Carers Trust Job Description

Carers Trust Job description

Job description

Job title:Senior Policy Manager (Young Carers and Young Adult Carers)

Location:Loman Street, Southwark, London

Responsible to:Director of Policy and Research

Salary:£34,814 to £41,237 plus ILW of £3,000 per annum. Our policy is to appoint at the bottom of the grade. Salaries are reviewed in April and where approved by the Board increments paid until the top of the grade is achieved.

Contract:Permanent

Hours:35 per week

Annual leave:25 days plus 12.5 bank and public holidays

Pension:After probationary period matched employer contribution up to maximum of 5% of salary

Main aims of the post

To act as Carers Trust’s specialist lead internally and externally on young carers and young adult carers’ issues across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, liaising with colleagues in Scotland, developing and leading the strategic direction for the organisation on these issues, achieving significant change to improve the lives of young carers and young adult carers.

To develop and lead a cross disciplinary team enhancing profile of young carers and young adult carers issues and providing leadership for the sector, including policy, service development and involvement of young carers and young adult carers.

Duties to include

Leadership and influence

1. The post holder will become a leader in the field, driving forward change in young carers and young adult carers’ policy and practice through identifying and effectively using opportunities to influence, through:

Leading the strategic direction of Carers Trust’s young carers’ and young adult carers’ policy and campaigning work
Assessing the need for policy change and developing and using evidence to influence policy makers
Developing and leading campaigns to achieve change and championing the role of young carers and young adult carers’ services
Influencing Ministers, MPs, Peers and civil servants (in close liaison with the Policy and Parliamentary team) to raise the influencing and parliamentary profile of Carers Trust, young carers’ and young adult carers’ issues, and Network Partner organisations’ services
Assessing the need for research in this area, seeking opportunities to fund key projects, and working with internal colleagues and external agencies to commission and deliver this working closely with the Director of Policy and Research
Assessing impact and evaluating effectiveness of Carers Trust’s’ young carers and young adult carers’ work.

Carer involvement and team work

2. Develop the direct involvement of young carers and young adult carers in the policy and campaigning work of Carers Trust.

3. Build and leading a multi-disciplinary team enhancing expertise within the organisation and increasing impact externally.

Partnerships, service development and network support

4. Be the key liaison point for Carers Trust Network Partner organisations on young carers’ and young adult carers’ policy, consulting and involving them on key issues and ensuring they have access to up to date information and briefings on policy developments.

5. Provide a leadership role and co-ordinating centre for the voluntary sector on young carers’ issues through coalitions and positive partnership working with relevant organisations.

6. Support the Development Manager to work with Network Partner organisations and other organisations to assess the needs of Carers Trust partners in relation to young carers and young adult carers services, promote good practice in providing services, support the development of new services, and provide support for the young carers workforce.

Fundraising, Grants and Communications

The post holder will work with the fundraising directorate and the grants and communications teams to:

7. Assess the needs of the organisation relating to young carers and young adults carers issues and secure funding to build a team to meet these needs.

8. Plan, cost and write bids for new work including policy, research and service development, and leading Carers Trust’s involvement in major externally funded projects focusing on young carers and young adult carers.

9. Manage externally funded work, including line managing project staff where agreed, ensuring work is carried out in line with agreements with funders.

10. Work with the grants team, to plan and evaluate major grant funding programmes focusing on young carers and young adult carers.

11. Act as media spokesperson for the Trust on young carers’, young adult carers and other relevant issues as agreed.

Management

The post holder will ensure effective management of the function and resources of their team, including:

12. Developing objectives and work plans for the young carers and young adult carers policy and development team and monitoring progress.

13. Ensuring budgets are set and expenditure monitored monthly, and that expenditure is kept within agreed parameters.

General

To be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults and children.
To work at all times within the philosophy and policies of Carers Trust.
To comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and with Carers Trust policy, paying particular attention to the reporting of dangerous situations.
To have a commitment to developing quality by the implementation of Carers Trust quality evaluation tools along with any other standards set by Carers Trust.
To respect the personal choice and lifestyles of colleagues, carers, and people with care needs, ensuring that equal opportunity principles are applied at all times.
To undertake any other duties that may be considered commensurate with the level of the post.

Person specification

Essential / Desirable
Experience

Experience of working with decision makers at a national level to influence policy change.
Experience of working with young people in a policy or campaigning role.
Experience of planning and implementing effective campaigns and involving groups and individuals in campaigning activity.
Experience of effectively involving service users and/or carers in the planning, implementation and evaluation of an organisation’s work.
Experience of working within or closely with voluntary sector organisations; and with health, care or education providers.
Experience of recruiting and managing staff and volunteers managing performance to deliver outcomes.

Experience of working with young carers and/or young adult carers and their families and an in depth understanding of the issues they face.
Experience of provision of high quality services and undertaking service development and improvement including use of relevant assessment or development tools.

Skills and abilities

Ability to think strategically, analyse needs, set objectives and develop and implement a strategy to meet these.

Highly developed communication skills including ability to speak engagingly in public to a range of audiences including young carers, professionals, media, and decision makers; and ability to write and produce guidance and policy documents, reports, articles and training materials that are engaging, clear and practical.
Well developed negotiation, influencing and interpersonal skills including ability to quickly build personal credibility, positive relationships and impact with national decision makers and local partners.

Ability to show leadership internally and externally.
Ability to build a team, as well as work well as a member of a team.
Ability to work flexibly and independently.
Ability to prioritise competing demands and to organise own workload.
Ability to prepare and manage budgets
IT skills (Microsoft office) and the ability to be administratively self sufficient

Research skills, including an understanding of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and the ethics of involving children and vulnerable adults in research.

Knowledge

Knowledge of legislation, policy and good practice in relation to young people, disability, and carers.
Understanding of local voluntary sector service provision and the challenges these organisations face.

Other

Commitment to the empowerment of young carers, young adult carers, and their families.

Employment is subject to an enhanced CRB check before appointment and subsequently at least every two years.
This post has a remit to work across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as in partnership with our Scottish team. The role will involve regular travel and stays away from home.

September 2012