Introduction from our Chair

Transcription

1 Recruitment Pack Chief xecutive June

2 Introduction from our Chair Thank you for your interest in the role of Chief xecutive at Inspire!. Founded in 2004, Inspire! supports and opens up opportunities for young people, including the most vulnerable, helping them to develop the practical skills and attributes needed to flourish. Operating principally in the London Boroughs of Hackney, Camden and Islington, we have built a strong track record of outstanding success, linking local and City-based businesses and their employees with local schools and colleges. Our programmes for at-risk young people continue to grow in reputation, including our own independent school, Inspired Directions, which offers full time alternative provision for high needs learners. The past five years have been a period of exciting change for the organisation. With demand and interest in our programmes continuing to rise and against a backdrop of significant and ongoing change in the areas we work, the recruitment of a new Chief xecutive comes at a hugely important time for the charity as we seek to build on recent successes. Having moved to a new delivery site in 2017, based in the heart of Dalston, Hackney, we are well positioned to grow and develop our programmes, reaching an even wider audience over the coming years. We are seeking an experienced, inspiring and creative leader who is passionate about achieving Inspire! s aims. A strategic and lateral thinker with excellent leadership and management skills, you will have the ability to lead a team of energetic, talented and committed staff in an open, values-led environment, maintaining and building partnerships essential for our future success. With a strong and supportive board and a dedicated top-quality staff team, this is a rare opportunity to join a unique and vibrant organisation at a pivotal time. If you have the passion and drive to lead Inspire! we would be delighted to hear from you. Matt Sparkes Chair of Trustees 2

3 About Us Inspire! is a successful organisation, whose positive impact on education, young people and business is widely acknowledged. We have continued to prosper during challenging times for the Voluntary Sector. We support over 15,000 young people to build the skills and confidence they need for their future, opening up access to a world of choices and opportunities that may otherwise be out of reach. Developed in collaboration with employers and schools and supported by over 1,600 business volunteers, our programmes are designed to meet the needs of all young people, including those who are most vulnerable. Our Vision For all young people to be empowered to reach their full potential, realise their ambitions and build fulfilling careers and lives. Our Mission To develop the skills, confidence and motivation of young people in Hackney and beyond. Working in partnership with businesses, education providers and the community, we inspire, support and open doors for young people: improving their access to the world of work, raising achievement levels and enhancing their future career prospects and lives. Our Approach Delivering in Partnership We believe in working together with schools, businesses and the wider community to achieve success for young people, collaborating with other organisations to help us achieve our objectives. Providing Opportunity for All We believe all young people have great potential, needing only the right advice, skills and attitudes to succeed. We are passionate about challenging disadvantage. We know that some young people need a bit of extra support and a more personalised approach to help them fulfil their potential. Promoting arly Intervention We believe that it s never too early to start preparing children for adult life, and so deliver programmes to children from the age of 3 onwards, helping them to see that their future can be anything they want it to be. 3

4 Our Work Inspire! employ a strong and highly committed team which has grown to 40 full and part time staff, based in our offices in Dalston, Hackney. Our employees deliver a wide range of programmes and projects for local schools, colleges, and young people. ach of our four teams specialise in a different area of work: Primary Programmes Taking the view that it s never too early to start preparing children for adult life, Inspire! deliver a range of programmes which support the primary curriculum, raise local childrens levels of achievement and develop their awareness of future opportunities. Our flagship work related learning programme, Work Week, has reached over 40,000 local children since its launch in 2006, introducing them to the world of work and supporting their numeracy, literacy and life skills. idiscover, established in 2015, follows a similar model, but focuses on introducing pupils to careers in Science, Technology, ngineering and Maths (STM) and tackling stereotypes around who should be entering these professions and industries. Our Primary Mentoring schemes partner businesses with local primary schools, sending employee volunteers into schools every week to give extra support with reading or maths to those pupils who need it most. In the area of transition, we provide one-to-one mentoring and group workshops as young people make the crucial move from primary to secondary school. Secondary Programmes We provide a range of programmes and services for secondary schools and colleges, enriching young people s education by helping them to learn about and prepare for the world of work. With the support of our business partners and employee volunteers, we deliver a activities to help young people develop the skills and understanding they need to be successful in their chosen future careers. We source and coordinate work experience placements for schools in Hackney, Camden and Islington and provide placements for students at local colleges. Last year our team organised over 4,000 work experience placements for local students from 18 schools and colleges. Additional Needs Programmes Some young people need extra support to help them fulfil their potential; our additional needs programmes provide tailored, intensive support to help them find and follow the path that s right for them. Working in small groups, and often one-to-one, our programmes include mentoring schemes, personal development courses and provision designed to help those not in education, employment or training to get back on track. Our work supports at risk young people with a range of additional needs, including those with social, emotional and mental health issues and special educational needs.. We provide accredited and non-accredited learning, building key life skills and employability skills, helping young people to move into work, apprenticeships or further education. 4

