COORDINATOR

UNITING CARERS, DEMENTIA UK

Terms and Conditions

Permanent Contract:

Salary:In range £24,000 to £28,000 per annum.

Hours:35 hours per week, to be worked as agreed. Willingness to work longer hours on occasions when required with time taken off in lieu.

Leave:25 days per annum plus statutory holidays.

Probation:There is a six-month probationary period.

Pension:6% contribution to Stakeholder Pension after successful completion of probationary period.

Location:Dementia UK

Head Office, 6 Camden High Street, London NW1 0JH.

Notice:One month.

Job Description

Accountable to:The Development Lead, Uniting Carers, Dementia UK and through her to the Executive Committee of Uniting Carers and the Board of Trustees of Dementia UK.

Line Manager:The Development Lead, Uniting Carers, Dementia UK.

Purpose of job:To act as first line response to enquirers and members of Uniting Carers, our involvement network of family carers. To coordinate and develop specific project areas.To provide administrative support and develop systems to facilitate the effectiveness of the network.

Background Information

Dementia UK, Charity Number 1039404, aims to improve the quality of life and standard of care for people with dementia and their carers, through the provision of specialist dementia nurses (known as Admiral Nurses) and high quality training for care staff. A key function of the charity is Uniting Carers, our national network of family carers who are supported and given the opportunity to use their knowledge and skills to raise awareness about dementia.

The charity’s main activities are to:

  • Promote and develop Admiral Nursing - a specialist nursing intervention focused on meeting the needs of carers andfamilies of people with dementia.
  • Provide high quality training for professionals working with older people, carers and people with dementia.
  • Empower carers to have a voice through Uniting Carers, our national network of family carers.
  • Work in partnership with the NHS, social services, other voluntary groups, carers and people with dementia.
  • Contribute to national policy on dementia, older people and carers' issues.
  • Influence practice and policy development.

Uniting Carers, Dementia UK is our national network of family carers. The aim is to empower carers and give them a voice. We encourage their involvement in ways that will influence policy, contribute to service developments, enhance learning, raise awareness and understanding of dementia, and the issues and challenges facing families affected by dementia.

The Uniting Carers team consists of the Development Lead, the Coordinator and a small team of volunteers.

The postholder will work closely with the Development Lead to coordinate and develop involvement opportunities for our members. This will include for example, developing opportunities for members to speak about their experiences on training courses, conferences and events, involving carers in research projects and media interviews.

The postholder will provide administrative support in order to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of the team in carrying out its activities as a function of the charity.

Key Responsibilities are to:

  1. Support the work of the Development Lead of Uniting Carers.
  1. Engage and develop relationships with Uniting Carers members to encourage their active involvement.
  1. Process and follow up membership applications and keep accurate records.
  1. Participate in the development and planning of ongoing activities and events involving members of Uniting Carers. Coordinating identified projects e.g. the involvement of carer speakers in training courses and research projects.
  1. Manage and keep up to date the Uniting Carersmembership database. To maintain records of members’ activity and produce reports.
  1. Be responsible for general administrative duties such as word processing, photocopying, mailing and filing.
  1. Coordinate and supervise volunteers assisting with administration duties.
  1. Work collaboratively with departments within DUK promoting the work of Uniting Carers and encourage carer involvement in all aspects of the charity’s work.
  2. Service the Executive Committee of Uniting Carers, booking the room and facilities, preparing papers, taking minutes of meetings and liaising with committee members as appropriate.
  1. Develop the Uniting Carers website pages and be responsible for regular updating, working with the Communications Manager.
  1. Develop a regular Uniting Carers newsletter with contributions from members.
  1. Provide coordination and administrative support for Uniting Carers events e.g. booking venues, design and production of publicity material, travel arrangements.
  1. Attend relevant internal and external meetings as requested by the Development Lead, to take minutes, prepare and send out agendas as required.
  1. Undertake any other tasks that are appropriate to the role.

General responsibilities are to:

1.Work within the policy framework of Dementia UK, particularly data protection.

2.Ensure that equality policies and practices are fully integrated into all aspects of the work.

3.Participate in supervision, appraisal, development and work planning.

4.Support the wider aims of the charity and undertake general duties as required.

Person Specification

The following will be tested; A on application, T as part of a test and I during the interview.

Experience

Essential / A / T / I
  1. Minimum of three years experience of working in an office environment and managing competing tasks and deadlines.
/ A / I
  1. Experience of supporting others as part of a small team.
/ A / I
  1. Experience of office administration systems and IT applications.
/ A / T
  1. Experience of using databases.
/ A / T
  1. Understanding or personal experience of caring for someone living with dementia.
/ A / I
Desirable
  1. Experience of using Raiser’s Edge database.
/ A / I
  1. Experience of working with and involving volunteers.
/ A / I

Skills and abilities

Essential / A / T / I
  1. Excellent organisational skills.
/ A / T / I
  1. Excellent communication skills (written and oral), and inter-personal skills.
/ A / T / I
  1. Ability to communicate sensitively by telephone with people who may be vulnerable and under pressure.
/ A
  1. Excellent attention to detail and accurate data entry.
/ A / T
  1. High level of computer literacy with comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, especially Word, Excel and Outlook.
/ A / T
  1. Ability to work well under pressure and to deadlines.
/ A / I
  1. Enthusiasm, motivation and flexibility.
/ I
  1. Proactive and self – managing.
/ A / I
  1. Ability to work effectively as part of a small team and to use initiative when appropriate.
/ A / I

Personal Qualities

Essential / A / T / I
  1. Empathy with the aims of the charity.
/ A / I
  1. Positive attitude to family carers and people with dementia in particular and commitment to improving the quality of their care.
/ A / I
  1. Genuine interest in working in the voluntary sector.
/ A

Knowledge

Essential / A / T / I
  1. Comprehensive knowledge of Microsoft Office applications.
/ A / T
  1. Knowledge and understanding of the effects and consequences of adverse discrimination and the ability to implement equal opportunities policies in all aspects of the work.
/ A / I

1

ucdukcoordinator/July 2012