GRANTS OFFICER – SOCIAL JUSTICE PROGRAMME

October 2012

JOB DESCRIPTION

Introduction

The Paul Hamlyn Foundation is an independent grant-making foundation set up by Paul Hamlyn, the publisher and philanthropist. It aims to maximise opportunities for individuals and communities to realise their potential and experience and enjoy a better quality of life. The Foundation supports charitable activity in the areas of arts, education and learning and social justice across the UK. It also supports local charities in India that help the poorest communities get access to basic services. It has a board of unpaid trustees and a staff of about 30. For further information about the Foundation’s work please see the website:

The Foundation wishes to recruit a Grants Officer to work under its Social Justice Programme.

The Foundation is based in central London and recently moved to new offices near Kings Cross. The design and new facilities aim to foster collaboration and networking between the staff and amongst grantees.

The Social Justice Programme

The Social Justice Programme aims to help integrate marginalised individuals and communities. It has a particular emphasis on supporting young people and runs an open grants programme and two Special Initiatives. The first, ‘Right Here’, focuses on young people and mental health and is a partnership with the Mental Health Foundation. The second ‘Supported Options’ initiative is a fund to support children and young people with irregular immigration status. This is a partnership with a US based funder, Unbound Philanthropy. A third initiative is also being developed which is likely to focus on girls / young women andcriminal justice.

The work of the Social Justice Programme is overseen by a committee, made up of trustees, staff and external advisors.

Further information on the programme’s work can be found on the Social Justice section of the Foundation’s website.

Grants OfficerRole Overview

We are looking to recruit a Grants Officer to the Social Justice team, ideally someone who both practical and/or policy experience in some of the key fields we operate in, has significant understanding and experience of organisational and business development.

The successful candidate will be someone who is comfortable working across a range of substantive issues, policy and practice contexts, and geographies. They must be skilled in giving clear, consistent and practical advice and support to organisations we work with, and balancing that against the need to make robust, informed decisions ensuring the Foundation achieves value for money and maximum impact. They must be highly motivated, a self starter, and an exceptionally clear and concise communicator.

Key elements of the role are:

  • To assess grant applications and manage ongoing relationships with applicants and grantees, offering support and facilitating learning with and from grantees.
  • To take an active part in the ongoing development, management and review of the wider Social Justice Programme, including Special Initiatives
  • To work as a member of a core team of seven (the Head of the Social Justice Programme – to whom this post holder reports, two Grants Officers, a Grants Assistant and Special Initiatives staff and consultants).

Main Responsibilities

  • Assess grant applications to the Social Justice Open Grants Scheme – analysing proposals and organisational viability, obtaining appropriate advice and references, reaching a judgement or recommendation for submission to senior staff, committees or Trustees; handling relationships throughout the process until the application is either successful or declined.
  • Prepare and present written case reports with detailed analysis and recommendations.
  • Monitor grants awarded including: agreeing appropriate outcome targets and reporting regimes, analysing monitoring reports, visiting projects across the country to see work in progress and authorising grant payments.
  • Take an active and developmental role with colleagues and with grantees to help build the capacity of grantees, enhance the effectiveness of their work, advise on long-term sustainability and financial viability, help spread learning within and across grant themes.
  • Work closely with colleagues in the maintenance and management of the grants information systems and activities so that we know the accurate status of all applications at any time.
  • Take on specific research, development or management roles in relation to current special initiatives or potential new areas of activity, as required
  • Subject to capacity, take on a lead role in developing and managing a Special Initiative
  • Commission and manage external consultants or contractors, as required, to undertake a range of programme activities, including research and evaluation.
  • Attend relevant conferences and seminars and occasionally speak at these events on the Foundation’s behalf.
  • Work with colleagues in other areas of the Foundation’s interests, as appropriate.

Person specification

Essential

  • At least three years’ experience developing the business models, capacity and longer-term sustainability of organisations, ideally within the public or voluntary sectors
  • Significant experience working in a role relevant to the youth focus of our programme, in either the voluntary or statutory sector
  • In-depth knowledge of policy and best practice in several areas of our current work
  • Ability to analyse and synthesise complex information quickly and effectively, and particularly strong on financial assessment of work plans / organisations
  • Understanding and experience of the processes of grant making and monitoring
  • Strong project management skills and experience of delivering successful projects
  • Understanding and experience of evaluation, including use of a range of methods
  • Articulate, with excellent written and oral skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
  • Confident, resourceful and proactive, with initiative and a problem-solving disposition
  • Well organised, methodical, able to meet agreed deadlines
  • Committed to self improvement, learning and development
  • Understand the value of good team work, and able to adapt and work productively within a group of mixed skills sets and specialisms
  • Strong IT skills, including word processing, use of spreadsheets, use of databases to process information and electronic communications
  • Sympathy with the values and aims of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and in particular its commitment to tackling disadvantage, fighting prejudice, youth voice and participation
  • An ability to work effectively with a range of stakeholders, internal and external, including senior staff, trustees, grantees, policy makers and practitioners, and young people

Desirable

  • Educated to degree level
  • Understanding of and experience in criminal justice policy and practice
  • Understanding and experience of gender issues in social policy
  • Experience of managing contracts with external consultants
  • Understanding and experience of using GIFTS grants management database

Terms and conditions

  • Salary c. £30,000 - £33,000 pa
  • There will be a probationary period of six months. Subject to satisfactory completion of this period the contract will be a permanent one which can be terminated by either party on giving three months’ notice
  • Twenty five days leave per annum, plus statutory holidays
  • Employer pension contribution (10%) (once probation period passed)
  • Medical, permanent health and life insurance (once probation period passed)
  • Office hours are normally 9am – 5pm, but flexible working is possible; some flexibility is required from team members around evening work and travel to and from events and meetings.

How to apply

Please complete and return an application form together with a statement (up to twoA4 pages) explaining why you are a good candidate for this post and demonstrating how you meet the person specification.

An application form is available to download from our website:

The application form and statement should be emailed to Kay Patel, HR Administrative Assistant at

Closing date for applications to be received: Monday 5thNovember 2012 by 12 noon.

Interviews are expected to take place during either the week commencing 3rd December or the week commencing10th December.

Candidates will be expected to prepare a short written task for the interview, details of which will be confirmed on invitation to interview.