5 Inspired Directions School Our school, which caters for vulnerable young people with a range of additional support needs, delivers a flexible curriculum with an emphasis on project-based learning. Growing to an intake of 25 students over the past year, we support predominantly vulnerable learners with multi-agency involvement and highly complex educational needs. These include students who have been excluded from mainstream school or other PRU provision, young people with HC plans and school refusers. The personality, interests and needs of each young person are at the core of our approach. We are committed to the ongoing and future progress of all our learners and have developed a broad and flexible curriculum, meeting different learning needs by developing a personalised timetable for each of our learners. Delivering a range of qualifications, core academic learning, offsite projects and extra-curricular activity, we work closely with schools, parent agencies, professionals and specialist delivery partners to ensure we fully meet the needs of our students. As members of a small and supportive community, young people are provided with a place of safety and belonging where they can build positive relationships with peers and adults, regain educational and personal confidence, and achieve along their chosen pathways. We ensure that all our graduates have a meaningful destination to move on to and continue to support our graduates through transition, offering opportunities for ongoing engagement with the Inspire! community. To find out more about our work and the latest developments, please visit our website at 5

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7 Role Summary Title: Chief xecutive Salary: 55,000-60,000 per annum Pension: 5% employer s contribution to personal pension plan Annual leave: 28 days plus bank holidays Terms: The role is offered on a permanent contract Responsible to: Chair of Trustees, Inspire! Direct Reports: Operations Director - Primary, Secondary and Additional Needs, Operations Director - Inspired Directions School, Finance Manager Location: Hackney, London Context The Chief xecutive will lead a highly motivated and passionate team as the charity moves into the next phase of its development. Over recent years, ongoing changes to government education policy and reduced public sector funding have created a challenging operating environment for voluntary sector organisations, with cuts in funding affecting local authority budgets, school budgets and non-statutory provision for young people. Over this time, Inspire! has consolidated its work in Hackney and Camden, whilst delivering growing provision in Islington, building and developing new partnerships to leverage funding to support our programmes in primary and secondary schools. Our independent school, the Inspired Directions School has grown significantly over the same period. stablished in 2014, the school now engages and supports some of the most vulnerable young people in society, who have a range of complex educational needs, and are often engaged with multiple agencies such as social services and mental health services. The need for our programmes remains high. Hackney and surrounding boroughs are experiencing unprecedented regeneration, opening up exciting opportunities for local young people over the coming years. Inspire! is ideally placed to ensure those we support have every chance to succeed and are not left behind. Our ability to develop and deliver our programmes would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the staff team, volunteers and trustees, as well as the individuals and organisations who provide financial and in-kind support. This includes both trusts and foundations, corporate sponsors and partners and grant giving organisations such as Big Lottery Fund, Natixis Global Asset Management, Linklaters, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Royal Academy of ngineering, UBS, Hackney Council, J A Clark Trust, Prospects, MC Partners, and Merchant Taylors. Diversifying our income streams to ensure long-term financial stability remains a key priority, so we can continue to develop and deliver high quality provision, meeting the needs of the young people we serve. Job Purpose Leading the development and delivery of the charity s strategy Supporting the Board of Trustees to provide excellent governance Providing ultimate oversight of the Inspired Directions School as the named Head of School, working with and reporting to the school s governing board nsuring the financial health and sustainability of the charity Promoting the charity and cultivating its reputation for creativity and high standards Leading, supporting and developing Inspire s Leadership Team, nsuring high standards in delivery are maintained across all provision Upholding and promoting the values of Inspire! and the Inspired Directions School stablishing and supporting a working environment that encourages initiative and inclusivity for all 7

