Amaze Job Description

Last updated 10/7/14

Job Title:

/

Business Support Manager

Grade: / NJC Scale Point 36-40 (depending on experience)
Responsible to: / CEO
Hours of work: / 28-35 hours per week (depending on availability and experience)
Annual Leave: / 25 days pro rata

Main Purpose of the Job:

In order for Amaze to best meet the challenges and opportunities arising in its environment, and to ensure effective and efficient running of the organisation, this post holder is required to manage, oversee and / or deliver the following support (back office) functions:

  • Finance
  • Contracts management
  • Database, monitoring and evaluation, and Compass and Carers’ Card developments
  • Administration
  • IT
  • HR
  • Internal and External Communications,
  • Health and Safety & Premises
  • Governance,

The post will also provide leadership and support to the Compass Database and Card development team, lead on the PQASSO quality assurance system, and have capacity to undertake other service development and improvement projects as required.

To post will be part of the Management Team and support the CEO.

Specific Duties/Responsibilities:

Finance and strategy:

  • To assist the CEO in the preparation of the Amaze Business plan and working with the Operations Director and Fundraising team to prepare a financial/fundraising strategy which meets the gaps in income
  • To lead on resource allocation – ensuring resources are utilised to best effect and support our strategic priorities
  • To ensure all project leads understand and input to the production and monitoring of project budgets
  • To lead on the production of the organisation’s annual budget
  • Manage the organisation’s Finance Officer and maintain regular liaison with the Treasurer
  • Support the Finance Officer to ensure effective financial reporting, in line with the Finance Policy
  • Ensure appropriate financial controls are in place in order to minimise risk to Amaze

Contracts management:

  • To oversee all grants and contracts to make sure that returns are delivered on time and that work is invoiced for
  • To support the CEO with managing statutory contracts including the assimilation of data, case studies and narrative for the production of contracts and impact reports
  • To support in statutory bid writing and provision of budgets for all funding bids, ensuring that resources and staff are available to execute each project

Database, Monitoring & Evaluation:

  • To manage the organisation’s Database Manager
  • To lead on the development of a new outcomes and performance framework both for staff and for all Amaze services. This will include sourcing and scheduling of (pro bono) independent evaluations for all services
  • To support the introduction of a new case management database
  • To lead the production of the Impact Report and the promotion of Amaze’s impact
  • Ensure the organisation has appropriate systems for complaints and feedback

Compass and Carers Card developments:

  • To manage the organisation’s Compass Development Worker
  • To ensure the Compass Card and Activities, and Carers Card continue to develop in line with wishes of families and funders and the schemes are fully evaluated

Administration

  • To manage the organisation’s Office Administrator and other admin staff as required
  • To ensure the CEO and front line services are provided with effective and responsive administration, supporting the Administrator posts to develop effective systems including for IT and HR
  • Co-ordinate and plan for all of the organisation’s administrative requirements

Information Technology

  • Develop the IT policy and plan to meet the organisation’s IT requirements including hardware and software, depreciation and replacements/growth
  • Work with an external IT support contractor to ensure all staff have effective IT services and support
  • Manage day-to-day IT requirements, including backups

Human Resources

  • Lead on HR issues including recruitment, contracts and other employment issues as they arise
  • Work with the CEO and the Personnel Sub-Committee to ensure that all of the organisation’s responsibilities are met
  • Consider how Amaze could offer an apprentiship to a young person with SEN/D
  • Co-ordinate the development and review of organisational policy and procedure
  • Keep up to date with legislation as it affects the charity sector and to advise the CEO as to any policy changes required to ensure compliance

Internal & External Communications

  • Manage the Website and Publications Manager
  • Lead on communications across the organisation and externally, working with other staff to develop a coherent communications strategy and key messages, ensuring it is implemented
  • Ensure that internal communication is effective, so that staff are aware of what they need to know, what each other are doing, and that they feel part of the staff team
  • Be the central media contact in absence of the CEO
  • Work with fundraising, to seek out opportunities for selling our publication formats and for corporate sponsorship partners

Health & Safety and Premises

  • To be responsible for the development and maintenance of the organisation’s health and safety and risk management policies, ensuring that health and safety risk assessments and risk log are kept up to date
  • To lead negotiations on office space/premises – liaising with landlord(s) and agreeing contracts
  • To manage the maintenance of an effective and safe office base together with any other premises used by the organisation
  • To lead on renegotiations of other items of expenditure e.g. insurance

Governance

  • Act as Company Secretary, advising the Board on legal requirements and good practice and ensuring that they fulfil Charity Commission and Companies House requirements
  • Ensure annual returns are submitted to Companies House within the required timescales.
  • Ensure compliance with company law seeking advice as required.
  • Ensure that statutory notices to members relating to the annual general meeting and any extraordinary general meetings.
  • Provide strategic development support to the CEO, and deputise for the CEO on governance matters as necessary
  • To lead on writing the Annual Report and organising the Annual General meeting

Service Developments

  • Work with the Management Team to ensure that existing and new services are effectively developed, delivered and appropriately costed and priced,
  • To lead on the PQASSO accreditation and opportunities for continually improving our service offer and internal systems and procedures.
  • To project manage additional service developments as appropriately defined by the CEO.

Responsibilities, Authorisations and Limitations

  • Expenditure up to £2,500
  • Work closely with the CEO and other managers as part of a mutually supportive management team
  • Commitment to the success, values, policies and procedures of Amaze
  • Carry out other duties appropriate to the role, responsibilities and grading of the post

This list of duties is not exhaustive and may be subject to change as the role and the organisation develops

Business Support & Development Manager – Person Specification

Basic Entry Level:

Knowledge/Experience

  1. Extensive experience of planning, budgeting and forecasting, ensuring effective use of resources
  2. Experience and understanding of charity accounts including experience of SORP accounting guidelines
  3. Advanced Excel skills
  4. Experience of workingin fast moving environments providing accurate and timely information to a high standard
  5. Experience of providing or managing effective support (services) to other members of a team
  6. Experience of managing day to day HR issues
  7. Experience of writing high quality/successful funder or monitoring reports
  8. Experience of managing external contracts
  9. Experience of staff management and support and knowledge of good practice in staff leadership and development
  10. Experience of managing projects keeping within time and budget
  11. Experience of working with a wide range of stakeholders

Skills, abilities and personal qualities

  1. Financial acumen and attention to detail
  2. High level of IT literacy
  3. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write succinctly in an engaging manner – including reports, bids and policies
  4. Ability to develop good working relationships
  5. Well developed analytical skills
  6. Ability to work independently taking the initiative and solving problems where necessary - putting in place solutions
  7. Leadership skills as well ability to work well in a team
  8. Highly organised and able to prioritise competing workloads and meet tight deadlines
  9. An understanding of the issues faced by parents of children with disabilities or special needs
  10. A good understanding of the importance of confidentiality and the principles of data protection
  11. A commitment to the success and ethos of Amaze.

Higher entry level: Additional responsibility for or experience of:

  • Experience of financial responsibility for end of year accounts and external liaison with external auditors
  • Experience of managing health and safety in the workplace
  • Experience of working in the voluntary sector
  • Writing and delivering a communications strategy
  • Experience of managing quality assurance
  • Experience of managing IT support
  • Developing and implementing a performance / outcomes framework
  • Responsibility for charity governance issues
  • Delivering service improvement/development projects