November 2012

Team Leader

Thank you for your interest in the post of Team Leader with KAB. Please find below some background to the post and to KAB, together with a Job Description and Person Specification, an application form, Accessibility Statement and Equality Monitoring form and guidance notes.

If you would like to apply for the post, please complete all of these forms and return them to Vanessa Stanley, Head of HR, by email at , or by post to KAB Sight Centre, 72 College Road, Maidstone, Kent ME15 6SJ. Completed forms should reach us by noon on Friday, 23rd November 2012. Interviews will be held at KAB Bromley on Friday 7th December.

Although we would like to be able to write to each applicant individually to let them know the outcome of their application, sadly the cost of doing this is prohibitive. Therefore, if you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

Thank you very much for your interest and we look forward to receiving your completed application.

Yours sincerely

Vanessa Stanley

Head of Human Resources

Background Information

KAB is a registered charity that has been working throughout Kent and the surrounding areas since 1920. Our aim is to improve the quality of life for blind and sight impaired people of all ages, and enable our service users to maximise their independence.

We have around 120 staff working from seven local bases, and around 900 volunteers across the region. The charity has a turnover of c. £2.5 million p.a., and is overseen by a Board of Trustees.

We have six local rehabilitation teams, three based at KAB Sight Centres (in Maidstone, Canterbury and Bromley) and three based in offices in Gravesend, Dover and Medway.We also have two part-time staff working in Bexley. All six rehab teams provide statutory assessments, registration as Sight Impaired (SI) or Severely Sight Impaired (SSI), comprehensive rehabilitation services including mobility and orientation training, and specialist equipment. This is done mainly on an outreach basis in services users’ own homes.

As well as being a base for rehab teams, our Sight Centres run resource rooms displaying a range of equipment and technology, low vision clinics, training courses, and meeting spaces for specialist support groups.

Other KAB services include:

·  Assistive Technology training and support.

·  A Guide Communicator Service for people with a dual sensory impairment, and one-to-one Sight Support and Intervenor services.

·  Talking Newspapers, providing local news from 13 districts.

·  Transcription services – Braille, audio, CD, SD cards & USB.

·  A Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care (Visual Impairment Rehabilitation) in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University and various accredited short courses.

KAB also has three Eye Clinic Liaison Officers – or ECLOS - working in Kent Hospitals, and we are delighted that we are now able to recruit a fourth worker to join the team and support sight impaired people in Bromley.

More information about KAB can be found on our website www.kab.org.uk.

Employment Details

Job title: Team Leader Bromley.

Responsible to: Rehabilitation Manager.

Responsible for: Bromley Rehabilitation Workers, Team Administrator, Low Vision Clinic Administrator, Volunteer Coordinator and Assistive Technology Worker.

Hours: 35 per week.

Salary: £26,685 – £29,721 pa (depending on qualification), plus London Weighting £1,536 pa.

Based at: KAB’s Bromley Sight Centre, 18 Blyth Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 3RX.

Pension scheme: Membership of the pension scheme will be available on recruitment. KAB will contribute after three months satisfactory service.

Holidays: 21 days pa pro rata.

Expenses: All approved out of pocket expenses incurred in undertaking official business will be met, including mileage at 40p per mile.

Training: Training will be provided where needed.


Job Description

Main areas of responsibility

Rehabilitation Casework

·  Hold a small rehabilitation/mobility caseload including more complex cases and keep accurate records, (see attached Rehabilitation Worker job description).

·  Keep abreast of current trends and emerging best practice in the specialism.

Managing a Rehabilitation Service

·  Monitor referrals, waiting lists and activity levels and prepare reports as required.

·  Ensure good standards of practice are met and maintained. Be responsible for all referrals made to the Team, ensuring that urgent referrals are prioritised and that the Service Level Agreement response time is met.

·  Develop close collaborative working relationships with other voluntary agencies, colleagues in the Local Authority, the eye healthcare field and emerging health agencies. This will include both operational collaboration and strategic liaison to advance the Bromley Vision Strategy and other initiatives.

·  Be responsible for operational changes to service delivery in negotiation with LBB in response to changes in National Social Care policies.

·  Produce quarterly monitoring reports for LBB, including details of statistics, team activities, case studies and equipment provision.

·  Ensure the smooth running of the Low Vision Clinic at the Bromley Sight Centre, oversee and contribute to the monitoring, reporting and evaluation of this service.

·  Promote and deliver awareness training as appropriate, including Clinical Governance sessions for ophthalmology personnel.

·  Respond to complaints in a timely way following KAB and LBB protocols.

·  Manage cases where there are potential safeguarding concerns following KAB and LBB protocols.

·  Be responsible for the allocation and closure of all casework. Ensure appropriate response to all Rehabilitation Team enquiries and referrals.

·  Supervise and support team members, including regular supervisions, annual appraisals, target setting and monitoring objectives. Monitor staff absence and expense claims.

·  Motivate team members and together discuss and introduce new initiatives for the benefit of service users.

·  Adhere to all KAB and relevant LBB policies and procedures.

·  Co-ordinate staff inductions and on-going training; ensure all team members have the opportunity to update their skills and knowledge.

·  Be responsible for team meetings and dissemination of information to team members. Keep accurate records of all meetings.

·  Be responsible for organising deployment of staff, including duty rota, delivery of training and adequate annual leave cover.

·  Be responsible for ordering equipment and for stock control; check invoices and forward to finance department for payment.

·  Monitor the Centre’s budgets and maintain the petty cash records.

·  Ensure health and safety issues are addressed.

·  Support the rehabilitation service by co-working with Team Leader colleagues.

·  Perform other relevant duties as required by the Chief Executive of the KAB.

Managing the Sight Centre

·  Ensure the cleaning and maintenance of the building and grounds is completed to appropriate standard, and ensure the health and safety of staff, volunteers and visitors.

