Victim Support
Job description
Job title: Head of Volunteering
Reporting to: Assistant Chief Executive – Susannah Hancock
Responsible for: Volunteering Assistant
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Victim Support’s vision is to be the world’s best charity for Victims and Witnesses. We exist to help people find the strength to move on after crime. Six clear objectives will guide all our decisions to 2015, and make sure we achieve our vision.
This role is designed to help us deliver our strategy and to ensure that everyone within Victim Support lives our values.
1. Purpose of the job
· To influence and shape the role of volunteering in Victim Support ensuring that it remains central to the charity
· Represent the interests of, and Pprovide inspirational leadership for, volunteering throughout Victim Support.
· Develop, implement and manage the volunteer strategy to promote Victim Support as a highest quality provider of volunteer management practice
· Work towards a demonstrable and sustainable increase in the diversity of volunteers within the organisation
· Ensure that victim Support is a recognised as a leader within the voluntary sector
· Oversee the development and delivery of support services that encourage positive volunteer experience
· Work with operational colleagues to increase the impact of volunteering on service users and their value within the organisation .
2. Main duties and responsibilities
Leadership
· Support the Assistant Chief Executive by providing expertise and insight in Volunteering matters
· Collaborate with the Assembly and Corporate Management Team to ensure that the Volunteer’s perspective is considered and heard
· Providing leadership and direction to the Locality Directors on Volunteering issues and matters
Change, Challenge and Improvement
· Proactive improvement of Volunteer relations within Victim Support
· Work with the Locality Directors to ensure that structures are in place to provide high quality Volunteer Service Delivery Training.
· Lead the development and implementation of policy and procedures which support the recruitment, development and retention of volunteers across Victim Support
· Oversee the delivery of structures and processes to ensure that best practice volunteer management is adopted across all of Victim Support.
· Promote and develop a wide range of Volunteer forums
· Attend National Assembly meetings and to be senior management representative working with assembly members to coordinate national work plan designed to identify and progress issues to be taken to the Board of Trustees
· Oversee and manage the VIA process
· Develop and implement programmes to promote Victim Support as a ‘gold standard’ organisation for volunteering and training.
· Promote VS through work on wider Volunteering forums (including national and international bodies).
Project Work
· Lead on the development and implementation of Volunteer led initiatives
· Lead on the development and enhancement of Workforce (Volunteer aspects) system
· Drive and support relevant projects or project streams. E.g. Milestone awards
Performance
· Development and execution of plans to improve performance of Volunteering against designated KPIs in the Volunteering Strategy
· Align improvements in volunteering impact with service performance at local level
Managing People & Teamwork
· Manage and lead small support team
· Engagement with all leadership groups to ensure understanding and appreciation of Volunteering Strategy and Volunteering
· Work with the Head of Business Development and Fundraising team to identify and pursue potential fundraising opportunities for the organisation
3. Generic responsibilities
· Manage personal resources and own professional development
· Ensure all duties are carried out in a manner which promotes Victim Support’s equality and diversity policies
· Promote a health and safety culture within the locality, observe all health and safety rules and procedures and all attend training courses as required
· Ensure that essential information of a sensitive or personal nature is not disclosed to or discussed with inappropriate persons and that all information is maintained in accordance with the Data Protection Act
· Undertake any other duties as required
Key Deliverables – Measures of success
· Delivery of improvements in participation of Volunteer Survey within VS year on year
· Delivery of improvements in ‘engagement’ of Volunteers year on year.
· Improvement in compliance to Volunteering Policies and procedures (year on year)
· Delivery of projects on time, in budget and to agreed quality
· Achievement of objectives as defined in Performance Review
4. Travel
Moderate. Will be required to go to any locality as required and to attend and contribute to the wider Leadership meetings
5. Unsocial Hours
Will require a commitment to get the job done and this may, on occasions require unsocial hours of work
This job description serves to illustrate the type and scope of the duties currently required for the above post and to provide an indication of the required level of responsibility. It is not a comprehensive or exclusive list and duties may be varied from time to time, they will not however change the general character of the job or the level of responsibility entailed.
Person specification
Job Title: Head of Volunteering
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1. Knowledge and Experience
Essential
Consistent record of achievement in a leadership role at senior executive level within a service-driven organisation of comparable size, scope and complexity (s)
Demonstrable track record of having successfully and effectively delivered on major service improvements, implementing a performance culture, as well as cultural and organisational change (s)
Experience of analysing and interpreting high level volunteer policy and practice to influence change and progress within a complex organisational environment
A track record and reputation for effectively instilling and maintaining a sense of rigour, accountability, high performance, self-confidence and ambition in the management and development of staff in a large multi-disciplined organisation, and thereby effectively harnessing the strengths and talents of employees at all levels (s)
A successful track record of giving sound professional advice to and building effective and productive working relationships and in particular having the self-confidence and perspective to facilitate open and honest relationships between trustees, senior managers and staff (s)
An appreciation and understanding of the current issues within the charitable and wider public sector and experience of successfully working within a politically challenging environment or comparable high-pressure and complex organisation (s)
A demonstrable and successful track record of engaging effectively with others, building productive working relationships with a variety of internal and external partners at all levels, and developing and maintaining networks that foster personal and organisational credibility
Demonstrable and consistent track record of promoting and maintaining the highest standards of ethics and corporate governance
A consistent record of successful resource management, the formulation, rigorous monitoring and control of complex budgets and the effective performance management of people and physical resources
2. Skills and abilities
Ability to provide visible inspiring and supportive leadership, empowering, enabling, motivating and developing others, and fostering a positive organisational environment that focuses on successful outcomes but also shows tolerance and respect. (s)
Ability to operate effectively within the democratic process, with the political acumen and skills to develop productive working relationships with colleagues commanding respect, trust and confidence. (s)
Ability to lead organisational change and cultural change and to respond positively to both external and internal pressures and any other drivers. (s)
Ability to maintain a clear overview of issues affecting the organisation and to ensure that senior colleagues are provided timely and accurate advice and kept fully informed of relevant issues. (s)
Ability to propose, develop and implement effective strategies in pursuit of agreed goals and to make clear, informed, appropriate and timely decisions.
Ability to manage and monitor performance effectively, setting clear objectives, managing competing priorities, and balancing the different interests and needs of service users.
Ability to successfully analyse complex issues and situations, provide logical decisions, and reconcile competing interests, providing practical and creative solutions to problems through collaborative working.
Ability to anticipate, interpret and manage change and achieve results through influence and negotiation.
Personal Styles and Behaviours
Vigour, pace, energy, enthusiasm, driven, businesslike. A robust, resilient, confident and resourceful team leader, who sets high standards, constantly seeks improvement for delivery of services, and overcomes obstacles to achieve objectives.
Inclusive and empowering of staff at all levels. A commitment to diversity, respect, openness and fairness, promoting high standards of behaviour and professionalism for self and others.
The highest standards of personal conduct, probity, credibility, honesty and integrity to engage and inspires the trust and confidence of staff and other stakeholders.
Proactive and makes things happen. A natural and inclusive team worker who can work collaboratively across boundaries, harnessing and valuing individual differences, and achieving performance and results through others.
A successful and effective negotiator and facilitator with a flexible style and approach to different people and partners.
Entrepreneurial, courageous and a measured risk-taker within the context of spending public funds and effective governance. Comfortable and relaxed with ambiguity.
3. Qualifications
Essential
Degree or substantial management experience at a senior level and evidence of Management Development (s)
Evidence of Continuous Professional Development (s)
(S) = short listing criteria
Head of Volunteering 6 Final