AREA MANAGER

Job Description Summary

Key Purpose:

  • To play an active role in cross divisional teams to ensure the consistent high quality of all Alliance activities. To market, expand and further develop the charity’s entire offer within a defined geographical area. To manage, guide and support sub-committee volunteers and employees on the implementation of Strategic and Operational Plans.

Main Tasks:

  • To manage and direct sub-committees and other staff within defined geographical area and carry out annual appraisals and ensure all staff are contributing toward to realisation of the charity’s strategic plan and divisional targets.
  • To lead on development, marketing and delivery of the initiatives, policies and practice of the Alliance, including training, quality assurance, workforce development, direct service provision and volunteer strategy within defined geographical area.
  • To manage necessary internal and external changes within their geographical remit and ensure that all staff and volunteers understand the need for change through effective communication mechanisms.
  • To initiate and support where necessary negotiations related to services level agreements with in areas managed, ensuring that costing are financially sound and targets are SMART.
  • Undertake risk management assessments of all Alliance services and activities within their geographical remit.
  • Monitor and assess service delivery and quality against service specification. Instigate action plans where necessary to address poor service delivery and ensure reporting requirement are met.
  • To ensure that all sub-committee and divisional training records and reports are completed to agreed standards and submitted within the deadline and according to established procedures and guidelines.
  • To represent and/or support sub-committees in discussions with potential funders and secure sources of funding for all areas of activity.
  • To provide or arrange cover within Alliance direct service provision in cases of urgent needs e.g investigation pending.
  • To take responsibility for the business performance for any directly managed early years settings in their geographical area ensuring that each provision is meeting its targets and objectives.
  • To support local implementation of the charity’s volunteer strategy.
  • To ensure that appropriate safeguarding children policies including CRB requirements are in place, that training is delivered where necessary and child protection concerns are acted upon immediately and appropriately.
  • To attend and convene meetings as necessary.

Key Relationships:

  • Line manager - Assistant Divisional Director
  • Responsible for - staff within local geographical area, as directed by Assistant Divisional Director
  • The role is office based and will include travel to all the areas managed

AREA MANAGER

Candidate Profile

Personal Qualities:

  • First rate communication skills – able to influence and communicate effectively in person and in writing, with volunteers, staff, early years settings and external bodies and organisations.
  • Relationship building – able to understand the needs of commissioners and build relationships with them by providing the suitable high quality services.
  • Diversity and equality - understanding of, and commitment to, diversity and equality.
  • Travel – able to travel to various offices and nurseries within the defined geographical area and attend occasional evening and weekend meetings.

Experience / Knowledge:

  • Proven experience of the effective management and coordination of staff, setting targets, conduction appraisals and managing performance.
  • Proven experience of effective decision making, management of complex change, organisational risk and problem solving.
  • Proven experience of marketing products and services successfully and securing funding contracts.
  • Proven experience of contributing to the development and delivery of new initiatives, policies and practices of an organisation.
  • Experience of operational planning, budget setting management and reporting.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the Government’s 10-Year Childcare Strategy and its implications for the voluntary sector.
  • Alliance’s Core Management Competencies – able to demonstrate an understanding of the application of these. Please see attached document.
  • Proven experience of effectively managing business areas – in order to be able take responsibility for all aspects of the following, including business performance, quality and regulatory requirements: Nurseries or similar direct service provision, the Alliance’s training offer, and contracts and service level agreement obligations.

Qualification:

  • Management qualification.

Desirable Criteria:

  • A qualification in teaching adults (Certificate in Education, City and Guilds 730 series stage two or later).
  • Level 3 Early Years Education Childcare Qualification.
  • Experience of the voluntary sector.

Terms and conditions:

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and does require a criminal records bureau check.

Grade 5

Salary range: £28,603 to £32,932

Allowances: London weighting £2,570 (if applicable)

Annual leave: 30 days

Essential car allowance: £500

CORE MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

Leadership

  • Has a good understanding of the charity’s vision and strategy and inputs effectively into the operational plan for their department.
  • Communicates the need for quality and continuous improvement, and influences good practice through own example.
  • Thinks strategically and clearly relates goals and actions to the strategic aims of the charity.
  • Inspires people to deliver results, high standards and sets clear objectives for self and the team, taking appropriate and timely action to ensure targets are achieved.
  • Creates and supports a culture of creativity and innovation throughout all activities and staff within areas of responsibility.
  • Manages change effectively and clearly communicates the need for it to team providing them with support to effect it.

Managing people

  • Is effective at recruiting, developing and motivating a diverse range of people.
  • Clearly informs staff of their tasks and responsibilities.
  • Holds regular one to one and annual appraisal meetings, sets and monitors S.M.A.R.T objectives, and gives constructive feedback designed to improve future performance.
  • Delegates effectively and adopts a management style which encourages trust, collaboration, commitment and enthusiasm in order to gain high levels of performance from all staff.
  • Encourages and stimulates others to make the best use of their talents to develop further using coaching techniques.
  • Acknowledges and records achievements.

Managing teams

  • Knows the team’s strengths and abilities and makes best use of the talents of staff.
  • Supports the development of his/her team through regular discussion and team meetings which encourage two way communication and sharing of ideas and expectations.
  • Deals effectively and openly with negative issues and conflict, and builds a team which has respect and consideration for each others role.
  • Coaches and motivates the team to strive towards contributing to the achievement of the strategic plan.
  • Fully involves team in forthcoming issues so that individuals and team goals can be anticipated and planned together.
  • Ensures that his/her team works in collaboration with other teams across the charity.

Communication

  • Communicates in a variety of ways and with people at all levels, and adopts a communication method appropriate for the listener or audience.
  • Actively listens, asks questions, clarifies points and establishes a mutual understanding.
  • Presents information clearly, concisely and confidently to individuals and groups.
  • Communicates difficult ideas and problems in ways that promote understating.
  • Uses excellent communication skills to negotiate, influence and persuade others.
  • Is aware of non verbal communication in self and others.

Customer awareness

  • Understands the environment in which the charity operates and the impact on its customers.
  • Understands the needs of customers that use our services and strives to provide a service that is flexible and responsive to their changing needs.
  • Has knowledge of feedback mechanisms and how to implement these and then act upon them.
  • Consistently delivers a high quality service.
  • Strives to produce real improvements in the way services are delivered to customers.
  • Understands collaborative and partnership working.

Problem solving

  • Identifies and acknowledges problems and critical issues.
  • Analyses relevant data and information, and tests assumptions in order to deliver the best solutions whilst keeping a clear focus on key issues and goals.
  • Anticipates and reviews problems in order to ensure contingency plans are in place.
  • Makes decisions that minimise organisational financial loss, embarrassment or legal challenges.

Planning and resource management

  • Demonstrates sound knowledge of financial management and business planning.
  • Uses sound project management methods to manage resources and skills well.
  • Produces effective plans that have clear priorities, realistic milestones, sound review mechanisms and takes into account all available information.
  • Obtains and allocates resources sufficient to meet objectives.
  • Checks progress of activities against plans, spotting trends and issues, responding with appropriate solutions.
  • Effectively records and reports progress against plans.
  • Effectively manages self.

ALEXANDER MORRIS LTD, BORDESLEY HALL , THE HOLLOWAY, ALVECHURCH, WORCESTERSHIRE, B48 7QA

Tel: 01527 591149 Email : Web :

Registered in England 6409306