Person Specification – Chief Executive

Home-Start South Yorkshire

Essential and desirable skills, abilities, experience, knowledge and special requirements for the post of Home-Start South YorkshireChief Executive

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE:

  • A successful track record at senior leadership level within an organisation of comparable complexity
  • Experience of diversifying funding, assessing new fundraising options and generating income from a variety of sources
  • Experience of successful change management
  • Experience of lobbying, forming alliances and successfully influencing local government and other external organisations
  • Experience of developing effective networks with local government, statutory and other voluntary organisations
  • Experience of successful partnership and consortia working
  • Experience at senior level of successful financial management, including responsibility for significant and complex budgets
  • Experience of working with a variety of media to successfully promote an organisation or an issue

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE:

  • Experience of working with children and families
  • Experience of volunteering or working with volunteers
  • Experience of working in a setting providing services to vulnerable people

ESSENTIAL SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

  • Strong understanding of the current funding landscape and evidence of successfully developing opportunities to obtain new funding sources
  • Knowledge of strategic, financial and operational planning
  • Ability to translate strategy into operational plans, ensuring both delivery and high quality services
  • Strong operational and financial management skills
  • Ability to interpret research findings in a policy and practical context, using these to create opportunities for Home-Start
  • Skills in identifying practical problems, developing options and making decisions
  • Ability to recruit the right staff to senior positions
  • Ability to determine priorities and work under pressure on different fronts simultaneously, while delegating appropriately.
  • IT literate

DESIRABLE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

  • Knowledge of current social policy affecting young families and the ability to analyse and interpret policies in the context of Home-Start
  • Knowledge of methods used to support families
  • Knowledge of voluntary sector governance structures
  • Knowledge of CRM databases and Microsoft packages

ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION AND NETWORKING SKILLS:

  • Ability to write clear, understandable and reasoned reports for a range of audiences
  • Highly articulate and able to present Home-Start persuasively and influence the decisions of others at every level
  • Able to make effective presentations to internal and external audiences of various sizes
  • Ability to communicate effectively using a variety of media
  • Able to maintain excellent working relationships with staff at all levels, volunteers, local government and other organisations

ESSENTIAL PERSONAL QUALITIES:

  • Passion for and a positive commitment to the work of Home-Start in supporting families
  • Commitment to promote and work within the values of the organisation
  • A creative approach to solving problems combined with integrity and discretion
  • Able to lead, enthuse and inspire a team, using personal warmth and humour
  • Able to work both on own initiative and collaboratively
  • Able to be authoritative yet willing to take account of the views of others and be responsive to them
  • Able to identify and make the most of opportunities
  • Self motivated, dynamic, inspirational and confident
  • Able to demonstrate the energy, mental stamina and patience to cope with the considerable demands of this post

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS:

Good standard of education (A levels, NVQ level 4 or equivalent)

A post graduate or management qualification

ESSENTIAL OTHER

Able to travel and work flexible hours

Driving licence.