Job Description

Job Title:Project Manager Personal Choice Plus

The post is offered for a period of 30 months

Hours:17.5 per week

Salary:Salary is on NJC scalepoint 35, £29,236 pro-rata (starting salary of £14,618)

The post holder will be eligible for sick pay and pension contribution in line with the Impetus’s policies

Reportingand accountability;

The post holder will be employed by Impetus, managed on a day to day basis by the CEO of the Fed, Centre for Independent Living (the Fed) but will report to all four executive directors of the South East Wellbeing Consortium (SEWC).

Background to role

Personal Choices Plus is a project of the SEWC to try out ways the voluntary sector can work together to provide personalised services for people in Brighton and Hove and the rest of Sussex. It is funded through the Department of Health’s Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development fund. Its aim is to:

Support people to choose and use personalised services from the voluntary sector and to help them to develop their own personalised support, including trying out running their own services as a social enterprise;

Support development in the voluntary sector so that they can provide more personalised services, especially to people with a personal budget or to people paying for their own care;

Work with statutory partners to support the increased use of personal budgets locally.

The South East Wellbeing Consortium comprises The Fed, Care Co-ops; Brighton and Hove Mind; Impetus.

The project will work initially in Brighton and Hove. Subject to agreement, it will later seek to establish partnerships with voluntary bodies in East Sussex and West Sussex.

Main purpose of job:

To ensure the successful implementation of the project, through developing the delivery plan; co-ordinating activity; compiling and disseminating information; arranging events; liaising with project associates and supporting future planning.

Specifically, to support the market development and strategic aims of the project through preparing and sharing good practice information, and through supporting people who use services to describe and share what they want to see developed through the project.

DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Communication

  • take a lead role in raising the profile of SEWC and the Personal Choices Plus project, using a variety of media, and taking a proactive approach
  • preparing user-friendly information, including accessible and authoritative information about personalisation
  • identifying and using information access points within the city to let people know about the project
  • acting as a contact point for VCS organisations for information about developing personalised services
  • act as a lead worker for development of a good practice gallery (online and exhibiting)

Engagement

supporting the participation of people who use care services in the co-production of the project including enabling people to prepare their own ideas about how they want the project to progress

ensure that the project takes account of diversity and promotes equality and inclusion.

organising ‘conversation’ events and promotional events

if required, establish networks in East and West Sussex, to share resources and ideas

Policy

keep up to date with policy and best practice on personalisation

keep up to date with developments in the VCS in Brighton and Hove

be aware of developments in personalisation in East and West Sussex

Administration

maintaining project plans and making regular reports to the SEWC board including providing monitoring information as required and ensuring that the project is on time and on budget

attending and providing briefings for project meetings

making reports to other stakeholders as required and co-operating with the project evaluator to ensure that the lessons from the project are captured and shared

co-ordinating the work of other contributors to the project, ensuring that all staff are kept up to date with progress and are supplying feedback to the project

assisting in the preparation of funding bids for longer term projects, including identifying potential opportunities and contributing to bid documents

Exclusions

Although the post holder will be expected to engage people who use services locally, the role will not include working directly with individuals on their own care packages or micro projects. - these activities will be undertaken by SEWC member organisations' own staff.

Although the post holder will be expected to liaise with and provide briefings for the wider voluntary and statutory sector in the city, the role will not normally include direct delivery of training – this activity will be undertaken by SEWC member organisations’ own staff or contracted out.

Person specification

Essential / Desirable
Communication
Strong networking skills, able to create and use new connections in the city and beyond
Excellent report writing and presentation skills / Experience of producing or commissioning accessible formats
Experience of producing user-focused information / Experience of producing web-based information
Ability to use varied media to promote the project and its aims / Experience of using social media as a promotional tool
Engagement
Commitment to principles of equality and diversity, with an ability to respond to diversity issues and to promote a rights based approach / A good understanding of the social model approach to disability.
Knowledge of the barriers facing disabled people, carers and older people in accessing self directed care/support / Direct experience of working with disabled and/or older people to support their rights and choices
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate with and relate to people at all levels
Experience of developing and maintaining effective partnerships / Track record in developing personalised support
Policy
Knowledge of personalisation, and ability to keep knowledge up to date. / Understanding of the local health and social care economy
Familiarity with the voluntary sector, either from paid or volunteer involvement
Administration
Sound project management experience, including managing budgets and working to deadlines / A good understanding of social enterprise, including legal structures
Sound IT skills, including fluent use of Microsoft Office tools
Flexible approach, self motivating and able to work as part of a team, and to take responsibility for own and others professional development. / Experience of supervising others

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