8 Role Responsibilities Governance, Leadership and Vision Working with the Chair to ensure effective and appropriate governance of Inspire! and the Inspired Directions School Working collaboratively with trustees, Inspired Directions School governors, the staff team and other key stakeholders, developing Inspire! s 3-year strategy plan to help shape the direction of the organisation, overseeing its implementation, monitoring performance and taking remedial action when necessary to maintain progress Communicating Inspire! and the Inspired Directions School s overall vision and mission to staff and stakeholders, ensuring it is upheld and promoted at all times through the delivery of high quality provision Determining and driving standards and any necessary targets to deliver continuous improvement for Inspire! s programmes and the Inspired Directions School Upholding and promoting the values of Inspire! and the Inspired Directions School, establishing a culture that promotes excellence and a commitment to high quality provision for young people Developing and managing a rolling annual business plan and devising and leading the implementation of an annual School Development Plan Taking overall responsibility for the financial management of the organisation nsuring that proper structures, policies and practices are in place and the organisation is fit for purpose and financially viable Keeping current knowledge of statutory regulatory legal and governance requirements relating to the charitable sector and schools Working closely with Inspire! s Board of Trustees and Governors of the Inspired Directions School, convening and organising regular meetings, ensuring both boards are able to operate effectively and make informed decisions through the provision of accurate and up to date information Preparing and presenting regular reports and updates for the Board including the organisation s Annual Report Working with the Chair of Trustees, assisting in the recruitment, training and retention of trustees and governors of the school to ensure effective boards are in place with a balance of skills and experience Operational Management Providing ultimate oversight for all service delivery and quality assurance As the named Head of School, taking overall responsibility for ensuring the Inspired Directions School is fully compliant with all necessary standards and requirements (e.g. Ofsted independent schools framework) and taking a lead role during school inspections In conjunction with the Operations Director, providing oversight of Inspire! s central risk register, ensuring it is reviewed regularly and appropriate mitigating actions relating to financial, internal and external risks/threats are in place In conjunction with the Leadership Team, agreeing and developing new projects and programmes of work, working closely with partner schools, colleges and other education providers to understand current and future needs nsuring appropriate business support functions (e.g. finance, payroll, IT) are in place to enable staff to deliver the best possible service As one of the Designated Safeguarding Lead Officers for Inspire! and the Inspired Directions School, promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people and ensuring Inspire! s safeguarding policy and procedures are adhered to at all times 8

9 Finance and Sustainability nsuring the financial operation of Inspire! is sound and has integrity and controls and reporting systems are in place and being followed Taking overall responsibility for drafting and managing Inspire! s annual budget and approving the overall direction of the organisations finances Working with the Finance Manager, to regularly reforecast budgets and closely monitor cash-flow Keeping fully abreast of new funding opportunities, particularly around new local and national initiatives nsuring that Inspire! operates on a full cost recovery basis and appropriate contractual arrangements are in place Human Resources and People Development nsuring Inspire! has a workforce with the correct mix of skills to enable the delivery of high quality programmes and achievement of organisational objectives Providing leadership, guidance, support and development for Inspire! s Leadership Team stablishing and supporting a working environment and culture that encourages initiative and inclusivity ncouraging all members of staff to rise to their full potential through personal and group support and access to programmes for professional and personal development Marketing, Promotion and Relationship Management Representing Inspire! and championing its work Building effective relationships and networks at a senior level with schools, colleges, corporate partners, local authorities, commissioners and relevant external organisations and individuals Representing Inspire! and the Inspired Directions School on key local and regional strategic groups, forums and policy making bodies Protecting and promoting the charity s reputation for responding creatively and effectively to need, leading and upholding best practice and delivering with sensitivity, imagination and professionalism nsuring that Inspire! s brand is marketed and promoted effectively to a local, regional and national audience 9

10 Person Specification Area ssential / Desirable Criteria Qualifications ducated to degree level or equivalent xperience vidence of safeguarding training vidence of continuing personal development Previous experience of working at a senior strategic level within an education setting, the voluntary sector and/or services supporting young people Proven ability to inspire, lead, motivate and manage staff and lead senior management teams Previous experience of strategic planning, writing business plans, budget preparation and management, combined with project management experience Successful track record of generating significant ongoing income through the identification of new business opportunities Demonstrable experience within financial management, recruitment and HR xperience of operating within a multi-stakeholder environment with the ability to build a wide range of relationships with stakeholders and take on an ambassadorial role xperience of working with trustees/boards, and an ability to recognise and make effective use of their expertise D xperience of working with and/or leading services supporting challenging young people Knowledge Knowledge and understanding of the strategic and policy context of the Inspire! s operating environment Knowledge and understanding of education environments and relevant legislation, including Ofsted requirements for schools Assessment method Application Interview Task 10

11 Personal Attributes D Knowledge and understanding of human resources and the legal framework for employing and managing staff Knowledge of current legislation on safeguarding and child protection An understanding of management systems and processes required to ensure work is delivered to the highest standards Understanding of the statutory frameworks relating to charities Credibility and gravitas to lead a successful and impactful organisation xcellent written and communication and skills Commercial acumen with the ability to identify and develop new opportunities Ability to successfully manage multiple tasks and conflicting priorities whilst working flexibly Highly developed analysis and reporting skills with the ability to identify and explore new and innovative ways of working xcellent interpersonal skills with the ability to form and develop new partnerships and influence with credibility and impact on key external stakeholders Values Collaborative: excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work both as part of a team and autonomously xcellent and Impactful: excellent attention to detail and a can do attitude Caring and Committed: demonstrable commitment to the aims and purpose of Inspire! and interest in working with young people Creative: innovative and flexible approach to work and delivery. 11