Recruitment Information Pack
Regional Education Executive
March 2013
Regional Education Executive
Welcome
Thank you for your interest in joining Teenage Cancer Trust. This pack should give you all of the information you need to help you decide whether you would like to apply to join the Teenage Cancer Trust Education Team in the key role of Regional Education Executive for Scotland. Salary £24,000 pa (pro-rata)
This post is offered on a 1 year fixed-term basis. Our Education team at Teenage Cancer Trust is currently going through a new phase of development. Therefore, we hope to be able to extend this role after 1 year depending on funding.
It’s a great time to join us as there is enormous opportunity to build on Teenage Cancer Trust’s pioneering education programme, which is offered to all schools and colleges throughout the UK and which aims to raise awareness of the cancer in young people and to empower them to manage their own health.
What Teenage Cancer Trust does
There’s never a good time to get cancer, but for teenagers the timing seems particularly cruel. Young people can get some of the most rare and aggressive forms of cancer. Their rapidly growing bodies work against them, enabling the cancer to grow faster. The emotional upheaval of adolescence can make a cancer diagnosis even harder to cope with.
Every day in the UK, six young people will have to face that diagnosis. This is a rising figure and there are already more young people than children with the disease. At Teenage Cancer Trust we understand that teenage cancer requires specialist care. We know how damaging it is to take a young person away from their normal life – their friends, their environment, their ‘stuff’ – and put them in a cancer ward with small children or older people.
In fact we know that young people have a much better chance in their fight against cancer if they are treated by experts in teenage cancer, in an environment tailored to their needs. So we’re working every day to make that happen.
- Units
Life in a Teenage Cancer Trust unit is intended to be as close as possible to a young person’s life outside. We involve young people when we plan our units, so you might walk into one and find a game of pool going on, music playing or someone chatting to friends on a webcam. It’s all about giving young people the chance to be themselves, so our Activity Co-ordinators provide individually tailored support.
Being able to talk to people going through exactly what they’re going through makes a huge difference. Over the past 21 years Teenage Cancer Trust has built 22 units across the UK that bring young people with cancer together with loads of new friends their own age so they can support each other.
Alongside this is a medical team of teenage cancer specialists who pool knowledge to create a body of expertise that’s second to none. They’re backed up by our Nurse Consultants who provide clinical care, develop research, deliver professional education and ensure that standards remain as high as possible.
- Support
When a young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole family needs support too. Teenage Cancer Trust’s Family Support Network gives mums, dads, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands and partners the chance to meet other people who understand their situation at every stage of the cancer journey and beyond.
- Research
We fund the country’s first Professor of Teenage Cancer Medicine who leads research into why young people get cancer and how best to treat it, ultimately improving diagnosis, treatment and survival rates.
- Education
Our Education and Awareness programme aims to educate every young person in the UK about cancer, cancer prevention and healthy living, empowering them to take control of their health.
- Find Your Sense of Tumour
Our annual conference is specifically for young people with cancer and gives them the chance to share experiences and learn more about their disease. Plus, 400 young people from all over the country in one place for a weekend…it’s pretty good fun too.
- International conference
We hold the world’s only conference focussing solely on cancer and the adolescent where experts from across the globe share information and research, helping to improve the lives of young people with cancer internationally.
- Medical courses
We also fund courses for medical professionals at all levels so they can improve how they treat young people with cancer.
Culture
We’re a lot smaller than most people think. Despite our recent growth our total staff numbers – that’s everyone - is around 120 people. This means we are still small enough to make decisions quickly, seize opportunities when they arise and behave in an entrepreneurial but professional way. It makes working for Teenage Cancer Trust exciting, vibrant and dynamic but it also means that if you are someone who prefers to be given an answer rather than help create the solution then you might not enjoy how we work.
The Senior Management Team is established, experienced, non-hierarchical and accessible – it makes a big difference to how we work and the potential we have to grow. They are backed and guided by an experienced and well established Trustee Board.