·  Ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for KAB colleagues or other agencies using the Sight Centre.

·  Ensure adequate systems are in place for building security.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

·  Positive leadership and management skills, including the ability to motivate and encourage staff. Experience of staff supervision, appraisal and managing performance issues.

·  Knowledge of the issues affecting sight impaired people, and an understanding of the range of rehabilitation and other support available.

·  Knowledge of the Health and Social Care sector.

·  Excellent time management and organisational skills, with the ability to work to tight deadlines and manage a complex workload independently and effectively.

·  Excellent verbal and written communication skills, the ability to inspire and influence a wide range of audiences and to represent KAB at a senior level.

·  Competent IT skills, including the ability to be self-supporting in the use MS Office, Outlook, and Excel.

·  Commitment to KAB’s aims and values, and to anti-discriminatory practice.

·  A good level of numeracy and sound basic finance skills.

·  Possession of a professional manner and flexible approach to working.

·  Ability to travel independently across the area of service.

·  A commitment to your own and others’ professional development.

Desirable Criteria

·  Foundation Degree/Diploma/Certificate in Rehabilitation Studies.

·  Knowledge of facilities management.

·  Knowledge or experience of database use.

·  Knowledge and experience of working within safeguarding procedures.

Kent Association for the Blind

Application Form

Position applied for: Team Leader, Bromley
Personal details
Surname: ______
Forenames: ______
Address: ______
______
______
Postcode: ______
Telephone: ______Business: ______
Mobile: ______
Email: ______
National Insurance Number: ______

Education

Please list qualifications achieved from Secondary, Higher and Further Education

Name of School, College or
University /

Qualifications (including GCSE, O and A Levels or equivalent, NVQs, Work based courses and any further education)

/ Grade
and year taken

Please list any training courses undertaken, any other relevant skills, interests or public duties, and any voluntary work experience.

Employment History
(Please list your present or most recent job first, give full details, explain any gaps in your job history, and continue on a separate sheet if needed)
Date
/ Employer / Position held / Reason for leaving if applicable
Please give your current salary £______p.a.
If you have applied for a position with the KAB before, please give details:
Please attach a statement (no more than two sides of A4) detailing what skills, knowledge and experience you could bring to the role and why you would like to be employed in this position.
Please make sure you address the person specification in your response, as these are the criteria we will use to shortlist for the post.
Referees
(Not members of your family or friends), one of whom should be your present employer (or, if not employed, the most recent)
Referee 1
Name: ______
Address: ______
______
Occupation: ______
Relationship to you: ______
Telephone: ______Email: ______
Referee 2
Name: ______
Address: ______
______
Occupation: ______
Relationship to you: ______
Telephone: ______Email: ______
Do you need a work permit to work in the UK? Yes/No
(please delete as appropriate)
If offered this position will you continue to work in any other capacity? Yes/No
(please delete as appropriate)
If yes, please give details below
Please note this post is subject to Criminal Records Bureau Enhanced Disclosure clearance.
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 – Exemption from S4(2)
This employment is exempted from the above and employees are not therefore entitled to withhold information about “spent” convictions. In the event of you ever having been convicted of any offence by a Court of Law, please give the offence(s) with dates. If you have not, please write “No Convictions”.
______
I understand that any employment, if offered, will be subject to the information on this form being correct, and I confirm that no valid information has been wilfully withheld. I understand that if I am appointed, I am liable to dismissal without notice if the information on this form is later proved to be inaccurate.
I agree that Kent Association for the Blind can hold and handle these details in line with Data Protection Legislation.
Signed: ______Date: ______
Please tell us how you became aware of the position:

Equality Monitoring Form

Kent Association for the Blind is committed to developing and implementing its Equality Policy and seeks to ensure that recruitment and selection is carried out fairly. You are asked to assist us by completing the following information.

Ethnic Group

Please circle one of the options from the list below to describe your ethnicity:

White British

White Irish

White - any other White background

(please specify) ______

White & Black Caribbean

White & Black African

White & Asian

Any other mixed background

(please specify) ______

Asian or Asian British

Indian

Pakistani

Bangladeshi

Any other Asian background

(please specify) ______

Black or black British

Caribbean

African

Any other black background

(please specify) ______

Any other Ethnic background (please specify) ______

Gender

Male/Female (delete as appropriate)

Age Range (please circle)

Up to 19 20-25 26-35 36-45 46-55 56-65

Over 65


Accessibility Statement

Kent Association for the Blind aims to be a fair employer and is committed to equality of opportunity for disabled people. Applications from disabled people are welcome. All disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview. At interview, we have a policy of providing appropriate access and equipment to ensure that disabled people are considered on an equal basis. If you would like any further assistance or advice about this application we will try to help.

In order to help us fulfil our aims, please answer the following questions.

1.  Do you consider yourself to be disabled?

Yes/No (Please delete as appropriate)

If yes, do you consider yourself to be disabled under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act?

Yes/No (Please delete as appropriate)

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 defines disability as “a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on an individual’s ability to carry out normal day to day activities.”

2.  If there is anything you would particularly like to tell us about your disability please use the space below.

3. If you wish us to try to arrange for the following to be available if you are called for an interview, please specify below:

Induction loop or other hearing enhancement

Keyboard for written tests

Assistance in and out of vehicle

Wheelchair access

Sign language interpreter (please specify type)

Someone with you at the interview (e.g. advocate or facilitator)

Accessible car parking

Accessible toilet

Any other assistance or additional needs required (please specify):

______

______

This section will be used by the recruitment team to support the recruitment and interview process. It will be treated as confidential.

Name: ______

Signed: ______

Date: ______

Thank you for providing this information.

Please return this form with your application form.