Policy and Project Officer

Job Information

Achieving for Children is a Community Interest Company that has a public sector ethos, combined with the freedom to innovate enabling us to do things differently. As a not-for-profit social enterprise owned by three local authorities (Windsor & Maidenhead, Kingston and Richmond), we offer the freedoms of a social enterprise with the employment benefits of local government.

We are responsible for the entire range of children’s education, health and social care services in all three boroughs. We use a Signs of Safety practice model and approach which ensures the voice of the child is at the heart of everything we do. There’s never been a better time to join AfC, we are growing our workforce, implementing new flexible working arrangements and have increased our virtual wellbeing offer.

Want to help provide more opportunities for children and families in Kingston and Richmond to access new healthy holiday activities? If so, we are looking for a Policy and Project Officer to come in to lead on and manage our holiday activity and food programme (HAF) which has been named by our children and young people as FUEL (Feed Ur Everyday Lives).

HAF is funded by the Department for Education and provides children who receive benefits-related free school meals with the opportunity to attend free activities during certain school holidays, with a hot meal also being provided.

About the role

The postholder will be responsible for supporting Achieving for Children’s well-established HAF programme. With funding confirmed for the next three years, we’re keen to appoint an enthusiastic, hard-working and creative person to help us take the programme to the next level.

The post will require you to:

- Lead and project manage the HAF programme on behalf of AfC.
- Promote, identify and commission services through a range of providers to help ensure provision for children and young people is in place.
- Act as grant manager to all providers supporting their programme delivery, ensuring they are delivering the objectives set by the Department for Education (DfE) and be able to regularly report to senior managers and the DfE on the progress with the programme and evaluate its success.
- Manage and maintain a strong oversight of the budget relating to the programme.
- Lead on the strategic development to support the ongoing programme including liaising with schools, the community and voluntary sector, catering providers and the FUEL steering group, alongside communicating with children, young people and their families to ultimately keep take up of the programme high.

About you

As a Policy and Project Officer for FUEL, you will be passionate about making a positive difference to the lives of children and young people as well as demonstrating the following points:

- Knowledge and experience of project management.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Very organised and great IT skills.
- Strong writing skills, including the ability to draft clear and concise reports to a range of stakeholders, and strong numeracy including budget management.
- Interest in and knowledge and understanding of children’s services.
- Experience of working in a similar role would also be extremely beneficial.

About our benefits

We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:

- Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
- Stable and supportive leadership
- Hybrid and mobile working (between home and work) with latest technology to facilitate this
- Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
- Holiday package upto 34 days per year with option to purchase additional leave
- Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
- A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
- A range of staff benefits and discounts
- A excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway

To find out about all of the breadth of benefits of working for Achieving for Children

Important Information

**Right to work**: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.

**Safeguarding**: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).