Leith Community Crops in Pots

LEITH COMMUNITY CROPS IN POTS

Job Description and Person Specification

Job Title: Chief Executive Officer

Job Description

Funded up to 31 March 2016

Salary

£ 27,648 per year (pro rata).

Renumeration for this post is yet to be benchmarked and payment and hours willbe subject to funds available.

Contracted Hours of Work

16 hours per week, flexible start/finish times.

Holiday Entitlement

30 days, including Scottish Bank Holidays. (Holiday year runs from start date.)

Notice Period

One calendar month's notice by either party.

Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures

In accordance with ACAS Codes of Practiceand within EU & UK regulations

Reporting to

L-CCIP board

Background Information

The purposesof Leith Community Crops in Pots may be summarised as: to encourage and support the people and organisations of Leith to grow food vegetables, and flowers for pollinating insects, in urban spaces, in order to improve health and wellbeing, community cohesion and the environment.

As this particular post is to be funded by the Climate Challenge Fund, its focus will be on the environment, particularly on reducing the local community’s greenhouse gas production and quantifying this. However, we believe this to be inseparable from the other aspects of the organisation’s purposes, as we believe that people will be more fully engaged and inspired by a project that involves enjoyable activities and that has multiple obvious benefits for them, the community and the environment. While people are being shown how to cultivate crops and encouraged to share seasonal recipes at social events, for example, we think it likely they will be most open to learning about reducing food waste, a major means of reducing greenhouse gas production.

All the tasks below are to be carried out in consultation with members of the L-CCIP board and/or the relevant lead person who will be able to support,advise and assist.

Primary Responsibilities and Requirements

We are recruiting a Chief Executive Officer to direct the organisation in its strategic development and progress its environmental work, which has a focus on food.

The CEO requires strong management experience anda discernible commitment to environmental sustainability. Significant assets would be: an ability to communicate well with a wide range of individuals and organisations; to motivate and negotiate, both internally and externally; a proven track record ofdeveloping and running fundable projects(which includes building relationships with, and reporting to, funders), and experience of working in a network or member organisation.

Strategic Leadership. The CEO’s role will be to ensure that L-CCiP has clear long-term direction and will therefore include supporting the board in defining L-CCiP’s values, mission and vision, with reference to its purposes, and developing strategy with regard to the furtherance of these. This will necessarily also involve the development of strategy with regard to fundraising, and communicating with and engaging appropriate stakeholders with regard to the overall strategy, as well as monitoring, evaluating and reporting on progress.

The CEO will oversee the development and description of projects as models for others to replicate, as well as setting up and driving forwarda new social enterprise project. The latter will not only directly fulfil some of the charity’s purposes, it will also play a role in funding the charity’s work.

Operational management. The CEO is in overall charge of all operations, but can delegate responsibilityto project managers who will report to the board through the CEO.

Financial management. The CEO is responsible for overall financial management, ensuring the organisation’s budget is set and financial performance is monitored and maintained. This includes overseeing procurement and commissioning.

Human resources management. The CEO leads and manages the staff team and volunteers.

Partnership development and community relations. The CEO has the lead responsibility to develop appropriate partnerships with a range of organisations and institutions relevant to the pursuit of the charity’spurposes and to the resourcing of the charity. These include local authorities, funders, policy bodies, local businesses and other local voluntary organisations. The CEO supports the board in monitoring and evaluating L-CCiP’s relationship with the wider community.

Legal compliance. The CEOmonitors all legal and regulatory documents and monitors compliance with relevant laws and regulations, advising the board on these matters.

Additional Projects to be Managedby the CEOInclude:

Reducing the Community’s Greenhouse Gas Production

Reducing food waste

The post-holder will oversee the programme devised by the Education Officers to encourage schools and nurseries, schoolchildren, their parents/guardians, other members of the community (and potentially organisations), to reduce food waste.The programme includes gathering baseline and post-training data in order to assess effectiveness, as do all the programmes mentioned below.

Encouraging composting

Encouraging the growing of food

The post-holder will oversee and maintain a programme devised by the Education Officers to encourage schools and nurseries, school children, their parents/guardians, other members of the community (and potentially organisations), to grow their own food.

Encouraging responsible shopping habits

The post-holder will oversee the programme devised by the Education Officers to encourage school children, their parents/guardians, other members of the community (and potentially organisations), to shop for food (and potentially other items) in such as way as to reduce theirenvironmental impact.

Events

The post-holder will oversee the planning, delivery and evaluation of, in addition to the above and community training days,at least six public events a year, such asstalls at local festivals, talks and open days.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

advising the board and supervising staff with regard to procurement and commissioning policies and procedures
promoting the benefits of L-CCIP's activities
increasing the Leith community's awareness of, and access to, local and sustainable foo
delivering presentations
writing reports, in conjunction with the staff and board where appropriate
other duties arising in the furtherment of the charitable purposes of L-CCIP

Person Specification

Education

Essential / Desirable

A good standard of secondary school education, plus HNC/HND or equivalent

Degree level education (or equivalent)

Experience

Essential / Desirable

Experience in a public engagement role and/or infood-growing or environmental projects
Experience of public speaking
Experience of writing or commissioning high quality reports, briefings, articles, blogs, etc.
Experience of monitoring and evaluating projects
Experience of governance and partnership working
Experience of developing, fundraising for, monitoring and evaluating projects
Experience of delegation, support and supervision
Experience of participating in campaigns on food, environment or related issues such as climate change, social justice

Experience of recruiting staff
Experience of working in a food business
Experience of organising events
Experience of developing a social enterprise
Experience of procuring materials/equipment and commissioning services, taking account of practical, environmental/ethical and budgetary considerations

Knowledge, Skills & Understanding

Essential / Desirable

Strong organisational skills and the ability to prioritise own workload, personally and within a team context, and to delegate appropriately
Knowledge of, and contacts in, the NGO sector in Scotland
Good communication skills in a variety of situations
The ability to work collaboratively and develop effective networks
Ability to use Information and Communication Technologies (including social media, email, spreadsheets and databases)in a campaigning context

Knowledge of standard Microsoft or Open Office suite of software
Knowledge of Non-Violent Communication

Personal Qualities

Essential / Desirable

Commitment to the environmental ethos and the charitable purposes of Leith Community Crops in Pots
Commitment to working within a team/membership organisation
Commitment toequal opportunities and social inclusion
Sensitivity and responsiveness to people’s emotional and social wellbeing
Self-motivated
Self-reflective – ability to recognise the need for feedback and support, and to encouragethe former and seek the latter
Commitment to lifelong learning with regard to self and others

Leith Community Crops in Pots. A Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) SC044220