An overview of the team
The Education and Advocacy service that is provided by Teenage Cancer Trust is a long-established service that remains one of the key priorities for the organisation.
The team consists of the Director for Education and Advocacy and then the Head of the North team and the Head of the South team. Within the North team there are 4 Regional Education Managers who cover the whole of the North of the UK and in the South team there are 3 Regional Education Managers. The North team also has a Regional Education Executive who is based in Northern Ireland.
The Education and Advocacy are all home based workers but we have a strong sense of team work both within our own team but also with the other regional teams that exist within Teenage Cancer Trust.
The Education and Advocacy team have been continuously developing new ways of raising awareness of teenage cancer to young people and we welcome new ideas and ways of working and embrace change.
As the Regional Education Executive for Scotland, you will work closely with the Regional Education Manager for Scotland and report to them.
The Role
The role’s primary focus is to engage with education establishments within Scotland and to increase and improve knowledge and awareness of the issues relating to young adult cancer among the teenage and young adult population.
This role offers huge opportunities for personal and professional growth. We have recently secured funding form the Scottish Government to develop the service we provide in Scotland and this role will be instrumental in developing the service, alongside the Education Manager for Scotland.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Apply through our website www.teenagecancertrust.org Please upload your CV and a supporting statement of no more than 250 words together as one document of no more than five pages.
Closing date 19/04/13
First interview 03/05/13
Second interview 09/05/13
Job Description & Person Specification
Job Title: Regional Education Executive-Scotland
Hours: 37 hours (full time)
Location: You must be living or planning to live in Scotland, ideally in or around Edinburgh. The role is home-based in an area of the region that affords good access to transport infrastructure.
Responsible to: Regional Education and Advocacy Manager-Scotland
Direct reports: None
Type of Employment: Fixed term contract for 1 year.
Benefits: £4k car allowance, pension, health cover, 25 days annual leave plus statutory bank holidays
Main Purpose of the JobTo engage with education establishments within the region and to increase and improve knowledge and awareness of the issues relating to young adult cancer among the teenage and young adult population.
Key Areas of Responsibility
Relationship Management and Development
· To identify key education contacts and potential relationships with education establishments.
· Research, create, manage and motivate education establishments to engage with the education programme.
· To work, in partnership with the wider team to promote the education programme.
· To work together with internal customers e.g. funded staff, Fundraising, Communications and Services, in the form of the Regional Team Network to ensure mutual understanding of each others roles and functions, minimise duplication and promote collaborative working.
Communication
· To deliver presentations (usually single-handed), as part of the education programme in schools, colleges and other education and youth organisations.
· To attend some of the larger events in which the Trust is involved and take the opportunity to generate useful new contacts.
· To act as an ambassador for Teenage Cancer Trust
· To maintain awareness of developments within the national curriculum to facilitate effective joint working with Education institutions; ensuring stake holder colleagues have a clear understanding of the needs of young people with cancer.
· To use and adapt existing education presentations to meet the needs of different audiences, undertaking research into new material to ensure that presentations are up-to-date and relevant and cover the key education messages.
Reporting, Review and Evaluation
· To ensure working practices are aligned with the Teenage Cancer Trust organisational goals and objectives.
· To provide the Regional Education Manager with clear, concise and accurate reports as agreed.
· To ensure that individual targets that have been set are achieved.
· To ensure that CARE (the charity’s relationship database) is updated in a timely, accurate and appropriate way at all times.
· To complete and participate in ‘on-the-job’ training to ensure that the highest possible
standards are maintained in terms of both knowledge and skills.
· To ensure that all mandatory training sessions are completed eg. Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity.
Policy and Procedures
· To ensure that all education activity complies with Teenage Cancer Trust policies and procedures and also the legislative requirements of the territory.
Partnership working
· To work in a collaborative way, both with colleagues from across the charity but also within the sector.
· To work in partnership with the fundraising team and other regional team members, working closely with them in order to maximise fundraising opportunities.
