Elders Core Programme Manager

We are seeking a manager to lead a frontline team, suitable for an experienced people manager who is friendly, kind, and capable of managing a busy workload. The ideal candidate will motivate staff and volunteers, engage with elders, and be solution-focused.

About Katherine Low Settlement

Katherine Low Settlement is a busy, local charity that has been serving Battersea and the wider Wandsworth community since 1924. We are dedicated to building stronger communities and enable people to challenge and find ways out of poverty and isolation.

We run a range of our own community services to support older people and children, young people, and their families from refugee communities. We campaign for social change. We incubate and support other charities and social businesses to thrive. Each week we work with 30+ charities and community groups supporting more than 1,000 people.

Katherine Low Settlement's work with older people

Katherine Low Settlement has worked with older people since its conception in 1924.They are a core part of the community that we continue to work with. We provide, often in partnership, a range of projects and activities for older people including health and wellbeing; creative arts; intergenerational work; connecting people and trips/outings. Our services include an Older People's Lunch Club, Contact Club, T'ai Chi for Elders, exercise and social sessions, and support online.

We work with older people to:

• Encourage active and independent living

• Reduce isolation and loneliness

• Improve well-being and prevent ill-health

• Enable older residents to be dynamic and contributing members of the Wandsworth community.

Role Purpose

We are seeking to recruit a manager to lead a frontline team. This role will suit an experienced people manager who is friendly, kind and able to manage a busy workload. Someone who can motivate staff and volunteers, engage with elders and be solution focused.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the day to day running of the Elders Core Service as part of the wider Elders Programme. This includes the three day a week lunch club, transport offer and social sessions and one-off activities and trips.

• Lead a team of dedicated part-time paid staff and volunteers. The team members include a cook, support worker, minibus driver and sessional workers such as exercise tutors.

• Work collaboratively with the wider team to provide this "hands on" programme which builds on older people's strengths and potential.

• Manage the monitoring and evaluation of the project.

• Ensure the programme runs to budget.

• Support the planning of the core programme with Elders members themselves and with the wider team.

• Recruit, assess and support new and existing members (service users)

• Manage waiting lists for the programme

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Planning and oversight

• Working with the Head of Programme, ensure that all service output meets KLS' vision, mission, values and charitable objects and with the Head of Programme, ensure the service meets the programme strategy and KLS's 5-year strategy.

• Ensure the smooth delivery of core older people's activities throughout the week and organise, plan and promote agreed one-off activities throughout the year in a timely and planned manner.

• Manage the transport offer, including route planning and pick-up schedules of older people to and from KLS' activities with the Minibus Driver. Ensuring the Minibus Driver maintains records.

• Ensure activity records and registers are kept accurately and up to date as well as case work notes for the core team, completing regular checks on this. We use a Salesforce Database for which training will be given.

• Actively support the social and support needs of our older people as appropriate, including safeguarding issues and being a first contact for compliments and complaints for the service.

• To be part of, and work closely with, the wider elder's team, sharing information regarding elders on a regular basis where appropriate.

• Conduct outreach and support work with older people in the community and on home visits and oversee the case work of the Core Team as well as having a small caseload. This does not involve advice work but is mainly signposting, referral and light advocacy.

Staff and volunteer management

• Take responsibility for the Core Programme. This includes line management of the Outreach and Support Workers, Lunch Club Cook and key relevant social activities workers and volunteers related to the core programme (we do also have a KLS Volunteer Manager who recruits volunteers).

• Ensure performance management and quality systems are used to monitor and evaluate the project's work, processes and safeguarding.

• Managing individual volunteers as part of the Core Programme Team.

Relationships, comms and networks

• Continue to build and sustain strong relationships with our members.

• Contribute to comms for the service with the Head of Service. Oversee the comms for the Core Programme including the shared service newsletter, activities calendar, annual report and social media platforms.

• Attend meetings as requested on behalf of the Core Programme.

Finance

• Manage the project areas to budget, maintain basic financial records as agreed with the Head of Programme – in this instance this is usually a petty cash sheet.

Safeguarding

• Responsible for ensuring adherence to policies and procedures across the core team, ensuring that safeguarding is at the forefront of KLS' delivery.

Undertake other duties

• Participate in regular management supervision and annual appraisal; help to identify your own job-related development and training needs

• Undertake your role in a professional manner and maintain a high-quality standard of work in accordance with the aims, values and ethos of KLS

Skills and Experience

• Experience of working with older people in a community setting

• Experience of line managing a small team in a community setting

• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including communicating with people from a wide range of backgrounds and when working individually or in groups

• Strong multi-tasking skills and time management

• Ability to work as part of a small team, whilst also working independently

• Experience of monitoring and evaluating projects effectively and ensuring that they are consistently meeting needs

• Understanding and experience of safeguarding, and health & safety in theory and in practice

• Excellent IT skills including MS Office suite and ability to use Internet, email and social media. Database experience would be an advantage (Salesforce)

• Experience of working with or being a volunteer

• Knowledge of Battersea and Wandsworth

Personal Qualities

• Passionate about working with older people and championing their value to the community

• A hands-on, highly motivated individual with considerable drive, energy and a determination to succeed

• Caring and compassionate

• Dedicated and organised with the ability to work under pressure

• Able to see the wider picture as strong attention to detail

• Able to take initiative and solve problems

• Trustworthy, non-judgemental, caring and compassionate, proactive, self-motivated and hardworking

• Committed to KLS's mission, vision and values

The above job description reflects the position at the time of writing; it is not intended to be a task list but indicates the general level of work involved. It is expected that duties will be reviewed and revised as required.

Dates

Closing Date for Applications: 21st July 2024

Interview Date: TBC End of July