and addressed;
  • Line managing the Assistant Manager, Under 5s Coordinator, Youth Project Coordinator and Older People’s Worker and ensuring that effective line management processes are in place for all other staff and volunteers.
  • Working effectively with the HR insurance support service on all matters of employment law including disciplinary procedures, redundancies and the issuing of employmentcontracts;
  • Ensuring that all policies are up to date and reviewed annually.
  • Ensuring that all risk assessments are up to date and understood and implemented by staff.
  • Ensuring that the Centre is presentable, clean, well maintained and fit for purpose;
  • Acting as champion in all matters relating to Health and Safety and working with the Caretaking team, ensuring legislative compliance and best practice throughout the Centre;
  • Ensuring that the operation of the Centre meets relevant statutory requirements (Children’s Act, Disability Discrimination Act, Health & Safety Legislation, Data Protection Act, etc.) as well as good practice standards.

Financial Management

  • Overseeing the financial administration of the organisation, ensuring that spending remains within the budget.
  • Working with the bookkeeper to ensure that a budget and accounts are produced annually, and that management accounts are prepared for the finance committee every six weeks.
  • Ensuring that finance committees are held every six weeks with at least 2 trustees and the bookkeeper present.
  • Ensuring that controls on procurement for the organisation are in place securing value for money at all times.

Chief Executive - Person Specification
Qualifications and Training / Essential / Desirable
A university degree or relevant nationally-recognised professional qualification / X
Intermediate level achieved in MS office IT programmes such as word, excel, outlook etc. / X
A project management qualification / accredited fundraising training / X
Experience
At least two years in a senior management role in a medium-sized organisation within the public or voluntary sector / X
Business development in a challenging environment / X
Leadership of a team over a range of different projects and services / X
A track record of developing diverse income streams through the creation and management of new services and projects / X
Experience of managing budgets in excess of £200,000 per annum / X
Experience of producing marketing materials and of developing a marketing strategy / X
Experience of managing a variety of fundraising initiatives / X
Operational management of front-line service, open to the general public / X
Experience of managing a Community Centre or Youth Project / X
Knowledge and understanding
An understanding of the personal and social needs of people living in a multicultural inner city. / X
An understanding of the skills required to manage a busy and growing charity/business. / X
Skills and abilities
Proven leadership, management and interpersonal skills / X
Proven project management, planning and organisational skills / X
An entrepreneurial approach to project development and income maximisation / X
Excellent writing skills, with proven experience of success in fundraising applications / X
Excellent time-management skills / X
Ability to remain calm and focused under pressure and deal with competing priorities / X
Proven analytical and problem-solving skills / X
Effective relationship building and networking skills / X
Ability to develop complex schedules and advise on their implementation / X
Ability to work collaboratively with other organisations to raise income and to deliver partnership projects. / X
Ability to maintain a professional working relationship with staff, clients, volunteers and partner organisations / X
Ability to work flexibly including some evenings and weekends. / X
Ability to implement and follow KTCC’s Equality and Diversity policy in all areas of work / X