Other Duties
· Undertake any other duties that are commensurate with the post as requested by the Manager.
· Carry out the duties of post in accordance with the Trust’s policies and procedures on Health and Safety and take responsibility for ensuring personal health and safety.
· Work flexibility, prioritise workload and work as part of a team.
Key interfaces/interdependencies of the role
· Internally-all members of the regional education team and colleagues from across the charity including services, central fundraising, corporate fundraising, regional fundraising, direct marketing, volunteering, Events and Challenge fundraising, finance, IT and communications.
· Externally- key supporter groups, organisations and individuals. Relevant professional networks and membership bodies. NHS and clinical contacts and patients, their families and friends as appropriate.
Person Specification
Essential / Preferred / How AssessedQualifications / Have undergone or prepared to undergo formal training in pertinent areas. i.e. TYA cancer / Educated to degree-level or with equivalent professional experience / CV
Certificates
Experience / Have experience working with young people. / Supporting statement
CV
References
Skills / The ability to relate to and “connect” with young people.
Exceptional oral presentation skills with the confidence to speak to a wide variety of audiences of all sizes.
Excellent written and communication skills with the power to inspire and motivate whilst also delivering clear, concise messages.
Excellent organisational skills, IT literate.
Strong team worker and motivator of self. / Supporting statement
CV
References
Knowledge
. / Knowledge of TYA cancers, their symptoms and treatments.
An understanding of and interest in the issues affecting teenagers and young adults with cancer. / Supporting statement
CV
References
Personal Attributes / A flexible and adaptable approach to work.
An effective team player but able to work on his/her own for considerable periods of time.
The maturity and ability to deal with complex issues and issues of a confidential nature. / Supporting statement
CV
References
Other / Full driving licence
Home office location within the territory covered with good access to transport and infrastructure.
Able to provide an effective work space with home office location.
Access to own car, insured for business purposes.
An ability and willingness to work evening, weekends and unsocial hours as the role requires.
Candidates will be working remotely and will require fast broadband connection and a good mobile phone reception at their work location in order to connect to the office systems. / Clean driving licence. / Supporting statement
CV
References
Attitudes and Values / Commitment to the philosophy and ethos of Teenage Cancer Trust
TEENAGE CANCER TRUST : STAFF BENEFITS
Staff Benefits Include:
Annual Leave / 25 days including Bank HolsBeneficial Loan / Up to £300 loan for staff who regularly incur expenses as part of their role. No cost to employee
Car Allowance and
Mileage Allowance / For staff who need to travel as part of their role. Terms as per contract
Childcare Vouchers / Savings made by buying childcare vouchers through a salary sacrifice scheme, which means less tax and NI is paid
Cycle to Work scheme / Access to Govt scheme. Various options. Eligible after successful completion of probation
Further Education & Exams / Paid time off for approved courses. 2 days revision + exam day paid for approved qualifications
Group Income Protection / Provided through Canada Life. 75% of basic salary paid for approved cases paid monthly whilst on long-term sick. Eligible after successful completion of probation, approval is by Canada Life
Group Life Assurance / Provided through Aviva. 2 x annual salary payment if death occurs whilst in service, up to age 65
Group Pension / Provided by Aegon. We match contributions for 3%, 4% and 5%. Payments can be through salary sacrifice, which means savings made on tax and NI will be added to the total contribution. Eligible after completion of 3 months service
Maternity leave / Enhanced payment for first 6 weeks of maternity leave. Eligible where Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) applies
Season Ticket Loan / Interest-free loan to staff for purchasing a season ticket for travel to work. Eligible after successful completion of probation
Sabbatical leave / Staff with four years service may apply for unpaid sabbatical leave for up to one year.
Westfield Health / Free Health Cash Plan enables recovery towards some health-related costs, eg dentist, opticians. Also, other benefits such as health checks, confidential counselling service, access to telephone consultation with a Doctor, etc
Updated March 2013