Service Manager - Communities And Volunteering

Service Manager, Communities and Volunteering

Do you want to work with us to support a programme of work designed to make a difference to all residents of Gateshead? If so, please keep reading as you’re just what we’re looking for!

We’ve got an exciting opportunity for a Service Manager to lead the newly formed Communities and Volunteering Service that will sit within our Public Health and Wellbeing Directorate.

This new Team exists to support the alleviation of poverty, inequality and disadvantage which includes but is not limited to the provision and co-ordination of emergency food and the DfE Holiday Activity & Food Programme, tackling fuel poverty, developing the Warm Space Network and good quality volunteering opportunities for Gateshead residents. This role will have an emphasis on the development of policy and strategy across thematic areas of voluntary and community sector development, volunteering, community engagement, poverty, inequality, and disadvantage.

Further, the Team supports the Council, its Elected Members, internal and external stakeholders by providing insight, research and expertise to aid understanding of socio-economic disadvantage, its cause and effect, with a view to better understanding the lived experience of Gateshead residents, sharing good practice, influencing policy, process and ways of working to deliver upon the priorities set out in the Thrive policy framework and in support of our the Council’s aspirations for locality working.

Please look at the full job profile via this link JOB PROFILE. It’s important that you read it in full and check that you meet the essential criteria.

About the role….

Although this service sits within Public Health and Wellbeing, as a Service Manager you will work across all council services supporting strategic and service directors by providing insight, research, and expertise to aid understanding of socio-economic disadvantage, its cause and effect. You’ll lead the newly formed Communities and Volunteering Team, working with service leads to create, implement, deliver and performance manage work plans that meet service objectives, whilst also collaborating with colleagues across the Council and with external partners to develop a strategic approach to delivering council priorities.

You will undertake corporate and themed analysis, deep dives including qualitative and quantitative analysis to enable effective decision making around issues of poverty, inequality and disadvantage and you will drive the Council’s priorities around the implementation of the socio-economic duty and the establishment and successful delivery of an anti-poverty strategy with a strong focus on income maximise and employability. You will hold a key role in advising and shaping key decisions providing advice and support to the Leader, Cabinet Members, Overview and Scrutiny Committees and councillor, Strategic and Service Directors. You will be required to be flexible to enable you to effectively manage multiple projects and provide support across all services and directorates.
You will require knowledge of managing change projects in a complex environment, current legislation and policy affecting local government and our residents, how to interpret information and trends to develop and inform strategy. You will hold a relevant degree / professional qualification or equivalent experience. You will have experience of working in the public sector or equivalent and implementing and reviewing policy and strategy. You will have experience of programme and project management tools and techniques, analytical skills with an ability to target information to different audiences and an ability to work with competing demands. You will have experience of manging people and forming constructive working relationships at a senior level. People really are our greatest asset at Gateshead Council, and we value every employee. We encourage our people to think differently, do the right thing and be innovative.
A bit about Gateshead Council…

We’re committed to providing good quality volunteering across Gateshead because we understand the difference this can make to our residents in terms of improving and maintaining their health, wellbeing, and economic prospects. Further, we recognise the role that volunteers and communities can and do play in responding to the Climate Emergency through environmental volunteering.

We’re truly committed to providing our residents and other customers with the highest quality of service and we need like-minded people who can help us deliver a sector leading service. We need people who want to make a difference, who are talented, possess the right knowledge and skills and who want the chance to demonstrate how good they are.

What’s in it for you? Well, there’s so much on offer and here’s just a few of the highlights!

• You’ll be paid a competitive salary plus additional allowances where relevant
• We’ll help you save for your future with an outstanding employer contribution to your pension of approximately 18.9% per year
• You’ll have access to great health and wellbeing support, including discounted membership to GO Gateshead Leisure Services and ability to use our cycle to work scheme
• You will receive a generous mileage allowance when using your vehicle for work purposes
• You’ll get a generous annual leave package of 28 days annual leave for new employees, rising to 32 days after 5 years continuous local government service.
• You will be eligible to take part in the Council flexi scheme.
• You’ll get a generous annual leave package per year and the chance to buy up to 10 additional holidays per year.
• You’ll have access to our new benefits platform VIVUP where you can get discounts and offers on online and high street shopping.

It’s time to apply!

We’re delighted that you want to come and work with us. Please look at the full job profile via this link JOB PROFILE. It’s important that you read it in full and check that you meet the essential criteria, because when we start choosing people to come and meet us, we’ll be checking to ensure that they meet the essential criteria as set out in the job profile.

All we need from you is a completed application form which you can do online at www.gateshead.gov.uk. Please submit your application form electronically by no later than midnight on Thursday 21st March 2024.